Page 11 of Moonlight With Maddox
The sound of more cars pulling into the makeshift lot and voices carrying on the breeze towards us.
Leni exhales dramatically. “Fine. But let’s get out of her before someone blocks your truck in and we are stuck.
Relief loosens the knot in my chest.
I help her climb in, and she doesn’t smack my hand away. I’ll take that as a good sign. The way her jeans cling to her soft curves stirs something deep in my chest.
Maybe this trip isn’t a total loss after all.
12
Leni
We sit on an old fallen log, its bark long since worn smooth from time and weather. From here in this secluded spot that Maddox was kind enough to share, we can see the whole valley spread out below us. We watch as the sun slips past the horizon, leaving only a faint glow behind, like the last ember in a fire.
Maddox leans forward and rests his elbows on his knees, his gaze fixed on the view. “I’m glad we made it in time.”
I chuckle under my breath and shake my head. “That’s only because you drove like a bat out of hell up those questionable roads that were more like walking trails.”
The corner of his mouth ticks up in amusement. “Hey, I got you the shot, didn’t I?”
“You did.” I lift my camera from my lap and scroll through the photos of the valley bathed in a soft orange light. “Totally worth risking my life on a dirt path with no guardrail.”
“That wasn’t a dirt path,” he defends with a chuckle. “It was a perfectly respectable—mountain access road.”
I roll my eyes and reach for the canvas tote at my feet.
“Here.” I say handing him a sandwich and a bottle of water. “Before we starve to death at the top of yourrespectableaccess road.”
“The city girl came prepared.” He teases.
“You forget, I grew up here too, you know. And I’ve seen a lot more remote places in the world.” I grin. “I always pick up at least the essentials along the way.”
But as soon as the words come out, the small smile that had been playing on his lips disappears.
Maddox tears open the plastic container and nearly consumes half the sandwich in one bite. The last sliver of light disappears, before Maddox brushes the crumbs off his hands and stands up. “We should probably head back before it gets too dark.”
Hot.
Cold.
Hot.
And now he’s cold again.
“What is your deal?” I blurt out, before I can check myself.
“What?”
“You know what I’m talking about.” I stand and poke him in the chest. “We were having a perfectly nice enough time and then you just shut down.”
The sky darkens around us, but Maddox just stands there staring at me. His fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. The expression on his shadowed face makes me think he has something he’s holding back, but just won’t say it.
“Just say it,” I yell at him, shattering the quiet around us.
“Fine, you really want to know?”
“I asked, didn’t I?” I cross my arms to try and match his intimidating stance.
