Chapter 7
Maddox grinned as Ciaramade her way over to him. It amazed him that she was single. The casual dress she wore was dressy enough to be worn in the restaurant but wouldn’t look out of place for a stroll along the beach. Clearly, where she lived, the guys weren’t paying attention.
Even as the thought entered his mind, he knew there was more to it than that. Based on her reaction to his suggestion of pursuing something more than casual between the two of them, he was sure her being single was definitely by choice.
Up until recently, his hadn’t been. That was a part of what made him realize his feelings for Ciara had changed. He’d started comparing the women he’d gone on dates with to her. He wasn’t an expert, but he didn’t think that was something a person did with someone they wanted to keep things casual with.
“Hey gorgeous,” he called out when she was within hearing distance.
She smiled as she came to a stop in front of him. “Hey, handsome.”
He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. “You look refreshed.”
“I am,” she admitted. “That massage worked miracles.”
“Good. Let’s go get something to eat. You left my room in a rush this morning, and I’m sure you haven’t eaten since then.”
She opened her mouth to respond, but whatever she was going to say was drowned out by the loud grumble her stomach emitted. Her eyes widened in shock, and he laughed.
“Exactly what I thought,” he said as he turned and pulled her toward the entrance.
A short time later, they both were seated with a food sampling in front of them. He held his questions until she’d had a few bites to eat, but she beat him to the first question.
“How did you spend your morning?” she asked.
“After you left, I went for a run, then I went to the golf course.”
“Still bad at it?” she quipped.
“As ever,” he admitted with a chuckle.
She grinned and then took a sip of her water. “Well, my day was a bit lighter than yours. After my massage, I went back to my room for a well-deserved nap.”
“Late night?” he teased.
“Something like that,” Ciara murmured before clearing her throat. “I also did a lot of thinking.”
A wave of anxiety surged through him. “You did?”
She shifted in her chair before nodding. He couldn’t recall when he’d ever seen her look unsure. Not even when he’d first propositioned her five years ago. Whatever her thoughts were, they must have been intense.
“Yes. I thought about your admission yesterday, and I agree. I think we do have killer chemistry. I can also admit that I have had the ‘what if thoughts. But I shoved them back as soon as they entered my mind. I knew they were dangerous ideas and could ruin a good thing between us. I still feel that way, but I’m willing to meet in the middle.”
When she paused and frowned, he reached out and offered his hand. She took it without hesitation.
“Let’s not overthink this,” he suggested. “How about we just go with the flow. Get to know each other. Ask the questions we’ve always hesitated to ask because we thought they were too personal.”
“Like the ones you asked yesterday?” she inquired.
“Yes.”
“I don’t have a favorite movie, but my favorite color is blue,” she replied.
“My favorite color is green, and my favorite movie is Jaws.”
Ciara laughed. “Are you serious? That’s your favorite movie?”
He nodded. “Yes and no, I’m not afraid to go into ocean water, as you well know.”
She shook her head. “Of all the movies you would like, it would be that one.”
“Call me weird,” he replied with a shrug.
“I would, but you aren’t, and we both know that,” she retorted. “So, what else would you like to know?”
“What’s your favorite sound?” he asked.
Surprise flickered across her expression, and he knew that wasn’t the question she’d been expecting. Then her features relaxed, and her mouth curved upward into a beautiful smile.
“The sound of a child’s laughter. It’s so unique and heartfelt. The innocence and purity of it. It is infectious.”
He could hear the sincerity in her words. It made him think about his nieces and nephews. He did get a kick out of hearing them squeal with laughter when he tossed them into the air or chased them around the backyard in a game of tag. There was something about the sound of it that didn’t get old. It wasn’t jaded or forced the way it could be when one stepped out into the real world and lost the purity of childhood.
“What about you?” she inquired. “What’s your favorite sound?”
“Quietness,” he admitted.
“Really?”
He nodded. “Yes. As the oldest of six kids, there wasn’t much of it when I grew up. When I moved out of my parents’ place, I grew to love it. I can think and process things the way that I need to. Especially if I have a big decision to make.”
“Interesting,” she murmured.
He knew instinctively that his answer bothered her, but he didn’t know why. Ciara was a quiet person herself. She did drone on unnecessarily out of boredom. When they were together, they didn’t have to talk. They were just okay with being in each other’s presence.
Now a part of him wondered if that was due to the dynamic of the relationship they had. Was she not usually a quiet person? Was she stilting her true personality for the week she spent with him?
Concern flickered through him, but he pushed it back. Even if Ciara wasn’t as reserved in her day-to-day life, he didn’t think it would be an issue. He found it hard to believe that the stimulating conversations they currently had would be any different if they occurred more frequently.
“Maddox?”
He focused his attention back on her. “Yes?”
“How is this supposed to work when this week is over?”
He heard her unspoken question. What would happen if they discovered that their chemistry was only physical?
“Simple. If it doesn’t appear that we could have anything together outside of one week out of the year, then we stick to our original agreement. But if we find out there is more to it, we work out a new plan. I have no doubt that we can handle it whichever the outcome.”
Ciara remained quiet but drew her bottom lip between her teeth, telling him she was processing what he’d suggested. That was a good sign because it wasn’t an automatic no.