Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 78576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78576 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 393(@200wpm)___ 314(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
“She may,” Dad says again.
“All right, Dad. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Thanks, Dave.”
The phone clicks dead.
What the hell?
I’m numb. Though my heart is beating like a fucking hummingbird’s.
Just when I thought it was safe to be a Steel again…
I slide between the covers, wrap my arms around Maddie. My cock hardens as soon as I touch her body, and I reach between her legs.
She’s still slick, and I slide into her from behind.
She sighs. “Feels nice…”
I kiss her neck, tugging her earlobe. “It does, baby. God, it does.”
Chapter Twelve
Maddie
I wake up, the sun streaming in through my window. I have a vague memory of Dave making love to me in the early hours of the morning.
It was sweet and sexy and perfect.
I roll over to snuggle up to him…and then I jerk upward.
“Dave?”
He’s gone. I look around the room. His clothes are also gone. I get up and pad to the bathroom, but no Dave. I wrap myself in one of the lush robes, grab my key card, and head across the hall.
I knock softly. “Dave?”
A moment later he opens the door. “Hey.”
“Where did you go?”
“Uh…here?” He grins.
“Yeah, stupid question.”
“Come on in,” he says. “We need to talk.”
My heart sinks to my stomach.
I’ve heard the we need to talk line before, and it never leads to anything good.
I swallow. “About what?”
His suitcase is open on his bed, folded clothes ready to be packed.
My heart sinks. “Dave…”
“I’m sorry, Maddie. I have to go home. My father called early this morning. Apparently there’s some shit going down, and he needs me home.”
“Oh…”
He holds a hand up. “But this doesn’t change anything. I’d like to continue…seeing you.”
“I’ll be in Europe for the next couple of months, Dave.”
“I know that. But Brock and I—”
“Brock’s going home too?”
“Yeah. Apparently this is a big deal. He wouldn’t leave Rory otherwise, and the family wouldn’t ask him to.”
“What kind of big deal?”
He frowns. “Dad wouldn’t tell me over the phone, which means it’s a really big deal.” He sighs, shaking his head. “Man, and just when I thought I could have a vacation. Now I have to get back on an airplane tonight.”
“Oh my God!” I clamp my hand over my mouth.
“What?”
“If he needs everyone home, that means Brianna has to go too.”
He cups my cheek. “Actually, no. Uncle Talon and Aunt Jade decided she could stay if she wants. Since she and Jesse just got engaged and all.”
“Oh, thank God.” Then I clamp my hand over my mouth again. “I don’t mean to make this all about me, Dave. I’m so sorry. It’s just, without Brianna, there’s no one for me to see Europe with. Jesse and Rory will be with the band, and now Brock is leaving. Not that he and I are close or anything, but at least he’s not with the band.”
“I know, baby. But Bree doesn’t have to go.”
“I don’t want you to go either,” I say, trying not to whine.
“Believe me, I don’t want to go.” He brushes a strand of hair off my forehead. “I think what we found together is something… Something worth exploring.”
I warm all over. “I think so too. And I never dreamed it would happen.”
“Me neither. It was so far from what I came here for.”
I cock my head at him.
He shakes his head. “Now don’t go taking that the wrong way. I’m glad it happened. And in a fucked-up way, I’m almost glad of that near-death experience we all shared. I think it all helped us get our heads on a little straighter.”
“You can say that again,” I agree.
He brushes his lips over mine. “I can still spend the day with you. I don’t have to be at the airport until around two thirty this afternoon for a flight that leaves at five.”
“Okay. What would you like to do?”
“Stay in bed all day?”
“I’d say yes in a heartbeat,” I say. “But that wouldn’t be fair to you. This will be your last few hours in Paris. You haven’t even gotten to see the Eiffel Tower.”
He shrugs, frowning. “Honestly, I don’t have any desire to see the Eiffel Tower. But I would like to stroll along the Champs-Élysées with you. Maybe buy you a little token of my esteem.”
“Your last few hours in Paris, and you want to take me shopping?” I can’t help a laugh.
“I think I do. Besides, I can come back to Paris anytime I want. Once whatever this is blows over. Maybe if it blows over quickly, I can get back on the tour and join you.”
A half hour later, Dave and I go down to breakfast in the hotel café. Jesse and Brianna are there, along with Brock and Rory.
“I think you should go,” Jesse says, as Dave and I join them.
“I’m so glad you agree,” Brianna says. “I don’t want to leave you, especially since we’ve just come so far in our relationship. But if I’m going to prove to my father that I’m an adult and can one day take his place managing the orchards, I have to show him that I’m serious about our family.”