“It’s beautiful.” Kyla smiled, her eyes already glimmering with tears.
“Look at that porch, Korbin. We’re going to have fun watching the planes go by from there.” Cyrus ruffled his son’s hair.
His limp was still pronounced, but that made sense considering the amount of damage he had suffered. Fitting a prosthetic took time. I’d gotten lucky.
Or more likely, I’d benefited from being the Vice President’s son. Physicians had jumped at the chance to use me as a walking billboard. Not all returning veterans had the same attention or the same deep family pockets.
Maddie appeared at the front door, bouncing on the balls of her feet. A giant smile split her face when she saw the family.
As if she’d known them her entire life she bounded down the stairs and grabbed Kyla in a hug before turning to Cyrus to pull him in.
“I’m so excited to meet you.” Her voice was muffled.
Cyrus looked at me with big eyes before mouthing, “Who is this?”
“Maddie, maybe you should introduce yourself before you assault every family.”
“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. I just feel like I already know you. Those files the RCVA have are pretty complete. Spooky amount of detail actually.” She stepped back and held out her hand to Cyrus. “I’m Maddie McGuire. It’s a pleasure to meet all of you.”
“Maddie McGuire?” Kyla looked from me to the energetic woman in front of her. “You’re President McGuire’s daughter? Cyrus, that’s the President’s daughter!”
“Guilty.” Maddie smiled.
“And that’s only one charge,” I muttered under my breath. I was rewarded with a sharp elbow to the ribs.
“Hey now, those puppies need help.” Cyrus laughed and pushed my shoulder. “Don’t give her a hard time. Besides, I remember you feeding the strays in Afghanistan.”
“Cyrus, I think we’re going to get along very well.” Maddie beamed at the man next to me. “And, I’d like to point out there were no actual charges. Okay, I can’t wait anymore. You guys go in and check it out. We’ll give you a few minutes before we show you all the options you have.”
“Options?” Kyla looked confused.
“Paint colors, cabinets, and flooring. I put all the samples in the kitchen. This way you have a little say in what your home looks like.” Maddie moved to stand next to me. “Go on. I can’t wait to hear what you think.”
Cyrus took Kyla’s hand as they walked up the stairs and I made a mental note to make sure the railing was in place before they came again. There was a wheelchair ramp in the back of the house, but he’d need something to hold on to if coming in from the front.
I heard them whispering to each other quietly as they went through the front door. I pushed my nerves away and looked down at Maddie.
“The welcome mat was a nice touch.”
“Thanks. Last night I couldn’t stop thinking about how a construction zone doesn’t really look like a home.” She shrugged. “It’s better this way because they get to make it their own. Give it their own spin. But I can’t imagine it actually feels like coming home.”
“It was very thoughtful.” I bumped her with my elbow. “For a felon.”
“Thanks. That’s really sweet coming from Captain Hottie-pants.”
“I thought that was your nickname.” I frowned.
“Gullible much?” She snorted. “Though I do look really good in these pants.”
She gave her ass a little shake and my blood heated up. I let my eyes travel down over her dusty flannel shirt to the dark jeans that cupped her ass. She was right. Those jeans were enough to make me salivate.
The vivid image from my dream flashed through my mind and I had to fight back a groan. Maybe it was just the fact that I couldn’t have her, but at that moment I wanted nothing more than to pull her to a dark corner, grip that perfect ass with both hands, and kiss her until she couldn’t think to tease me anymore.
Something must have shown on my face because she blushed, tucked some of the loose hair behind her ears, and looked back at the house. The fact that she was shocked by my reaction made me want to show her just how much I liked what I saw.
“Yes, you certainly do.” I moved a little closer, lowering my head close to her ear. “Very good.”
