“I love it. I remember you saying you are full to capacity. Where is everyone?” Lex asked.
“My father took the guests on a historical tour of Cranberry Heights,” Micah answered. “Most of the guests arrived a couple days ago for the festival.”
Just as Micah had responded to Lex’s question, they heard the sound of chatter and commotion coming from downstairs.
“That must be them now,” his mother said as she began making her way to the door. “Micah brought your bags up here when I was washing dishes. I’ll let you both freshen up before dinner, then I’ll introduce you to everyone.”
“Okay, and thanks so much for your hospitality,” Lex said. Micah’s mother gave a soft smile before she exited the room. He cracked the door and took a seat on the burgundy chair in the corner of the room as he watched Lex walk to her belongings and open up her suitcase.
“Do you mind if I take the drawers on the left side of the bed?” she asked. Micah shook his head and laughed. She’s barely glanced my way since we stepped into this bedroom.
“I don’t mind. I took the drawers on the right already anyway.”
“Okay, that works,” she said as she began taking out jeans, tops and socks. He liked the way she curled her nose as she took out every outfit, and he wondered what she was thinking about. Suddenly she stopped unpacking and glanced over her shoulder at him. “Are you just going to sit there and stare at me while I unpack my clothes?”
“I was thinking about it,” Micah said as he crossed his arms behind his head and leaned back in the chair. She turned to completely face him with disapproval written all over her face. You’ve really pissed her off now, Madden.
“You’ve got a lot of nerve, Micah,” she said as she began walking toward him. “First, you add this obscene clause in your contract with Elite Events forcing me to accompany you on your hometown visit. Then, you ask me to agree to this imprudent plan of yours to allow your parents to assume we’re dating. And as if things couldn’t get any worse, we have to sleep in the same room when you promised me my own space.”
When she stopped her rant, she looked at him as if she wanted him to explain why he’d done those things. But truthfully, he didn’t have much to say. “Everything you said is true,” Micah stated as he rose from the chair and went to stand in front of her. “I added that clause in the contract and I knew it was unorthodox. I came up with a plan that I knew my parents would eat up. And I promised you a separate living space while you’re here, and now we will be breathing the same air every night.”
Lex’s eyes enlarged before she spoke again. “And...” she said, rotating her hands to imply that she was waiting for him to say more.
“And what?” he asked with a shrug of the shoulders.
“What about an apology?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips.
“LG, I’m not apologizing,” Micah said with a laugh.
“Don’t call me that,” she said through gritted teeth.
“But you’ll always be lingerie girl to me,” he said, stepping closer to her. She may have worn an annoyed look on her face, but the air around them was charged with awareness. “Unless you’d rather I call you runaway girl.”
She squinted her eyes together and tilted her head to the side. “Why would you call me runaway girl?”
Did she really have to ask? “Maybe because every time we get too close, you get scared and run away. It’s what you do.”
Her face displayed a mixture of interest and embarrassment. “You don’t know me,” Lex said, stepping closer to him. “Like now,” she said, removing her hands from her hips and crossing her arms over her chest instead. “I’m not running now...am I?”
Micah wasn’t one to stand off with a woman, but if he really thought about it, usually the women he dated ran after him...not away from him. She looked like she wanted to back down, but she stood there.
“Are you daring me to give you a reason to run to prove something to me?” Micah asked, dropping his eyes to her lips. “Or are you trying to prove to yourself that you can handle being around me without running.”
She licked her lips and uncrossed her arms, returning her hands to her hips. “Want me to be honest?” she asked.
“Always,” he answered.
“A little bit of both,” Lex said quietly. “I’m cautious in my approach to a lot of things and when I’m uncomfortable, I run.” The look in her eyes made Micah think back to the drinking game they’d played at Imani and Daman’s estate. He didn’t know if he was taking the moment out of context, but he felt as if Lex was giving him permission to push her to her limit. Whether that limit be with him or otherwise, he was ready to accept the challenge.
“I have a proposition for you,” Micah said, ignoring her wary look.
“In addition to the propositions you’ve been giving me since we met?”
“This is different,” he said, collecting his words. “While you’re here in Arkansas, I want you to indulge in something with me.”
She raised an eyebrow at his statement. “Meaning?”
“I want you to try and do or say something that’s out of your comfort zone each day. And at least one has to be something you do without thinking about the consequences.”
Her features softened and he could see the wheels in her head turning. He wanted to add that taking a chance on him would be something spontaneous and out of her character, but he didn’t want to push her. She was thinking too hard already, but he didn’t mind it at the moment. It gave him the opportunity to observe her more closely than he had earlier. She had no idea how sexy she was. It wasn’t an over-the-top sexy or a blatant sexy. Lex had more of a natural sex appeal that surfaced when she wasn’t even trying.
She sighed and shuffled from one foot to the other. I wonder if she realizes that she’s still staring at me. Her mind seemed miles away so he figured she didn’t notice. Otherwise, based on his past experience with her, she would have turned away so that her thoughts weren’t so visible to him.
