Page 17 of Chance Encounter

MADDOX

Chance clearshis throat and moves around the recliner he’s been in all night. “I appreciate you taking me in and not leaving me outside to the elements.”

I can’t help but chuckle. The way we talk, we sound like stone-cold killers. “I wouldn’t leave you out there in a snowstorm. Maybe if it was the middle of summer, though.”

“Yeah,” he smiles, shaking his head like he doesn’t believe me. “This chair is not sleep-worthy. Do you think I could sleep in his room?” He nods toward where Garrison is passed out on the couch beside me.

“This is his bedroom.” I grimace. “He sleeps on the couch. It may be why he tries to sleep at the places of the women he picks up.”

He looks down the hall with drawn brows. “I thought you had a second bedroom.”

I want to laugh in his face, but I’m tired and just want to go to bed, so I keep my mouth shut for the sake of hopefully getting to bed soon.

“Does this tiny shack look like it would hold multiple bedrooms?”

He shrugs, looking down the hall. “It’s not like I’ve been snooping through your place. I have no idea. I saw multiple doors down the hall when I went to the bathroom, and I assumed.”

“Ah, you know what they say—” Plus, I know I mentioned my brother sleeping on the couch.

“Don’t finish that,” he stops me. “I’m fully aware of what an ass I am. But seriously, as much as I hate to say it, your place is nice. It’s in no way a shack.”

Chance complimenting my house shocks me. “Thanks,” I say awkwardly. Even to my own ears, it sounds strange. “You have a nice place as well. Isn’t it surprising how well we did for ourselves? Coming from nothing, every success is a celebration.”

“Damn, Mad. That’s profound, and you’re right. We have done well.”

I nod, agreeing. “I don’t have another bed, though. I do have another bedroom, but there’s nothing in there but boxes.” I look down at my brother and speak quietly, hoping he doesn’t wake up and hear me. “I purposely haven’t set it up because I don’t want my brother to get too comfortable. You can sleep on the floor,” his eyes narrow on me. “But the house isn’t insulated that well. It could get cold. The only other option is to sleep in my bed. It’s a king, and I can sleep on my side. I usually stay on the edge if that amounts for anything.”

His mouth flattens into a straight line. “What game are you playing at?”

“None. Feel free to sleep in the recliner or on the floor. Enjoy listening to G snore.” I turn off the TV that’s kept Chance and Garrison entertained for the night.

“Why can’t I sleep on the floor in your room?”

I stand and shrug because I hadn’t thought of that. “Sleep wherever you want, but I’m going to bed. I need to be up at sunrise to feed the animals.”

“I’m sure as hell not sleeping in here.” He looks over to my brother and curls his upper lip. I listen as he follows me down the hall and into my bedroom. “I can’t sleep with all that noise.”

“Me either, and neither can most of his women since they rarely give him a second night,” I chuckle, closing my bedroom door. “When he doesn’t drink, he doesn’t snore.” But that rarely happens.

I grab a blanket from the end of my bed and one of my pillows and hand them to Chance. His eyes go to the floor space by the bed and then to the bed before he starts to strip off his clothes.

I flick off the light when his fingers go to the button on his jeans, not willing to fall into temptation if I see what he looks like in only his underwear.

What if he sleeps in the nude?

Nope. Not going there.

I can’t forget. On my floor is the boy who ruined high school for me.

Slipping under the blankets, I sigh, finally able to relax after a day full of being in close proximity to Chance. I’m almost asleep when I feel the bed dip.

“What are you doing?” I groan sleepily.

The bed bounces some more before he finally settles. “The floor is cold and uncomfortable, and you offered to let me sleep in your bed, so I’m taking you up on it.”

I flip my pillow over and punch it for good measure. I just want to sleep. “Fine, whatever. Just stop moving.”

“You’re cranky when you’re tired.” His tone is full of amusement.

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