17. Ethan
17
ETHAN
The sound of Bigfoot’s paws clattering on the hardwood floor echoes in the room, and Bella’s low growl vibrates through the air as I step through Madison’s front door. The dogs are already on edge, and so am I. Madison stands a few feet away, eyes on me, but it’s not the animosity I saw in her before. Something has shifted.
It’s hard to tell exactly what she’s feeling, but I want to figure it out.
“Thanks for coming over again.” She rolls her shoulders backward and fixes her eyes on me. It’s been an hour since the awkward moment when I came over and found Aurora here. After running into my daughter and acting like an absolute fool as I tried to come up with an excuse for being there, I sat in the dining room and watched the road until I saw the two women walk past.
Then, I waited a good fifteen minutes to make sure they had really gone down the road before heading to Madison’s back door. I want to do a whole lot more than just help Madison with the dogs, but I’m on edge after almost getting caught .
“I’m starting to get used to these guys.” I give a nod toward the dogs, who are finally calming down a bit now that they see I’m no threat. Madison’s place smells like a combination of cedar wood and a hint of lavender—probably from those candles she’s got scattered around. I haven’t seen much of her place besides the “dog room” and the bedroom, but I wonder what else I might learn about her if I were to explore the area more fully.
“Let’s take them out,” I suggest. Madison goes for their leashes, and the dogs start bounding around, letting out yips of joy like the tiny puppies they aren’t.
I move toward Bigfoot and slip the leash around him first. I check it two times to make sure it’s firmly around him and then head out the door, being careful not to let Bella slip out, too.
Once Bigfoot is securely in my yard, I come back for Bella. Samson waits patiently like he knows his friends require more work than he does. Madison walks next to me into my yard, and the dogs start excitedly exploring as though they didn’t just sniff every inch of the yard yesterday.
There’s a silence between us, but it’s not the awkward kind we’ve had before. It’s…something else. We both know we’re playing a dangerous game here, but neither of us seems willing to back off.
“Things almost got out of hand with Aurora. I think she suspects something.” Bella bounds up to Madison just then, and she absentmindedly scratches her behind the ears.
My heart skips a beat, but I keep my face calm. “She doesn’t know anything . We’ve been careful. Just because I came over to your house and she was there…that doesn’t mean she’ll jump to conclusions.”
Madison looks up at me, her eyes searching mine like she’s trying to read me. “I know, but… I don’t want to mess th ings up with her. She’s your daughter. I guess I just prefer to be extra careful.”
I exhale slowly. Aurora is my world, and Madison knows that. But there’s this pull between us that I can’t ignore. The dogs, this situation, it’s just an excuse for us to be near each other, and we both know it. What would Aurora do if she found out?
That’s the question that has been in my mind since I showed up and accidentally ran into her. I think Aurora would be shattered. She would probably feel betrayed, even though our relationship has nothing to do with her.
“I won’t let her find out. We can’t let her find out.”
Madison nods, but her gaze lingers on me. For a moment, it’s like she’s seeing more than just Ethan, the guy helping out with her dogs. There’s something vulnerable in her expression, and it makes my chest tighten.
I move closer to her. I want to pull her toward me, to kiss her right now. But I can sense one of the dogs bounding toward us. Sure enough, Bigfoot is heading right for us with a stick. He drops it at Madison’s feet, and she gamely throws it. Bigfoot snaps up the stick and starts shaking it.
The moment to touch Madison, to pull her closer to me is gone.
“Bigfoot’s been a little antsy lately. I think he misses you when you’re not here. Being stuck inside with these guys almost all day is hard for all of us. I don’t know why someone would want two of these monsters.”
I chuckle softly, grateful for the distraction. “He’s got good taste, what can I say?”
She smiles at that, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. There’s something weighing on her, but I can’t identify exactly what it is .
“You’re worried about more than just Aurora, aren’t you?”
Madison looks down, her fingers fidgeting with the leash that hangs limply in her hand. “It’s just… This is complicated, Ethan. More complicated than I thought it would be.”
