Page 63 of Echoes of Temptation

With a laugh, she sits up and scoots to the edge of the bed.

“I’m going to break my legs,” she sighs, looking down.

Now my mind is picturing her falling from this bed in her sleep. She could easily hit her head with enough force to cause a concussion. We got lucky with the first one not causing any neurological problems.

We’re getting a shorter bed. Hell, a mattress on the floor would work just fine.

I stand close enough that Madaline rubs against my body as she slides from the bed.

“Well, that could be something to look forward to every time I get out of bed,” she laughs. “Come on big guy, let’s go sho… Holy hell, is that your dick or another leg? It looks bigger than the first time I saw it. Do you take steroids? Did you get it surgically enhanced?”

Laughing, I kiss her roughly before walking to the bathroom attached to our room.

“Come on you cheeky woman,” I call out.

Life is going to be fucking amazing with this woman.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Maddy

I’m about to meet King’s mom and I’m freaking the heck out. What if she hates me? What if she doesn’t think I’m good enough? I mean, I know I’m not. He needs a supermodel girlfriend, not some fat woman who teaches elementary kids.

“Maybe we should just go,” I say.

“Baby, we’re not leaving our own home because you feel uncomfortable. If you really want, I can ask her to come another day. I promise she won’t be upset. She would just go over and spend the day with Cortney and Charlie.”

“Maybe they should come over, too,” I suggest. “Charlie could be a damper if it turns out your mom hates me. She couldn’t possibly get upset with that boy in the room. No one could.”

I finally met Charlie last week and fell instantly in love. He’s so precious.

“Madaline.”

“What if she hates that I’m white?”

Yeah, that’s my biggest fear. King, Charlie, and Cortney have the most beautiful dark brown skin whereas I’m paler than a vampire.

“Baby.”

Baby.That’s all he says.

“I’ll just call Mama and have her come another day,” he says calmly.

I snatch his phone out of his hand with a glare.

“Don’t do that,” I demand. “She’s been looking forward to this day for a week now. Don’t be rude.”

“My bad,” he says, raising his hands and backing away.

“I’m sorry,” I moan. “I know I’m acting like a crazy person. I’m just nervous.”

“You have nothing to be nervous about, Madaline. I promise.”

***

It turns out that King was right. I had nothing to be nervous about. Zuri, King’s mom, is an angel. She’s so softly spoken that I felt instantly at ease around her.

We spent hours laughing at all the stories about the antics that King and his dad used to get into. Then we spent another hour talking about King’s father. He passed away several years ago from a heart attack.

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