“That’s not the way it appeared just now.”
“I know! But…what happened, Matt?”
“You freaked out.”
“Oh. Yeah. That.” She swallowed. She had no idea what had come over her, but those two men’s words had made her so unbelievablyangry! “I didn’t mean to push him against the table. I…I guess I misjudged my strength.”
Matt chuckled softly. “What strength are you referring to?”
She punched him hard on the arm. “This one!”
“I didn’t feel anything. Did a fruit fly just run into me?”
She rolled her eyes. “I honestly don’t know why all these people are fans of yours when you’re so obviously an idiot.”
“You heard them, I have great hair,” he replied dryly.
She had to laugh. “Oh God, one of them said that, didn’t he?”
“Yup.”
“But your hair is a complete mess.”
“Hey, it’s intentional.”
She grinned. “Even worse.”
“You’re just jealous because you weren’t asked to do a shampoo commercial.”
“Oh my God, tell me someoneactuallyasked you.”
He sighed. “Condoms, shampoo, bottled water...everything.”
She laughed…until she remembered that she had pushed a stranger and groaned, burying her face in her hands. It was not because she regretted it, though. The idiots had deserved it.
“Maddie?” Matt asked after a while, while they were stopped at a traffic light.
“Yes?”
“Thank you.” He lifted one corner of his mouth. “For defending my honor.”
She grimaced and her head sank back against the headrest. “That wasn’t my intention.”
“Yes, it was.”
Yes, it was. “Yeah, maybe. But I was so angry!”
“Evidently.”
“They were so disrespectful.”
“You get used to it.”
“But that’s not right! You’re not justlucky. And you’re not arrogant. And you’re certainly not an asshole.”
“That’s debatable.”
“No!” she said vehemently. “It’s not debatable. Dax, maybe. Leon, definitely. But not you!” He was a good guy. He was polite. He didn’t purposefully hurt anyone. He was…nice.