Details:  We left off with Levi angry when he spots Melody on a date. Living in the same house, they're bound to meet up. Let's find out how they both feel about the date.  Today's prompt is sea.
( Levi has an issue that has been mentioned three times in the story. Some of you may have missed it, but it is the reason behind his mind-boggling behavior. Today's snippet is a little longer because it might be the last.)

Still, she waited in the kitchen, not sure what to do. Maybe she could pretend she hadn’t seen Levi at the diner. She might not have noticed him if her date hadn’t mentioned some unknown man was staring daggers at him. When they turned to leave, she saw Levi. Part of her wanted to hide, but another part wanted him to see she could enjoy the attentions of another man. Someone not as mercurial as Levi was. Her exaggerated laughter declared Shaun was the most entertaining man alive. It must have been believable because Shaun accepted it as real.

His footsteps came neared, but stopped, not coming into the kitchen. Where was he? Melody waited. She’d spent all this time readying herself for his reaction and now nothing. The television wasn’t on. What happened? She crept forward intent on looking into the living room to see exactly what the aggravating man was up to now.

She made it to the doorway only to discover both Levi and Charmer waiting. “Ahh!” She jumped back in surprise. “I didn’t expect you to be there.”

“I know.” Levi had the temerity to grin. “I could tell by your shadow that you were lurking over by the cabinets."

The sink light behind her did cast her long shadow on the floor. “I wasn’t cowering.” She hurried to defend herself while realizing that cowering did sound like an accurate description.

“Yeah. How would you describe it, then?” He hoisted an eyebrow as he casually leaned against the doorway frame.

Her mind flipped through various excuses and rejecting them just as rapidly. Most sounded silly and contrived, which was what they were. “I was getting a drink of water when you came in.”

“Sounds plausible.” He nodded as if accepting her reason.

His attitude irritated her. Sure, he didn’t question her excuse, but she felt like he didn’t believe her. Her back rigid, she stomped the two steps needed to reach the sink and grabbed the empty glass. Flourishing it, she announced, “Here’s the glass. Whadya say now?”

Levi pushed away from the wall and took three long legged strides that put him right at the edge of her personal bubble. The smell of onions and country fried steak hung in the air.  They had the same entrée. It was odd how similar the two of them were. Her pulse kicked up, but that was probably just anger.

Putting the glass back in the sink, she whipped back to stare him down. No way, she’d let Levi intimidate her.  Nope, no good would come of that. “Are you satisfied now?”

Levi blinked twice before he took a step closer less than a foot separated them. She’d read somewhere that Middle Eastern people often stood very close when talking.  Could be he hadn’t adapted to American ways being gone so long.

His eyes held her. “No, I’m far from satisfied. How about you, Mel? Did glasses boy ring your bell?”

The unexpected response shook her. Using both hands, she shoved at his chest. “Jerk, that’s what you are.” Just when her image of him had softened a little, he spoilt it again. Her shove didn’t budge him.

Her eyes drifted down to his wide stance wondering if she should kick his shin to get him to move. It might work. Of course, if he fell she’d feel horrible. Part of her was curious to see what he’d do next. His large hands clamped on her shoulders.

“Did you have fun with your date?” He pushed the words out through clenched teeth.

The idea of her date bothered him, which made no sense since he all but encouraged her. Told her there were plenty of men who’d appreciate her. “Yes, I had fun. It is quite a change to go out with a man who isn’t always playing mind games with me.”

“Mind games is it?” Levi used his grip on her shoulders to pull her closer.

His pupils darkened and widened almost eliminating the irises. “Mind games, you know you do it, first you’re like all prickly, then you’re—“

His lips landed on hers stopping her words. Heat rushed through her body flushing her skin. Her hands reached for his shoulders. Her fingers worked their way up his neck,   to anchor his head to hers. Her knees weakened causing her to droop a little. Levi slid his hands down to her waist embracing her and moving her back to the counter.   

Her lips parted. Something she needed to tell him. Although it was hard to remember. “Levi.” His name came out more as a whisper. Was it an entreaty to stop, or a plea to continue?  He took it as the latter slipping his tongue into her mouth to trace the roof of her mouth, tickling her and exciting her with the same motion.

Oh yeah, the man could kiss, but she knew that. It made her wonder how well he did other things.  Melody rocked her hips against his feeling his readiness, letting him know she was ready too. Levi’s hands stopped their downward progression toward her hips. His lips stilled on hers. His embrace loosen, and then dropped as he stepped away. His face was hard to read as he backed away. He acted like a character from a horror novel that suddenly found his arms full of a decaying corpse.

“Does your boyfriend make you feel like that?” He stood and stared at her, before swinging away to grab Charmer’s leash.

Melody’s hand came up to touch her lips. How did he do that? Why did he do it would be a better question.  She was all but melting in his arms and he managed to turn off the attraction between them and turn away. God, she wished she could do the same. The jingle of Charmer’s tags indicated Levi was fastening the leash.

