Page 37 of Roughing It

He seems to understand, though, because he captures my gaze, and he gently pulls my hand so it’s resting on his thigh. “It’s not the worst idea in the world.”

“Uh, yes, it is. He was the worst,” I say. “He came to my room last night and tried to… you know. Get in.”

“What?” Maddox growls, and his fingers spasm over my wrist. “Did he—”

“No,” I say in a rush, then glance away because it’s slightly humiliating at how affected I am. “No. I told him to fuck off and slammed the door in his face.”

“Good girl,” he rumbles, and holy shit, but I think I almost just spontaneously combusted.

There’s a long pause, and I’m half wondering if Maddox knows that my panties are damp as hell. Then I feel a very gentle touch on the back of my wrist. “I’m sorry, Eden,” he says when my gaze snaps up, and he pulls his hand away.

My brows dip. “What?”

“For…” He gestures toward my hand. “I don’t mean to get all forward with you. You don’t know me.”

I laugh and shake my head because while I get it, this poor bastard just has no idea. “God, you’re sweet.”

His face darkens with color, and he starts to shake his head, but I stop him.

“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve had anyone touch me with any sort of kindness?” My voice is thick with embarrassment and need, but Maddox needs to understand how much his soft touches and caring words mean to me. “I mean, aside from my friend’s panicked relief when I wasn’t crushed to death by a horse?”

I expect him to laugh or maybe even give me that pity smile I hate so much. Instead, his eyes soften. “I know what that feels like.”

That shocks me, and I speak before I can think. “Bullshit.”

He bursts into a short, rumbling laugh and shakes his head. Most men would get defensive, but he just keeps grinning at me. “I swear I’m not lying. I’m a mess on the best day. Not exactly cuddle material.”

I want to offer to crawl into his lap and never let go, but I’m not about to say that. Instead, I hold my hand out again, and he lays his palm flat against it.

“May I ask you a question?” Maddox says after a long moment of staring at our entwined hands.

I’m completely distracted by the feel of his skin on mine, but I manage a nod. “Go for it.”

“Why did your friend bring Captain Douchebag for someone like you?” His question is a little sharp, and when I glance up at him, his eyes look almost furious. “He hated my lodge, he was disrespectful to the staff, he was disrespectful to you—”

I scoff. “I did mention she has bad taste, right?”

Maddox shrugs. “Yeah, but she has to know you’d never go for a guy like that.”

“Maybe,” I say from behind a breath, but the truth is, I don’t know if Flor ever looks that deep. Like I had said to him before, she lucked out when it came to Sage. “Maybe he didn’t show his true colors when she met him. Or maybe she’s just really fucking good at ignoring red flags. Or maybe she thinks I deserve—”

“Stop.”

I freeze, my mouth clamping shut with a small click. Odd how easy it was to obey his soft-spoken command. My body starts heating once more, his work-roughened hand making my stomach flutter as it brushes against my small, soft one.

“You get down on yourself a lot, and I hate hearing it,” he tells me. “You deserve good things, Eden. You really do.”

I have to bite back a laugh, an automatic response but one I feel like he wouldn’t appreciate. Clearing my throat, I say softly, “I guess.”

He narrows his eyes at me. “I meet a lot of people all year long, and trust me, I can tell you don’t deserve a man like him.”

After a beat, I shrug and glance away. “I think she figured it wouldn’t matter since it was just some weekend fling after my breakup. Like some kind of… what’s it called?”

“Rebound,” Maddox offers quietly. His hand slides off mine, and I feel a small pang of loss, curling my fingers into my palm with regret.

“Ugh, yes. Except I don’t even know if that guy counted as a relationship, considering he was just using me while he was waiting to propose to his girlfriend,” I add.

“Just tell me you know you deserve better than people like them,” Maddox says after a beat.

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