Page 48 of Slow Burn
Everything about Maddie terrified me. Without even trying, she'd touched the darkest corners of my soul and breathed life into parts of me that I thought would forever stay dead. The more time I spent with her, the more I wanted to be around her. To touch her. To kiss her.
I'd been so close to doing just that and for all my cussing, I now realized the phone ringing when it did was probably a good thing. Because I didn't need to do it to know that one taste of Maddie would never be enough.
Sure, she'd wanted me to kiss her, but what then? What happened afterward? Would it even be possible to maintain a friendship—not that we were even there yet—after a hot and heavy make-out session?
I didn't think so.
And that right there was the reason I let her walk out.
When she was out of sight, I closed the door and rested my forehead against it. For her own sake, I'd giveher space. Keep my distance until I had a handle on this all-consuming need I had for her.
I didn't have anything more than friendship to offer, plus I came with baggage that was even too heavy for me. Pushing off the frame, I busied myself with tidying up before I dragged my ass upstairs.
Since I knew sleep would be impossible with Maddie running laps through my mind, I headed for the guestroom and started painting. How utterly monochromatic my life was was painfully obvious with each stroke of white I applied to the walls.
I'd put money on the fact that Maddie would've chosen a color that was soft, feminine, and inviting. Just like her. The roller paused halfway; a string of curses fell from my lips. I couldn't even perform a simple task without thinking about her.
That was pretty much how the following two days went. I'd walk into the living room and the look on Maddie's face right before I almost kissed her would flash in front of me. The image would trigger a myriad of sensations in my body that either had me cursing a blue streak or going back upstairs.
Other times, I'd prepare the wood for the deck and instead of focusing on the task in front of me, I'd stare at her house like a freaking creeper. It was ridiculous to miss someone you hardly spent time with, but I did.
I wanted to see her. To ask her about her day, and much to my surprise, I wanted to give the little rat a scratch behind the ears. Which was why I found myself hopping over the fence on Friday night.
I would just have to deal with whatever the heck I felt because not seeing her at all was a hell of a lot worse than fighting the constant need to get my hands on her.
My brows pulled together in a deep frown when I approached the sliding door. It was halfway open with the curtains slowly blowing in and out of the house. Before I had time to knock, Sheldon started barking and came trotting out a few seconds later.
Dropping to my haunches, I gave him a scratch behind the ears which quickly turned into a belly rub when he flopped onto his back.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught movement by the curtains. "Holy shit," I muttered under my breath the instant I looked up. Maddie was leaning against the frame with one hand holding onto the door.
My gaze greedily, hungrily, raked over her body. I started at her bare feet and slowly made my way up her toned legs and over the tiniest sleep shorts I'd seen. On top, she was covered with a loose-fitting shirt that slipped over her shoulder. It didn't escape me that there was no visible bra strap.
I ventured higher still. It was the first time she had her hair loose and my fingers itched to feel the strands against my skin. When I reached her eyes, those whiskey irises were guarded. Watching me thoughtfully.
"Hi," I croaked out. Giving Sheldon one last rub, I straightened, my gaze never leaving hers.
"You have something against the front door?" When my brows furrowed, Maddie clarified, "I always find you this side, never in front."
"Uh." I scratched the scruff on my chin. "It's closer…but I can use the front door if you'd like."
Her face was so serious, I got the impression she was about to tell me to get lost. That was until her lips twitched before stretching into a bright, beautiful smile. "I'm just messing with you. Wanna come in? I don't have fancy curry to offer you, but I did pick up a pizza after work."
I gave her a grin of my own. "Sounds good."
Maddie pushed off the frame and opened the door further. I started moving but instead of going in, I stopped in front of her and got a whiff of her subtle strawberry scent. Peering down the length of my nose at her, I pointed my index finger skyward. "Are there mushrooms on this pizza? If there is, I'm gonna have to decline."
Her eyes narrowed. "Your ass can stay outside then."
Splaying my hand over my chest, I pretended to be hurt. "You're mean."
"Nope, just hangry."
"Ah! Is this the part where you bite me then?"
Maddie's eyes leisurely traveled up and down the length of me. The way she was nibbling on her lip as she did, had me shifting from one foot to the other. When she pinned me with a stare that looked more like a heated promise, I knew I was beyond screwed.
"Maybe." How was it even possible for a voice so sugary sweet to sound downright sinful? I wanted to know what it would sound like when my name fell from her lips in a breathless whisper.
