Chapter 20
Matt
Ihad every intention of answering, but first I needed to find the least offensive way.
Between growing up with a cop for a father and her time in the Navy, I expected Madi to have stronger survival instincts. I knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that she didn’t trust Paul’s intentions, and her determination to ignore her gut instincts worried me.
“Can you sit there and honestly tell me that one, you believe I value their ‘opinion’ over yours? And two, that you truly believe Paul isn’t someone you should be concerned about?”
Her sigh was the only response I received for two long, drawn-out minutes.
“No.”
“Are you pouting?”
“What? No.”
“You look like you are.”
“I’m not. Just resigned to the fact that you’re right. Paul gives me the heebie jeebies and I want to believe the best, but I can’t deny he might be unhinged.”
Her response wasn’t quite the admission I’d hoped for, but it was a step in the right direction.
I kept my ‘I told you so’ to myself.
When I parked in Jack’s driveway, I got out and jogged around to open her door.
“Any objections to me walking you to your door?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“You do.” I could stand here and watch her walk the twenty feet to Jack’s porch. “But I’d prefer if you let me walk with you.”
“Fine.” She cracked a sad smile. “But only because I don’t want to get you in trouble.”
At the door, I fought the urge to kiss her good night to end the date.
My hand didn’t get the message; it reached to brush a strand of hair off her gorgeous face.
“You know Jack has cameras, right?”
Feisty and beautiful.
“I doubt he watches them every second of every day.” Though if my headlights alerted him to our arrival, he was most likely watching.
If Madi kept staring at my lips with that hungry look in her eyes, he’d get one hell of a show.
And I’d get my ass reamed. Not once. Not twice. Not even thrice. But four separate times.
Ignoring my desire to kiss her senseless, I asked, “What time should I pick you up in the morning?”
“I’ll drive.”
Nice try. “What time should I meet you in the morning?”
“Seven forty-five, I want to stop at Grannie’s.”
“I’ll see you then.”
“Thanks again for dinner.”
The dinner she erroneously thinks I’ll expense.
“You’re welcome.”
I waited until I heard the lock click before leaving the porch.