Page 53 of Save Me

I pull some chicken out of the freezer and stare at it for a while. As I stare, I feel a set of eyes on me. I turn and see Princess has sat himself down and is also watching the chicken.

“Any tips?” Thing is, I don’t really cook. No need to, really. There are plenty of people out there who are more talented than I am, whom I can just pay to make my food.

Briefly, I consider ordering food for Maddox, then I throw that idea out the window. He made me food, so I can make some for him.

So I try. I do my best to estimate what time he’ll get home based on his previous schedule. When I hear the hum of his car in the driveway, it makes me smile.

It takes Maddox a long time to come in. But that’s okay! He’s probably just winding down. I’m sure taking care of people is a hard job. Once it hits thirty minutes after he pulls in, I can’t stop fidgeting. Is he okay? Glances out the window show he’s sitting in the seat, not slumped over or anything.

I hope he’s not avoiding me. If he gives me a chance, I can redeem myself!

Then, finally, his car door slams.

I jump upright, readjusting the plates of food on the table and grinning when he comes in. With an unimpressed tail flick, Princess ambles to the door.

Maddox comes in with a shuffle; there’s a thump and a thud, and then a muted curse that then turns to a giggle.

I don’t have time to process that Maddox is actually giggling until he’s right there in front of me, all big and tall and so freaking handsome he takes my breath away. Maddox looks at me, and his pretty green eyes light up.

“Micah!”

“Hey, Maddox,” I breathe.

He grins at me, and I grin back.

And that’s when I catch the whiff of alcohol.

“Whatchu doing?” Maddox peeks around me at the table, and I just stare at him for a beat. Has he been drinking? I’m not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand, I can feel the memories of Dad creeping in. On the other hand, I like how the stress line between Maddox’s eyebrows has all but disappeared and his smiles are looser now.

“I uh, made you some dinner since I missed your breakfast earlier. Which was delicious by the way!” It was; my mouth waters remembering it.

Maddox puts a hand up like he’s trying to hide his face behind it.

“I’m sorry I missed it,” I say. “I had a late night. It was really nice of you.” Even I hear the pleading in my voice. I hate this version of him that feels like it has to hide from me.

“You made me chicken?” Maddox is looking at the plates of my rather unimpressive food–chicken breast and some carrots that I must have bought when I was feeling healthy.

“Uh, yeah! Since you said you liked it.”

Maddox looks at me, really looks at me. He’s not hiding behind his hand anymore, and I notice his pupils are blown. He takes a step closer. “You’re not mad? Why aren’t you mad?”

”Mad?”

He takes another step closer, and I feel his presence like a star sucking me into its gravity. It’s huge and compelling and overwhelming, and all I want to do is throw myself into his flames.

“Yeah, mad.” He’s close to me now, looking down at me like I’m some puzzle. I look up at him, my breathing feeling tight, and every nerve ending on fire. It’s hard to take a breath, like he’s sucked all the air into his gravity field as well.

”Well?” He leans in, those lips quirked up. Kissable lips. Biteable lips. I wonder what they’d feel like on mine. And he keeps looking at me, like he’s looking for an answer to something.

“How could I ever be mad at you?” I croak.

His breath brushes across my lips, and my breath stutters. Because I think Maddox McAllister wants to kiss me.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

I might be a little buzzed, but I think I want to kiss Micah Stevens.

I mean fuck it; let’s play this game. Micah, for some godforsaken reason, is taking too long to make a move, so I’m going to. I’m going to come on hard and heavy until he doesn’t know which way is up. ‘Till he’s so turned around in how good I make him feel that he loses track of his end goal. Till all he can think is Maddox, Maddox, Maddox, please make me feel good, Maddox.