Page 94 of A Dangerous Proposal

Alex stood for a long time, listening to her retreating footsteps, his fists clenched.

This wasn’t over.

He wouldn’t let her down.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

The next morning, Madison’s body was heavy with exhaustion as she shifted beneath the sheets. Her head ached, and her eyes were sore and scratchy from crying herself to sleep.

Exhaling slowly, she stared up at the ceiling, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains.

She hated that she’d allowed herself to break last night. Having what she thought was solid ground yanked from beneath her had hit harder than she would have expected. But more than anything, at the moment she hated that Alex hadn’t come to bed last night.

Madison reminded herself she was still furious with him, that she had every right to be, but…

She rolled onto her side, pressing her face into his empty pillow. The scent of him—spicy, mixed with something clean and masculine, was still there. It was already familiar. Comforting.

She hated that, too.

Because despite her anger, she still wanted him.

“Ugh.” Madison groaned aloud. “You are so pathetic.”

It had only been a short time, but she had already grown used to his presence beside her. The way his body radiated heat, theway he reached for her in his sleep without even realizing it. The way, for a few brief hours, she didn’t feel soalone.

She squeezed her eyes shut, cursing herself for feeling anything at all.

You knew what this was. Don’t be stupid now.

Jax’s babbling over the baby monitor had her forcing herself upright. She pushed the covers off and swung her legs over the side of the bed.

Jax needed breakfast, and she needed to get through the day, focusing on what mattered and not her inconvenient infatuation with her new husband.

The smell of coffee and warm butter filled the kitchen as she stood flipping a pancake in the pan. Perched in his highchair, Jax babbled happily to himself, smearing mashed bananas across the tray and kicking his feet.

“Good job, baby,” Madison murmured, reaching over to swipe a bit of banana off his cheek. “Try to get some in your mouth, okay?”

Jax beamed at her, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “Nan nan nan na. More.” His tiny hands slapped happily against the tray.

Madison dropped a few halved blueberries into the banana mess. “Enough playing. Eat.”

Jax giggled, grabbing a piece of banana and holding it out toward her with a proud expression.

“Oh, for me?” she teased, taking the squished piece between her fingers and pretending to eat it before dropping it into a napkin.

Jax clapped his hands in delight and wiggled in the seat. The adorable action loosened the tightness in her chest.

She was pouring her third cup of coffee when a rustling noise made her stiffen. Alex’s energy filled the room before he evensaid a word. Madison kept her eyes on the coffeepot, inhaling slowly, and willing herself to stay indifferent.

Yeah, right.

He stepped farther inside, hesitating. “Morning.”

Alex’s voice was gravelly—like maybe he hadn’t slept much, either.

“Morning.” She kept her tone cool.

Madison couldn’t pretend everything was fine, even though at some point in the darkness, she’d accepted the situation they’d found themselves in. It had been naïve of her to think Alex was going to wave a magic wand and suddenly Felix would cease to exist. But it didn’t mean she wasn’t still upset.

---