by Nicole Dykes
“Madden!” I hear Jade’s voice calling for me.
I open my door, but hesitate before climbing in. I don’t want Jade to think I’m pissed with her. It would give her the wrong idea. Make her think there’s more to our relationship than there is. I turn around and see her hurrying across the parking lot.
“Brady was just apologizing for starting the fight with you last night.” she explains, leaning into me and resting her hands on my side.
I drop a soft kiss on her lips. “It’s fine. It’s kind of the whole point, right?” I smile, doing my best to convince her I’m okay with them talking.
“I guess.” she agrees.
“I’ll be back later. I have to run some errands.” I tell her and pull her in for one more kiss. I let this one linger, wanting to dispel any doubts she might have.
When we break apart, I trace my thumb over her lip for just a moment, letting her taste settle on my tongue. “I’ll see you in a bit.”
She walks back towards the bar and I climb into my truck. My plan is to drive to Redbud and clear my head. After talking to Keegan, my brain is a clusterfuck. My thoughts are going haywire and I’m not liking the direction any of them are going.
Call Amelia. Show up and interrupt the wedding. Tell Keegan everything.
I shouldn’t do any of those things. They’re together and I need to accept it and move on. She’s not mine. Never was.
Yet, as I see the “Welcome to Redbud” sign, I drive right past it and keep going. It’s like I’m on auto-pilot. My heart is telling me I don’t want this anymore. I’m happy in Hollis, but my mind is telling me I need to do this. Or maybe it’s the other way around. I don’t know which one I’m listening to.
Welcome to Dallas.
It’s hard to believe it only took me three hours to get here. I was this close the entire time and no one knew where I was. No one found me.
I park at a local restaurant and hail a cab so my truck won’t be recognized. I came back to Dallas, but I’m not ready to come home. I honestly don’t know what the fuck I’m doing here. It was a mistake. Yet, I’m letting the cab driver drive me around with no actual destination in mind.
I gaze out the window and look at the place where I grew up. I know it hasn’t changed, but it feels so different to me now. I’ve changed.
“Stop!” I yell and I’m lunged forward when the driver hits the brakes. “I’ll get out here.”
I pay the driver and exit the taxi. I cross the street, ignoring the blaring horns, and walk onto the sidewalk. I know it was her. Her dark hair was pulled into a messy bun at the nape of her neck. She had on her favorite shirt, the yellow one, and a pair of white jeans.
I watch Amelia and two women disappear into a dress shop across the street. She’s shopping for her wedding dress. She’s going to marry my brother.
I cross the street and slip inside the shop. I can hear Amelia talking, giggling with her friends and telling them to get into the dressing room. She can’t wait to see their dresses. I can hear the excitement in her voice.
I see her standing with her back to me. Loose tendrils of her hair have escaped her bun. Just like they always do.
“Amelia.” It hurts just to say her name out loud. When she turns around, she has tears in her eyes. She gives me a quick once-over and a slight frown covers her beautiful face before she steps to me and wraps her arms around my neck. I feel myself stiffen in her embrace.
“Oh my God, Madden.” she whispers against my ear. “You came home.”
“You’re really marrying him?” I whisper, still not wanting to believe it.
She releases me, but grabs my hand and pulls me into an empty dressing room. “I love him. Please, don’t do this, Madden.”
“Did you even tell him?” I ask and she looks at me as though I’ve spoken a foreign language.
“Why would I tell him? That would only hurt him and I’m not going to do that.” she says, quietly. “And neither are you.”
“Oh, I shouldn’t tell my brother that his future wife has feelings for me?” I hiss, feeling the bitterness deep inside me. “That we kissed?”
“I love you, Madden, but…not like I love Keegan. It’s not the same type of love.” she explains. “You have to understand that. You have to let me go.”
It’s not the same type of love.
