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Her hands cover mine and our fingers intertwine. “I love your home.”
I smile against the top of her head. “I know you do.” I place a kiss there and reluctantly pull away. “So, you’ll stay?”
Turning and holding my gaze, she slowly nods, a sigh leaving her lips. “I’m going to get hurt.” Tears hover on her lashes as she searches my eyes.
“It has never and won’t ever be my intention to hurt you, Madison. You have to know that. That man isn’t me. I just won’t ever be able to give you what you want.” I run my hands through my hair. “What I want with every breath I take.”
“Derek?” Dee comes around the corner behind me, and I silently curse the woman.
“Yes?” The woman doesn’t give me a moment’s peace.
“What’s going on here?” she asks, sidling up to me.
Madison closes her eyes and turns away, moving further and further away from us. From me.
Controlling my temper, I face the woman. “I was having a private conversation with Madison. Why are you following me?”
“It’s a small town. It can’t be helped.” She shrugs it off. “Looks like Madison has other things to do so why don’t you come around the market stalls with me?”
My first thought is to say no and go after Madison, but I agree with Dee. I need to stay away for a while longer before I do something else.
Plastering a fake smile onto my face, I take Dee’s arm and lead her back out to the market. Dee samples the food while my head is stuck analyzing how Madison had felt in my arms. It had been all to brief, but long enough for me to notice that we fit together perfectly.
37
Madison
To my luck, Geary was about to head back to the house when he saw me with a large cake in one hand, stuffing it into my mouth while I juggled a steaming mug of coffee in my other hand. I have a sweet tooth, which very luckily for me, doesn’t add inches to my hips.
Once in Geary’s truck, I have no shame as I finish the cake. He laughs watching me lick my fingers clean of the gooey mess.
“That good, huh?” he comments, eyes back on the road.
“You have no idea.” I sigh and watch the land as we fly past. “I’m leaving soon.”
I feel his eyes on me as I curl into the seat, so I can watch him. “Derek will move on with his life and I will never be part of that,” I admit softly. “It’s for the best.”
“I’m no expert on these things but I am a guy, and I know that if a hot woman who I was falling far came on to me, I wouldn’t refuse. I’d let her capture me.” He shrugs. “I wouldn’t let age stop you from going after what you want Madison. I know all about your cousin and his friend, Garrett. If they can make it work, then there really is no reason why you and Derek can’t. You just have to push and push, until he cracks. And He will. I’ve seen the way he looks at you. The way his eyes follow you around.”
I blink a few times and grin at Geary. “I am so setting you up with my cousin, Olivia.”
He glances over to me a frown on his face. “That’s all you got out of that.” He laughs and shakes his head. “I just talked to you like a girl and now you’re setting me up with your cousin?”
Amused, I roll my eyes. “I heard you perfectly clearly, which is why I’m setting you up with Olivia. You’re a really nice guy, Geary. Olivia needs nice. She needs naughty. She needs tender. She needs love.” I giggle. “I’m sure when you see her that you’ll be up for all of that.”
He stays quiet until he parks his truck. “Visitors,” he grumbles.
I focus on the house and a real smile spreads across my face. “Charlotte.” She steps out from under the porch.
Jumping from Geary’s truck, I rush to my cousin and throw my arms around her. “This is a surprise. Does Derek know?”
She shakes her head. “We thought we’d surprise you both.”
“I really am glad to see you.”
Charlotte only half listens as her eyes focus over my shoulder.
I smirk. “Are you drooling over the cowboy?” I nudge her with my elbow, and whisper as we watch Geary moving toward us, “I’m setting him up with Olivia.”
