by Piper Rayne
I swallow down the saliva pooling in my mouth.
Our faces inch closer.
“Don’t pin me as a hero, Mad,” he says in a low, gravelly voice.
My heart pitter-patters at the way he shortened my name.
“You’re so much more than you realize. You’re kind and sweet and generous and hardworking. The package you come in is nice eye candy, sure, and I’m ashamed to say that’s all I knew about you at one time. Over the last week though, I’ve discovered that you’re so much more.”
Our faces inch closer again and I can feel his breath on my face.
“We can’t do this,” I murmur. “It could destroy everything we’re building.”
His eyes transfix on my lips. “I’ve been denying myself for days. Just one taste.”
Another inch closer and my breathing grows shallow as my heart thumps an unsteady beat against my rib cage.
His hand molds to my cheek and I lean into his strong, callused palm.
“Mauro,” I whisper. I’m not even sure if it’s a plea to kiss me or to stop.
“Madison.” My name rolling off his lips with so much need undoes any self-control I had left and my eyes flutter closed as I lean in.
“Mauro,” a woman’s voice says from outside the screen door.
We reel back from each other, my water spilling onto one of the candles. How fitting.
“Cailin?” he asks, standing to his feet.
A blonde woman walks in wearing tight skinny jeans and a top snug enough to show off some nice cleavage. She’s wearing a gold necklace that draws your eyes down to her breasts just in case you didn’t happen to notice them. Her hair is down—loose and curled in those waves I never seemed to master with my straight iron.
“You must be Madison.” She disregards a flustered Mauro and beelines it over to me, holding her hand out. “I’m Cailin.”
I wrack my brain for any recognition the name should bring me. She’s definitely not the contractor we hired for the landscaping.
“Hi.” I shake her dainty hand, watching her eyes wander up and down my body.
I’ve never been the woman other women are jealous of, so I’m not certain why she’s sizing me up.
“Madison, this is Cailin Zaxby, she was the wife of my buddy, Hunter.” Mauro takes up the space at our sides.
I nod hello.
“This place doesn’t look very appealing.” She cringes at me, a smear of lipstick on her glowing white teeth. She must be just off a whitening treatment.
“Consider this her natural look.” My hand caresses a beam that separates the living room and dining room.
“Oh how cute, you refer to it like a person. Did you name her like those people who name beat up ugly cars?” I try to hide my disgust and Mauro should be thankful I’m a nice person right about now because I feel like taking her head and knocking it into a four by four.
“No, I don’t.” I move over to the table and pack up my computer and notebooks, shoving them in my bag. “I’ll leave you two alone.”
“That’s not necessary.” Mauro steps closer to me.
“Sorry, did I interrupt a meeting? It’s just Mauro’s been going on and on about this project of his and I drove by and saw his truck. Figured I’d stop in.” She’s lying. Not that I think she didn’t just drive by and see his truck, but she’s here for a reason other than to see the house.
“No worries, we were just finally taking a break after a week of demolition.” I swing my bag over my shoulder.
Mauro’s hands are tucked into his pockets, his eyes on the ground.
Upset that he got caught almost kissing the hermit?
“So, I know you work tomorrow, but we have that meeting the day after with the tile guy. We need to decide on stain and cabinetry so that we make sure it all flows. Just Pinterest anything you really like, okay?”
His hand touches my arm and I desperately want to lean into him. I want to finish what we started in front of Cailin and show her he’s mine. But that’s not me. And he’s not mine. I’d do well to remember that.
“You Pinterest?” Cailin’s voice bounces off the empty walls.
Mauro stares at me, his eyes conveying the apology he’s yet to verbalize.
“Sounds good. Crossing fingers for a slow day tomorrow.” He smiles and my belly lights up like a rocket’s about to take off.
I step away from Mauro before I do something foolish like kiss him goodbye. “Very nice to meet you Cailin.” I wave.
