“Your home is beautiful, Royce!” Madalyn finally said, overwhelmed. “Did you decorate it yourself?”
He chuckled and pulled her down onto the couch with him. “Hell, no! You can safely add ‘home decorating’ to the list of talents that I do not possess. A local furniture store offers free in-home design services. It was great. The agent showed up, took measurements, asked me questions about what I like and how I wanted to use the space, and then provided me with multiple design options.”
“I love it,” Madalyn said. She scanned the room, her eyes resting on each item and she marveled at the sense of harmony. A gorgeous silver frame centered on the side table caught her eye. At first glance, it looked like a picture from a travel catalog. The man and woman were elegantly dressed and caught in a warm, loving embrace. She gasped and turned to Royce in shock with the wings of a humming bird fluttering in her breast. He had bought their picture from formal night on the cruise without telling her.
He gazed at the picture with a soft smile lifting the corner of his mouth. “I’ll show you the rest of the place after we eat. Are you hungry?”
“Starving,” she said.
Grabbing his hand, she followed him to the far end of the room, past the billiards table and through a doorway leading into a dining room. A large green plant with broad leaves adorned the corner, adding the only splash of color to the otherwise beige room. A dark walnut table stood in the center of the room with four beige upholstered chairs trimmed in matching wood. The design was simple with a base of two squares forming an X. Circles cut out of the center of each square gave the table a contemporary feel.
“How big is this place?” she asked as she looked through another doorway into what appeared to be a home office.
“About 2,300 square feet. Two bedrooms, a den so I can work from home if I need to, and two bathrooms,” he said and then walked through another doorway into the kitchen.
Madalyn could smell pasta and tomato sauce wafting through the kitchen door. “That’s a lot of space for one person,” Madalyn said, following him.
Royce smiled at Madalyn and grabbed a couple of white plates from the cupboard. “Am I being judged by my little Miss Black and White?”
She stuck out her tongue.
“I like to have an extra bedroom for guests,” he said. “My niece Madison stays overnight on the days we spend together and sometimes my mother likes to come spend time in downtown with me. I don’t want her driving home after an evening of enjoying a few drinks.”
Madalyn poked Royce on his chest over his heart. “Your mama raised a real gentleman. I’ll have to remember to thank her properly.”
Royce used a folded kitchen towel to remove a dish of mostaccioli from the oven. A thick layer of melted mozzarella bubbled on top with patches of red sauce oozing over the sides. It smelled heavenly. While Royce served up the noodles, Madalyn found silverware in a drawer next to the dishwasher. She also grabbed a basket of garlic bread sitting on the counter and followed Royce back into the dining room.
He pulled wine glasses from the sideboard and reached for a carafe sitting on top. “Is a glass of Chianti ok?”
“Sure,” she said and placed the basket on the table before taking a seat. “Did you make this yourself?”
Royce had the decency to blush as he poured her a glass of wine. He cleared his throat. “Sandra prepared it before she left.”
Madalyn raised her brow at him with a smirk lifting the corner of her mouth. “Your maid?”
He blew softly on a forkful of noodles, “Yep. I wanted to have you all to myself tonight, baby. It’s great having a maid. You should try it!”
Madalyn laughed and shook her head. “My place isn’t large enough to justify a maid but I can see the advantage of having one.” She dipped her garlic bread in the piping hot vodka sauce and took a bite. It was delicious.
“I talked to Jeanine this afternoon,” she said. “She wants to know when I plan to introduce you to my family.”
“I’m glad to see someone is interested in moving things along quickly,” he said with a smirk.
She gave him a sour look. “I never said I didn’t want to move things along quickly. I just want to maintain a modicum of respectability at work. That would’ve been impossible if I told Jerry we were engaged today.”
“I know. I shouldn’t joke,” Royce said. “You’ve worked hard to establish a solid career. I don’t want you to jeopardize that in any way.” He sipped his wine. “So when do I get to meet your family?”
