Normally, I would keep my mouth shut, but as we walked toward the door, I pulled my hand from his.
“You okay?”
I gave him a halfhearted shrug. Again, I wouldn’t typically question anyone’s statements, but his resistance to take me to his house hurt my feelings.
“Why don’t you want to bring me to dinner?”
With the door held open, he gestured for me to walk outside ahead of him. “Let’s go,” he said to Brick and Kaden, allowing them a moment to say goodbye to Zoe and Riley. Turning his attention to me, he said, “It’s not that I don’t want to take you home for dinner, but I don’t think it’s a good idea.”
“Oh.” I was right. He was embarrassed of me. “I understand. I thought since your mom was so nice to me, she liked me.”
Lincoln pulled me to the side as his friends passed and headed toward their bikes. “Maddie, what are you talkin’ about?”
I looked down at my feet. “You’re ashamed of me. Which is okay. I understand. I’m just thankful you saved me.” I felt the tears brewing, but I didn’t want to break down in front of him, especially out in public where I would have no shield whatsoever if things really turned south.
“I’m not ashamed of you.” He shifted his feet. “Maddie.” I kept my eyes lowered, my emotions whirling through me faster and faster. “Look at me.” Still, I kept my eyes averted. “Please.” I didn’t know if it was the pleading in his voice or the pain I thought I heard, but I lifted my head. “I’m not ashamed of you,” he repeated. “I just don’t think it’s safe. We don’t know what the Reapers are gonna do, so I don’t want to take any chances. The only reason I brought you here today was because I have backup with me,” he said, pointing toward Kaden and Brick, who were looking at us with interest. “Do you understand?”
“Yes.” His explanation soothed my ego. “I do.”
“You okay?”
I nodded, taking a step around him and heading toward his bike. Once we stood next to the impressive machine, I touched his arm as he clipped his helmet in place.
“Do you want me to ride back with one of your friends?” I could’ve been mistaken, but I thought I saw the muscle in his jaw flex.
“Absolutely not. Why would you ask me that?”
“Because I made you uncomfortable.”
“When?”
“When I rode with you here.” I didn’t mean to, but I glanced down at his crotch.
Gone was the flash of irritation I detected from him. Instead, he seemed amused. “Don’t worry about me. I love having you on my bike.” He handed me my helmet, positioned himself on the bike, then held his hand out to assist me. Once I swung my leg over the other side, I scooted forward and wrapped my hands around his waist, clutching him tightly.
Only this time, I wasn’t nervous about the ride.
I looked forward to pressing against him for as long as I could.
30
The ride back was challenging. The rumble of my bike would often soothe any apprehension I felt, but as it happened the girl molded to me was the source of my anxiety as of late. If I wasn’t trying to make sure she was not only safe but comfortable with us, I was consumed with thoughts of her.
Of her innocence.
Of her ability to distract me with the flick of her eyes.
Of her strength.
I doubted she thought of herself as strong, but she was, in every sense. Most people would’ve crumbled, withdrawn so far into themselves after what she suffered, but not her. Sure, she was timid and shy, but I saw the fire she tried to keep dimmed behind her gaze.
I saw her.
Plain and simple.
And it wasn’t until she uttered that bullshit outside the salon about me being embarrassed of her, that I decided once and for all where she and I stood.
No more messin’ around.
No more fighting my feelings for her.
I saw the way she looked at me, at the way she melded into me whenever we touched.
I wanted Maddie to be mine.
Everyone else thought she was already.
Now it was time for me to step up and make sure that’s what she wanted as well.
From the outside looking in, it might appear that I was rushing things between us. Especially after what she’d endured. But the pull I felt toward Maddie was undeniable and inexplicable. And if she felt the same way, as I suspected she did, then why wait to make the connection between us real?
Once we arrived back at the clubhouse, all I wanted to do was be alone with her, but as luck would have it, I was called into Chambers upon walking inside. Most everyone else sat around the table. Marek nodded when I asked for a minute to escort Maddie back to the room she’d been staying in.
Leaving her tucked safely inside, I walked back down the hall and toward our meeting room, hating the time spent away from her, even if for only a short while. The image of her bombarded my every thought, and without realizing it, I soon walked right into a wall. Or to be more specific, a wall of a man. Brick grabbed my shoulder when I bounced off him, laughing at my clumsiness.
“I was gonna say somethin’ to you, warn you I was standing right here, but I thought it would be funnier if I didn’t.”
“Nice,” I grumbled.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Before I answered, he looked back toward where the bedrooms were housed. “Never mind.” I thought possibly Maddie had come out of her room, but when I didn’t see her there, I realized Brick was fuckin’ with me. “She sure does
