Unwrapped - Melody Grace

My first thought when I heard what this novella was going to be about, I was giddy with excitement when I come to find out that Emerson and Juliet are getting married! What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic and I've been waiting for this power couple from the first book. But we go through some bumps on the road before we get there.

Rushing to catch her flight to make it to the bachelorette party and wedding on time, Lacey runs into Daniel, Juliet's ex, literally. They briefly catch up and exchange a few words, and learn that he too has moved to LA months ago for a job. It's been months since they have seen each other, but there's a undeniable charge between them. Well, Lacey has always had a thing for him. As fate would have it, they end up taking the same flight, even though they are headed in different directions. And to up the ante, they are seated next to each other for the next four hours of their flight. We get into the minds of both Lacey and Daniel, and they both find themselves lusting for each other. Sneaking glances, touches and thinking up naughty fantasies about each other. Worst comes to worst -- or best, depending how you look at it -- the plane has to make an impromptu stop due to a blizzard in their path, delaying their travels. As if it couldn't get any worse, there are no more rentals and the nearest hotel only has one room with -- surprise! -- only one bed, they find themselves forced to room with each other. There's a lot of pushing and pulling between them.

Daniel wants a girl suitable to his plans and lifestyle, and Lacey is not that kind of girl he is looking for. Or so he tries to convince himself. He's known her as the wild party girl that's into flings. Taking his gentlemanly behavior the wrong way, Lacey feels that he is not interested in her and it hits her hard in her chest and she doesn't know why. Picking up her pride, Lacey goes to the hotel bar to get a drink and finds someone to flirt with. Having that thought crossing Daniels mind, he finds himself hit with jealousy at the thought of having some guys paws all over her. That feeling confuses him. So they are both feeling things that they don't even understand, and it's doing their heads in. A game of truth or dare leads to one thing that continues in their hotel room. That dare. You'll know which dare I'm talking about. Wow, that was hot, even for semi-public-almost-sex. Then the sex that follows was hot and deep (pun intended too, I guess), not only on a hormonal level but on a emotional level too. He wanted to mark her his forever, while she wanted him to do just that. They bring out unlikely sides and feelings in each other. They connect body, mind, heart and soul. But come morning, miscommunication ensues and they are off to Juliet's wedding now that the blizzard has blown over. Well, Lacey is; Daniel is just dropping her off and driving back to the airport to catch his flight to New York. Leaving on that note do they realize that they have feelings for each other. Daniel is determined to not let her go, so he makes a u-turn back to the wedding and get the girl who stole his heart back.

Melody Grace never fails to make the chemistry between her characters effortlessly click and explosive with sexual tension and a whole lot of heart and humor in company. Lacey and Daniel are kind of an unlikely couple given that Lacey is a spitfire while Daniel rivals her with his sensible personality, but their chemistry couldn't be any more hotter. It could melt the snow. Even the blizzard that snowed them in. It was enjoyable to witness their banter, jokes, and sexual innuendos. I laughed, fanned myself and cheered them on. I even mentally slapped them both for not seeing what each other are feeling. Even I can tell that their hearts are in their eyes. At least Juliet had enough sense to see that too. After much indecision and doubt, they finally take that leap of faith and go for it. I totally ship them, almost as hard (pun intended) as I ship Juliet and Emerson, now that they are canon. I apologize for the fangirl vocab words and innuendos, you can blame Tumblr for that on both accounts. And a little on Melody, too [insert wink here].

It was a short and sweet story that kept the heat and butterflies going in the winter snow. I want to see where they are going in their life. As far as we know is that they plan to celebrate New Years with his family in New York, and then fly home since they both live in LA. I figure they can work out their living arrangements on their own since distance won't be a problem. As for the end, we're introduced -- or reintroduced -- to Garrett, Emerson's friend, and Brianna, Juliet's sister, in a rather cold (and I'm not just talking about the snow) and unfriendly encounter that sets things in motion for the next book, Unconditional. One I cannot wait to see how things between them go down.