She jerked her gaze up to mine and I watched as her pupils dilated. Little Maddie had grown up and I wasn’t blind. But she wasn’t the kind of woman you took for a quick roll. She was the kind of woman that could drive you crazy with little looks in a dress that showed nothing but one shoulder. Her personality shined through everything she did. It would never be just sex—though I was pretty sure that would be amazing. There would be movie marathons, popcorn fights, and pillow talk with her.
Maddie was the kind of woman you kept forever.
And I wasn’t looking for that type of relationship. Right now, all I could focus on was today. Forever wasn’t in my vocabulary. Especially not with someone my mother had outlawed.
“We’ve got press shots soon.” Maddie licked her lips and tilted them closer to mine. Biting her bottom lip, she reached up toward my face and used her thumb to brush the corner of my mouth. “You’ve got a little something right here.”
My hand went to my face, checking for drool. Her throaty laugh had me look up in time to see her wink before she took the stairs two at a time.
“Minx,” I muttered.
“Captain Hottie-pants.”
I might not be looking for forever, but damn if Maddie wasn’t tempting.
Chapter 8
Maddie
Kyla picked up one of the paint chips and held it up in the fading light.
“I really like this one,” she said. “What do you think, Cyrus?”
“I love it.”
“Really? What about this one instead? It’s very sophisticated.” She held up a bright purple card and raised her eyebrow.
“You’re right.” Cyrus nodded his head while looking over pictures of refrigerators in a magazine. “Sophisticated.”
I bit the inside of my mouth to keep from laughing.
“We could do the trim in this green color, too.”
“Yeah, that sounds—wait. Green?” He looked up and I couldn’t stop my laughter. “For the trim?”
“You better pay attention or you’re going to end up with a house painted like a gypsy caravan.” Jake leaned back against a wall.
I’d noticed that he’d started favoring his left leg after the press interview and there weren’t exactly a ton of chairs in the construction zone. Cyrus had finally given in to using his wheelchair and we’d found a stool for Kyla. There wasn’t much left for us.
“The contractor said I needed to pick out the appliances by Monday.” Cyrus frowned. “I don’t want to end up with a leaky ice maker. If my phone hadn’t died I would be looking up reviews online.”
“We’ve got all weekend, Cy.” Kyla rolled her eyes.
“I’m sorry today’s gone on for so long. You’ve got to be exhausted.” I looked over to where Korbin had fallen asleep in a stroller. He had a crayon gripped tightly in one fist while the coloring book had dropped to the floor next to him.
“Don’t apologize! Are you crazy?” Kyla looked at me with big eyes. “Um, I’m sorry. You’re so normal I forget that you’re the President’s daughter. Obviously you aren’t crazy.”
“Eh. The jury is still out.” I gathered up some of the pamphlets and slipped them into a large envelope. “I put my number in here too. If you think of any questions or are worried about anything, don’t hesitate to call. Some of these contractors will run you over if you don’t put your foot down.”
“Oh no, everyone has been so nice. I almost feel bad for taking the time to choose stuff. I know there are lots of people waiting for homes.” She giggle-snorted. “But if anyone gives me trouble, I’ll be sure to call you.”
“I’m serious. They give you a hard time and I’ll give them the old one-two.” I mimed punching.
“Can you imagin
e? It would be like having Princess Kate calling the plumber because I don’t like the toilet seat! I’m just happy to have a toilet seat to call my own.” Kyla held her stomach as she laughed. “Who knew we’d be hanging out with American royalty today?”
“Don’t forget the hour-long photo session while people screamed inappropriate questions at your face.” I sighed.
“It wasn’t bad, but I dread the pictures. Being pregnant really messes with my good side.” Kyla stood up and stretched.
“Every side of you is perfect.” Cyrus looked at his wife with genuine love. “And I personally really enjoyed the questions about whether or not my junk still worked.”
“We’ve got our proof right here.” Kyla rubbed her stomach.
“Damn right.” Cyrus laughed.
“You two are adorable.” I held up my hands. “But I really don’t want to hear about what positions you used to get pregnant.”
