Page 31 of Maddox: Wild Alaska
Nephew.I rack my brain for a name, but none comes to mind. "How do I know your nephew?"
"You rescued him from a burning car when he was trapped inside."
My eyes widen in surprise. "Jonny Nanuq," I say quietly.
He nods. "He values your friendship."
"I value his too. He's a good man." I smile, preferring to remember when I met him in Anchorage last month for a beer, rather than the night we first met.
The agents leave, and Branson exhales heavily and curses. "Thanks for coming down."
"I didn't do much."
"Yeah, you did." He stands up. "Did I interrupt a date?" He glances at my clothes.
I shake my head and chuckle. "No, you didn't. I wanted to impress Sofie when I picked her up for dessert at your place."
"Oh, shit! I forgot."
"Don't worry about it. You have a lot on your plate right now." I pause and raise my eyebrows as we head out of the station. "So, what do you think of Adele?"
I receive a scowl in response to my question. "She's a fed."
I roll my eyes and drape an arm over his shoulders as we step outside. "She was checking you out."
"I don't need to know that." He shoves me away. "Give Sofie and Judean my apologies for tonight."
"I will, but they'll understand." I turn to Branson as I get in my truck. “Hey, I don’t mind you calling me.” I hold his gaze until he nods in acknowledgment. Then, I drive away, wondering why I always feel like I must remind him that I’m okay with being there for him.
It feelsstrange to be wrapped in a blanket while sitting on Maddox's couch. The leather is soft and comfortable. It's too comfortable. My eyes are struggling to stay open. It isn't even ten o'clock. Time is deceiving here because there are only a few hours of darkness, and even then, it's not fully dark. I do like it here. It's peaceful. From the brief glimpse I've had, the town looks quaint. Can I imagine myself living here? Yes, I can. I think I could be happy in this small town with Maddox. He left me speechless when he asked me because I wasn't expecting it. But deep down, I knew the answer all along. My whole body comesalive when I think about Maddox. I've never felt this way about anyone before, and considering that I was engaged until recently, I'm not sure that I can trust my judgment. But oh, how I want to trust it! For once, I want to follow my fluttering heart instead of my head and take a chance on love with Maddox.
Love.
I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet. I've only known him for a very short time. I don't believe in love at first sight. Lust at first sight, however, is something I can get down with, because the second our eyes met, I felt a strong physical attraction.
Sighing into the sofa, I know I won't be getting naughty with the sexy man. Oh, I want to. Just not tonight since I'll be sleeping on his couch because he doesn’t have a bed in the guest room. I'll have to resist the temptation and keep my thoughts in check.
"I've never had a woman wait for me before."
His voice startles me for a split second, and then I smile to myself. I rest my arms on the back of the sofa and look up at him coyly, feeling a rush of excitement. "I'm sure plenty of women have waited for you."
"You know what? You are absolutely right." He grins and moves from the doorway. "But only one, and that was my mom." His eyes soften as he moves closer and wraps me in a warm hug, joining me on the sofa.
I curl into his side. "Is everything okay?"
"It could be better." He sighs. "But I'm glad you're here with me. You gave me something to look forward to instead of my own company." He pauses. "Branson apologizes for canceling tonight."
I rest a hand on his chest and peer up into his eyes. "He has nothing to apologize for. He's the only sheriff around, right? That means he's always on the clock. Perhaps I could make lunch tomorrow and we could take it to him at the station."
“Speaking of which, your friend surprised me. I had no idea she wanted to stay here."
"Me neither. I think what Samantha said to her was the last straw. She wants and needs to be away from toxic people. Her father is friends with Samantha's dad, so it must be awkward for her. I’m glad she's going to stay. That means I'll have a female friend when I move here, too.”
I'm sure he stopped breathing for a second. "What?" he asks, his voice thick and husky.
"We’re not going to have hot and sweaty sex tonight, so don't get any ideas," I say with a smile. "But I said I want to move to Hawke's Ridge too. Maybe Judean and I can find a place to rent together."
"You can move in here with me.”
