Chapter One #2
Leaning my forehead against the wall, I keep my eyes closed and allow the water to fall over my body, trying to find the control I’ve lost. Knowing she’d give herself to me if I wanted makes her nothing more than forbidden fruit dangling from a tree.
I can look from a distance, but I can’t touch. And it has to stay that way.
After I’m dressed, I go out for a few drinks. I text Hunter, but he’s too busy being the perfect family man, so that leaves me with no wingman, which means nothing but trouble.
I wake up the next morning with a naked woman in my bed and can’t remember her name.
But knows everything about me and wants to make small talk, but I’m not having it.
Thankfully, we both have somewhere to be, so she gets dressed, and I escort her downstairs without running into Mason or Sophie.
It’s a small miracle since I can hear them cooking.
I don’t wanna hear them talk shit about my hookup’s walk of shame.
Once she’s gone, I climb back in bed to sleep a few more hours before I need to leave to go to my dad’s. I drank too much, stayed up too late, and it’s caught up with me.
When my alarm goes off, I get dressed and head downstairs. I can hear everyone in the kitchen having a good time. They’re snacking on appetizers while they wait for the turkey and side dishes to finish cooking.
“You sure you can’t stay?” Lennon asks.
“Wish I could. I’m sure you’ll have a good time without me. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone,” I say, grabbing my keys before heading out.
While I want to stay and hang out, I force myself to leave since I promised my dad I’d visit.
It takes me thirty minutes to drive over due to the holiday traffic, but I’m a man of my word, so I suck it up. We chat and catch up as we eat turkey with all the fixings until our stomachs hurt and finish off with pumpkin pie.
After thanking my stepmother for a delicious meal, I go home and watch football with the guys. Maddie stares at me from across the room, but I ignore her, regardless of how damn tempting she looks.
My phone goes off with a few last-minute job offers from a bonds company, but I decided to take the rest of the weekend off since I’m swamped next week. After the game, Hunter and Lennon take Maddie home, leaving me as the third-wheel.
“You two have fun this weekend,” I tell Mason and Sophie when they get up to go to bed.
“Oh, we’re gonna have all the fun,” Sophie says.
I chuckle. “That’s code for tons of sex, right?”
She ignores me. “Good night, Liam.”
Mason winks before taking her hand and leading her upstairs. I turn off all the lights, then go to my room and lie in bed.
I can’t stop thinking about heading back to Vegas and hitting the poker table.
Since I have the next few days off and plenty of frequent flier miles, I contemplate booking a flight.
Before I even look at prices, I know it’s a bad idea during a holiday.
The airports will be overcrowded, but damn, I love the bright lights of the city.
There’s something about the thrill of winning that gets me every time.
Playing gives me an adrenaline rush like bounty hunting but without all the life-threatening danger.
By Friday, I’m bored as hell being home alone, so I cave and look up flights to see if it’s possible to book one without selling my kidney or using all my banked miles.
Just as I find an airline that has one seat available for later tonight, I remember I told Maddie I was on call this weekend. Shit.
Maddie might text Sophie to pry, and I don’t doubt she’d text Mason if she didn’t get an answer. I can ask her all day not to do something, but she doesn’t listen to anyone, especially me.
She’s already suspicious and has been relentless the past few months in sending Mason pictures of wedding rings she thinks Sophie would like.
Although it took Mason years to find someone after losing his girlfriend, the moment he met Sophie, everything changed.
So I get it. And Mason found it helpful because he had tons of ideas for a ring thanks to her.
A month ago, Mason told me what his plans were for Thanksgiving weekend, and I swore on my life I wouldn’t say a word.
He didn’t want to tell her sisters in case they got too excited and ruined the surprise.
Hunter doesn’t know either because Lennon has him by the balls, and he can’t keep anything from her.
The only person to worry about is Maddie because she has no filter whatsoever.
Knowing I can’t go to Vegas now, I change into workout clothes and drive to the gym to get out of the house. My back hurts from lounging, and I need to get my blood pumping.
I stretch before deciding to lift some weight.
Just as I finish my reps, I get a phone call from Maddie.
She’s probably trying to get a rise out of me since Sophie and Mason are already on their way to Tahoe City.
I’m half-tempted to give her a few choice words, especially if she’s only calling to agitate me, but I answer it anyway.
“Liam?” She sounds as if she’s been crying, which causes me to pause and change my attitude.
“I’m here. Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine, but a little shaken up. The apartment next to mine caught on fire, and I had just enough time to pack a bag before I was evacuated.
We don’t know when we’ll be allowed back in.
I dunno what to do. Soph’s out of town, and I don’t want to bug Lennon because she doesn’t have the extra room for me. ”
Fuck. “Where are you now?”
“Standing outside my building with a hundred other students. Fire trucks are everywhere and the roads are blocked off.”
