Page 25 of New in Town

“Sudden?” she asks.

“Yeah, he hates stuff like this. Or at least, he did.”

“Alright, I’ll see you tomorrow, Ry,” Grey says hurriedly, guiding Maddie away. He slides his hand around her waist, as his gaze travels up to the Ferris wheel across the way.Perfectly romantic, he thinks.

“Did you notice?” she asks as they walk.

“Notice what?”

“Riley didn’t say he worked with you. He said he workedforyou.”

He stops. He actually hadn’t noticed that. Did that mean something though?

They step up to take a seat on the Ferris wheel, the sky now a dark inky blue backdrop against the dancing lights. Settling in, she slides closer to him to fit her stuffed dog on her other side. He brings his arm around her shoulder, and she leans her head against him as they rise into the air. They don’t talk, just sit together and take in the bustling, colorful scene below them. When they reach the top of the ride she breaks the silence, “Thank you, Grey.”

He angles his head down to her, “For what?”

“All of this, everything.”

“You shouldn’t ever thank me for this, I’m lucky to have these moments with you.”

“You are?” she asks, lifting her head to look at him.

He notes how genuinely surprised her expression is, and a pang shoots through him at it. How could she not realize any guy would be lucky to be on a date with her? “I am,” he tells her, tucking her in under his chin. Maybe this arrangement could be something different after all.

13

MADDIE

Tonight was a dream. Maddie feels like she is floating on a cloud as they make their way back to her apartment. She debates thinking of ways to keep him out with her longer, but she knows how early he has to wake up for work tomorrow. When he parks in front of her building, neither make a move to walk to the door. Twisting in her seat to face him, she bats her eyes, hopeful that the spell from earlier hasn’t broken.

“Did you have fun tonight?” he asks her, his deep voice filling the space around them.

“I really did. Even though you didn’t let me win a single game.”

He chuckles as he leans on the center console. She really wishes this was one of those trucks where the console could lift up to reveal a bench seat. She needs to be closer to him.

“Sorry, sweetheart.” Grey manages to make the apology sound sensual as he rests his hand on her knee. She leans closer as well, trailing her fingers up his arm to the sleeve of his soft, army green T-shirt.

“You could make it up to me,” she says, taking the edge of the sleeve between her fingers and gently tugging, motioning for him to come even closer still.

He obeys, his hand running slowly up her leg until he reaches the hem of her dress. His hand is large, engulfing her whole thigh, and she feels desire warming at the apex between her legs. The material of her dress is so delicate that he could easily slide his hand under the hem, brush the dress out of his way and allow himself to feel more of her.

She grasps on to his leather belt, heat in her eyes. She wants him to continue further. He keeps his hand at the hem of her dress though, and lifts his other to cup her cheek, running his thumb along her jaw.

“You don’t play fair, wearing this dress,” he murmurs.

“Maybe that was my plan.” It absolutely was her plan. She had noticed the way his eyes had gravitated to her bare legs while she was in his sweatshirt the other night, and she hoped to have the same effect on him today. She is craving his touch.

“How should I make it up to you, for not letting you win?” He breathes the question into her ear, causing a thrill to rush through her. Several dirty ideas cross her mind, if she is going to blur the line on the rules, now would be her opportunity. She opens her mouth to suggest a temporary pause on theno kissing or morerule when there is a knock on the driver side window.

She jumps at the interruption while Grey moves quickly, putting her behind him as he turns to the window. Recognition flashes across his face, his posture relaxing. “Jimmy, what the hell man? You don’t surprise people in the dark,” he says to the gray haired, round man standing beside the truck.

“I’m sorry. It’s just, something is wrong with my dog. And I saw the vet here with you so I figured this would be faster than finding Arlo,” Jimmy explains hurriedly.

At this, Maddie jumps into action, Grey close behind her. They move from the truck and follow Jimmy across the street to his house. He leads them into the living room where he has a black lab laying on his sofa.

“He won’t get up or move at all. I can’t understand what happened or why.”

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