I walk out of the dressing room and don’t look back. We might have kissed, but those words only confirm that she didn’t feel what I felt. She might have been confused…hell, she might still be confused, but she’s made her choice. It’s not me.
I push the door open to the shop and struggle to breath as the night air hits me. I don’t know how I was so blind before. Why didn’t I see that they were together? Why didn’t they tell me?
“Madden?” Fuck. “You’re back in town?” Landon, my oldest brother, asks as he approaches me.
“Heading back out now.” I answer, solemnly.
“Where the fuck have you been?” he grills me. “And are you wearing jeans?”
“Around.” I tell him, ignoring his dig on my clothes. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m stuck with chauffeur duty. Dad sent Keegan to L.A. to finish up a deal so I’m stuck with the women while they dress shop. It’s bullshit.” he says and he looks to the store, realizing I just exited from it. “Madden, what the hell is going on?”
That’s what I love about Landon. It doesn’t take him long to figure things out. Once he does, he quickly calls you out on your bullshit.
“I’m heading back out of town now.”
“Do you think I’m some kind of idiot? I may not be around much, but I’ve known how you felt about Amelia since the three of you got busted for sneaking out for milkshakes that time.”
“So?”
“Do I need to worry about this?” he pushes, running a hand through his blonde locks. Landon is the only one of the Steele sons who looks like our mother. Keegan and I both got dark, brown hair and gray eyes like our father, but Landon has blonde hair and green eyes like our mother.
“Nope. She’s made it perfectly clear that she’s chosen Keegan.” I assure him.
“Then I’ll be sappy for about three seconds.” he says. “She wasn’t the one for you, Madden, and she never was. You’ll find someone who is and you’ll realize that. Three seconds are up.”
I laugh and roll my eyes. That’s Landon. “Don’t tell anyone you saw me. I’ll be back for the wedding.”
“Not a word.” he promises.
I take a cab back to my truck and drive in silence back to Hollis. No radio. No cell phone. Just me and my thoughts.
Sometimes those are louder than any other outside noise could ever be.
Chapter 21
Jade
My shift is finally over and I’m exhausted from the day and the events of last night. Casey and I lock the bar after cleaning up and refilling the condiments. We walk out to her car, I’m walking home like I do most nights. She’s looking for her keys and then asks, “You okay?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, that conversation with Brady looked a little intense and then Madden looked really fucking pissed earlier. We never talked about it.”
I was surprised she didn’t push for details all day, but we were surprisingly busy for a Sunday. The leftover crowd from the fair must have still been in town. “Brady apologized and it was nice, but I think something is up with Madden.”
His eyes when he left here were totally unreadable. I’ve been waiting for him to get back from his “errands”, but he still isn’t here. Part of me wonders if he will come back at all.
That question is quickly answered when I see Madden’s truck turning into the parking lot. I put my arm over my eyes to shield them from the bright headlights.
Casey hops in her car, “I’ll see ya tomorrow.” She winks at me as she closes her door.
I wave goodbye as she pulls out of her space, just as Madden parks his truck. He climbs out of his truck,
his eyes are wary when he sees me standing there. He looks so conflicted.
He walks toward where I’m standing, “Jade.”
“Hi, Madden. Are you alright?”
“Of course.”
I want to ask him where he was, but I don’t think it’s any of my business. If I ask it could come out wrong. “You were gone for a long time today.”
His face darkens. “I’m a grown man, Jade. I can leave this town when I feel like it.”
I get his message. This isn’t his home. He’s being an ass and I’m not going to put up with his bullshit. “Goodnight, Madden.” I start walking toward my house.
He catches up with me, taking my arm in his hand. “I’m sorry. It’s been a strange day.” We are at the edge of the parking lot and he looks around, “Where is your car?”
“I walked to work.”
“Is something wrong with your car?”
I shake my head, “No, I live a couple of blocks from here. I only drive when the weather is bad or I need to go somewhere before or after work.”
