Page 60 of Fall at Once

My pulse kicked up. The idea of having alone time with Maditook over my thoughts. The possibility of being able to talk to her, laugh with her, and kiss her again uninterrupted was a heady thing.

“Absolutely. After we close up here, we can grab a pizza and eat at Gigi’s place. Sound good?”

“Yes! Please, Dad.” Evan put his hands together like he was begging. “I want to play with Basil in the backyard.”

“I don’t see why not. As long as you’re both doing all right, Nat?”

“I’m feeling so much better. Today was fun. We can talk about everything later. I don’t want to think about any of it tonight.”

“Okay then.” I stood and held out my hand to Madi. “Shall we?”

She took my hand and stood. “Can we order sushi?”

“You got it.”

“Yay! And sake.”

I grinned at her. “You got that too.”

“Oh! And a Diet Coke.”

“Whatever you want.” I chuckled.

“Make him buy you a dragon roll,” Evan suggested. “The one they light on fire. He hates that.”

“Fire should not be used for fun,” Natalie singsonged my frequent rant as she sat across from Gigi.

People didn’t take fire as seriously as they should. What kind of fire chief would I be if I didn’t talk about fire safety whenever I could casually sneak it into a conversation?

“All right now. Come on, guys.” My lips twitched in amusement.I’d save the repeated lecture for another day.

“I want a dragon roll,” Madi teased—Smacking Evan’s outstretched hand in a high-five.

“Not you too? Ahh, Madi.” I shook my head in mock disappointment. “And I was telling Gigi I thought you were an angel.”

“Okay, I want a dragon roll. Hold the fire,” she amended her request, barely able to keep the laughter out of her voice.

“Atta girl.” I winked at her. “Being good can be fun. You’ll see.”

Her eyes heated on mine. I watched the emotions play across her face from amusement to hot and couldn’t wait to get her alone.

“Why don’t you two go to Madi’s place right now?” Gigi suggested. “We have it under control down here. Don’t we?”

“We sure do,” Kenzie agreed. “Right, kids? Sweeping up all the sprinkles in the kitchen will be so much fun.”

“Go ahead.” Natalie waved. “We’re okay. We had an awesome day. I promise.”

“Later, Dad.” Evan waggled his eyebrows up and down at me.

“Watch it, bud.” I grinned at him.

I guess I was dating Gigi’s hot granddaughter, just like he’d predicted.

I tried to recall what time I had any game in my past, but then I grew dismayed when I realized it was back in high school when I first got with Sherry.

It didn’t matter. Thinking about Madi brought out something primal in me. Our chemistry just existed; I didn’t have to try when it came to her.

It was only when I got stuck in my head that I doubted myself.

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