She’s busy looking around like she’d rather be anywhere but here. “You too, Madison.” She waves, not bothering to turn and actually look at me.
“Bye, Mad,” Mauro says and I walk out the front door feeling about as empty as the house I’m leaving.
The candles. Shit.
I peek my head back in and see Cailin’s hands on Mauro’s shoulders giving him a massage.
Wow. They waste no time.
“I just wanted to remind you not to forget to put the candles out.” I shake my head. “That seems stupid now. You’re a firefighter. Of course you’ll know to blow them out.”
I glance at the floor to see that they’re already blown out.
“I’m one step ahead of you.” Mauro smiles, dislodging his shoulders from Cailin’s hands.
“Have a good night.” I wave and let the screen door fall closed behind me.
This time I head down the stairs to the solitude of my car.
Once I’m inside, I reach into my purse grabbing my bag of M&Ms, pour out a palm full and stuff them in my mouth.
Chapter Fifteen
Mauro
“What are you doing?” I side-step away from Cailin, still wondering why the hell she surprised me here. “Why are you acting like some jealous girlfriend?”
I keep my voice even, but anger boils inside of me. Anger I haven’t seen surface since I cleaned out Hunter’s locker at the firehouse.
“What are you talking about?” She plays off my question with a laugh and picks up the candles, placing them on the dining room table, familiar with fire safety.
The candles had made me uneasy, but Madison liked them, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of her in the candlelight. I already installed two fire extinguishers, so I knew I’d get to it quickly should the unthinkable happen.
“Where’s Devin?”
She stops and turns to me. Her lips dipping. “I was out for dinner with my girlfriends. My mom has Devin. It was my first night out.”
Thank God, I was just misreading things. For a second there I thought Patel was right—that Cailin wanted to replace Hunter with me.
“I’m sorry.” My hand runs along the back of my neck. “I’m just—”
“You like her?” she interrupts.
I shrug. My ability to lie is shit. Cailin wouldn’t catch me like Cristian might, but she caught me about to kiss Madison so I think she knows the answer without me answering.
“We’re partners. Come on, I’ll show you around.”
We head through the dining room to the kitchen.
“Don’t lie to me, Mauro. I saw you a millisecond before you were about to kiss her.”
“And yet you decided to interrupt?” I turn and cock an eyebrow at her.
Her cheeks flush. “I thought maybe she was taking advantage of you. You know you’re so gorgeous women can’t resist.”
She pinches my bicep and I’ve never wanted to be away from Cailin more than right now. Even when she was knee-deep in snot and soaking my t-shirt after Hunter’s death, I was good with it. She needed someone and I was willing to be that person she could lean on. Now…I don’t know if that was such a good idea.
“She wasn’t taking advantage of me.” I stop at the stairs to the basement. It’s dark and still looks haunted even with the new lighting we’ve put in.
“I’m not going down there. Show me the upstairs. Is there a bed?” she asks.
I squint my eyes, annoyed with her. “No.”
“So you were just going to lay her down on the plyw
ood and give her splinters in her ass? How romantic, Mauro.” She laughs and the sound grates on me.
“I wasn’t going to sleep with her,” I bite out my words.
“Come on, you must find her attractive if you were going to kiss her.” She’s smiling at me trying to play it off like she’s teasing, but behind her smile there’s insincerity.
“Who wouldn’t?” I ask.
“Some wouldn’t. I mean she has that cute, smart girl vibe, but her sense of style is a little lacking.”
I’ve heard Cailin make fun of girl’s I’ve gone out with. Hell, she tore Jenna apart after we broke up, but I figured she was in the grieving stage of anger at that point.
“I wasn’t aware jeans and t-shirts were somehow out of style.” I remind myself that she’s been through hell these last few months and that I need to cut her some slack, so I walk up the stairs first, Cailin’s heeled boots sounding on the stairs behind me.
“I think it was a guy’s shirt.”
