Page 46 of Slow Burn
Eyes taking up half of her face, Maddie's head slowly moved side to side. "I need a minute." And then she jumped up and rushed out of the kitchen.
22
MADDIE
I was certifiable.
I had to be. It was the only explanation I had for what was going on inside of me. Adam had just confessed that he had been watching me in the mornings. Not that it was a surprise since I already had my suspicions.
No, the real shocker came when the butterflies in my stomach decided to take flight at his words. I understood that any normal person's reaction would've been to feel uneasy or at least some level of discomfort.
My brain knew that logic. But my heart…that little traitor didn't. It had bounced around excitedly at the mere thought of moving him with my dancing. Because dance was art and art was supposed to evoke strong feelings in whoever witnessed it.
"Maddie, I'm sorry."
His voice sounded from across the room. I spun around slowly. Adam was standing inside the arched entryway that separated the kitchen and the living room where I currently found myself in.
"Watching you was a rude invasion of your privacy." That deep gritty voice sounded as tortured as the look on his face.
All I wanted to do was go to him, wrap my arms around his neck and tell him that I didn't flee the table because of what he said but rather because of the strong emotions swirling inside of me. This all-consuming hunger to learn more about him and to find out what his kiss tasted like.
Which just proved I was completely batshit crazy.
"Please say something?" It was his broken plea that finally pulled me from my stupor.
I dug my heels in to keep myself from rushing over to him. Sucking in a deep breath, I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt; searching for the right words to say. "It's not a private beach. I've always known someone was bound to see me."
Those eyes of his studied me so intensely, it made my toes curl. He took one step, then another and another until he was close enough to touch. Balling my hands into tight fists at my side, I stopped myself from doing just that.
"You knew?"
I dragged my tongue over my suddenly dry lips. "Not for sure, but I had a feeling. You were there awfully fast after I fell."
Adam cocked his head and arched an eyebrow. "And still you showed up every morning without fail?" The seriousness in his stare had warmth spreading through my veins with the speed of a wildfire. "You wanted me to see?"
It was more of an observation than a question. He wasn't wrong. Maybe I hadn't put a conscious thought to it, but somewhere in the very back of my mind I knewhe'd see me, and I might have wanted to perform…for him.
In front of me, Adam had gone completely still save for his gaze rapidly bouncing between my eyes. He reminded me of a wild animal finally crawling out of his hiding spot. One wrong move and he'd retreat.
"Maybe…" the word came out scratchy. Clearing my throat, I tried again. "Maybe I like having your eyes on me."
He squeezed his lids together like my words had pained him somehow. I itched to reach for him. To drag my fingers over his short beard and up to smooth out the deep lines marring his forehead.
"Adam."
When he parted his lids and captured my gaze with his, I almost gasped at the sheer determination burning in his eyes. There was no mistaking that he'd made a decision and was about to act on it.
My breath caught in my throat when he lifted his hand and slowly, oh so slowly, trailed his fingers along my jaw. Dark, dark eyes carefully trekking the movement of his thumb scraping over my mouth.
Delicious shivers worked their way down my spine while tiny bumps popped up all over my skin. My lips parted on their own, a tiny puff of air escaping almost immediately. The urge to close my eyes and just feel was so strong, so intense, giving into it would have been so easy. But if I did that, I would've missed the way Adam's tongue darted out and swept across his lip.
Almost like he couldn't wait to taste.
I wanted that. Wanted his mouth on mine. His hands in my hair and my body pressed tightly to his. I wanted it so badly, I felt the tug of that need low in my belly. And then as if he could read my thoughts that big frame of his steadily leaned forward or maybe it was me moving closer.
I didn't care which was which. Not when I was so close to finally finding out what it would feel like to kiss this man. This man that'd plagued my every thought and dirtiest dreams for over three weeks.
His hand, rough and calloused, cradled my cheek. My lids instantly fluttered closed at the contact. A soft moan sounded from somewhere at the back of my throat when Adam's hot breath blew over my lips.
