Page 47 of A Dangerous Proposal

Madison frowned but stuck the paper in her purse. She paused at the door of the car. “Thanks for breakfast… and everything else.”

Alex smiled. “Anytime.”

A brief hesitation hung in the air before she nodded and slipped in, the door clicking shut behind her. He stood there for a long moment, watching the taillights.

As Madison’s car disappeared into the morning traffic, Alex slipped his hands into his pockets, a slow smile curving his lips.

She might think this was a one-time thing, but Alex was already plotting how to see her again.

Chapter Fourteen

Slumped in the back of the rideshare, Madison was thoughtful. She kept seeing the look in Alex’s eyes when he’d called himself the ‘shadow family.’ It was telling that he hadn’t supplemented his story with any mention of his mother’s family.

Because he’d been alone.

Alex liked to put on his cavalier, sarcastic mask, but she’d seen the flash of pain in his eyes. It tugged at her insides, making her ache for him.

Madison had seen enough traumatized children and families to understand the meaning behind the words, even if he wouldn’t say it—or even acknowledge it to himself.

She shouldn’t have asked him about it, and she definitely shouldn’t have told him all that stuff about her sister. It was far too intimate for what was happening between them.

Nothing is happening between us.

Her phone dinged with an incoming text.

Cami

Uh, so are you going to explain what Shana’s text means?

Flipping over to the group text, Madison groaned when she saw Shana had informed everyone that Madison had left the club with Alex Kovalyov.

How did Shana even know who he was?

Madison

He gave me a ride.

Cami

And?

Madison

Oh my god . What do you think happened?

Cami

Holy Shit!!

Madison

It was just sex. Not everybody falls in love with their one-night stand like you did.

It had felt like more, but she didn’t want to tell Cami that. Or about the conversation this morning. Alex had listened to her without judging, and she knew how rare that was.

She liked him. Liked how she felt when she was with him. And she knew Cami wouldn’t be thrilled with any of that information.

Madison

---