Chapter 9 #2
“Happy to help.” Mac walked up the sidewalk to hand his father the keys to the truck.
“Yours are in the bike.”
“Thanks. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
Big Mac slid his arm around his wife. “You have a good night, son.”
“You, too.”
Linda said nothing as Mac started the bike and drove off with a wave and a smile.
Still babying her injured hand, Maddie got Thomas fed, bathed and into his pajamas before she put him in his crib with some toys while she took a quick shower.
Not that she was hoping anything would happen or anything, but she shaved her legs.
Just in case. Oh, who was she kidding? She wanted something to happen!
When Mac had pretended to be her husband and Thomas’s father, he’d won over the last reluctant corner of her heart.
She was sunk. How could she resist a guy who was not only capable of that kind of quick thinking but who also had a protective streak a mile wide?
That didn’t mean she wasn’t still worried about a lot of things.
But tonight, she wasn’t going to think about any of them.
Tonight, she was going to enjoy the first real date she’d had in years with a wonderful, sexy man who seemed to be wild about her.
Glancing down at the evil-looking scab and bruises on her leg, Maddie grimaced.
Just what she needed on a night she was hoping for a little romance.
She dried her hair until it fell thick and shiny to her shoulders.
After smoothing fragrant lotion onto her entire body, she applied the barest bit of makeup and put on some of the new underwear she’d bought earlier.
It was nice for once to wear a feminine bra, even if it didn’t offer the same level of support.
Tonight, she didn’t care. She cut the tags off a new white eyelet top cut lower than she normally wore and slid into a black miniskirt that came to mid-thigh.
In the back of her closet, she found a pair of black high-heeled sandals.
She felt ready. She felt sexy. She felt nervous as hell. Placing a towel over her shoulder to protect her shirt, she lifted Thomas out of his crib and took him into the living room for a snuggle. If anything could calm her nerves, he could.
“We saw your father today, buddy.”
His face scrunched into his adorably serious expression. Sometimes Maddie thought he could understand her every word. She couldn’t wait to have a real conversation with him.
“I know you might think it’s wrong that I didn’t tell him about you, but he kept some important information from me, too. I don’t think he’s the kind of man we want in your life if he lies so easily, you know?”
Thomas reached for her hair and gave it a gentle tug.
“Does Mommy look pretty? I want to look pretty tonight. Let me ask you something—what do you think of Mac? Tell me the truth.”
The baby let loose a gurgle and flashed a gummy smile full of new teeth.
“Figures. You guys all stick together.” Maddie raised the baby so he could balance on his chubby legs. “He is pretty awesome, though, don’t you think? He likes you a lot, too.”
Thomas bounced up and down on his rubbery legs as a blob of drool ran down his chin.
Maddie blotted his face. “His sister Janey is coming over to play with you for a little while before bed. Will you be good for her so Mommy can have some fun tonight?”
More gurgling.
“Thanks, pal. I appreciate it.”
When she heard Mac’s motorcycle in the driveway, her heart skipped into overdrive. “Here he comes,” she whispered.
Thomas let out an excited squeal, and Maddie was sure he recognized the sound of the bike by now. Her son was getting attached to their new friend, which pleased and scared her at the same time.
Mac came bounding up the stairs as if he couldn’t wait to get to them. “Hey,” he said as he came in the door. “Y’all ready for bed, big guy?” He leaned in to kiss the bouncing baby’s wet cheek and then glanced at Maddie. His eyes widened. “Wow. You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks,” she said, her face heating.
He seemed to have trouble taking his eyes off her. “I just need to grab a quick shower. Janey will be here soon.”
“I’m ready when you are.” It was all so domestic, Maddie thought, as she watched him disappear into the bathroom.
Her at home with the baby until Daddy gets home from work.
A nice fantasy, that was for sure, and one she’d never pictured for herself until a sexy, thoughtful, decent guy knocked her off her bike.
She wondered if that “accident” would turn out to be the best thing to ever happen to her.
“What do you think?” she asked Thomas.
“Does he talk back to you?” Janey asked from outside the screen door.
Maddie laughed and waved her in. “Not yet, but soon, I hope.”