My patience snaps. “Enough Cailin. She’s my partner and yes, I find her attractive. Yes, I want to kiss her. Yes, I want to screw her. Am I screwing her? No. So put the claws away.”
She draws back at the top of the stairs. “I was only suggesting…”
I raise my hand. “No. You were judging. She’s a great person. Enough of the prom queen judging.”
Her eyes fall to the floorboard. “I just want to protect you. After Jenna...”
“I can protect myself but thank you.” I place my hand on her upper arm and squeeze. “I’m sorry, it’s just…” I shake my head not wanting Cailin to know more than Madison because that’s not fair. My conflicted feelings about Madison shouldn’t be discussed with anyone but her. “Anyway, there are three bedrooms up here.”
I flick the flashlight on since the sun has started to descend already with autumn upon us. “This will be one bedroom that shares a bathroom with this one.” We head to the next bedroom before turning down a small hallway. “This is the master.”
She steps into the space, eyeing the skylight. You can see right through the structure to what will be the bathroom.
“It’s a nice space.” She twirls around. “Hunter would have loved this.” A tear slips down her cheek.
“Cailin.” I sigh. “Don’t.”
It’s the whole reason I was never really up on her coming here. This was my dream with Hunter and now I’m living it out with Madison. That has to be tough for her.
“He always told me that he’d give me the modern luxuries we’d see on the DIY channels. A house we’d be proud to host cookouts and parties at. A pool for Devin and his younger brother or sister.”
Another tear spills down her cheek and I do what I’ve done the other hundred times I’ve been in this position with her. I wrap her in my arms, her head falling to my shirt, her arms tight around my middle.
“It’s okay. I know it hurts, but eventually the pain will fade a bit and you’ll find someone else to share your life with. I promise. And you’ll be happy again. Hell, he might even be better than Hunter for you.”
She pulls back, her eyes launching daggers into me. “How could you say that? He was your best friend.”
Shit. Sometimes it’s hard, knowing what I know, not to let my true feelings slip out around her.
I step back. “I’m just saying you’ll find happiness again.”
Shaking her head, she brushes the tears from her face. “Hunter was my everything.”
She says it like I don’t already know that little fact. She lived and breathed Hunter, practically suffocated him. Nothing was ever good enough for her. I was with him the nights he’d be exhausted on shift after being up the night before because they were fighting and Cailin wouldn’t allow him to go to bed until it was settled.
“I know. I know,” I say.
“If I’d had him for longer. Our time together was so short.”
She cries into my chest again and I lightly rub her back.
“HA!” a voice yells into the room.
Cailin steps back, startled, but I have no chance to move before there’s a body strapped to my back.
“You son of a bitch. I knew you were a loser like your brother.” Little hands pull at the strands of my hair and the more I twist to remove whoever it is, the higher she climbs up me.
“Who the hell are you?” Cailin asks.
“His worst nightmare,” she says, jabbing her knee in my armpit.
My t-shirt is choking me and though I could easily toss this girl off me I have no idea what the fuck is going on and it’s not in my nature to launch a woman across the room, doing who knows how much damage to her.
Cailin backs up closer to the corner of the room, afraid.
“Jesus, Lauren, get off of him!” Madison runs into the room, unpeeling her arms from my throat.
The person on my back falls down to her feet, and I straighten my shirt, turning to look at the culprit of my attack.
“We are so sorry.” Madison grabs Lauren’s hand and tries to drag her out of the room.
“I can’t stand to look at you. If you want to have some fling with some tart then go to your own apartment, don’t do it here!”
Madison’s cheeks flush the deepest red I’ve seen yet.
“Excuse me?” Cailin steps up, towering over Lauren. Not that it seems to intimidate Lauren.
“You heard me. This is theirs.” She points to Madison and me. “He should have the decency not to fuck someone in their shared space.”
“This is all really unnecessary.” Madison pulls at Lauren, but she yanks her arm back.