“Shaun isn’t my boyfriend.” She shouted the words making sure he heard, but he didn’t answer. No need to add she had a follow up date with the man. It really seemed like he’d like to be her boyfriend. The screen door slammed.

Cradling her head in her hands, she finally answered Levi’s impertinent question when he was too far away to hear.

“No Shaun never makes me feel the way you do. I doubt any man would. You’re too much like a Viking ship with sea goddess figurehead with all the high swings and stomach turning fast falls. Shaun is a carousel compared to you. Sometimes, though,” she paused to wipe an eye, “a girl might want a Viking ship, but needs to settle for a carousel.

Scene setup: I jumped a few pages. Melody is meeting Shaun for the first time, after her disastrous run-in with her roommate. Levi arrives with Calvin, one of Uncle Roy’s poker buddies, who has offered him a job. It’s hard for Levi to keep up his side of the conversation when he only has eyes for Melody. The word prompt is ride.

The prospect of good food and a job had Levi’s lips tilting up. His mood lightened as he entered the brightly lit diner. Waitresses bustled between the filled tables attesting to the popularity of the diner. A large chalkboard announced that tonight’s specials were stuffed peppers and chicken fried steak.

“They both sound good, “Levi remarked to Calvin when he heard Melody’s familiar laugh. His eyes traveled over numerous couples until stopping at a corner table. The woman’s back was to him. Hadn’t he seen that same top draped across her arm as she left this morning?

A thirty something guy sat across from her sporting hair too strategically highlighted to be natural and wire rimmed glasses. No doubt, he thought he looked both artistic and intellectual.  Levi’s brows lowered on their own. The important thing was what Melody thought.

A waitress waved them to an empty booth cutting short his scrutiny of the couple. He followed Calvin who was on the heels of the server who led them to a booth.  Realizing her direction, Levi asked, “Isn’t there a table empty?” He gestured in the direction they came.

Her eyes slipped to Calvin who answered while the woman stared at Levi. “Loretta was taking me to my usual booth, but a table would be a nice change.”

The waitress gave Calvin a smile while Levi only received an annoyed look as she turned and led the way to a free table closer to the two.

Calvin headed for the chair facing Melody and the unknown man, which would leave Levi with his choice of the other three chairs. He’d be constantly turning his head to stare. It wasn’t something he wanted to do. He made a lunge for the chair Calvin was heading for, placing his hand on it.  He dropped into the chair thinking possession denoted ownership, before he remembered Calvin was his only lead on a job.  He forced himself to stand. “Did you want to sit here?”

Calvin took the seat to his right and picked up a laminated menu. “Apparently not as much as you do.”

Was he that obvious? Did he offend Roy’s old friend? Not knowing what to do he played the card, he’d swore he’d never play the veteran one. “Oh, sorry, battle reflexes, I guess.”

His companion’s face grew interested as he placed his menu on the table. “No reason for me to look since I’ve eaten everything that’s served here. I was in Vietnam. What battle reflex forces you to take a certain chair?”

That’s what he got for playing the card. Harry at rehab mentioned most folks never served in combat. Any mention of it usually dumbfounded the general populace. It usually gave the person who played it a free ride for a while. His volunteer tutor did caution him about talking to war veterans because they could usually see through excuses or at best would want to trade war stories. Lucky him.

Melody laughed again distracting him from his current dilemma. Was that a real laugh or a forced laugh? It was hard to tell when he couldn’t see her face. The man leaned closer demonstrating he was clearly a date as opposed to a friend. Levi’s back stiffened. He knew the behavior well enough to realize the man was working hard to impress her. If her laughter was any indication, he was succeeding.

Calvin half turned in his seat to see who grabbed Levi’s attention. “Know them?”

“One of them.” He forced the words out between clenched teeth.

Calvin whistled as he turned back to face Levi. “I’m betting it’s the woman and probably the reason behind your battle reflexes too.”

Summary: Levi stomped off to his room claiming that Melody was treating him like a sick old man by trying to fix him another sandwich. She's stunned because she'd been fighting an inappropriate attraction to the wounded warrior. His latest antic of stomping off like a five-year-old only confuses her even more.

Today's word is father. See if you can find it.




Today's Excerpt

Her eyes followed him until his bedroom door closed softly. Damn, girl, see what happens when you go thinking some man is attracted to you. Grabbing a damp dishcloth, she savagely wiped the table flinging the crumbs to the floor. Stupid, yeah, that what she was.

She washed the two plates, two glasses and a knife and continued her mental dressing down. Sure, he might not be attracted to her, but why did he kiss her and touch her any time he had a chance too. Why did he flirt with her?  Linda, her old roomie, liked to joke that she was, as close to being nun as possible without being Catholic. Even so, she knew flirting. Levi McDaniel had definitely flirted with her. Placing the dried plates in the cabinet, she decided it was probably a natural response. What guys did when they were around women. Maybe they weren’t even aware they were doing it.

Her nose crinkled at the thought. It sounded like something her last foster mother might say.  The woman lectured her numerous times to stay away from boys.  Her standard rant was boys only wanted sex and would promise you anything to get it.  Apparently, her foster father had a bit of the wandering eye that fueled the woman's embittered attitude.