“Hey, little man,” Janey said, reaching for the baby.
Thomas went to her but kept a wary eye on his mother.
“Look what I found on the way over.” Janey produced a soft lamb and held him up for Thomas to see.
He studied the toy in his usual serious way.
Then Janey took hold of a loop attached to the lamb, and the baby smiled at the “Mary Had a Little Lamb” tune.
“That’s adorable, Janey,” Maddie said. “Where did you get it?”
“My friend owns Abby’s Attic.”
“Oh, I love that store!”
Mac emerged from the bathroom wearing a towel around his waist. “Forgot clothes,” he said with a sheepish grin. “Hey, Janey.”
His sister shielded her eyes. “Eww, put something on, will you?” To Maddie, she said, “See what I grew up with? It was like living in a freaking locker room.”
Maddie’s gaze roamed over Mac’s muscular physique. “Mmm,” she said, licking her lips. “Must’ve been a terrible hardship.”
Gripping a handful of clean clothes, Mac flashed her that irrepressible grin and went back into the bathroom to get dressed.
“Damn,” Janey said, laughing. “You two have a bad case of it, huh?”
“So it seems.” Maddie sighed. “I’m probably cruising for disaster, but I can’t seem to help myself.”
“He’s the best, Maddie. And I’m not just saying that because he’s my big brother.”
“So you wouldn’t mind if we, you know. . .”
“I might’ve, before I got to know you, but now it seems you’re just what he needs.”
Touched, Maddie looked at Mac’s sister with new appreciation. “Too bad your mother doesn’t think so.”
“Don’t let her get to you. We just ignore her when she gets unreasonable.”
Maddie smiled. For the second time that week, she felt like she might be making a new girlfriend, and both of them were thanks to Mac.
“Are you ladies talking about me?” Mac asked when he emerged from the bathroom wearing a navy-blue polo shirt and khaki cargo shorts.
“Get over yourself,” his sister said. “We have much better things to talk about than you.”
Mac stuck his tongue out at her and reached for the baby. “I need a minute with my little buddy before we go.” He swung him around in circles that had the baby squealing with delight.
“Don’t get him all fired up for Janey,” Maddie said. “While they’re playing, let me show you where everything is.”
“Sounds good.”
As they were leaving a few minutes later, Thomas began to cry.
Mac put his arm around Maddie on the way down the stairs. “He’ll be fine.”
“What if he isn’t? What if he gives her a hard time all night?”
“We’ll call and check in a little while. If it’s not going well, we’ll come home.”
Maddie looked up at him. “You wouldn’t mind?”
“Of course not.” He kissed her softly. “Whatever it takes to make sure you have a good time.” He reached for the denim jacket he’d told her to bring and draped it around her shoulders. “You’ll need that.” Taking her hand, he led her to the bike and reached for the helmet.
“We’re going on that?”
“Is that okay?”
Maddie eyed it with trepidation, thinking of her healing wounds.
“You’ll be perfectly safe. I promise.”
“I’m wearing a skirt.”
“It’s dark. No one will see a thing—except maybe me, and that’s more than fine with me.”
Smiling at his irreverence, she said, “I’ve never been on a motorcycle.”
“Then you’re in for a treat.” He helped her into the helmet. “You’ll love it.”
“I’m glad I bothered to do my hair,” she said dryly.
“It’ll bounce right back.” Tipping his head, he pressed a kiss to her neck. “You look amazing, and you smell even better.” He adjusted the strap under her chin and helped her onto the bike. Sliding on in front of her, he said, “Hold on as tight as you can.”
Maddie laughed and wrapped her arms around him. “I can see right through you, McCarthy.”
“Tighter,” he said with a chuckle.
As she flattened her hands against his taut abs, she discovered he didn’t have an extra ounce on him. With her legs snug against his hips and her hands flat against his belly, Maddie wanted to purr with contentment.
He started the bike and headed down the driveway.
Going by Tiffany’s deck, Maddie noticed the glow of a cigarette, which lit her sister’s face and illuminated her disapproval. Maddie turned away, refusing to let anyone ruin this night for her.