Madalyn cocked a brow at him in challenge, “How about Friday evening?”
“Sounds great,” he said. He wore a silly boyish grin.
“But I have to warn you, we have that tradition of playing piano and singing on Friday evenings. Are you up to the challenge?”
A wide smile spread across Royce’s face and he leaned into her. “Oh, yes. Will we get to do a little dirty dancing?”
“No!” she laughed. “I’ll be playing piano, remember? I hope you watched a lot of TV and movies as a child because we know them all.”
“Bring it on!” he said.
Madalyn took a bite of noodles and tipped her head in thought. “Should we invite your mom and brother to come along? If we’re going to make our engagement public soon, we don’t have much time for introductions. It’s the perfect venue for getting to know each other—great food, alcohol, and music are about as good as it gets.”
“Sounds like a plan,” he said, raising his glass to hers.
“Tell me a little about your mother, Royce,” Madalyn said.
“Nervous to meet my mother?” he asked. “Don’t worry, Madalyn. She’ll love you. My mother isn’t the overbearing and controlling type.”
Madalyn smiled over at him and then stuck out her tongue. Royce was always so perceptive.
“Well,” he said. “She grew up in Chicago and moved to Ann Arbor to attend the University of Michigan to study English. She later became a teacher. So you both have a lot in common, and will have plenty to talk about. That’s where she met my father. They married at a very young age. But I guess that was typical of their generation.”
A light of recognition flashed in Madalyn’s eyes. “That explains why you know so much about Chicago! When we were on the cruise I assumed you lived in Chicago. Why else would you have read the Chicago Tribune?”
“You’re a lawyer, Madalyn,” he said, shaking his head gently. “You of all people shouldn’t be quick to make assumptions. But it is understandable under the circumstances. I read the Chicago Tribune every day. It’s a habit I grew into growing up at home with my mother. She still reads it daily. Besides, we have a manufacturing plant located near Chicago. I like to keep up on the news there.”
Royce took a sip of his wine and gazed at Madalyn with his brows slightly furrowed. “How did it go with your boss this afternoon?”
“Fine,” she said. “He was pissed at first, but overall, he took it better than I expected. He wanted to know how I knew you. I told him we’d met on the cruise. I said you were surprised to see me in town and asked me to dinner to catch up. Jerry made it clear I better not blow it with you until after the transaction is complete!”
Royce laughed and grabbed a piece of bread, eating it in nearly one bite. He chewed slowly and stared at Madalyn with his brow raised in his sexy sort of way. She knew he was up to something.
“So we’re just friends at this stage?” He leaned in and grabbed hold of Madalyn’s chin while gazing into her eyes. “That’s too bad, baby. I had my A game planned for tonight, ready to rock your world again!” And with that loaded comment he sat back into his seat and filled his mouth with noodles.
Madalyn watched him chew, mesmerized by the subtle movement of his lips. Her hunger for food evaporated. She felt an aching need grow in her heart and burn a slow torturous path down to her nether region. It had been a long time since she last felt his mouth trailing its way across her skin. Her extremities tingled at the memory of his hot tongue pl
unging into her.
She set his plate aside and then mounted his lap to face him eye to eye. She slid her hands through his hair and licked her lips in anticipation of his kiss. “Well,” she said, biting her bottom lip, as she gazed into his smoldering eyes. “I have nothing against friends with benefits.”
Madalyn caught his gasp with her mouth and claimed his tongue, twirling around the tip with hers before sucking gently. Her hand found the apex of his legs and marveled at how quickly he turned to steel. He groaned as her hand massaged his length, her strokes mirroring that of her tongue against his. His hand slipped under her dress between her parted thighs, his fingers torturing her through the thin lace of her panties. She moaned and pulled back to gaze into his emerald eyes. He caught her bottom lip in his teeth and then tasted it with his tongue before releasing it.
“How long are you going to make me wait until you’re mine?” he asked in a husky voice with his fingers poised centimeters away from her, prolonging the torture.