“You walk home alone this late every night? Sometimes you work until two in the morning! Don’t you know that’s dangerous?”
I don’t know if I’m pissed off or if I find it sweet that he cares. “In Dallas or Houston, yes it would be dangerous. In Hollis, it’s not.”
He looks angry and mumbles, “There are creeps in Hollis too.”
I start walking again, “I’ll be fine.”
He walks with me, “I know you will because I’m walking with you.”
I don’t object and we walk in silence to my house. When we reach the front door, I unlock it then turn to Madden, who is standing so close I can smell his delicious, manly scent. My voice is almost a whisper, “You can talk to me. Whatever is pissing you off, you can tell me.”
He doesn’t say anything, just takes me into his strong arms and kisses me, hard. His lips press against mine, letting out every emotion in his intense, hungry kiss. I don’t know what happened today, but I can feel his need to forget it.
That is an emotion I get.
His lips slowly pull from mine, nipping my bottom lip with his and then he rests his forehead against mine. Both of us are breathing heavily from the intense make out session on my front porch. “Do you want to come in?”
He nods his head, his forehead scraping against mine as he does. His voice is husky and it’s almost a growl, “Yes, but not to talk about today.”
I bite my lip, the excitement ripping through me. The effect he has on my body should frighten me. It’s like I can’t control myself around him, but I embrace it.
I open the door and close it behind us just in time for him to lift me into his arms. By total instinct because he’s never been here before, he takes me into my room and literally tosses me on the bed.
He pulls his shirt off over his head and then slips out of his jeans, leaving him in just his boxer briefs. I take a second to take him in, the moonlight is the only source of light in my room. He’s truly breathtaking, his handsome face is hungry for me. His muscles ripple as he slides onto the bed.
He pulls me into another kiss and then leans back to remove my t-shirt. Throwing it behind us. He wastes no time unhooking my bra and tossing it to the side also. He wants to escape. I let him. We both lie down together on the bed, kissing so we are on our sides, facing one another. He undoes the buttons on my jeans before pushing them down and off me.
It’s hot and my body is responding to him, but something feels off. Different from last night. His hands go for my panties, but I stop him.
His face shows worry until I push him slowly so he’s on his back and I’m on top of him, one leg on both sides of his waist. I lean down and softly kiss his lips. He kisses me back with ferocity, but I slow it down again. I take the time to explore his warm mouth with my tongue, and feeling his soft lips on mine. He lets me take the lead and matches my pace.
I know he thinks he wants a quick escape, but I think he needs something else tonight. I slowly move my lips down his strong jaw line and to his chest. Taking the time to go over each pec with my mouth and flowing through every ridge of his insanely hard abs. He groans my name as I reach the hem of his underwear.
My heart pounds as I pull them down and off his body, slowly. Teasing the hell out of both of us. His massive cock is hard and standing proud. I grin up at him as I run my tongue along the tip, hesitantly. His sharp intake of breath and the moan after tells me to keep going. I take the tip into my mouth, still moving my tongue over it. When I’m about to take on the huge undertaking of it all in my mouth he pulls me back up to him. Flipping us so he’s on top of me.
He whispers in my ear, “Please tell me you have a condom here?”
I can feel his hardened cock on my stomach and I’m soaking wet with desire. I nod my head and point to the drawer next to my bed. He reaches across the bed, opening the drawer and pulls a condom out.
I take it from him as he leans back in front of me. I unwrap it and then calmly and unbelievably slowly, slip it onto him. He grins at me, “Tease.”
I wink at him and his lips are then glued to my neck. I lean my head back and moan. Kissing my neck drives me wild. His kisses move lower to my breasts, teasing my hardened nipples with his talented mouth. He finally reaches my panties and pulls them off me, even slower than I slipped the condom on. He’s teasing me back and I like it.
