12
MADDIE
This is a bad idea.
With one hand clutching the rolls, I stared at the imposing door in front of me. It wasn't so much the door as the man behind it I found intimidating. Cautiously, I eyed Sheldon sitting at my feet.
"Am I being silly?"
His answering woof could've meant anything, but I chose to go with no. I took a deep breath through my nose and slowly released it again. After doing it one more time, I lifted my hand and tapped twice against the wood.
Behind my ribs, my heart started jackhammering as the seconds steadily ticked by. I waited and waited, but no Adam. Turning sideways, my gaze flicked between the door and the gate I'd hobbled through a few moments ago.
Then I slowly faced the door once more and quickly knocked before I could think better of it. Again, I was left staring at an unmoving panel of wood. Feeling dismayed, I looked at the rolls and then at Sheldon. "We'll just leave them here." Hopefully, Adam would find them… eventually.
The thought made me even sadder. Not just because I wouldn't get to see him—which I was inexplicably looking forward to a lot—but Frankie and I—okay, mostly Frankie—had outdone ourselves.
With a heavy sigh, I bent down to set the rolls down on the ground when the door suddenly flew open; putting me at eye-level with the homeowner's crotch. A crotch covered by a thin pair of light gray athletic shorts that did not leave an awful lot to the imagination.
There was absolutely no way the sudden rush of heat to my cheeks, and some other parts, could be helped. I straightened so fast, I almost threw my back out. And then my lungs collapsed in one fell swoop, breathing almost impossible.
Standing with one hand gripping the door and the other perched on the frame was a very, very delicious looking Adam. His skin glistened; his shirt, the same color as his shorts, a few shades darker where it clung to his sweat-soaked body like a second skin.
My gaze followed the sharp lines of his ink as it crawled along his thick, corded arm and disappeared beneath the fabric hugging his bicep. My fingers twitched with a sudden need to touch.
Adam cleared his throat and I almost jumped out of my skin; my eyes immediately flicking to his. Jaw ticking, he was studying me with dark, serious eyes that somehow had a direct line to my lady bits.
How utterly stupid.
I'd found plenty of men attractive over the years. Hell, I'd even ended up in a few of their beds. But this, this almost galvanizing feeling, was new. No man had ever set my pulse on fire with a single glance .
Until I met Adam.
I didn't know what it was about him that called out to a bone-deep part of me that I had no idea even existed. Some dormant piece of my soul that had been patiently waiting for him.
He cleared his throat again and I blushed even deeper. "Sorry, I wanted—" before I had time to finish my sentence, Sheldon jumped up and stormed into Adam's house, who immediately turned around and bent over to scoop up my naughty pup.
I really wished he hadn't done that. The tangy taste of metal filled my mouth when I bit the inside of my cheek to stop the sigh from leaving my mouth at the sight of his downright sinful butt.
He straightened and turned while I furiously tried to reign in my thoughts.
One look at Sheldon tucked under his arm and all my efforts were for naught.
I swear, the image in front of me was equivalent to one of those on Frankie's firefighter calendars.
Adam might've been wearing more clothes, but the warning label should've read the same: Warning!
Panties in danger of spontaneously combusting.
"I'm sorry," I spat out when my brain finally decided to work. "He isn't like that with anyone else." It was quite possible that my little fascination with this man had rubbed off on my dog. Or maybe it was Adam's fault for being so damn enticing.
"Right," he said carefully. Without making a move to hand over Sheldon, his eyes flicked to my bare feet. I wanted to curl in my purple-painted toes. "You shouldn't be walking on that."
I followed his gaze down to my ankle and shrugged.
"I kept it still all day yesterday. I… uh…
just wanted to give you these." Looking up, I hefted the plate in my hand higher.
"It's cinnamon rolls. The best in town. Before you think I'm completely full of myself, I didn't make them, Frankie did.
" The word vomit just kept on coming. I wanted to bury my face in my hands but because I was still holding the stupid rolls, I couldn't.
I was also fairly certain the red covering my face had turned three shades darker.
Still focused on me, one of his eyebrows slowly quirked, "Frankie?"
"My friend. She owns Sugar Booger in town." Relief washed over me when I managed to keep it short this time.
I didn't think it was at all possible, but Adam's stare bore even deeper into mine. "Can't say that I've been."
"Oh, you're missing out. She makes the best cupcakes. People come from all over just to sample her boozy treats." I was doing it again. With a sigh, I squeezed my eyes shut. "Sorry, I'll stop."
He made a sound; it could've been a chuckle, could've been a grunt. I'd never know because when my eyes flew open his features were unmoving. Holding the plate toward him, I jerked my head in Sheldon's direction. "I'll trade you."
Those dark eyes eyed the plate. "I wasn't expecting anything. "
Adam made no move to take the offering from me and I suddenly felt like a gigantic idiot. I mean, who the hell even gave baked treats as a thank you. I shouldn't have done anything. That's probably what the normal half of the population would have done.
"It's okay if you don't want them. I know Mr. Stevenson—"
"I never said that." His eyes narrowed the tiniest bit. "I want them." He said the words with so much conviction, my silly lady parts thought he was speaking about them.
My lips suddenly felt dry. I dragged my tongue over the bottom one before letting out a soft, "Okay." Thrusting the plate toward him; my breath caught when his fingers dragged over mine during the transfer.
With his eyes holding mine captive, he slowly brought the plate to his nose. Nostrils flaring, he dragged the delicious cinnamon scent straight to his lungs. "Smells good." His murmur was so soft and gravelly, I wasn't certain it was meant for my ears.
