Truth be told, she wasn’t sure she’d want to come out again once she’d changed into something more comfortable. It’d been a long day, and she was feeling beyond exhausted.
Kirk trailed in, passing them with her suitcases in hand. Maddox feigned surprise and lifted a hand in the direction Kirk had taken.
“Right this way, then,” he said.
Adelie followed Maddox to the hall. Her room was farther than she’d thought it would be. It took several twists and turns before Maddox inclined two steps and opened the door into the most amazing chamber she’d ever seen.
“I had this prepared for you. I wasn’t sure what you liked, but I know you like books, so I had some brought in.” He gestured to her own personal reading nook, complete with wide windows and a cushioned bench.
“Oh, my goodness.”
“And over here, this is where you can put your computer when you need to do your homework for classes.”
He pointed out a desk that overlooked a gorgeous expanse of lawn outside.
“And this is my favorite part.” He pushed open the double doors and stepped out onto the balcony.
A balcony. She had. A balcony.
“I’m in serious trouble,” she said, striding out into the cooling air and gazing at the surroundings that were becoming more surreal by the minute.
“Why is that?” he said.
She could sense the heat roiling from him, the energy. It mirrored her own desire to step closer, to be held in his arms. He was trouble, that was for sure. Her sister’s words drifted through her mind, about seclusion with him. That wasn’t why she was here.
She moved toward the ledge. “Because you’re spoiling me. I’m never going to want to leave.”
“Maybe you won’t have to,” he said.
Brow furrowed, she turned to face him again. “Come on. You can’t mean you want me to pack it in and move here.”
“Why not? Cozy. Comfortable. Secure.”
“Maddox, you really are crazy,” she said, laughing and turning toward the view once more.
“Crazy enough.” His low, alluring voice caressed her. It was closer than it’d been before. She caught a glimpse of him through her periphery. He stood right behind her.
Adelie closed her eyes, listening to him breathe. Energy seeped from him, and the heat of his proximity drove her mad. She waited, aching for his hands to seek her waist, to pull her closer to him, to cradle her to his chest.
How she longed to be held by him, to hear his heartbeat, to feel his body against hers.
He cleared his throat. “If you’re not busy right now, would you like to see the best part of my home?”
Tentative and slow, she faced him. She’d been right—he had moved closer to her. And he didn’t step away as she’d turned. Only inches separated them.
“Better than this?”
His hand found hers again, so easily, so naturally, the way he’d done in the garage. His thumb stroked her skin. All at once, thoughts of changing into something more comfortable fled. Nothing was more comfortable than this. Comfortable and yet agonizing at once.
Fleetingly, his gaze flicked to her lips. She swallowed. Tilted in.
He didn’t miss her cue. His lids half-closed. The moment encapsulated them, filling with emotions and pulsing possibilities. Adelie tingled, waiting, wanting, not daring to take the first step.
Maddox took it, but in the wrong direction. He backed away with a smile, though he kept her hand in his. “Trust me. So much better. But you might want to grab a jacket.”
Adelie swallowed a bucketful of air. What was her problem? She was taking this marriage thing way too seriously.
She attempted to realign the havoc he’d wreaked on her thoughts, her entire being. “You mean now? What about dinner? And my dress?” She tugged at its skirt.
Martha seemed to be working hard out there, and from the smell of things, the food was close to being ready.
“We’ll eat. She’d be put out if we didn’t,” he said with a wink. “Hurry and change. I’ll meet you when you’re ready.” And with that, he stepped out and closed the door behind him.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Adelie met Maddox in the kitchen, which Martha had already cleaned up to shine brighter than chrome. A sumptuous meal was spread on the white tablecloth, and the settings rivaled that from the most intricate photographed images in a food magazine. The food was delicious—better than restaurant-quality, in Adelie’s opinion. Then again, she didn’t eat out all that much, and when she did, it was of the fast-food variety.
She savored every bite. Once they finished, Maddox set his napkin on the table. He was in a lightweight jacket and looking amazingly tempting. “Let’s go,” he said.
Rising to her feet, she slipped her hoodie on over her head. “Where are we going?”
“For a walk,” he said.
He guided her out onto a decadent, stone balcony and took a meandering staircase that angled one way, then another, before finally descending to the pathway. To the left was a tennis court. The right, a basketball court.
“Do you play?” he asked.
“Not really. I’ve never been sports-y.”
“Me neither.”
“What?”
He nudged her with his elbow. “I’m kidding. We might have to come out and shoot some hoops one of these days. You might like tennis.”
“I like watching affluent people play tennis,” she corrected. “I’ll kick back and watch you.” Something told her she wouldn’t mind watching him do pretty much anything.
“Here. This way.” He gestured to the graveled path between rows and rows of trimmed hedges set off by flowerbeds springing with daffodils and tulips. A small lake lay to the right beside what appeared to be a pavilion.
“This almost feels like we’re on our way to meet the Red Queen.”
“I had my gardener copy traditional English gardens,” he said. “Since I didn’t want to include this in my park, I made it a special thing here. But this isn’t the real treat. It’s what’s at the pavilion at the end of the garden that I want to show you.”
Maddox walked alongside her, keeping so close he
