Chapter 15
Five minutes later, we were in the truck and on our way to get my things.
We listened to music most of the trip down.
He let me control the radio and didn’t complain at all.
Maybe that was part of the job—letting me do whatever I wanted.
Yeah, that wasn’t possible. Maybe the radio. Everything had limitations.
I looked at him and started giggling. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye.
“Are you going to tell me what is so funny?”
“Absolutely not.”
“Okay, I guess I will be the butt of your inside joke then.”
“It wasn’t offensive; it was an intrusive thought.”
“Well, that did absolutely nothing to dissuade my interest—just saying. Intrusive thoughts are my favorite. It’s your subconscious speaking to you.”
I blushed, then he was the one that was laughing.
The trip went by quickly, and when we got into town, I had him stop at the hardware store and pick up moving boxes. He ran inside and came back with ten boxes.
“I’m not sure I am going to need that many boxes, but I guess we will see.”
We arrived at the apartment and began packing up my belongings.
I filled two entire boxes with nothing but books.
Another two boxes were filled with clothes and a third with nothing but shoes.
I had already used half of the boxes. I moved into the bathroom and boxed up all my towels and sheets.
Then I took the box to the kitchen and added all the kitchen towels.
I decided against taking any of the pots, pans, or the dishes.
I cleaned out the fridge, dumping everything into a large trash bag.
Maddox threw all the dirty dishes into the dishwasher and started it.
In the living room, I started packing up my photographs and artwork.
I took a quilt from the back of the couch and added it to the box of towels.
Maddox was taping boxes shut and labeling them with a marker, so we knew what was inside.
I packed up a few movies and a clock that I had received as a gift.
When I was finished, I made one last pass through the apartment and looked for anything I may have missed.
Maddox sat down on the couch and waited for me to finish my examination.
“Do you think you missed anything?” he asked, watching me walk from room to room.
“I don’t think so. I have all my electronics over there next to you on the couch. I didn’t want them bouncing around in a box together.”
“That’s understandable. I am going to take this out and put it in the backseat of the truck—the box with all the photographs too.”
He stood, picked up the laptop and tablet, and slung my camera bag over his shoulder. He placed everything on top of the box and carried it down to the truck with ease. He packed the entire truck in fifteen minutes.
“That is the fastest I have ever seen a single person load a truck. You didn’t even break a sweat,” I said, thoroughly impressed.
“I have to do a lot more than that in order to break a sweat.” He was so damn cocky—but he wasn’t wrong.
I emptied the dishwasher, and we exited my apartment for the last time. I slid my key under my landlord’s door.
When I got into the car, Maddox turned to me. “I am starving,” he said, with a very serious look on his face.
“For like a burger or steak or something—not blood.” I was kind of worried, but I sounded ridiculous even to myself.
“For more than food but food will work.” I wasn’t sure how to take that. I was not trying to overthink that statement. “We are getting something to eat. Do you have a preference?”
“No, you did all the work. You decide what you want to eat.”
He smiled and put the truck in gear. A little while later we were pulling into a parking lot that didn’t have too many cars in it. It was a Mexican restaurant. He just made my day.
We went inside, and the entire restaurant was alive with color.
There were banners and hand-painted chairs and tables.
I could smell the fajitas sizzling on a cast-iron pan as a waiter passed by.
We were seated and Maddox ordered a beer with lime and after packing for a good part of the day I decided beer sounded pretty good.
“It’s nine o’clock now, so we might make it back to the house around midnight. Have you heard anything from Ronan?”
“No, not yet. You can text him if you want—to see if he has any information or if you miss him.”
I missed him; that wasn’t a lie. I did like spending time with Maddox, but I felt like Ronan might be safer for my heart.
Maddox would be better at protecting my body. I could only imagine what else his never-ending energy could do to my body. Damn my intrusive thoughts.
“You must miss him, you’re blushing.”
I blushed harder. He thought I was turning red because I missed Ronan. At least I hoped, and I would just let him think that.
I pulled out my phone and texted Ronan.
—Thank you so much for doing everything you can to get my cousin back. I really appreciate it.
I hit send and set my phone back on the table. The waiter brought our drinks, and we placed our order.
I drained the glass of water in front of me, and then I started working on my beer. It didn’t take long for our food to arrive and before it did, we had chips and salsa to munch on.
My phone buzzed, and I picked it up.
“That will be Ronan,” Maddox said, taking a drink from his beer.
He was right.
—I have teams working on locating her and I don’t think it will take too long. I miss you, and I plan to show you just how much when I see you again.
The waitress brought our food as I was texting Ronan. When I finished the message and hit send, I put my phone back down and picked up my fork. I was starving and if Ronan wanted a reply, he was going to have to wait. I had a feast in front of me and zero patience. Maddox smiled at me.
“He misses you too, no doubt.”
The smile turned into a smirk. I stuck my tongue out at him and then put a bite of rice into my mouth. I was done talking; it was time to eat.
We ate and we drank. I got a buzz; Maddox did not. Vampires have to drink a lot to feel it, apparently.
He paid the bill, and we got back into the truck. I pulled my phone from my pocket; Ronan hadn’t texted again. I cranked up the radio. Maddox drove us back to the house, and he pulled the truck into the driveway right before midnight.