"Wait until you taste me…uh…I mean it…them.
" Rolling my lips inward, I used every single ounce of willpower I had not to keep babbling like an idiot.
I seriously needed some action because the way I was reacting to this man was beyond freaking ridiculous.
Hormonal, teenage Maddie hadn't even been like this.
And to make my embarrassment even worse, Adam's face remained an emotionless mask save for his ticking jaw that picked up speed .
I reached for Sheldon and almost let out a string of curses when my palms swiped over Adam's hot skin in the process. Almost immediately, I hugged him to my chest like a security blanket. The soft whimper that came from his tiny lungs warned me I might be holding on too tight.
Loosening my embrace on my pup, I told Adam, "I just wanted to drop those off. Hope you enjoy them."
His gaze flicked to my ankle for a long moment before he lifted his eyes to mine again. "I'll help you get home."
"No!" I all but yelled. "I'm okay, thanks." With the weirdness going on in my brain and body, there was absolutely no way I could let Adam touch me. Nodding once, I turned and slowly started hobbling down the cobblestone path.
I was about halfway when he called out, "Maddie!" It was the first time I'd heard him say my name and oh how wonderful it sounded rolling off his tongue like that.
Pulling in a deep breath, I took a moment to compose myself before glancing over my shoulder. "Yeah?"
He held the plate in the air. "Thanks for these."
There was something in his eyes that touched the very bottom of my soul. The weight of his gaze burning into mine felt so intense that I had to get away. Without another word, I turned my attention forward and headed straight for his gate.
It didn't matter how fast I hobbled, that dark stare stayed on me. It followed me all the way to my house and even intruded on my dreams. Dreams that left me hot and sweaty with an insistent ache between my thighs.
** *
Pressing my hand against my stomach, I willed the nervous butterflies to calm down. I'd done worse things than what I was about to do, so there was no reason for them to be all up in arms about this.
I closed my eyes and took a few calming breaths. Once I was certain I had most of my nervousness under control, I opened my eyes and walked to my dad's office. It wasn't Fraser Young I found behind the big oak desk, though, but rather my mom.
She spotted me before I had time to speak. Pulling her reading glasses off, she set them down in front of her and leveled me with a stare. "Did you come to talk about what's bothering you?"
My shoulders sagged on a sigh. "That obvious?"
"Only because a mother always knows." She beckoned me with a slight tilt of her head, and I went, collapsing onto the couch in the corner of the office with a huff. "What's going on, Madison?"
Where did I begin?
I hadn't been in the best mood all day. Adam and all his sexiness were only partly to blame. In my sleep-deprived state early in the morning, I'd made a decision. It wasn't life-altering, but it wouldn't be without repercussions.
I'd said yes to Lucetta.
Without speaking to my parents first.
And with an ankle that was still sprained .
I'd been honest about the injury, though, and Lucetta had ensured me that it wouldn't be too much of a problem. Some classes would have to be moved and others postponed until the following week. In her words, it was all doable.
"Madison?"
At the sound of my name, I blinked furiously, and Mom's worried face came into focus. "Oh, right." Swallowing past the thick lump in my throat proved to be almost impossible. "Where's Dad?" I preferred to have this particular conversation only once.
"He should be back soon. Old Dougie needed help with the kitchen sink again."
I wanted to groan. My dad would not be back soon. Whenever Dougie needed help with anything, he and my dad ended up splitting a six-pack.
My mom was still watching me intently, almost as if she was trying to pull the thoughts from my brain. I kind of wished she could.
Sitting up straighter, I ran my palms up and down my denim-clad thighs.
"I don't know if you're aware," I began, "but Lucetta's mom hurt herself a while ago.
" Of course, my mom wasn't aware. She and my previous dance instructor didn't exactly get along.
When my mom shook her head, I quickly went on, "There's no one to take care of her, so Lucetta has to go down to Oakridge for a few weeks. "
I'd hoped that penny might've dropped but when my mom just stared blankly, I knew I had to explain. "She asked me to help out at the studio and I said yes. "
It took a long, agonizing minute but when realization finally dawned, my mom's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Only at night, right? Because you're still working here during the day." Her voice was deceptively calm.
I knew better.
I nibbled on the inside of my cheek, trying to find the right words that wouldn't lead to an argument. "Well, I would need to be at the studio full time. Besides, it's not like I'm really needed here. You and Dad created this position for me when I came back." With my tail between my legs.
My mom shook her head ruefully and my entire being wanted to sob. That one simple action showed me just how much of me they refused to accept. "Why can't you just be normal?"
"Normal?" My voice climbed a few octaves. "And what does that look like, Mom? Losing myself little by little doing a job I hate? Or will I be considered normal when I stop thinking for myself and follow your plans for my life like an obedient lapdog?"
"Madison." Her voice had a warning edge to it but I was too far gone to heed it.
"No, Mom, I'd really like to know what it is you think I should be doing."
My mom's fingers shot to her temples, furiously rubbing tiny circles against her skin.
"Anything but dance." Her sigh was loaded and heavy; it made my skin crawl and my brain buzz with questions.
But then she opened her mouth and delivered her next words with so much disgust, you'd think they were poison on her tongue.
"I don't understand this obsession you have with dancing , Madison. "
Yet again, my heart crumbled into a million little pieces. I couldn't keep doing this. I was never going to be their perfect daughter.
Lifting my chin, I looked my mom straight in the eye. "And you don't have to. It makes me happy and that should be enough for you."
Pushing to my feet, I held my head high and walked out of there, pretending like hell I wasn't falling apart on the inside.