Release Date: November 2014  

The Steak House:

Andrew dropped his normal voice, reserved for panties combustion occasions only.

“Done checking me out?”

She yanked her hand free. Her expressive brown eyes widened even more. He swore the caramel-honey color melted with embarrassment. Her cheeks looked as if they were being pinched pink. Andrew had to bite his lower lip not to grin like an ass.

Every girl he’d encountered so far had turned into a giggling, blushing Jell-o at his blatant flirting. Lea was blushing all right, but the words—not giggle—that came out of her mouth made him want to kiss her right there, right now in front of her whole family. 

“Not quite. Could you please”—she gestured with her hand, making a circling motion—“turn around?”

Andrew wanted to bite those pinkish cheeks.

Fine. If the princess wanted to play, he would play. “Happy to.”

He made a three-sixty rotation for her. He caught Theo’s eyes as he turned and they both grinned at each other—his friends were used to see him making a fool out of himself. He’d love to throw in a few of mocking ballet flaps and twirls had they been alone and the audience hadn’t included Lea’s mother. Irresistible and funny, yes. Irresistible and gay, no. Twirling could wait.

He finished it with a head bow and a smug smirk. Her shoulders moved as she laughed at his ridiculousness. She reminded him of baby Simba, cute and wild. A yummy combination. All jokes aside, he briefly wondered whether Jo would still consider him a friend if he made a move on his sister. Deep inside he knew Jo would if he was being frank and open about how serious he was. And that was where Andrew drew the line. He wouldn’t do serious.

The girl in front of him stole back his attention. She had a lopsided smile on her lips as she watched him with a curious set of eyes.

“So?” he inquired after softly clearing up the lump that blocked his throat. “How was the ass-essment?” He wondered if she caught the word ass in there. Her eyes dropped to his waist and below before they went back up again. He smirked and was very close in saying I said ass, not crotch, but decided that maybe she was too young for his penis-related jokes.

She put her hands inside her jeans pocket and clamped her bottom lip between her teeth. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from those lush, lipstick-free lips. Damn it. Why did she have to be Jo’s sister? If she wasn’t, he was absofuckinglutely sure he would spend tonight in her bed, getting a hands-on learning experience on Human Anatomy 101. Too bad that the only anatomy he would learn tonight was his own. 

Those appealing lips moved, making Andrew swallow involuntarily. She said in a matter-of-fact tone, “The ass is perfect.” Of course it was. It was his ass. “I wonder how your abs are.”

He shouldn’t have hesitated earlier. He should’ve gone with the crotch jokes.  

Taking a step forward, he crowded her personal space. He should probably stop. If he continued, he would have to take her into his arms. She didn’t move from where she stood. Brave or stupid, 

Andrew wasn’t sure.

“Just as perfect,” he answered in low, full-of-innuendo voice.

“Like six-pack perfect?”

Uh… He should lie. He definitely should. Not like she would demand a physical proof anyway. And he doubted she owned a see-through-Superman-vision, either. It was just something about the way she asked that bothered him. As if she already knew that his abs weren’t six-pack perfect. His abs were flat, mind you, and toned. And super hard. It was just that it was a few digits less than six.

“You want to grab a feel?” he challenged, wagging a suggestive eyebrow at her.

Careful, Drew. Too much sizzle on the first day was always bad. And they barely passed their first five minutes.

She matched his expression by lifting her perfectly-shaped brows. This girl could shit, he gave her that. “I prefer to just see.”

“It might cost you, though.” Some girls had paid with their virginity, no less.

“Um. I don’t have any cash with me.” She tapped her tent-sized jeans pockets. “Visa okay?”

“We charge additional three percent for Visa and MasterCard.” If this dry humor continued, he considered shooting himself in the balls.

“That’s crazy,” she protested and Andrew felt like he was right in the center of a flea market where sellers and buyers conducted bargains like they were engaged in foreplay. “Three percent just to see a washboard?”

Wash what board?

The chick society had a weird habit in naming male’s body parts. Why they had to call a guy’s abs a washing board, he had no fucking clue. Was the idea of something wet, slippery, and bumpy really that attractive? If he could name his abs, it would’ve been ironing board. Hard-pressed and hot.

 Lea, Toto — My Lea’s theme song.

Tong Hua (also known as Fairy Tale), Guang Liang — This song is the heart and soul of the entire series. It’s a beautiful but rather sad song. I often listened to it on repeat, still do, just to get me in the mood. What does a broken fairy tale feel like? The lyrics not only speak to me about despair, bitterness, and disappointment, but also love and happiness.

Live While We’re Young, One Direction

Whataya Want From Me, Adam Lambert

Fly Me to the Moon, Jason Mraz

Just A Dream, Nelly

Can’t Fight This Feeling Anymore, Reo Speedwagon

Welcome to My Life, Simple Plan 

You Don’t See Me, Josie and the Pussycats

 Autumn in My Heart — This is the original soundtrack of a Korean’s drama I watched years ago. I have no idea who the singer is. I have no idea what the lyrics mean. I just know that it’s a sad, melancholy song that pierces through my heart.

Moments, One Direction  

Belle of the Boulevard, Dashboard Confessional

Never Alone, Lady Antebellum & Jim Brickman

The Climb, Hollie Cavanagh

You’re All I Need, White Lion

When You Say You Love Me, Josh Groban

Love Me, Yiruma

All of Me, John Legend

Fix You, Coldplay 

Kiss Me, Ed Sheeran

Angel, Robbie Williams

Arms, Christina Perri

Fade Into Me, David Cook

Melly is a full-time mom, wife, and fangirl. She used to work in a school and is very passionate about education.

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