Private Melody by Altonya Washington

his face in his hands as he inhaled deeply to cool his temper. The others seemed to lose their appetites as well.
    Khan was first to stand. “I’ll get the check. Catch you guys later. Mr. Rucker.” He nodded a goodbye.
    â€œYeah, I’m outta here, too. Got some stuff to do.” Cube followed next. “Rucker,” he bid.
    â€œGood seeing you again, Rucker.” Winton extended a hand to shake.
    â€œGive us a minute, man,” Brody said when the waiter came to collect dishes. “Have you two slept together?” he asked once the young waiter had walked on.
    Therin propped a sneaker-shod foot to the chair Winton had vacated. Bracing a fist to his forehead, the resigned smile he gave was confirmation enough.
    â€œHow was she when you left her?” Brody asked.
    A muscle danced along Therin’s jaw as it tightened. “She was sleeping, woke up before I left. Said she wanted to make me breakfast.” He smiled briefly on the memory.
    Brody picked at his bacon. “Did she tell you about her condition before or after you…?”
    â€œBefore.”
    â€œAnd I suppose you figured you could…keep yourself in check around her?”
    â€œThe hell with you, doc.” Therin’s fist landed on the table. “I didn’t jump on her the second I met her. Hell, I didn’t even want to risk it—”
    â€œExactly.” Brody straightened in his chair. “May I speak frankly?”
    Therin’s laughter drew a fair amount of attention. “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing?”
    Brody grinned. “Khan was right. What he said about not being able to tell her what to do. She’s got a way…an almost undetectable way of working things in her favor.”
    â€œThat passion of hers?” Brody waited for Therin’s nod. “It’s evident in all she does. All, Mr. Ambassador.”
    The muscle began its wicked dance along Therin’s jaw again. “Are you speaking from experience, then?”
    â€œNo. Not mine—others.” Brody ran his hand across the low afro. “Key’s last relationship was over three years ago. Things didn’t move nearly as fast there as they have with the two of you but they made progress. The first night they slept together, she wound up in the ER.”
    Therin went cold beneath his tan hoody.
    â€œHmph. The guy could’ve used time in the ER himself—he looked ready to pass out.” Brody smiled. “I think he did when Cube got there.”
    â€œWhat kind of idiot do you think I am? You believe I’d intentionally overlook the risk and put her in danger?”
    Brody leaned forward, clasping his hands against the top of the table. “No. I don’t think that, and neither did her last two acquaintances—but it happened.” His voice softened. “What I’m saying is that in spite of best intentions, I don’t know a man alive who could take it slow and easy with a woman like that.”
    Therin’s words had failed then and he offered no argument.
    Brody regarded him for a moment before he stood. “I’d appreciate you not mentioning our chat with Kianti. She’d kill us slow if she knew we’d talked to you.”
    When silence met his request, Brody sighed and left the table.
    The waiter returned to clear the dishes, noticed the harsh look Therin wore and decided to return once the table was vacant.
    Therin stared unseeingly past the windows and wondered if it was too late to shut down emotion and back off from Kianti Lawrence. A host of responses filtered his brain—all of them telling him he was already hopelessly beyond the point of no return. He had never opened himself up to such a rush of emotion. In spite of the many women he’d known before, he’d never wanted to open himself up to such emotion. His fate was sealed, he knew it and he’d passed the point of caring.
    He felt the phone vibrate in his