I can feel the gravity of her words, and she’s right. This situation isn’t easy. Aurora is smart, and if she figures out what’s going on, everything could blow up in our faces. But there’s something else, too. I keep thinking about what would happen if this was real. If we could be together without worrying about what anyone else thought.
If we went into Wilmington for a date, no one would recognize us. I like the thought. I want to take Madison on real dates, not just up to my bedroom.
“It doesn’t have to be. We’re adults. We can handle this.”
Madison meets my eyes, and for a moment, it’s like the rest of the world falls away. The dogs, Aurora, all of it fades into the background. It’s just us. And I know she feels it too, because her breath hitches, and there’s a slight tremor in her hands.
“I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to…enjoy spending time with you.”
“I would think you would after you found out the way I kiss.” I smile mischievously at her, and Madison smiles too. But then, she looks away, like she isn’t quite ready to show me all her emotions.
I reach for her free hand and squeeze it. She doesn’t try to pull away. I pull her closer to me and just inhale her smell. I love the feel of her soft hands in mine.
She won’t look me in the eyes, though.
“We have to be careful. Aurora would never forgive us.” Madison stares at the ground .
“I know, but she’s not here right now.” My voice is low, and I think it’s clear what I want.
Madison’s eyes flicker to my lips, just for a second, but it’s enough. My breath catches, and before I know it, my hand is on her waist, my thumb just under the hem of her shirt. She doesn’t resist. Instead, she leans into me, her body soft against mine.
I know we shouldn’t be doing this. I know the risks. But right now, none of that seems to matter. The only thing that matters is the way she looks at me, like she’s been waiting for this moment as long as I have.
Just as I’m about to close the distance between us, Bigfoot barks, snapping us both back to reality. Madison jumps slightly, and I step back, my heart racing. The dogs have impeccable timing.
Bigfoot bounds up and licks Madison’s pants with a slobbery tongue.
Madison laughs nervously, running a hand through her hair. “I guess Bigfoot doesn’t approve.”
I smile, though my heart is still pounding in my chest. “Seems that way.”
Madison clears her throat, shifting awkwardly. “We should probably get back to work. The dogs aren’t going to walk themselves, and I think them smelling other things is super helpful in tiring them out.”
“Yeah, let’s get these guys to the street.”
We leash up Bigfoot and Bella and head toward the gate. It’s only getting colder as it gets darker, and I worry about Madison not having enough padding in her coat.
As we walk, we fall into an easy rhythm, the dogs leading the way while we follow behind. Madison is quiet, but I can tell her mind is racing just like mine. There’s too much unsaid between us, too much we’re trying to pretend isn’t there.
“You know, I never really hated you,” Madison says suddenly.
I glance over at her, surprised by her honesty. “What do you mean?”
She shrugs, looking a little embarrassed. “When I first met you, I thought you were… I don’t know, a little intimidating. Maybe even a little annoying. But I didn’t hate you.”
I chuckle, relieved that we’re back on somewhat safer ground. “I’m glad to hear that. I thought you were just waiting for the right moment to tell me off.”
Madison smiles. “Sure, that too. But that’s because you needed a little telling-off. I mean, an escort? Really? I guess I’ve just been…trying to figure you out. And now that I know you a little better, I realize I might’ve judged you too quickly.”
I raise an eyebrow, curious. “So, what’s the verdict now?”
Madison hesitates, her eyes flickering to mine before she looks away. “I think… I think I like you more than I should.”
Her words hang in the air. I stop walking, turning to face her, and she stops too, her breath visible in the cool night air.
“I think I feel the same way.”
Madison looks at me, her expression conflicted, and for a moment, I think she’s going to walk away. But then, slowly, she steps closer, closing the gap between us once more.
“We can’t let her find out.” We’re only two blocks from Aurora’s house, and the idea that she could be out walking the streets is the only thing that keeps me from kissing Madison right now.
“I know. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen.”