Page 15 of Mad for Madison

He turned to me with a small smile, oblivious to my disappointment. “Make yourself comfortable. You earned it tonight.”

I walked in, slowly moving toward the sectional in the living area. “This is…nice,” I said, my mouth dry and throat tight for no reason I could name.

When I sat down, Madison twirled away from me and walked over to the bar by the large windows. He didn’t seem to notice the view. He was focused on the bottles of alcohol on the small station.

“You come to these places a lot, huh?” I asked.

“Not at all,” he said.

“Really?” I couldn’t believe it. He looked so natural in this place. “Tailored suits? Expensive hotel rooms? Not at all?” I chuckled, although it had the forced quality that we both heard.

Madison looked at me over his shoulder while holding a bottle of nice whiskey. “I’m quite frugal. This is a special occasion.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. I’d assumed that he partied and secretly lived a lavish lifestyle that I couldn’t even dream about.

He poured us each a glass of whiskey and brought them over to the coffee table before me. He offered me mine, but I shook my head.

“You didn’t need to get us an apartment,” I said. “I was happy to help and dip out when it was over.”

“I know you were,” Madison said, an innocent smile touching the corners of his full, defined lips. “That’s why I wanted to do something nice for you.”

There was no arguing with him. He would keep saying this one thing over and over, and I would keep telling him he shouldn’t have. It was so very much like me to repeat myself that way.

Luckily, Madison didn’t let the silence go on for too long. Not so luckily, he had a completely different vision for this evening. “I was thinking about the ways to show you how much I appreciate you coming with me. Dane’s a real thorn in my ass. I think you bought me months of peace from him.” He grinned. “I thought, if you want to have a night to treat yourself, this is a really good opportunity.” He took the key out of his pocket and put it on the table. “You have nowhere else to be. You can open Grindr and take your pick. Bring someone over here and just have a good time.”

I stared at Madison. “What? In a hotel full of people who think I’m your boyfriend?”

Madison laughed. “I’m not saying all porn actors are promiscuous, but if you end up with one of them, it won’t be the strangest thing that’s happened.”

I could tell my cheeks were red. I was too hot, and my mouth was completely dry. “I think I’ll have that drink,” I wheezed.

Madison chuckled. “You don’t need to be shy around me, Bradley.”

“I’m not,” I said, my voice rougher than I’d hoped. I snatched my whiskey and drank, then had to look at the contents of the glass because it was smoother than silk. “You just don’t get it.”

“I do,” Madison tried to assure me. “Really, I get it. First times can be hard, but I always thought it was better to get it over with.”

“I’m not…saving myself,” I said. “I’m not actually a virgin.”

“Half-virgin?” Madison teased. “It’s not the same thing.”

“It’s just that I don’t want to…with anyone,” I said, holding the glass in an iron grip.

Madison didn’t seem to understand. He shrugged and drained his whiskey. “Well, the room is yours. If you change your mind, you can do whatever you like.” He shot me a grin and turned to leave. “It’s a big city, Bradley. Anyone will be lucky to spend a night with you.”

As I watched his broad back sway, his irresistible figure escaping me, I put my glass down with a loud thud and leaped across the room in three long strides. “Hold on,” I said, my voice cracking with urgency.

I knew I was making a mistake. Every fiber in my being screamed in frustration that I should be so stupid. What the hell was I doing? But I knew, underneath the absurd hope and unattainable wants, that I couldn’t let him leave before I told him.

“Anyone?” I asked.

Madison was by the door already, one hand on the knob. He hesitated, not turning around. “Sure.”

“Because I don’t want just anyone,” I said, my mouth dry. I wished I’d carried the whiskey with me.

“Oh?” Madison let go of the knob and turned around on his heels. He looked straight into my eyes, and I saw a seed of understanding sprouting in his mind.

“Frankly, it’s annoying that you would suggest I should hook up with someone after…after the way we acted all evening.”

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