“Don’t stop,” Madalyn groaned.
He slipped his fingers beneath the lace, making lazy circles in her moist heat. “How long?”
“A couple of weeks,” she gasped, yearning for him to slide inside her.
His mouth crushed down on hers as his fingers worked their magic. His tongue was relentless, lashing against hers.
“You’ve missed me,” he said with a smirk and placed his hands squarely on her hips, grinding her over his hard length.
“What gave it away?” she giggled somewhat breathless, and then claimed his mouth for a searing kiss. “The way I kiss you?” Her bottom moved provocatively against him. “How quickly I responded to your touch?” She gazed into his smoldering eyes. “Or the way I undress you with my bedroom eyes?”
“All of the above,” he said and swept her up in his arms, walking swiftly to his bedroom.
Chapter Seventeen – Family Night
Madalyn pushed open the door to the bakery and breathed in the heavenly scent of fresh baked apple pie and bread competing in the air. She pulled Royce in behind her and turned to him with a brilliant smile. This was like her home and she couldn’t wait for Royce to experience it.
She looked around the place and was happy to see that Jeanine had maintained the same general layout and décor of the original Some Like It Hot Bakery in Royal Oak. A sense of pride filled her heart as she watched the patrons enjoying their late afternoon meals at the intimate booths. Her parents had worked so hard all of their lives to make their dream come true, and this was the ripe fruit of their labor.
Madalyn and Royce by-passed the short line and slipped behind the counter. She had purposely picked late afternoon in the hopes of luring Jeanine away from the counter to share a meal. Jeanine’s eyes beamed when she saw them and a face-splitting grin appeared. She finished ringing up her current customer and then turned the register over to another staff member.
“I’m so thrilled you made it,” Jeanine said, pulling Madalyn into a warm hug. She turned to shake Royce’s hand with a twinkle in her eye. “I’m Jeanine and you must be Romeo … uh … Royce. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.”
“Madalyn warned me about you,” Royce said with a brilliant smile. “Where’s your Prince Charming … uh … I mean, new chef?”
Jeanine chuckled and poked Madalyn in the ribs before she turned to call Craig over. Madalyn could tell Jeanine liked Royce already.
She watched as a tall and lean man walked over to greet them. His wide smile revealed bright white teeth against his chocolate brown lips. She grasped his hand for a firm shake as her eyes traveled up and up to take in his shiny bald head. She couldn’t help but think of Michael Jordan. The man was huge and seemed out of place in a bakery.
“I’m Craig Thomas,” he said before turning to shake Royce’s hand as well. “Jeanine has told me so much about you two. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
Madalyn turned to her sister with arched brows. Oh really? Fraternizing with the employees was she? Jeanine had the decency to blush.
“Likewise,” Madalyn said with a genuine smile. “I can’t wait to taste the new items on the menu. What would you recommend?”
“How about the spicy macaroni and cheese?” he asked. “I believe you were the inspiration for the dish.”
Royce laughed and pulled Madalyn into his side, giving her a saucy wink. “Spicy. That definitely sounds like Madalyn.”
They went in search of a booth while Jeanine and Craig prepared their meals. It was an entertaining and lazy afternoon spent celebrating the success of the new menu and discussing their impending family outing planned for the next day. Madalyn looked around the place and smiled up at Royce. It felt so good to be home.
• • •
Madalyn closed the door to her condominium and walked straight to her bedroom, plopping down on her bed to relax for a few moments. Thank goodness it was Friday. She had busted her butt the last two days and nights to get ahead of the curve at work. As lead counsel, it was her responsibility to coordinate the IPO effort with all parties involved including management, the underwriters, and the accountants, in addition to beginning the registration statement and scheduling meetings with the Board of Directors to help them understand how their role would change once the company became public. Going public was a project management nightmare, and she loved every minute of it.
