“You have?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His gaze hovers on my lips, then rises. “I was wondering how Bucky was. Did you find his owner?”
The music returns. Conversations louder, almost as if they’re laughing at me.
Tucking some hair behind my ear I say, “Bucky’s doing really well. Still with me. They never answered my messages.” At his frown I explain, “There was a number and I called it.”
“Fuck, really, they never answered?”
“Exactly,” I mutter, gazing at his lips as he licks them in thought. I’m about to return to Denise, my lighthouse in the storm, but Nicholas wraps his hand around my hip and shocks this boat into unsure waters.
“You want to get a drink?”
“I’m drowning already thanks.”
“What?” he smiles, not clear on the joke. His hand gives me a firm squeeze as he asks in a serious tone, “You just got here, right?”
Frowning I glance to Denise to find her excited, mouthing, Go!
“Uh, sure, let’s get a drink.” His warm hand releases me and I suck in air as we head away, but then I feel it rest on the small of my back with light pressure. “You have one already though, Nicholas.”
“You don’t.”
“Weren’t you with a date?”
Nicholas scowls like he doesn’t understand the question. Then his eyes clear. “Oh, them? Matthew is trying to hook up with the redhead. I was his wing man, that’s it. But he can handle himself. How’ve you been?”
“Good.”
“Where’ve you been?”
I blink, wondering what is going on. “Um, around. I live here in Atlanta so, just living. Walking the dog. Taking care of the kids.”
His frown deepens, sharp cheekbones catching in the strobe-lights. “You have kids?” Suddenly he chuckles, “Oh, you mean your job. How is that going?”
“Fine. The parents are…a little odd, but the kids have been so great.” We walk up to the back of the bar, completely ignoring the mosh pit of need. Nicholas apparently doesn’t wait in lines. “Billy’s hiring bartenders now, too?”
“Had to. Hey Rudy, can you get us a gin and soda, lime squeezed in?”
“You got it, Nicholas!”
“You remember my drink.”
“I have a good memory.” As he pays the man and sets down his own cup to do so, I covertly check his body out. His clothes are perfect and I’m dressed like I’ve given up. Closing my eyes I inwardly curse myself.
“I came from work, that’s why I’m dressed like this. It’s a very androgynous job.” He hands me my cup while I nervously chatter away. “Bucky’s doing really well. He bonded to me pretty quickly. At first he hated when I left him alone but then he started understanding that I was coming home. Plus I’m never gone long, so that’s good. And the kids love him. I get to take him to work, that’s why I’m not gone long. He comes with me. Except when I get groceries, stuff like that. Or tonight, I mean, he’s not in the car or anything. He’s super easy going. Just wants to be pet. And it turns out he’s protective of me as well, so that’s good. His pooping has gotten so much better, too. At first it was like water but now it’s firm and easy to pick up and oh my God what am I saying? You don’t want to hear this!” I use the cup like a gag, shoving its rim into my mouth and blinking up into his smiling eyes.
The gorgeous stud is laughing at me but trying not to. “How’s his urine? Nice and yellow? Enough vitamins?”
Closing my eyes I exhale, “I refuse to go on any further.”
He laughs while I stare at his perfect teeth. “Maddie, come on, tell me more about his diarrhea.”
A grin twitches to life as I roll my eyes. “Okay, fine, make fun of me.”
“I think you’re fun enough already. I don’t have to do anything.”
“Greek gods aren’t allowed to tease mortals!”
His thick eyelashes flicker as he becomes intimate. “You’re likening me to a god?”
“Well, you’ve got the coloring of a Greek, so…”
“My grandmother has Italian blood. It passed down to my father. And one of his brothers, too. A bunch of us cousins.”
I know the Cocker Family is large but I don’t know the specifics. Most people know the famous cousins who are in the news a lot.
The rockstar, Gabriel.
Falcons star quarterback, Eric.
His cousin, Hannah, and her dad the ex-Senator, because of their famous story and how beautiful what he did for her was.
One is a billionaire from a software invention he patented but I don’t know the specifics. I think his name is Ethan, might be Ian—I have no clue.
Nicholas sees my refusal to pry.
He smiles, eyes softening a little. “You can ask me, Maddie.”
CHAPTER 19
M ADISON
“Y our family is your own business.”
“I get asked about them all the time.”
“Which is why I don’t want to bother you.”
His thick eyelashes narrow. Taking my elbow he guides me away from the throng. We’re further from speakers, too, so the music quiets slightly, but enough to feel more intimate. “I don’t mind when it’s you asking,” he confesses.
It takes me aback. “Why?”
“Because you’re not curious for the wrong reasons.”
“What does that mean…wrong reasons?”
Nicholas takes a sip of his drink. “You’re not trying to get something out of me.”
“Of course I’m not!”
He laughs through his nose, brown eyes sparkling. “You’re still interesting, aren’t you, Maddie? What’s your last name?”
“Greeley-Smith.”
“Both of your parents’ last names?”
“Yes.”
“They still together?”
“Yes, but no.”
He nods, and we stare at each other until my throat starts closing up. He’s so close to me, way too good-looking for my comfort level. I’m so attracted to him and nothing permanently good can come from that.
Desiring a man like him is a bad plan.
It’s like walking into a lion’s den and saying, “You’re beautiful. I just want to pet you. Don’t eat me.”
It’s going to eat you.
But my feet don’t want to move.
Neither does my body.
Unless it
