Part 12 (1/2)
She leaned up. ”What do you mean?”
”Well, I hate to say things about people, but I never really liked Keith Taylor. He just doesn't come off as being on the up and up.” Melody raised an eyebrow. ”It's like he always has some kind of angle, and I can't figure it out for the life of me.”
”Angle with this job, or in general?”
Mario wiped sweat from his forehead. ”He always manages to make things work out in his best interest, you know? I mean, he gets perks around here that people who have been working here for years don't even get. It's like everyone is snowed. The employees flock to his every move. The women around here, oh, they can't get enough of him. And Mr. Lawson acts like he's Jesus.” He shook his head. ”I'm probably the only one around here who doesn't think twice about him.”
Melody stood. ”Until now.” Mario looked at her. ”I think you're on the right track, Mario. I don't like Keith Taylor, and I'd die before believing a word that came out of his mouth. I think he's a manipulative liar.” She looked into the hallway. ”He scares the h.e.l.l out of me, and for that, I want to make sure he stays away from my sister.”
Mario sighed. ”I think you should definitely stay away from him, too, Melody.”
”If only I could get Sarah to see a reason, but he has her snowed like everyone else.”
”Hi.” Keith leaned at the door with his arms crossed. His fancy white s.h.i.+rt, blue tie and black slacks were straightened to perfection. Melody wondered if he'd heard. Somehow she felt it hadn't made a difference either way. She wanted him to know how she felt. Maybe then he'd leave Sarah the h.e.l.l alone.
”Uh, h.e.l.lo, Keith.” Mario waved nervously. ”I was helping Melody get settled in. How are you this morning?”
Keith squinted as he glanced at Melody. ”I'm fine, Mario. Just heading to my office. Please don't stop talking about me on my account.” He smiled at Melody.
”Melody, I'll be right back. I need to get you the manual so you can read up on your duties.” Mario slid past Keith.
”Oh, boy.” Keith chuckled. He scooted on top of the desk. ”Nothing more flattering than a woman checking up on me.”
”Believe me, I wasn't doing it for the reasons you think, Keith.” She glared at him. His eyes skimmed her large b.r.e.a.s.t.s through her suit jacket.
”Any reason you'd take time to know more about me is music to my ears, Melody.” He smirked.
”I have to go to the bathroom and...” He blocked the door.
”You're not going anywhere!” He shoved her in the chair.
”Get out of my way, Keith!”
”Shut up!” He opened her suit jacket. He tore open her blouse.
She screamed. ”Oh! What are you doing? My blouse!” She tried to s.h.i.+eld herself with her arms.
Keith held her to the chair. ”Yeah, I did it,” he whispered.
”Get away from me!” she begged.
”I said, shut up.” He glanced at her plump b.r.e.a.s.t.s encased in the lacey white bra. Melody could barely breathe. She sure as heck couldn't confront him. Her heart pounded. She started to see double and became woozy.
”Oh, what's the matter...huh?” Keith panted. ”What, having a panic attack, Mel? Sarah's told me all about those.” He struggled from staring at her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
”Keith...I...I can't breathe.”
”What, huh?” He got on his knees in front of her. He continued to hold her arms to the chair. ”Besides being gorgeous with great legs, you've also got a very bad habit. You're nosey as h.e.l.l. At first, I a.s.sumed that was part of your charm. So I tolerated it. But I won't tolerate it much longer.” He stood erect. His eyes narrowed until she saw no evidence of the green pupils.
”Are...you...threatening me?” She gazed at him between pants.
”At first, I found it cute how you've been acting, but I quickly grew tired of it. You don't have to like me, Melody. But you are gonna stay out of my business. You stay the f.u.c.k out of my business. Do you understand me?”
”Oh...I...Keith...I can't breathe.” She bent over.
”I don't want you asking questions about me. I don't want you snooping in my things. I don't want you bugging Sarah about me...nothing.”
”Keith!” she panted. ”I can't breathe!”
”It's hard, isn't it, Melody?” He stood. ”It's hard when you're cornered, isn't it? When you realize you aren't in control of what's around you. I hate that feeling myself. So I make sure I'm always in control.” He leaned over her.
”Keith...” The panting slowed. Her heart settled. She focused on the gray carpet. She exhaled. Finally her body naturally relaxed. She forced her hands from Keith's. She immediately closed her blouse. She held her suit jacket closed over it.
”I must admit, this is kind of fun.” He touched her hair and she jerked away. ”I'm incredibly attracted to you. Do you know that?”
She shoved him away. ”If you come near me again, I'll call the police. I'll tell Mr. Lawson and you'll be fired, Keith. You'll have nothing!” Her arms shook over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
”If you stay out of my business, and be a good girl, Melody, then things will be fine.” He slumped to the door. She held her mouth. She fought the urge to vomit right then and there. Keith turned from the door. ”I love that perfume, by the way. The more you wear it, the more I look forward to it.” She shut her eyes. ”Sorry if I scared you, Melody.” He left.
”Oh...oh...” She leaned back in the chair. She didn't know what in the h.e.l.l to do. She just knew she had to do something.
”Melody?” Lucas stood at the door. She hurried to make herself presentable. He rushed inside after noticing her strange behavior. ”Jesus, why is your blouse open?” He turned away.
”Uh...” She could have easily settled things by being honest. For some reason she didn't see it the time or the place. Besides, she wanted to keep her problems with Keith away from Lucas. She'd waited a long time to meet someone special. She had no idea that she'd known him all the while Sarah had been right. Maybe Lucas had been the man of Melody's dreams.
She wouldn't let her feelings about Keith f.u.c.k that up. She deserved happiness like everyone else. She just needed time to think about what to do. Somehow, she could make Sarah see reason about her new ”perfect” boyfriend.
”Melody!” He snapped his fingers. She looked at him. ”I asked you why your blouse is opened. What in the h.e.l.l is going on in here? You look a mess.” He touched her hair. ”Still a beautiful mess.”
”Uh...” She knew d.a.m.n well she couldn't think of a convincing lie. She'd do her best to try. ”I was, uh, in here with Mario, unpacking things. Uh...” She grinned. ”And I opened my jacket because it was kind of warm. I bent over to pick something up and my blouse snagged on the desk. It just popped open. I'm so embarra.s.sed.” She chuckled. ”And thanks for saying I look a mess.”
”Well, I came to welcome you on board. I couldn't wait until you got here.” He looked around. ”I picked out this office for you. I hope you don't mind.” She shook her head. ”I hope you enjoy your time here, Melody.” He gestured to the door. ”I saw Keith leaving a few seconds ago. Was your blouse open then?”
She scoffed. ”Uh, are you getting at something?”
He shrugged. ”Am I?”
”Lucas, what are you saying?”
”It just looks suspicious, that's all. Keith was in here and I come in here and your blouse is open. You give me some flimsy excuse and...”
”It's not an excuse.” She straightened her jacket. ”G.o.d, I had an accident, Lucas. It's nothing to even mention. Am I being accused of something?”
”It's just that you're so tense around Keith. When we were at Jayson's, I got the feeling something was going on between you two. Like, I don't know, some kind of secret. Am I right?”
”No.” She crossed her arms. ”Not in the way you mean. I'm not attracted to Keith, if that's what you mean, Lucas.”
”Is he attracted to you?”
She scoffed. ”He's with Sarah.”