Page 25 of Lovers' Dance

“Tell me about it,” he commanded.

I tilted my head up with a bemused expression at his tone. “You’re quite bossy, Matt.”

He moved about in the seat, trying to fit his long frame comfortably. “I’m not,” he disagreed.

Nathan coughed lightly. I looked over and he was staring at Matt with amusement.

“You’re absolutely right, Madi. May I call you that?”

I nodded and Nathan flashed me a bright smile. Matt cleared his throat in a pointed manner and shot me an expectant look. Oh, yeah, he wanted me to tell him about my studio.

“Can we order the food first?” I nudged him, needing him to move so I could get out. “I’m starving. Have you decided what you want, Nathan?”

Nathan frowned again at the menu in his hand. “I’ll have the Caesar salad. Not much can go wrong with a salad.”

I nudged Matt once more. He slid aside and stood up.

“What about drinks? You guys haven’t said what you want to drink.” I held my wallet and cell as I slid across the seat and stood next to a waiting Matt. Gosh, he was like a Viking, big and strong with a definite edge of danger hovering around him.

“Bottled water,” they said in unison, then shared a knowing grin with each other.

“I’ll be right back.” I checked the table number and headed towards the bar, now unsure about my choice of a pint. Would they think I was an alcoholic? It was a pint. I mean, who has bottled water in a pub? I would get half a pint instead. That was more ladylike.

There were a few people waiting to be served, so I stood at the bar awaiting my turn.

Matt smiled to himself as he watched her waiting at the bar. She looked great. Instead of looking casual in a t-shirt and khaki shorts with the cowboy boots, Matt thought she looked like a catwalk model posing in bohemian wear and completely unaware of the effect she had on the people around her. He narrowed his eyes at the table of young men who were openly ogling her with lecherous stares.

“Bloody hell, Matt. She’s a little thing, isn’t she.”

Matt gave his attention to Nathan, partially that is. He wanted to keep an eye on the louts perving on Madi.

“Yes.”

“Cute, too,” Nathan added. Matt rolled his eyes, and Nathan conceded begrudgingly. “I’ll admit she’s more stunning than her picture. She doesn’t look twenty-six, closer to twenty I think, but, then again, people of her race are known to age—”

“I sincerely hope you’re not going to make any mention of her race.” Matt cut him off curtly, attention once again locked on that table. One of the men had gotten up and was making his way over to the bar. Matt watched as he strolled up to where Madi stood placing their order. There was more than enough space at the bar for him to stand somewhere else.

“I saw you snogging her back at the car. In the open. What’s gotten into you? And why on earth do you keep calling her poppet? You never use nicknames with women.” Nathan was drumming his fingers over the edge of the table, blatantly perplexed concerning Matt’s behaviour.

“Calm down, Nathan. It’s highly improbable that anyone we know was driving along at the exact moment I kissed her.” Matt let his gaze wander around the pub and its patrons. “And near impossible they would come into a place like this.”

Nathan leaned back against the seat, arms folded as he scrutinized Matt. “Tell me, dear friend, what exactly are you planning to do with this young woman? And for how long?”

Matt held his gaze, thinking over his friend’s words. What was he doing, seated in a pub while awaiting food he was certain would taste like cardboard? He looked at her and a smile split his face. She was frowning at the woman taking her order, and Matt stifled a chuckle as she rifled through her wallet to pull out her ID with a haughty expression on her features.

“You know me, Nathan,” Matt said evasively. “I enjoy new experiences.”

Nathan shook his head slowly. “Did you stop to consider maybe your behaviour regarding this woman—”

“She has a name,” Matt interrupted, a tightening of his mouth the only indication Nathan was beginning to annoy him. “It’s Madison, or Madi if you so choose to use, as long as you use it.”

Nathan inhaled noisily, also frustrated and annoyed with Matt. “Fine. Did you stop to consider your behaviour regarding Madison is directly linked to the pressure being placed upon you to make things official with Louisa?”

Matt jerked back in surprise, completely at a loss over Nathan’s comment. “Why would you think that? It has nothing to do with—she’s coming back. Do try and be pleasant.”

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