Page 10 of Maddox

Relief and warmth flooded Maddox's eyes. "Thank you for giving me a chance, Clare. I promise, we'll take this at your pace."

I nodded, still feeling uncertain but there was also a tiny flicker of hope. "So, um...what now?"

Maddox glanced around the apartment. "Well, how about I make us some food—real food, not takeout—and we can just talk while we eat? No pressure, just getting to know each other a bit."

The idea of a home-cooked meal made my stomach growl, reminding me how little I'd been eating. "That...that sounds nice," I admitted.

As Maddox moved to the kitchen to place a grocery order, I sank down onto the couch, my emotions swirling. Part of me still wanted to run and hide, but part of me—a huge part—wanted it all. Wanted Maddox as my Daddy.

And not a temporary one.

Chapter Five

MADDOX

I opened the fridge and winced. It was full of either old takeout boxes it looked like she’d barely touched, or random food choices that didn’t seem to mesh. The bag of lettuce was unopened but needed to be thrown away. There were some limp, curled-up carrots, milk two days past its expiration, half a dozen eggs that were okay, and some condiments. There was some fish that was almost a biohazard.

This would never do. I grabbed my phone and put in a grocery order to be delivered immediately, which took me a while because having investigated her small freezer and pantry,I realized she had a box of pasta and a couple of jars of sauce and that was it. The apartment was—I knew—expensive, but it barely looked as if anyone lived here.

“I don’t do a lot of cooking,” she whispered, and I looked up at her standing hesitantly at the breakfast bar, sending her a smile.

“Good thing I do,” I teased. I hadn’t had much choice. Feed myself or starve.

Clare twisted her hands. "You really don't have to do all this," she said softly.

I paused in my grocery ordering to look at her. "I want to," I assured her. "Besides, you need some real food in this place."

She ducked her head, looking embarrassed. "I just...haven't had much of an appetite lately."

My heart ached at the sadness in her voice. I wanted so badly to go to her, to wrap her in my arms and promise that everything would be okay. But I knew I had to be patient, to let her set the pace.

"Well, hopefully we can change that," I said lightly. "Any requests for dinner?"

Clare shrugged, looking uncertain. "I'm not picky. Whatever you want is fine."

I studied her for a moment. "How about chicken parmesan? It's pretty simple but comforting."

A tiny smile flickered across her face. "That...that sounds nice actually."

"Chicken parm it is then," I said, adding the ingredients to my order.

As I finished up, I noticed Clare fidgeting with the hem of her sweater, looking nervous.

"We don't have to do this if you're not comfortable," I told her gently. "I can leave the groceries and go."

She looked up quickly. "No! I mean...it's okay. I want you to stay. I'm just...I haven’t really spoken to anyone lately. Apart from going to the club that one time.”

“Not your brother?”

She gazed at me. “He thinks I’m all better.”

My heart ached for her. I wanted nothing more than to gather her in my arms and soothe away all her fears and doubts.

"There's no right or wrong way to act," I assured her gently. "We're just two people, spending some time together."

Clare nodded, but I could see the tension in her shoulders, the way she kept her arms wrapped protectively around herself.

I was struggling not to go to her and simply pull her onto my lap and tell her everything was going to be okay. The Daddy part of me warred with the worry I would frighten her off if I came on too strong.

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