“I guess that’s our cue.” Cyrus rolled forward and took the large envelope.
“We really need to get Korbin back to my parents. It’s almost five and I need to start dinner.” Kyla looked at her watch. “I’m making pork chops.”
“Then we definitely need to go.” Cyrus smiled at Jake. “You should come over sometime. Kyla’s cooking isn’t to be missed.”
“Housewarming party when we move in,” Kyla announced. “It’ll be great and you’ll get to see everything put together.”
“Does Korbin like dogs? Jake could bring Puz over to play.” I smiled smugly at Jake.
“I saw that in a paper,” Kyla explained “You adopted a three-legged dog!”
“It was Maddie’s fault.” Jake held his hands out as if innocent of some crime.
“Yes, I forced you to fall in love with the half poodle and take him home.” I rolled my eyes. “I forgot to send you some bows for his ears.”
“I’m not putting bows on that dog. He’s a guy.” Jake jerked his head in a definite denial. “Absolutely not.”
“Yes, you have to bring the dog. Korbin will love him.” Kyla laughed before whispering to me, “And I bet I can scrounge up some bows for his ears.”
“C’mon on. Those pork chops are calling my name.” Cyrus headed for the back door with the ramp.
Kyla picked up the coloring book and tucked it next to her son. “Thank you again for everything you’ve done.”
“Thank the RCVA. They’re the ones making this possible. We’re just here to get people to pay attention.” I shrugged.
“That’s important too. If people don’t realize there is a problem it can’t be fixed.” Kyla looked toward where Cyrus was rolling down the ramp.
“Is everything okay?” Kyla was so sweet I hated to see the worry on her face.
“Usually.” I watched as she pushed her sorrow away. “There are bad moments, but this house has been a big help; gives us something to look forward to. Living with my parents isn’t easy, there just isn’t much room.”
“I can’t imagine.”
“Most people don’t realize that the real damage is inside, where no one can see it. It’s not physical.” She lowered her voice. “His arm and leg? Those are an adjustment, they slow him down some, but eventually he’ll be back to his normal pace, you know? The other stuff is a lot harder to fix.”
I nodded, thinking about her words. My eyes drifted toward where Jake stood next to his friend. Did he have those same type of scars under the surface? If so, he hid it well.
“But don’t let me be a downer. This has been a great day.” She smiled brightly. “Did you see Korbin’s face when he picked out a room? He was completely over the moon.”
“He’s an adorable little guy.” I looked down at his sleeping face. “And so smart.”
“Thanks, he makes it easy to get up each morning.” Kyla pushed the stroller down the ramp and toward the front of the house. “When I found out about Cy, Korbin was the only thing that kept me going.”
“Seems like your family has been through an awful lot.”
“We’ve been very lucky. It could have been so much worse.” She smiled and her entire face transformed into something angelic. “He’s still here with us. So I think we’ve been far luckier than anything else.”
“You’re a strong woman, Kyla.”
“Nah. It’s just about how you look at things.” She cut her eyes at me with a sly smile. “Speaking of looking at things, I’ve noticed the way Jake’s been eyeing you.”
When she burst out laughing, I could only imagine my expression.
“Uh, no. Not what you think.” I shook my head. “Not at all. Nope. It’s just, normal looks. Probably annoyed looks, actually. We don’t get along so well.”
“And now I know I’m right.” She chuckled softly. “If you ever need to talk, I’m happy to listen.”
“Er, thanks?” I frowned.
“Anytime.”
After having them bundled up in their car, I went back to the house to make sure everything was off and cleaned up so the crews wouldn’t have an issue the next morning.
I was throwing an empty soda can away when I heard the soft scrape of a shoe behind me. Despite the logical part of my brain that knew no one would get past the Secret Service guards I immediately went into panic mode. Turning around I threw the garbage bag at the person standing behind me and dove for a broken two-by-four on the ground.
