Love in the Heartland

by Diana Currie

  “Where are you taking me? And does this thing have airbags?” Nathan asked as he tested the reflexes of the old Chevy’s seat belt.

  “We won’t be going over forty miles per hour.”

  “Still…”

  “Do you trust me?” Maddie asked as she got in behind the wheel.

  “I can’t say because I’ve never seen you drive before. And this thing looks like it should be featured on American Restoration.”

  “Ha. Ha. We can’t all be driven around in shiny Lincoln Town Cars you know,” she replied defensively.

  Nathan had never seen Maddie act resentful of his wealth before so he bit his tongue as she put the death trap in gear and backed out of the garage. They were both quiet for a few minutes as Maddie drove them out of the neighborhood and north along the 335 loop. Soon, they were away from the city and surrounded by nothing but dusty, dry land that seemed to stretch out forever. Maddie turned left on SW 9th Ave where the paved road became narrower and no yellow lines divided traffic from one direction to the other.

  “Where are you taking me exactly?” Nathan wondered.

  “The Hike N Bike Ranch. You haven’t experienced Texas until you’ve watched the sun go down out in the middle of nowhere.”

  Nathan thought an authentic Texan ranch sounded like a cool experience until Maddie turned off the road into a dirt parking lot. “Here we are,” she announced happily. He looked around and saw nothing. Literally nothing.

  “Where is here?”

  Maddie smiled, enjoying the look of confusion on Nathan’s face. “The walking path starts over there, passed the wire fence, but I won’t take you out there after dark. I wouldn’t want the coyotes to get you,” she teased.

  Nathan eyes darted back and forth searching the ground surrounding them. “Calm down, city boy. You’re safe. We might see an armadillo or two but the coyotes won’t bother us. Can you lower the tailgate for me?”

  Nathan scanned the perimeter once more and then moved to the back of the truck. He found that Maddie had loaded the truck bed with sleeping bags, pillows, and an igloo cooler. Suddenly he was willing to ignore the distant howling he could hear all around him in favor of finding out what Maddie had planned. He watched as she opened up the sleeping bags and arranged the pillows until the flatbed was transformed into a comfortable space. She climbed in and kicked off her tennis shoes. Nathan followed her lead and slipped inside the oversized sleeping bag beside her.

  “We won’t be able to stay much past dusk. The temperature is going to drop when the sun is gone.”

  “It’s already a little nippy out here,” he said pulling her back against his chest and wrapping his arms around her waist.

  Maddie nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder and hummed in agreement. Not a single car passed by while they enjoyed each other’s company. Nathan really liked the secluded spot but wondered if Maddie had ever gone out there with another guy. He decided not to ask and risk ruining the good time they were having. The couple talked periodically as they watched the sun fall from high in the sky to low on the horizon. Maddie had been right; the sight of a Texas sunset was breathtaking.

  “So, what do you think of my hometown? It’s a lot different than what you’re used to,” she asked after a few minutes of silence.

  “That it is… in L.A. and Madison too. But it’s nice here with all this open space; I feel like I can breathe.”

  “Every time you feel like life is moving too fast in Hollywood you can come here,” Maddie said seriously. She leaned her head back to kiss the corner of Nathan’s jaw and felt the stubble prick her lips. “I want you to feel like this place is your refuge.”

  “You’re my refuge,” he whispered back, “whether you’re in Amarillo or anywhere else.”

  “I need you too you know,” she replied. “You make me feel alive. I think my blood pumps faster when you’re with me.”

  Nathan chuckled and pulled her tighter against him. The sun was dark orange and just about to touch the dusty brown landscape before them. “You don’t have a Texan accent,” Nathan mentioned as he thought more about Maddie’s home.

  “I never really thought about it before. I guess it’s because of my mom. She doesn’t either since she was born and raised in Colorado. I know my dad has one, but I’m so used to it that I don’t even hear it.”

  Nathan laughed because Joe’s accent was probably as strong a Texan accent as he’d ever heard other than in the movies. He scrunched down lower in the flatbed of the truck, pulling Maddie with him until she was lying down beside him.