“I’ll be there as fast as I can.” I end the call and drive toward the university.
People are everywhere as well as paramedics and the fire department.
Forced to park five blocks away, I make my way through the crowd until I finally find her chatting with someone.
Maddie’s wearing her dance tights with her hair in a tight bun on top of her head.
She has her backpack on and a duffel bag beside her.
Though she sounded worried as hell on the phone, she wears a smile as she talks.
When she spots me, her eyes light up, but she continues with her conversation.
“Yeah, I just finished rehearsing in the studio and was in my room when the fire alarms went off. I grabbed clothes, my laptop, and books before rushing out.” She loops her arm through mine. “There you are, Hulk. Shelby, this is my future husband.”
Groaning, I pull my arm away, then look at Shelby, who’s giving me heart eyes. “No, I’m not. I’m her sister’s roommate.”
Maddie continues, “He’s playing hard to get. We’ll see. Keep an eye out for our Save the Date card in the mail.”
Shelby giggles and they say their goodbyes.
I scowl at her suggestive mischievous grin spread over her tempting red lips.
“Oh loosen up and take the stick outta your ass.”
“Let’s go,” I say harshly, grabbing her bag and leading us toward my truck. She follows, staying in step with my fast pace.
We climb inside and she meets my eyes as I crank the engine. “What’s your problem?”
“I was worried about you,” I snap. “And you’re busy making jokes and laughing.”
“Oh, I wasn’t joking,” she quips. “The quicker you jump on board, the better. So tired of this pesky V-card and—”
“Maddie! Knock it off,” I growl, needing her to stop talking before she goes any further.
“Fine. Then tell me what’s really going on with my sister and Mason this weekend?”
“Nothing’s going on.” I press on the gas, merging onto the interstate.
“Oh my God. You are so lying right now.”
“Just let it go,” I demand, but she holds up her phone, showing off Sophie’s contact.
“All it’ll take is one press of a button. I’ll call her and ask her what’s going on and find out why you’re being so damn weird.” Her finger inches toward the call icon, but right before she touches it, I reach for it, then she yanks it away.
“Should I ask Mason, instead?” She goes to his contact and presses the button.
“Holy fuck. He’s gonna propose. There. Are you happy?”
She locks her phone and squeals. “Are you serious? Finally?”
Her phone rings a minute later with Mason calling. She answers it nonchalantly, saying a friend picked her up, and ends the call with an I love you.
“What the hell?”
“It was my mom. I changed her contact to say Mason’s name, you big ass sucker.”
My jaw nearly falls to the floorboard, and I shake my head. “You played me, you little shit.”
She snickers. “Like a fiddle.”
“That’s it. You’re fucking grounded when we get home.”.
“So I’m on house arrest? Think you can handle me alone for that long?” She waggles her brows.
I groan, already regretting this whole damn day. I should’ve gone to Vegas when I had the chance.
“Change of plans. You stay at the house. I leave.”
She frowns, narrowing her eyes. “They said they don’t know how long it’ll take to restore everything from the smoke damage.
All the extra housing on campus is full, so a large group of us is shit out of luck.
One person said they’d send us to a motel temporarily but we’d be on our own getting to and from campus, which means I’m shit out of luck unless I want to pay for a ride share twice a day. ”
“You’re not shit out of luck,” I tell her, unable to stay mad at her.
“Why?” She beams. “Because I have you?”
I snort, but grin at her eager tone. “I’m always here for you if you need anything. You should know that by now.”
Considering Maddie’s my kryptonite, I’m tempted to break all my damn rules for her.
“Oh really?” She tilts her head at me, brows raised. “Anything?”
Sparkling blue eyes peer up at me, and for a moment, I get lost in them but pull myself out of her dangerous trance.
“Don’t start.” I glare, pulling into the driveway of the house.
She bites her bottom lip, then bursts into laughter. “I’ll give you a free pass because you picked me up and saved the day, but next time…” She taunts me further by waggling her brows, and I groan as the sudden image of her underneath me flashes into my mind.
“Get the hell out of the truck,” I demand, grinning.
Maddie flutters on her toes as she follows me toward the house.
“I’m so excited I get to spend the rest of the weekend with you,” she drawls as I unlock the door. “All alone.”
Walking in, I chuckle at her attempts to spike my blood pressure although I’d never admit it’s working.
“There’s food in the fridge and you can sleep in Sophie’s room for now.” I walk to the kitchen, needing a beer to numb the inappropriate thoughts that come with her being here with me all weekend. “Also, Maddie…I’m not babysitting your ass while Sophie’s gone, so stay outta trouble. Okay?”
She plops down on the couch, then crosses her ankles on the coffee table and. “We’ll see about that, Hulk. We will see.”