Page 50 of The Love You Win

Jackson clears his throat. “I didn’t mean?—”

“I’m sure you didn’t,” Maddox says with a chillier tone than he’d previously used. He presses a kiss to my temple. My heart thunders and my eyes flutter. “But there are so many men out there who take women like Isla for granted. It’s pathetic, don’t you think?”

The little soldier guarding my heart is throwing a ticker tape parade in Maddox’s honor.

It’s clear Maddox’s insult has hit its mark when Jackson winces. I’m not sure what he thought about how Alex treated me or the way he broke up with me. Jackson is Alex’s friend first and foremost, and he always was. But given the flash of shame that plays across his face, I’d hazard a guess that at least some part of him thought Alex’s actions were shitty. “For sure. Well, my colleague is waving me over. It really was good to see you, Isla. And nice to meet you, Maddox.”

“Enjoy the rest of the night,” Maddox says with a nod of his head. Jackson returns the gesture before hurrying off. When he’s out of earshot, Maddox faces me, and with just that small action, everyone else in the room ceases to exist. His rich brown eyes are concerned as he studies my features for any signs of distress. His hand slips out from my hair and he grazes his fingers along my cheek. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” I reply honestly. “I am. Thanks to you.” And I’m relieved to realize it’s true. I’m only a bit shaken, but all in all, I’m totally fine.

“Can I hug you?” Maddox asks. His voice is gruff, but his expression is soft.

I nod, trying not to reveal how affected I am by the offer. “I’d like that. A lot.” Strong arms wrap around me and press me into a firm chest. I allow myself to melt into his hug and enjoy the sensation of safety that accompanies the embrace. Safety that allows a murmured confession to spill from my lips. “I wasn’t expecting to see him here. I worried Alex might have been here, too.”

“I figured as much when you looked over at me in a panic.” Maddox releases me, but he still stands close enough that the length of our arms touch. If I so much as twitched my fingers, they’d intertwine with his. “I hope I didn’t overstep.”

“No.” I meet his gaze. “You were perfect.”

My whole body tingles from the intensity of Maddox’s gaze. We’re standing so close, and he’s looking at me with hooded eyes. Every one of my cells vibrates. They’re practically screaming at him to kiss me. Everything else is far away.

But then someone laughs loudly nearby, and the spell shatters. We’re not alone. In fact, we’re surrounded by people watching Maddox’s every move. There’s at least one reporter outside who would love to get some juicy gossip about the two of us. Gossip I don’t want to have to deal with. This is not the time and place to lose myself to desire. Even if Maddox looks just as eager to get lost as I do.

He clears his throat and looks around. “I think it’s almost time for the dinner.”

I giggle softly and nod. It’s probably safer to change the subject to something innocuous like dinner. But inside, I’m ready to drag Maddox out of this room and somewhere more private so we can devour each other. Dinner be damned.

twenty-two

ISLA

There are no assigned seats for dinner, so it feels like the grownup version of musical chairs. As the night wears on, people shift their positions in the room, trying to get closer to whomever they hope to chat with over a long four-course meal.

I don’t miss the calculating expressions of several women as they eye Maddox from his post beside me. He hasn’t left since coming to my rescue with Jackson. The interaction seemed to flip some switch in him. Hell, it did for me, too. Feeling anything past friendship is a risk, but I can’t seem to stop myself. It’s impossible to be indifferent. Griffin, Logan, and Sebastian have all spent time talking and laughing with us, though they come and go.

I’ve heard a few women whispering my name. Apparently, my stupid Instagram post is becoming a hot topic of conversation. They’re wondering if Maddox and I are dating. And by the looks I’m getting, none of them are happy that they have to speculate. After all, when they put out the money to attend, Maddox was single and free. Now? They’re not sure, and his behavior toward me confirms their suspicions.

Maddox alternates between running his fingers up and down my spine, resting his hand on the small of my back, and brushing my fingers with his. I can barely focus on the conversations I’m supposed to be taking part in. Everywhere his fingers touch, my skin sings with electricity and heat. I shift on my feet as my panties grow more and more damp and I ignore my growing arousal because there are far too many eyes on us.

Actually, maybe this is more like a crowded watering hole in an African desert than a game of musical chairs. It’s a lot like that scene in Mean Girls. Predatory women eye their prey with hungry expressions. They’re on the hunt for big game, and I’m standing between them and their meal. Either way, it’s a struggle not to shrink in on myself with every passing moment.

“Are you okay?” Maddox’s nose drags along the skin behind my ear as he whispers the word. A pleasant shiver works down my spine. When I look up, I find his body angled toward mine. The sole focus of his attention.

There’s no denying we’ve crossed some invisible line. I can’t lie to myself anymore. Maddox Graves doesn’t want to be my friend. If his half-lidded eyes are any indication, he wants to make me his. Having the full force of Maddox’s attention is heady, and even the insecurities the gorgeous women around me inspire fade away under his gaze. To give whatever this is between us a chance.

“I’m fine,” I tell him. “I just…” Do I tell him about the Instagram post and the fact that more people saw it than I ever imagined would? I don’t want him to see me as some gold-digger who’s only using him for his status.

“You know how we took those selfies so I could make my ex feel like crap?” Maddox nods. His expression is serious, and my chest tightens. “Well, my Instagram wasn’t set to private, and I wasn’t thinking. I posted one of the pictures and it sort of went a bit viral. I blocked all the random people who followed me and set my account to private, but there was a reporter outside who asked me if we were dating. And now these women are looking at me like I’m public enemy number one, which is really anti-girl-power of them, and I didn’t mean to drag you into something like this, and a few of the comments on the photo were super gross guys asking if the carpet matches the drapes which I hate more than anything in the world, and I don’t like being the center of that kind of attention, and I’m sorry if I embarrassed you…”

“Isla.” Maddox’s serious expression melts into one of soft amusement. “Take a breath, Short-Stack.”

“Don’t call me that.”

He grins wider. “You didn’t embarrass me. I saw the post. Well, my sister did and told me about it. Honestly, I was more worried about how it would affect you to get that kind of attention.”

“Really?”

“Really. I’ve been in the public eye for a while, and I still hate a lot of what comes with it. People think that just because they’ve seen you play a game or read an interview or seen your social media posts, that they know you. They feel entitled to your life. It’s weird and uncomfortable, and I’ve been on the wrong side of that attention a few times.” He grimaces and my mind goes to the interview I read with his ex-girlfriend. “It can be difficult to ignore when people tell lies about you or make unkind comments. You have to remind yourself who you are, and surround yourself with people who care about you and see through the bullshit.”

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