She gazed at her watch and decided it was time for her to get changed. Royce would be arriving soon. They had agreed to meet at her place yesterday afternoon when they’d gone to visit Jeanine in the bakery downtown. The condo was close to her parents’ house. Besides, Royce was curious to see where she lived. What would he think of her little condo on the outskirts of Birmingham as compared to his palace overlooking the Detroit and Windsor landscapes?
She walked to her closet and scanned the rows of clothes. What to wear? It was a big night. Royce’s family would be there, and she wanted to make a good impression. Jeanine’s new chef, Craig Thomas, was invited as well. It was a last minute decision encouraged by Royce in an effort to broaden the discussion at the dinner table and take the pressure off himself and Madalyn. It was a brilliant idea. Her parents were all too eager to agree, grateful for the opportunity to get to know Craig better. He was the mastermind behind the bakery’s lunch menu items after all.
She pulled out two outfits and laid them on the bed, weighing the merits of each one, when the doorbell rang. Perfect timing! She would take her cue from Royce. Madalyn opened the door to find Royce peeking at her from behind an enormous bouquet of red roses.
“Hello, beautiful. Happy Friday!” He pecked her on the lips and strode into her place. His heavenly scent filled her nostrils and she closed her eyes for a moment to allow it to wash over her. She turned and gave him the once-over. Low rise jeans clung to his hips and brought back memories of their first encounter at the bus, only this time if she wanted to, she could walk right on over, wrap her arms around him, and rest her hands on his enticing bottom. He belonged to her. His white ribbed shirt with a slight V-neck was clean-cut while the black sneakers peeking out from underneath his jeans were stylish but comfortable. Good. She could go casual. She walked into the kitchen in search of a vase large enough to hold the flowers. They were gorgeous.
“I like it,” Royce said. He walked around and touched the various knick-knacks and furniture. He sank back onto her leather couch and smiled. “You have modern taste in furniture too. This will look good in my apartment.”
Madalyn’s eyes popped up at him and she paused in her task of trimming the rose stems. He wore a silly grin on his face.
“What?” He shrugged his shoulders and smirked. “Our apartment? You’re eventually going to come live with me downtown, right? You said you were leasing this place month to month until you could find a more permanent solution. I already have a permanent solution.”
He was right of course. Her brain hadn’t yet made the next logical leap in their relationship. She was going to move in with Royce
soon. Her steps grew lighter as she bustled about the kitchen. She arranged the roses in a large glass vase and set them in the center of her kitchen table. Floating over to him, she entwined her hands through his hair and held his head firmly in place while she ravished his mouth. He deserved a proper greeting.
“Hello, handsome,” she said and gazed into a dark green pasture—she would never tire of gazing into his eyes. She loved how they subtly changed with his mood or surroundings.
“Hello, my love.” He beamed and pulled her tight against him to kiss her forehead.
“Are you ready to meet my folks?”
“Umm ... hmm,” he nodded. “I’m glad we stopped by the bakery yesterday so I could meet Jeanine. One down, three to go. When does your sister Katie get back from Europe?”
“She’s there another three weeks,” Madalyn said. “Jeanine is chomping at the bit for her to get home. Did I tell you she plans to open another bakery in Rochester Hills when Katie returns? I can’t believe how well the business is doing. Jeanine has put a lot of sweat equity into expanding on my parents’ dreams.”
“Rochester Hills is a great location for a bakery,” Royce said. “She should consider Northville or Grosse Pointe in the future. Any of those cities with a quaint downtown area is perfect. I’d be happy to invest if Jeanine needs some capital to expand.”
“Maybe we can talk to her about it later tonight. I’m sure she’d be grateful for the offer.” Madalyn’s heart swelled at his generosity. He never ceased to amaze her.
“I need to change,” she said and arched her brow. “Do you want to see my bedroom?” Walking backward down the hallway she crooked her finger at him to follow. Royce trailed behind her and paused along the way to look into the bathroom.
Little White Lies Page 20