“Is that what you think is happening?” I ask Madison.
“No. I mean…I didn’t think she was here to you know…it’s not exactly very romantic.”
I want to remind her that it was a half hour ago when the two of us were surrounded with candles and Thai food declaring how much we’ve come to enjoy each other’s company in the past week.
“Lauren drove by and decided to stop in. She saw what was going on and called me. I sped back over here as quick as I could so this wouldn’t happen.”
Lauren jabs me in the chest. “Do you know how great she is?”
My gaze flickers to Madison. “I’m well aware, yes.”
“Well let me tell you…wait, what?” She stops talking, her eyes searching for Madison.
“Cailin isn’t some girl I brought here to show off this place to. Not that it’s really any of your business.” I take a step in her direction, squaring off with her.
The sheepish look I expected doesn’t appear on Lauren’s face. Instead, she crosses her arms waiting for a better explanation.
“She’s the wife of a fellow firefighter who died.”
Lauren’s arms fall. “Oh.” She bites the inside of her cheek. “But you were pretty cozy in here.” Lauren juts out her chin.
If Luca ever does go on his date with her, he’s going to have his hands full. I can’t fucking wait.
“Are you going to apologize now?” Cailin snarls.
“Lauren,” Madison pushes and Lauren rolls her eyes.
“I’m sorry okay, but you know she’s my girl and…”
“So she likes Mauro?” Cailin interjects.
“NO!” Madison screeches. “Lauren’s just protective.”
My eyes lock with Madison’s.
“Yeah, I’m just protective of her. You know she’s a hard worker and I don’t want some guy taking advantage of her. This has nothing to do with personal feelings.” Lauren walks backward toward the door. “Please carry on.” She steps out of the room.
“I’m really super sorry for the misunderstanding.” Madison follows and the sound of their footsteps trampling down the stairs echoes throughout the house.
I want to go after Madison, but I know mixing business and pleasure is a bad idea. The war inside of me rages on and I’m not sure which side will end up the victor.
“What a head case.” Cailin slides her arm through mine. “I mean sendi
ng her friend here to attack you? Make sure she doesn’t go all Fatal Attraction on you.”
I blow out a breath and step away, letting Cailin’s arm fall. “I have to go. I have work in the morning.”
“Oh, okay. I should get back to Devin anyway.”
We walk down the steps and I lock up, noticing that Madison’s car is gone from the curb. I say goodbye to Cailin, see her drive off and climb into my truck.
My life was much simpler a week ago.
Chapter Sixteen
Madison
“Lauren, what the fuck?” I ask as we step out of each of our cars in the garage.
“What? I thought he was disrespecting you.”
“I told you already, I don’t look at him like that anymore.”
We head into the house, void of Vanessa because it’s after seven o’clock. Whatever job she’s working, she’s always gone by seven.
“That’s bullshit, Maddie. At least be straight with me.” Lauren sheds the shirt of her scrubs, kicks off her shoes, and heads up the stairs.
I follow her because I need to shower, too, to get a day of being at a work site off me.
“I’d be lying if I said he’s not hot as hell, but I have to respect that we’re partners. I’m not going to ruin that.”
She strips off her pants and heads into her bathroom.
“Just be careful. I saw the way he was looking at you and I don’t care what he says about that Cailin, she wants him.” Lauren shuts the door to the bathroom and I head into my bedroom to take a shower as well.
As much as Lauren can be on the impulsive side, I agree with her. Cailin’s intentions don’t seem pure. I’m surprised Mauro doesn’t see the signs that his friend’s widow is falling for him.
The water cascades over my skin, the warmth soothing muscles that have been working hard this week. I soap up my body, my mind wandering to our almost kiss.
The almost kiss I’ll remember for the rest of my life. The heat between us was searing. The way his gaze dipped to my lips and then met my eyes. How his tongue slid out to lick his lips in expectation of them being on mine.
Damn that Cailin.