He had a remedy for all her thinking. Every part of him was drawn to her so he could only imagine how good it would be when they finally made love. She had to accept that fact in her mind first, but that was a big reason why he wanted her to come to Arkansas. He was hoping a change of scenery would put her in a different state of mind. Although many would call him a city boy now, he still had country roots. He only knew city-girl Lex, and now he was hoping to see another side of her.
“Okay, Micah,” she said, breaking his thoughts. “I accept your proposition to live a little more spontaneously while I’m here in Arkansas.”
A slow smile crept on his face the instant he heard her agree to his proposal. “You won’t be sorry,” he said, not caring if she picked up on his excitement.
Micah wasn’t sure what Lex was about to say before there was a knock on the door.
“You can push it open,” he said to the person on the other side of the door. When his father came into view, Micah’s smiled slightly faltered.
“Hello, son,” his dad said walking into the room. “And you must be Ms. Turner.” His dad reached out to shake Lex’s hand. “I’m Mason Madden, Micah’s dad. It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Mr. Madden,” Lex said, returning his handshake. “And please call me Lex.”
“Very well,” his dad responded before turning his attention to Micah. “Your mother wanted me to let you know dinner will be served in ten minutes.”
Micah and his dad hadn’t talked much since he’d arrived so he knew his father was making an effort since Lex had arrived. “Thanks, Dad,” Micah stated. It didn’t matter how old Micah got, he couldn’t ignore the look of disapproval on his father’s face. His father looked as if he was going to say more, but decided against it.
“Very well,” his dad said as he l
eft the room. Now it was Micah’s turn to busy himself and avoid any questions.
“Did you and your dad get into an argument?” Lex asked. Yeah, Micah thought with a strained laugh. About twelve years ago and he still has yet to forgive me.
“Not recently,” he answered instead. Lex’s inquisitive eyes were evidence that she had a lot more questions to ask.
“Can I ask you something else?”
Not if it’s about my dad. “Sure, what’s up,” he said as he stepped into the bathroom to wash his hands. She followed behind him and let out a sigh of amazement.
“It’s gorgeous,” she said running her fingers over the granite countertop before she made her way to the waterfall shower and separate whirlpool tub. “I can’t believe this is the room your parents let us stay in.”
“I can,” he said, grabbing a paper towel to dry his hands. “I’ve never invited a girlfriend to stay with me at Madden Manor before so I knew my mom would go all out to make you feel at home.”
Lex gave him a soft smile before examining him again. “About my other question,” she said, standing closer to him. “Do you and your dad have a close relationship?”
“That’s a loaded question,” Micah said, leaving the bathroom and making his way to the door. “The short answer is, it’s complicated. But it’s time for dinner so let’s discuss this another time.”
He didn’t give her a chance to respond and walked out of the bedroom. He was aware he was being slightly rude, but talking about his relationship with his dad would have left a negative tone in the bedroom and that was definitely the last feeling he wanted to have lingering in the air.
Chapter 10
“We’re here folks,” Mason Madden said to the small bus of Cranberry Heights visitors. When Micah’s parents had informed the guests that they would arrive two hours before the kick-off parade to secure their seats, Lex had felt right at home. Oftentimes in Chicago, one had to arrive early to all public events to secure a good spot. It seemed the same was true for the town of Cranberry.
The sidewalks and streets were already filled with residents and visitors excited for the parade to start. Holiday music was playing on speakers located on every street corner and happy families were dancing and singing along. Lex had been to plenty of parades in her lifetime, but there was something mesmerizing about the sight she was seeing today.
“Let’s set up here,” Cynthia Madden said to the group as she pointed to one of the few open spaces left. Lex opened the lawn chair that the Maddens had given each of the guests and continued to observe her surroundings. There were four couples and two families residing in the B and B, and Lex had enjoyed all of their company at dinner. She sighed when she thought about Micah last night. At dinner, he’d done his best to keep up appearances and appear unaffected by whatever had happened between him and his father in the bedroom, but Lex could read between the lines.
While the other guests had eagerly dived into Mrs. Madden’s scrumptious apple crumb pie, Micah had informed her that he had to take care of a few things before the parade. She’d planned on staying up and waiting for him to return to the room, but she’d fallen asleep and hadn’t awaken until the next morning only to find his side of the bed empty. She should have been thrilled that she’d avoided the first awkward night with him, but instead, she felt as if something was missing since she hadn’t seen him since yesterday evening.
“Mind if I keep you company,” Cynthia asked, breaking Lex’s thoughts. “Micah is still helping a few of the parade participants set up.”
“I don’t mind one bit,” Lex replied as she helped Cynthia open her chair. She had only known Micah’s mom for a day, but she felt like she’d known her for years. When Cynthia looked over her shoulder and gave her husband a soft smile, it made Lex think about the upcoming anniversary party she was planning, and she figured now was a great time to ask Mrs. Madden some personal questions.
“You and Mr. Madden seem so close. Is it too personal if I ask how you and your husband met?”
“Of course it’s not too personal,” Mrs. Madden said as she draped a blanket across her and Lex. “I met Mason about thirty-six years ago when I was in New Jersey, the state I grew up in. I had gone into a restaurant with my boyfriend at the time and I’d noticed Mason instantly. Mason had been dining with some friends of his, but by the look of interest on his face, I could tell he noticed me, too. That day is memorable to me for a couple reasons. That was the day I was proposed to twice. And it was also the day I met the man of my dreams.”