“See I told you—midnight.” I pointed at the clock.
He put the truck in park and turned to me. “I am going to talk to my guys and make sure everything was good while we were gone. Wait here; I will come back and get you.” I nodded my head, and he exited the truck.
He returned a few minutes later and opened my door. I hopped out of the truck and headed into the house. As I entered the house, Maddox’s team passed me on their way outside. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a beer from the fridge. Finding Maddox in the living room, I sat down on the couch.
“There is beer in the fridge if you want one.”
He continued to the kitchen and came back with two bottles. He set the second down in front of me. I opened my mouth to tell him I had a beer when I realized the one I was holding was almost gone. “Are you trying to get me drunk?” I asked as I squinted my eyes at him.
“How could I possibly benefit from you being drunk?” he asked, looking at me like there could be a hundred different possibilities.
“Then benefit away, because I don’t particularly care.”
I picked up the bottle opener that Maddox set on the table with the beer and popped it open. I took a long drink and smiled. He laughed a little and started shaking his head.
“Hey, you can judge me. I don’t really care if the brooding vampire thinks I’m weird. Maybe I think you’re weird.” I took a drink of my beer. “You think I’m a hot mess, right? Well, I think you’re a hot mess—a very hot guy with messy hair.”
Oh, my Lord, what was coming out of my mouth? I could feel the burn in my ears and knew my face was red. I immediately got up from the couch and walked toward the kitchen.
“Oh no, don’t leave now.”
I could hear him getting up from the couch. He followed me into the kitchen. The amusement in his voice was unmistakable.
Shit, me and my huge, intoxicated mouth.
I went to the fridge and opened it. I stuck my head in there like I was looking for something way in the back.
“The beer is on the top shelf in case you forgot. If you want to keep looking for whatever is on the bottom shelf, I’m cool with that too. The view is pretty nice from here.”
I quickly stood up and grabbed a beer. I turned around to find Maddox leaning against the counter with his arms crossed in front of him, with a slow grin on his face.
“I’m glad you think it is so amusing to make women squirm.”
I was just going to verbally vomit everywhere; I might as well make it serve me. He stood up and walked over to me as I stood my ground.
“I don’t enjoy making women squirm. I enjoy making you squirm.”
“Well, I am glad that I amuse you then.”
It was so fucking hot in this room. I had a tank top and shorts on, so I had to just deal with it. I had no intention of removing anything, but this alcohol was working overtime.
“Amusing isn’t the word I would use. I mean, I can definitely tell you that I am entertained.”
“So now I’m a clown. Glad we sorted that out.”
I tilted the bottle to my lips and downed the beer in my left hand. I set it down on the counter and opened the other one with a bottle holder that I knew was in the drawer next to me. I hip-checked the drawer, shutting it.
Maddox took a step closer to me. I rested my free hand on the counter, keeping myself from backing up on instinct.
“In no way, shape, or form do you remind me of a clown. If it was even possible, you would have to be the sexiest fucking clown I have ever seen in my life.” I looked at him but didn’t say a word. He leaned down and whispered in my ear. “Glad we sorted that out.”
I took a drink of my beer and turned away from him.
Well, this was leaving butterflies deep in my stomach.
I just told Ronan I missed him. I want something real, and Maddox just seems too good to be real.
Ronan was so sweet and sexy, and I had to follow through at least until he did something wrong—not someone else did something right.
“Well, I am going to go get some sleep. There are plenty of bedrooms upstairs, but if someone has to stay close, that someone is going to be you. I don’t know the rest of these guys, except Ted, of course.”
I smiled at Maddox. “There is a couch in my room you can sleep there if you have to.”
I headed up the stairs to my room with a beer in my hand. Once inside, I found some clean pajamas: a pair of shorts and a tank top. I grabbed a pair of underwear and headed into the bathroom to take a shower.
I set my clothes on the vanity and adjusted the shower temperature.
When I stepped into the shower, I let the hot water run over my hair and back.
I set my beer down in the corner of the large shower.
The water soaked my hair and ran over my face.
I picked up the beer, took a drink, swallowed it, then tipped it one last time and finished it.
As I went to set the bottle down, it fell over and rolled across the tile of the shower floor. I heard the bathroom door open.
“Give me the damn bottle, Joslyn. We had too many glass issues in here already.”
I opened the shower door a crack and handed him the bottle after I retrieved it from the floor. “Since you’re already in here, can you do me a favor?”
“Wash your back?”
“Turn on the radio. Thanks.” I wasn’t playing along anymore. As soon as he turned it on, I began to dance under the spray.
“Are you sure you don’t need me to wash your back?” he asked again as I could see his silhouette staring at mine through the foggy glass.
“No, thanks though. I appreciate the offer. Maybe next time.”
He walked out of the bathroom and shut the door. Any excuse for him to come in here when I’m naked, I swear.
I stayed in the shower longer than normal, letting the hot water relax my muscles.
When I exited the bathroom wearing my pajamas, I saw Maddox lying on the couch under the windows in my room.
He had no shirt on, and it was impossible not to stare.
I crossed the room, shut off the light, and climbed into bed.
“Goodnight, Maddox,” I said as I nuzzled into my blankets.
“Goodnight, Joslyn.”