Her foster mother's lurid imagery conjured up wild-eyed males roaming the streets capturing any lone female with promises of moonlight walks and flowers.  Melody never bothered to mention the boys stayed away from her. Instead, she nodded her head at the right time, which was whenever the woman paused for a breath.

If that scenario didn’t scare her enough, the thought of becoming a teenage mother did. Her mother was one and she saw how well that worked out.  Giving the counter a final wipe down, she turned out the kitchen light. Tomorrow was a workday with clients to visit. There was a new client too, some man in his thirties.  For a moment, she forgot about the brooding man behind the door.

Picture Prompt today is a river scene. Melody and Levi were  at a table eating sandwiches. Melody jumps up to make another sandwich. Levi slips up behind her after telling her he doesn't need another sandwich. This is where today's excerpt starts.









EXCERPT
“You startled me. It’s amazing how quiet you can move.”

Levi's lips tilted up, but not quite a smile, but as if he was considering it, but hadn’t quite made up his mind. “Amazed me too. Didn’t think I’d be able to move as quiet with the fake leg, but I’m learning to, I’m just not as fast.”

His proximity left her nerves a little jangled, not to mention that his nearness made other parts of her kick into automatic overdrive. Not a viable candidate might as well calm down.  Too bad, her body wasn’t listening to her brain. She inhaled deeply wondering how she was going to get by the sizable man in her way. She stepped to her right intending to go around him, but his hand landed on her shoulder stopping her.

Children’s voices drifted through the screen door as she found herself caught in Levi’s intense gaze. His sharp, alert eyes missed very little. His continued existence bore witness to the fact. Part of her heard a child shout Ready or Not.   A bead of sweat rolled down her neck and slipped under her shirt.

Melody found herself drowning in his gaze. It reminded her of the time she almost fell into the river. A stranger grabbed her arm before she hit water.  

Her heart pounded hard making its presence known. Would he kiss her again? Her tongue slipped out licking her lips in anticipation. It would be a bad thing and would make things more complicated. Instead, her mind spun a fantasy affair where the two engaged in a torrid romance all in the span it took for his words to coalesce in the air.  

“I’m not Roy. Not some sick, old man on the edge of kicking off. Don’t let the lack of a leg fool you. I don’t need you taking care of me or feeling sorry for me.” His hand dropped as he pivoted and headed for his room.

The sandwich scene continues. Melody and Levi are sitting at the table talking and eating sandwiches. The prompt is bottom. See if you can find it.










EXCERPT


“Do you want to talk about it?” Levi asked with his sandwich inches from his mouth.

“Hell, no!”

Did she want to use the dull steak knife she cut the sandwiches with to open up a vein and bleed out in front of him? It would be about the equivalent. She never talked about her early life. Mary and Roy were the only two people who pried a few facts from the bottomless abyss where she hid her past. To confess to the emptiness in her life, growing up unloved and unconnected would make her a pitiful character. It might appear as if she was trying to solicit attention or sympathy when she wanted neither.

Instead of replying to her emphatic statement, Levi bit into his sandwich consuming it in four good-sized bites. Her chair squeaked across the tile, as she jumped up to make him another one. She busied herself with placing the meat on the bread.  Her back was to Levi, which was a good thing because he saw too much. His eyes were like some mutant superhero's, but instead of seeing through her, he saw into her, the secret needy side that she worked so hard to hide from everyone. As Melody Gibbons, hospice nurse, she was an unremarkable, efficient professional. Few people ever questioned the person behind the job title.  

“What are you doing woman?”

Levi’s words stopped her, especially the woman part. Slowly, she  turned  and bathed Levi in an icy stare. “I believe we discussed my name before. I have one. It’s Melody and I’m making you a sandwich.”

A grin crossed Levi’s face. “I knew the woman part would get you.”

Putting down the cheese, she put her hands on her hips. “So you’re out to bait me. Is this a game you men like to play with us women?” She emphasized the last word.

He shrugged his shoulders as his eyes glittered with amusement. “I can’t say about any other men. I’ve never tried it on anyone else, but you. It cracks the glass shell you wrap around yourself. Tell me, Melody, do you object to being called woman because it reminds you’re a living, breathing female.”

Her breath caught for a second as she forced herself to exhale normally. Was he implying that she was attracted to him? They both knew the answer to that. Not a subject she wanted to address, so she went with a different approach, when in doubt stay as close to the truth as possible when answering. “I dislike woman because it is so generic. It makes me not an individual, but just another woman without a face or identity. Any woman would do. Woman, go get me my coffee that sort of thing. Growing up in foster homes, my name was usually girl, new girl or that girl.   Could be the reason behind why I resent it.”

Levi took a long drink making her wondering if he’d even heard her. It would serve her better if he hadn’t. At least, she hadn’t tacked on that often she wondered if she even had a name since no one ever used it. When her mother left she packed Melody’s identity in her flowered suitcase before she vanished with her latest man. Couldn’t refer to herself as Jill’s daughter since Jill was no longer around.