“What the hell are you doing?” Jake swatted the black bag out of the way.
“How the hell do you move so quietly with a fake leg?” I threw the board at him, adrenaline still ringing in my ears. “Shouldn’t you make some kind of sound when you move? A dragging sound, shuffling noises, or something?”
He knocked the board out of the way with his cane. “I’m missing a leg, not a zombie. Do you want me to groan and walk with my arms out?”
“Clear your throat or something. Don’t just sneak up on people.” I waved my arms in the air.
“I will remember to clear my throat next time.” He held up his other hand, which had a six-pack of beer. “Peace offering?”
“Thanks, but I don’t drink beer.” I took a deep breath and knocked off some of the dust from my jeans. “Never got a taste for it.”
He sat the case down on one of the worktables and pulled a bottle out. “My friend owns a microbrewery and this is an ale, not a beer. Made from apples.”
“Apples?” I looked at the label. “I didn’t know you could make beer out of apples.”
“Ale, not beer. Want to try it?” He held a bottle out to me. “If you don’t like it I won’t tell Tame.”
“Your friend’s name is Tame?” I took the bottle from his hand.
“Nickname.” He popped the top off his bottle and leaned back against what would eventually be the kitchen island. “Got it in boot camp.”
“He was in the Marines with you?” I looked at the bottle before reluctantly twisting the lid. “Was he a pilot too?”
“No. Special forces.” He took a swig from his bottle.
“So, how does one get a nickname like Tame?” I sniffed at the bottle before taking a small sip. It wasn’t as bad as the other things I’d tried.
“You’ll have to ask him,” he chuckled. “Not my story to tell.”
“Some kind of military thing?”
“Something like that.” He nodded at my drink. “What do you think?”
“Not bad.” I cocked my head to the side. “So, do you happen to just carry a six-pack of your friend’s ale around with you all the time?”
“I sent one of Mom’s goons back to my place.” He reached down and rubbed his knee.
“Expecting a rough day?” I took another sip.
“Honestly? I wasn’t sure what to expect today.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I haven’t seen Cyrus since Germany and . . .”
Silence filled the room and I looked down at my shoes. “I can’t imagine what that was like.”
“I wasn’t sure if he would be upset to see me. I had to leave him in Germany.�
� He looked down at his drink. “He was stuck there in a hospital bed with no family and I was surrounded by the Secret Service and shipped off on a private plane.”
“And you thought that he’d, what, hate you for it?”
I watched as his jaw clenched but he didn’t say anything.
“Jake, he can’t hate you because your mother is the Vice President.” I sat the ale down.
“Or it’s the perfect reason to hate me.” He shrugged and drained the last of his bottle. “Doesn’t matter.”
“No, I guess not. Seemed like you guys got on just fine.” I took another sip of the ale and found it was growing on me.
“Well, he didn’t try to kill me with a plastic bag and a stick. So that’s something.”
“Oh, shut up.” I laughed. “You scared me.”
“Good thing you have terrible aim.” He shifted his weight to his other leg. “You could have given me a splinter.”
“You deserve a splinter for sneaking around.” I glared at him. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“A herd of stampeding buffalo could sneak up on you. You get lost in your head.”
“I do not. I was just picking up everything before I left.” I brushed my hair out of my eyes. “I figured that you left when your friend did.”
“You thought I’d leave you with all the mess?” He picked up the plastic bag and dumped his bottle inside. “I’m on probation, remember? Can’t let my friend down. Of course I was staying to help clean up.”
“Get on with it, then.” I motioned toward the spacious living room. “The reporters left their trash everywhere.”
“Don’t the people on garbage detail get a yellow vest or something?”
“Nope. But I could tape a nail to the end of your cane so you can stab the trash.”
He laughed. “Thanks, but that’s the last thing I need.”
“So, how is Ari doing?” I changed the subject, feeling the need to fill the silence. “We’ve been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer when we can.”
Bedmates Page 9