“How did you receive two proposals?” Lex asked, completely engrossed in the story. Cynthia smiled before continuing.
“My boyfriend at the time proposed to me at the restaurant. I knew he would propose soon, but what I didn’t expect was the knot in the pit of my stomach coercing me to say no. I said yes, ignoring my body’s warning and convinced myself I’d made the right decision. As soon as my date excused himself to go to the bathroom, Mason walked over to my table and told me congratulations before he leaned down to whisper in my ear...”
“What did he say?” Lex inquired when Mrs. Madden appeared to be lost in thought. Cynthia placed her hand gently over her heart and tilted her head to the side.
“He told me that I should not have accepted the marriage proposal. And when I politely asked him why, he said, with confidence and vigor, that he was the man I was supposed to marry and that if I left with him that day, he was positive we’d be married that time the next year.”
“Oh, my goodness,” Lex exclaimed as she propped one leg up in her chair and did a ninety degree turn to face Cynthia. “How did you respond?”
“I slapped him in the face,” Cynthia said with a laugh. “I couldn’t believe he had the audacity to even approach me after I’d just accepted a marriage proposal. But then, something strange happened that made me rethink my decision.”
“What was that?”
“While I was berating him for being so rude, he bent down and captured my lips in the most seductive kiss I’d ever had. A kiss that was seen by all the patrons at the restaurant, including my fiancé of ten short minutes.”
“I can’t believe Mr. Madden did that.”
“Neither could half the people in the restaurant.” Cynthia continued to smile as she finished the story. “The restaurant manager actually escorted my fiancé back to the table and asked Mason to leave the restaurant. Of course, being the stubborn man he is, Mason refused to leave without me.” The look of contentment that Cynthia had on her face whenever she stole glances at her husband melted Lex’s heart.
“Mason was always a bit of a bad boy and he was never one for following rules. At least that’s how he was when we were younger. Having children made him more responsible and forced us to both grow up.”
“What did you do when they kicked Mason out of the restaurant?”
“I did what I thought was right and followed my heart,” Cynthia said looking straight into Lex’s eyes. “I told the manager and my fiancé that if Mason had to leave, then I was leaving with him, and I handed my fiancé back the ring. Surprisingly, although the manager, my ten-minute fiancé and I were shocked, the person who seemed the most surprised by my choice was Mason. As soon as we stepped outside the restaurant, he asked me why I’d chosen him when I didn’t know anything about him. At first, I wasn’t sure how to answer. But the more I looked into his handsome face, the more my heart melted. So I told him the only thing I could...the truth.”
“What was the truth?” Lex asked, hanging on Cynthia’s every word.
“The truth is something that still remains true today,” Cynthia continued. “I told him that the kiss we shared made me feel more alive than anything I’d ever experienced, and I wasn’t ready to let that feeling go. Right then and there, Mason kissed me again with more emotion than he had in the restaurant. The kiss was so amazing, it left
us both breathless and at a loss for words.”
Love at first site in the truest form. Lex had heard stories of people who fell in love instantly, but this story seemed like a scene plucked right out of a classic romance movie.
“Neither of us had realized that we had an audience, or that Mason’s friends were witnessing the scene with wide eyes of disbelief. I remember the ring that Mason was wearing on his pinkie finger that day. In front of all those people, some strangers and some not, he asked for my hand and placed the ring on my finger. He didn’t propose marriage, but he did propose a promise that if I moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, with him and allowed him to court me, he’d make sure our marriage was always filled with love and devotion.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Lex exclaimed as her hands flew to her mouth. “Obviously, you eventually moved to Arkansas, but what did you say to his proposal?”
Cynthia looked at Lex and laughed. “I said yes and met him in Little Rock two weeks later. Six months later we were married and ten months after we were married we had Malik, my oldest son.”
“From New Jersey to Arkansas! That’s so brave of you,” Lex said in disbelief. “I went through a really bitter divorce over six years ago. Knowing what I know now, I can’t imagine changing my entire lifestyle for a man.”
Cynthia reached over and gently squeezed her hand. Lex wasn’t sure why she’d shared that information when she rarely acknowledged that she’d been married before, but she felt compelled to share it with Micah’s mom. “I can tell two things by your statement,” Cynthia said. “First, your ex-husband was not the man you were supposed to be with because God had other plans for you. And second, my son hasn’t given you a proper kiss yet that will make you so weak in the knees that you can barely speak.”
Lex wasn’t certain how her face looked, but she was pretty sure a deer caught in headlights was accurate.
“When a man truly kisses the woman he knows he wants to spend the rest of his life with, that kiss will touch the depths of her soul and build a permanent home right on top of her heart. A lot of people thought my relationship with Mason was just lust or a case of bad-boy syndrome as my friend used to call it. But Mason and I knew differently. After the type of kiss that we shared, we owed it to ourselves to try and have a relationship. We celebrate our 35th anniversary soon, so as you can see, I have no complaints and six beautiful sons to show for it.”
Red Velvet Kisses Page 9