Sweet Melody (Rock & Rodeo Romance #1) by Jaye Ripley

blind darkness wraps around me. I resist the urge to use my hands to take over and explore him, playing his game.
    My soaked panties and I sit back and let Hunter take the lead.

11

Mel
    N o sight means no damn clue where we’re headed. After trying to determine in which direction he’s driving, I give up after about the sixth turn. For all I know, we could be going in circles. My newfound Spidey senses do pick out more details. After several minutes, the road beneath us rumbles, and the truck maneuvers over a bumpy dirt road. The truck shakes and rocks. We must be way out of the fucking way. Perfect place to take a potential date. Or a potential victim .
    “I’m not taking you somewhere to kill you and get rid of your body, in case you were worried,” says Hunter, surprising the shit out of me. “I promised to take care of you, and I keep my word.”
    Before I can reply with a joke, he turns on some music. Bethany sometimes blasts it on her phone, but I don’t know the words. Hunter hums along, as the path gets rougher. Our speed drops.
    “You sure we’re in an area we’re supposed to be in?”
    “Positive.” Hunter returns to humming.
    When the end of the first verse hits, he sings under his breath. Even at half volume, his sexy voice affects me. If he continues to sing, he can do whatever he wants to me.
    By the second round of the chorus, I’ve picked up the words. As Hunter sings the lead, I add a simple harmony to it. He sings a little louder, and by the end of the song, we harmonize together almost as good as we did on stage. A little pang of regret hits when the song ends, but the truck slows down. Curiosity and anticipation build.
    Hunter executes a three-point turn and backs up until he kills the engine. The quiet peace accentuates my senses.
    “Be right back. Don’t go anywhere,” Hunter jokes.
    The bounce of the truck and additional strange noises give me very little clues to go by. The sound of rusty metal opening and the crunch of it closing pique my interest. The truck dips as he jumps down. Time ticks by with nothing but my breath for me to hear. My head tilts back and forth, trying to identify anything. Even a quick attempt to sneak a peek under the blindfold reveals nothing but darkness from the tight fabric around my head.
    One click of the handle, and my door opens. My heart pounds hard enough to push the excitement through me.
    “Hey, beautiful.” Hunter’s finger traces my jawline, the gentle gesture warming me to whatever he has in store. He unbuckles me and holds my hand.
    “Hey, yourself.” My hand takes his to let him guide me out of the seat. I hope he can’t feel the slight shake as he rubs his thumb over mine.
    We don’t move more than a few steps away after he shuts the door of the truck. His hands glide up my arms, his touch gentle and reassuring.
    “Now, I know how tempting it is, but do your best not to make any guesses where we are yet.”
    With guidance from him, we take slow, deliberate steps. The damn cowboy boots on my feet sink with every pace, and salt air fills my nose. The sound of waves crashing gives me enough information to make a very educated guess, but I keep my mouth shut to play along with Hunter’s game.
    My foot turns a little in the soft sand.
    “I’ve got you. I won’t let you fall.” His warm hands shift to help. “Here.” He pulls me back until I fall against his strong chest. He shifts his body so that it wraps around me a bit, and I fit into the nook he creates for me. His breath tickles my neck as he leans into me. His chest moves up and down with each breath, pushing me back and forth as if lulling me with its gentle rocking into a deep level of trust.
    “So, any guesses where we are?”
    “The mountains?”
    His fingers pinch my arm. “Try again.”
    “Las Vegas? Ooh, are we gonna get a quickie wedding, do it all night, and then in the morning try to convince the lawyers we need an annulment?”
    Hunter’s entire being stiffens at