Chapter Nine
Tye
He and Melanie made quite a team, and were quickly becoming the talk of the hospital. Tye could watch Melanie with patients for hours. She had an easy bed side manor, but she wouldn’t let them bullshit her either. She could somehow tell when they were leaving out important information or just straight out lying to her. With her knowledge and skills Tye only enhanced their abilities since he could sense more underlying issues without all the poking and prodding. Of course they had to poke and prod to confirm, but Tye had quite a streak of being right.
They were putting in long hours at the hospital, and they still had to pass their medical boards. That meant even longer hours spent studying. Usually they did that together too at Tye’s place. His place was more accommodating to his large size so Melanie didn’t protest. Tonight was no different than the rest. They had finished their twelve-hour shift, hit the coffee shop, and then dragged themselves to Tye’s place to study.
“I don’t think there’s enough coffee in the world to keep me up tonight.” Tye said as he threw himself on his couch. He wanted nothing more than to shift into his bear, and drift off to sleep.
“We have to Tye. We only have a few more week until the first round of tests. I can’t get that failure letter while I’m spending the holidays with my dad. He’s already an arrogant prick; let alone if I fail.”
“You won’t fail Melanie. You know this stuff. You fly through the rounds at the hospital, and you have an almost perfect diagnosis percentage.”
“It’s easier in real life. Having a person in front of me to see, touch, and listen to. Having a piece of paper with hidden meanings, and important omitted symptoms meant to trip you up is different.”
“I still have faith in you.”
Tye chugged the rest of his coffee, and tried to shake himself awake. Melanie was stripping out of her hospital scrubs until she just had on her pants, and a tank top. She let her hair out of the stiff bun she always kept it up in on rounds, and shook it out. Tye couldn’t take his eyes off of her. She was breathtaking. He didn’t try to keep the desire out of his eyes when she turned to him. He didn’t say anything he just kept taking her in, like a man who had been deprived of air.
“Tye.” She said his name hesitantly. Like she wasn’t sure what he was going to do next. He could feel her unease, and he could smell her desire. It was almost like a tangible pull between the two of them. They were fighting it, but it was there. Tye desperately wanted to pull her on top of him and drown himself in her for the night. She wasn’t there yet though. She was getting there though.
He was always finding little ways to touch her when they were together, and she never pulled away. Any time he could get close to her, he did. He loved to breathe in her scent. She knew that’s what he was doing too. She never balked though. Sometimes he could feel her disappointment if he would pass up an opportunity. She felt the pull between them. He promised himself she would be begging him when he finally touched her.
“Melanie.” He drew her name out. He finally broke the spell that was weaving between them and got up to get his books. He finally settled in next to her on the couch and got his stuff together to where they had left off the day before. He knew she had been watching him the whole time.
“What the hell Tye.”
“I’m not sure I follow.” He still didn’t look up at her when he spoke. Sitting this close to her he could smell her sweet scent. It was intoxicating. Maybe he shouldn’t have sat next to her. Hell he probably shouldn’t have let her come over tonight. He was sleep deprived and sex deprived which were a deadly combination for his kind. He hadn’t had any type of release since he’d been home to visit his family. That had been months ago. He still had another week before Thanksgiving break was upon them.
He finally looked up at her. Her eyes were heavy with desire. He almost tossed all their books on the floor and took her right there on the couch. He tried to hide his desire from her. Tonight was not the night. Finally, she realized he wasn’t going to act on their desires, and her eyes narrowed at him. She plastered on her normal pinched expression, the one she wore when she was annoyed, and flipped her book open as well.
He couldn’t stand her dismissal though. Goddess, he was behaving like a lunatic. He cupped her chin in his hand, and brought her eyes back to him. He finally leaned in and captured her mouth with his. He had been dying to see how her lips would taste for so long he growled when he finally did. She immediately opened her mouth to him, and ran her fingers through his hair.
Tye’s bear was on the verge of taking over and claiming their mate. Tye held him at bay while he continued his tender assault. She met each of his strokes with equal passion. Tye finally pulled her on his lap to straddle him. They both groaned with the intimate position. Tye gripped her hips hard as he rocked her back and forth on his erection. It was all he could do to keep from ripping her clothes off.
At that thought he finally pulled back. It took her a second to come around. Her eyes were heavy with desire, and her head dropped down to her chest. Tye ran his fingers through her hair and then down over her back. He was desperately trying to calm himself, but his bear was sick of waiting to make things final between him and his mate.
“Tye, I, um, I really can’t do this.” Her voice was breathy. She slowly crawled off of him, and sat back on the couch. She looked as shaken as he was.
“Melanie, it seems to me like we can’t not do this.”
He watched as she ran her fingers through her hair. She started laughing. It was a rich throaty laugh that washed over him, and had his bear prancing like a fool. The sound warmed his soul. He didn’t know why she was laughing, but he couldn’t help but start laughing himself.
“I’m sorry.” She stuttered out between breaths.
When she quit laughing, and pulled herself together Tye felt like they had reached a turning point.
“Tye, my whole life I have avoided men. I didn’t want a relationship to distract me from my schooling. I also didn’t want to end up with someone like my father that felt like my place was in the home. I’m so close to my dream I can taste it, and here you are. You’re my biggest fear.”
“Melanie, I’m not here to waylay your dreams. I love that you want to be a doctor, and that you have stuck by your dream through all the adversary. The only place I require you to be is by my side whenever possible. I want to love you and add depth to your life not hinder you.”
“We barely know each other. How can you feel so strongly? How do I feel so strongly?”
“It’s the mate bond. You’re my mate.”