  “Were you expecting a sexy southern girl accent the first time you called me?” Maddie asked jokingly. “Tell me the truth.”

  “I didn’t think about what you looked like or sounded like actually. My head was so fucked up and there was no one around; I was just happy you answered the phone. I still wonder why you didn’t just hang up on me. I was such a mess.”

  Maddie smiled and slid her hands underneath Nathan’s t-shirt, working it up his torso. “I won’t argue with you there, but so much has changed since that first night.”

  “Everything has changes since I met you,” he confessed as she tossed his shirt to the side.

  Maddie kissed Nathan’s chest with her soft lips while her hands struggled to unzip his pants. He lifted his hips to help her get his jeans off. The air was chilly but their body heat was more than enough to keep them warm inside the sleeping bag. As soon as Nathan was reduced to nothing but boxers he flipped Maddie over so he was hovering above her and made short work of her clothes. Maddie pulled a single wrapped condom from the back pocket of her jeans and handed it to him.

  Nathan smiled and took it from her, marveling at how confident she had become in such a short time period. He carefully ripped open the foil wrapper as Maddie was pushing his boxers down around his ankles. There was nothing separating them now and as Nathan rolled the condom on he realized that he couldn’t remember the last time he was this eager for sex.

  In fact, many months had passed since he last slept with a woman, yet the desires Nathan so frequently surrendered to hardly bothered him at all during that time. Refusing the advances from Katie Owens and the masseuse that went to his house had been easier than he expected. Brief physical pursuits had been normal for him at that time, but he’d been able to say no with little effort even though it was a lonely time in his life. He knew why; his phone calls with Maddie had provided far more intimacy than any sexual encounter ever had. And Nathan understood that sex with Maddie would be much more than physical pleasure, it would be making love.

  He nudged Maddie’s legs apart with his knees and gently felt between her thighs to see if she was ready for him. She was of course, and that pleased him greatly. Her hands wrapped around the back of his neck eager to bring his lips down to hers. Nathan tested her patience, slowly kissing and licking his way from her breasts up her neck and finally crossing her cheek to her waiting mouth. He felt ready to come from the moment their bodies aligned, and he felt her soft skin pressing against him from chest to toes. He pushed his hardness between her legs and looked to her eyes for permission to enter her for the first time.

  Maddie had never been so nervous about sex before. Her heart was close to exploding in her chest and she was sure Nathan could feel the pounding as his body rested over hers. When his erection pushed at her entrance, she opened her legs further to encourage him to press forward. She’d never needed a man this badly and every moment he hesitated felt like an eternity. Although it was unnerving to take this step with Nathan, there was no lingering doubt in her mind that it was right.

  “Now Nathan, please,” she begged bucking her hips against him.

  He smiled down at her; amused to hear the urgency in her voice. “You mean everything to me, Angel. You know that, right?”

  “Yes,” she breathed. “Right back at ya, Slugger.”

  Nathan kissed her mouth and pushed inside her in one fluid motion that nearly took her breath away. As they made love in
the back of the pickup truck the world around them fell away. Few words were exchanged as their bodies spoke to one another in movement. By the time the couple emerged from inside the sleeping bag, the setting sun had slipped away and the red and orange sky had faded to black.

  The night sky above was filled with millions more stars than Nathan could ever imagine. He was amazed at the sight and gazed up into the night sky as he held Maddie tightly in the afterglow of lovemaking. As for Maddie, she’d seen the stars overhead many times before. It was the star who held her tightly against his chest, pressing kiss after kiss along her neck and shoulder, with which she was most enamored.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Maddie was feeling calm and relaxed up until the moment the plane touched down at LAX. Then her heart started sputtering and her palms clammed up. She was in Los Angeles; a place she never imagined herself coming even after meeting Nathan. Her experience at baggage claim was unlike anything she’d seen before. A number of finely dressed chauffeurs were standing in the open space each holding up a large white sign in their hands. She wondered if any of these men might be waiting for a big celebrity. Maddie read each name as she walked by; dragging her luggage behind her. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Madeline Sherratt was written on the last white card in the row of chauffeurs.