Finally, I pull him up to meet my lips with his again. I can’t get enough of kissing him. I feel him finally enter me, leisurely. He’s taking his time with me and I can feel the anger from earlier wash away from him. We both moan when he is fully inside of me and start a nice pace, our lips still locked as he moves inside of me and my hips match his every move.
I feel one of his hands move down my side until he reaches my clit. He massages it, slowly at first until I can feel him getting closer to his release. He moves his finger quicker and I can feel my orgasm bubbling up. “Come with me, baby.”
My nails claw into his back as I answer his request, “Madden!”
He lets go at that moment moving faster inside of me and exploding. We both lay there for a minute. Him still inside of me and my fingers digging into his biceps.
“Damn, Jade.”
His lips graze mine and I giggle, “Right back at ya.”
He climbs off me, gently to go to my bathroom to dispose of the condom. He joins me on the bed, lying next to me on his back. “I’m sorry I was such an asshole earlier.”
I turn to my side so I’m facing him, “Do you feel like talking now?”
He sighs, “I went to Dallas.”
My eyes widen, “You did.”
He nods his head, “I saw Amelia and my oldest brother.”
I feel a pang of jealousy even though I have no right to. “Oh. What did they say?”
“She’s marrying him. She loves him, not me. And Landon, he basically just thinks I should come home and stop being a dick. Accept what’s going to happen and move on.”
I swallow hard. The talk with Amelia had to be extremely painful for him. His brother just sounds like a brother. “I’m sorry.”
He gives me a weak smile and then faces me on the bed. “Do you have any siblings?”
My body freezes. I hate talking about myself, but he’s let me in so much. I feel like I owe him. “No. I’m an only child.”
He nods, “What about your parents. Where are they?”
Shit. I give in, “My mom’s a junkie. Was long before I was born.” Madden’s face shows the shock I was sure it would. “I don’t know who my father is and I don’t think she does either. She was with a lot of guys off and on until she married a real asshole when I was eleven.”
He’s cautious, “How bad of an asshole?”
I try to down play it, “Just another abusive junkie.”
He places a reassuring hand on my bare hip, “He hurt you?”
“Just physically and he loved to call me a slut and whore, but that was it. I ran away before it
could go any further.”
He actually doesn’t look disgusted by me. To be honest that’s what I expected. He comes from wealth and privilege and I’m from a trailer park, literally. “That’s awful, Jade.”
“I’m fine now. I found Hollis and my friends here. I’m saving up to take college classes. I’m happy.”
He grins over at me, pulling me closer and into a warm, intimate embrace. “You’re amazing, Jade Bowen.”
I can feel my heart clench when he says that. It’s been one hell of a day. First, Brady with his kind apology and all but admitting he was jealous and now letting Madden into the details of my past. Two men in my life who really seem to have some kind of hold on me. Sad thing is, I don’t really seem to have a future with either of them. I may be in real trouble here.
Chapter 22
Madden
“Shit!” I yell and throw the covers off my naked body. I start searching Jade’s room for my clothes, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. I spot my boxer briefs and start tugging them on, stumbling around in the process.
“Madden?” Jade mumbles.
“I’m late for work!” I explain. “Get up, Jade!”
Jade rolls over, the covers sliding off her body and exposing a perfectly rounded breast to me. I’m momentarily distracted at the sight, but pick up her t-shirt and toss it to her, startling her awake.
“Jade! I need you to drive me to work!”
She sits up and looks adorable with her blonde waves a mess and her baby blues still half asleep. Her head nods a little as she starts to doze back off.
“Jade!”
“I’m up!” she says and I burst out laughing. She crawls from the bed and starts pulling on her clothes. “You should just take my car.”
“I’m not taking your car.” I tell her. “You might need it.”
She rolls her eyes and follows me out of her room. “I need five minutes.” she grumbles and slips into the bathroom.
I patiently wait in the living room, grateful I don’t have any sisters. I don’t know how I would’ve handled having to wait on them to get ready. Jesus, I could have walked there by now.