Page 78 of A Dangerous Proposal

A pang of loneliness struck her.

Don’t be ridiculous. Nothing has changed other than your location.

Her appetite disappearing, Madison rinsed her plate before setting it in the dishwasher. She braced her hands for a moment on the counter then, with her glass of wine in one hand and the baby monitor in the other, she set about exploring her new home.

On the ground floor she found a fully-equipped gym at the far end of the hallway—one Alex had clearly used that morning. There were two guest suites, a locked door, and a pair of lounge areas. Every room was spotless, and she briefly wondered if anyone other than Angela had ever entered them. The upstairs hallway to the left contained four more bedrooms in addition to the three she had already seen in the other wing, each with its own ensuite.

Eventually, her feet carried her back to the room she found the coziest, the living room where Alex had brought her both times she had visited.

Glancing around the room, Madison realized what was missing.Where’s the TV?Her brow wrinkled. Now that she thought about it, she hadn’t seen a television in any of the rooms.

Oh god. Is he one of those weirdoes that hates television?Because that’s going to be a problem.

Settling on the large sofa with her legs tucked under, she pulled up the latest episode of her favorite show on her phone. Two hours later, she was still scrolling.

Where is Alex? What if he doesn’t come back tonight? Are we supposed to let the other know if we aren’t going to be home?

Pfft. Get real. I have a toddler. I’m always home at night.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach.

It’s totally fine if it’s more like a roommate scenario, she told herself. She was 1000 percent definitelynotdisappointed he wasn’t there. And she didn’t miss him. That would make no rational sense at all.

A faint beep and then footsteps echoed on the marble floors. Her heart gave an unexpected leap of excitement.

Madison stepped into the foyer, her eyes landing on Alex’s suit jacket, discarded carelessly on the table. He hadn’t noticed her yet, and she used the opportunity to observe him. He really was unbelievably attractive.

Alex’s tie hung undone around his neck, and the top buttons of his crisp white dress shirt were open, exposing the strong column of his neck and a hint of ink that swirled at the top of his chest. His eyes were on the walkway above as he slowly rolled up his sleeves.

Heat flushed through her as his muscles flexed beneath his tattooed forearms. A slow involuntary sigh slipped out, and it took her a second to realize he’d caught her ogling him.Busted.

Alex stopped mid-motion, his intense gaze locked onto hers with an unreadable expression. When the silence stretched tight between them, she felt the first flicker of uncertainty.

Had he not expected to see me? Should I have gone to bed before he got home?

“I didn’t know if you were expecting a martini at the door,” she joked lamely, desperate to cut the tension.

Alex stared for another beat before his lips lifted in a devilish smile that had her pulse racing.

“Only if you’re wearing an apron.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Alex shrugged off his suit jacket and tossed it onto the table, tugging his tie loose as he rolled his shoulders. Work had been the same as always except... The entire day had been off, and he had an unpleasant suspicion he knew why.

He had been looking forward to the end of the day. To going home. To seeing her.

This was bad.

Their arrangement wasn’t about companionship—Alex wasn’t the kind of man who needed that. He was perfectly happy on his own. He always had been.

In his mind, it was simple—Madison needed help with her custody case, and he needed a wife. Their marriageonlyrepresented a mutually beneficial agreement.

Yet, for the last several hours, Alex found his mind wandering far too often to Madison and wanting to know what she was doing. To see how she was settling into his home. Wondering if she had everything she needed.

The realization was unacceptable. He would not get attached to her. Attachments were liabilities. They made him weak.

Was she in bed already?

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