  The man sent to pick up Maddie recognized her immediately. “Miss Sherratt, arriving from Amarillo?” the chauffeur said cordially. Maddie heard the man but her brain had not yet processed that he was really there for her. She involuntarily looked over her shoulder thinking maybe there was another Madeline somewhere behind her. The man resisted rolling his eyes and just smiled warmly as Maddie blushed with embarrassment.

  “Yes. That’s me. But it’s just Maddie,” she replied.

  “My name is Raul. Mr. Foster sent me to fetch you and your things.” He offered his hands for her to transfer her luggage into his arms.

  Maddie gave him the suitcase and duffel bag. Raul insisted on taking her backpack too. It made her feel awkward to be carrying nothing as they walked through the airport and out into the sunny daylight of L.A. As much as Maddie wanted to dislike the city, she couldn’t help but smile when she saw the palm trees lining the roads. The sounds of car motors were like white noise all around as Raul escorted her to a waiting black limousine. For a moment she hoped that Nathan was waiting inside, but when Raul opened the door for her she saw that it was empty. Nathan had sent her a text earlier in the day to tell her he was going to be at the studio until midafternoon and would make arrangements for her transportation to his house.

  Maddie looked around the limousine and noticed many things she never experienced in an automobile before. Plush reclining leather chairs. Flat screen HD TV. Minibar with champagne on ice. Tropical fruit spread. She felt uncomfortable being alone in an automobile that could easily transport fifteen people so she sat in the seat closest to her driver and looked out the windshield as he pulled out into traffic.

  “Do you drive for Nathan often?” she asked uncomfortable with the silence.

  “I have never driven Mr. Foster before, Miss Sherratt.”

  “Oh,” she replied. “Do you know if he’ll be home when we get there?”

  Raul glanced in the rear-view mirror and made brief eye contact with Maddie. “I understand that he will be coming directly from Universal and meeting you at the house at three o’clock.”

  Maddie looked at the time on her phone. 3:15. “The flight had a delay on the tarmac. He’s probably wondering where I am. How long until we arrive?”

  “Mr. Foster’s residence is 21 miles away but with traffic this time of day I expect to have you there by five o’clock.”

  Maddie gasped and looked out the tinted windows on either side of her at the gridlocked traffic. So far Los Angeles was living up to her stereotypes. She decided to call Nathan with an update. He answered after just two rings.

  “Angel. Have you landed yet?”

  “I’m in the limo with Raul,” she replied.

  “Is he treating you well? He came highly recommended. I needed Stanley to bring me back from the studio or I would have sent him to get you.”

  “Yeah, everything is great. We have some traffic though.”

  Nathan smiled. “Welcome to L.A. Listen, when you get to the gated community you’ll have to give the gatekeeper a password.”

  “The gatekeeper? Is his name Zuul?” she laughed.

  “Ha. Ha. Do you want the password to get into the gate or not?” he deadpanned.

  “I’m sorry, Egon. What word will the gatekeeper be expecting?”

  “Applesauce.”

  Maddie laughed out loud again. It felt really good to laugh. Everything about the day had been absurd. The treatment she received in first class on the plane, the chauffeur waiting to whisk her away in a decked-out limousine, and now a secret password to enter Nathan’s Hollywood castle. It was almost too much.

  “I didn’t pick the word,” Nathan added rolling his eyes. “They change it every week.”

  “I’m sorry, I know your security is very important,” Maddie said wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. “Raul thinks we’ll be there in an hour and a half.”

  “Okay, perfect. Lupe is making us dinner right now. I can’t wait to see you.”

  “I can’t wait to see you too,” she replied.

  Maddie didn’t know what had gotten into her; maybe it was the stress of a long day of travel or just excitement knowing she would soon be reunited with Nathan, but she had to bite her tongue to keep the giggles in as Raul rolled down the window and spoke the password to the gatekeeper. Once they gained entrance to the community just off the famous Mulholland Drive, Maddie gazed out the window in awe as every house they passed seemed bigger than the last.

  Finally, Raul pulled the limousine into a long circular driveway that was surrounded by a pristine white mansion that Maddie had only ever seen in magazines. For the first time in a few months she felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of wealth and luxury that came with Nathan’s fame. She knew he was only renting the home but still… damn! She was speechless.

  “Miss Sherratt?” she heard from somewhere in the background. Her eyes were glued to the front of the house that was likely bigger than the mall where she and Holly liked to shop.

  “Oh, sorry Raul. Thank you,” she said as she realized he was holding the door open for her.

  He carried her luggage up the steps to the front doors which were large black wood with fogged glass in the middle. She reached her hand out to find a doorbell but instead saw a complicated looking keypad. Nathan hadn’t given her any code for the front door.

  “What do I do?” she asked Raul.

  He smiled at her and reached out to press a green call button. It was then that Maddie noticed the camera that loomed over their heads. She smiled into the lens wondering if anyone was watching.

  “Hola, Miss Sherratt. Is that you?” the voice of a woman with a Spanish accent said through the speaker on the keypad.

  “Um, hi. Lupe? Yes, this is Maddie.”

  “Fantastico! Señor Foster is coming to open door!”

  Maddie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear nervously. This was more stressful than her first day of college and way scarier than the first time she babysat Addison and Rebecca alone. She braced herself to see Nathan after the two weeks they just spent apart. It was such a relief to know they would be together again in a matter of moments, but Maddie was still terrified to enter his house and become part of this fairy tale life he lived.

  The doors opened and there was Nathan. Her Nathan, not the movie star. He wasn’t draped in a white robe with sunglasses on his face like she dreamt up in her imagination. His house was certainly worthy of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous but thankfully Nathan looked just the way he had in Amarillo. Jeans. Gray t-shirt. Nike sneakers. And a huge grin.

  “Maddie,” he exclaimed happily and pulled her over the threshold and into his arms.

  She hugged him ba
ck; some of the stress she felt dissipating now that they were reunited. He smelled the way she remembered and felt just as good under her fingertips as ever. Nathan kissed her lips, indifferent to the fact that the limousine driver was standing behind her. When they parted for air, Maddie’s eyes were immediately drawn to the two-story foyer they were standing in. A beautiful staircase winded along the walls and a crystal chandelier hung over their heads. Marble floors were beneath their feet and she knew getting lost in this place was going to be a real possibility.

  “Come in,” Nathan said ignoring her gaping eyes and opened mouth. He stepped aside to allow Raul to bring Maddie’s bags into the foyer.

  “Where would you like the luggage, Mr. Foster?” Raul asked.

  “Right there is fine. And, hey man, thank you for taking good care of my woman.”

  “It was my pleasure, Sir.” Maddie watched Nathan shake the driver’s hand and she could tell he was greasing his palm with money. She wondered how big a tip Nathan was giving him. Raul thanked Nathan and let himself out.

  As soon as the doors were closed Nathan turned to Maddie and said, “So, do you want the tour or do you need time to freshen up?”

  “I think I need a minute to process everything I’ve seen so far.”

  Nathan smiled. “I know it’s a bit ostentatious. I told you I picked a house that was way too big for one person. Come to the kitchen and I’ll get you a drink. Lupe’s dying to meet you.”

  Maddie followed him through the dining room where she counted twelve chairs around the long elegant table. She had seen the house once before through Skype, but the virtual tour couldn’t possibly prepare her for the sheer size of these rooms. The kitchen took her breath away; so large and bright. Standing over the six-burner Viking range was a petite Hispanic woman wearing black pants, a black shirt, and a green apron that said “Beso al cocinero.” Kiss the cook.

  She smiled when Lupe looked up from the sauce she was stirring. “Miss Maddie! You are here!” she cheered with a big smile on her face. Then she turned her gaze to Nathan. “Su novia es muy bonita, Nathano! She is your princess, no?”