Page 7 of Deserving Maddie

"I don't think it was a good shock. He told me straight up that night he didn't do relationships."

Not that she was in a position to date either.

"But how did helookat you, besides being shocked?"

Ray's heated gaze flashed through her mind. Ravenous. That was exactly how he looked at her.

"Pretty sure he would've devoured me right there in the pasta aisle if he could've gotten away with it."

"Hawt damn! Please tell me he made your panties burst into flames from just that look."

Oh, he definitely did. And then Gabe's voice doused them just as quickly. So much so that she felt bad for even having such a reaction to Ray in a public space when she knew her children were around.

"That's not the point. Ray was a good time, but that's all it could ever be. I couldn't possibly consider bringing another man into my life while my children are still grieving their father."

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself? Because it sounds like you're trying to convince yourself. You already know my thoughts on the matter. There's no reason you can't have a no-strings-attached, sex-only relationship with Ray, and it sounds like he would be on board with that."

Maddie buried her face into her pillow and let out a little scream.

Like she did most nights, she used the time she talked to Kat to wind down and get ready for bed. Since her husband's death, it had become their strange routine.

"You know I'm right," Kat taunted.

"I can't self-indulge like that. I have responsibilities."

"And guess who happens to be able to work from anywhere and also misses her best friend? It's been a whole month since I've seen you and the kids. I'm not sure I can take being away any longer."

Maddie didn't even have it in her to argue. Before moving to Texas, she saw her best friend every day. She had known Kat since grade school and their time apart was limited to when their families went on separate vacations. But even that stopped in high school, as her parents soon realized they preferred to vacation together.

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking. I'm telling you that I've already booked my flight. It leaves tomorrow and it just so happens to be a one-way ticket. I'll stay as long as I feel like it because you need me and I need to know that you're taking care of yourself. Even if that means you jump back into bed with a certain handsome man just for one night."

Chapter 5

Thewordsonhisscreen might as well have been in Greek. Not because he didn't know what he was looking at, Ray just wasn't focused. Ever since he crashed into Maddie yesterday at the store, he couldn't get her out of his head. Or the fact that she had kids. Logically, he knew why she didn't mention it the night they were together. It was only a hookup. They’d kept the chitchat superficial. But he hadn't even considered the possibility. Maybe that was his own stupid nature and had nothing to do with her.

"Ray!" Wes snapped him back to the present. "What did you find out?"

"I'm sorry, what?"

"You called us together because you were concerned about something Trista asked you to look into. If I knew what information you had, then I wouldn't be asking."

Trista? Trista? Oh right, the motorcycle club and the prospect that harassed the newest woman at the shelter.

"Ah, yes." He cleared his throat. "Trista asked me to look into an MC and I found something concerning."

"Define concerning?" Falcon leaned forward and propped his elbows onto the table.

Bravo Team's leader was used to his wife finding trouble. It was nothing new. That didn't mean Falcon wouldn't want to know what the threat was and how it could be eliminated.

"Up until eight months ago, the MC was a good one. The president was former military and rode for a lot of charities, did a lot for the community. Then he died during a charity run, and the new president is taking things in a different direction."

"Any suspicion regarding the former president's death?" Giggles asked.

"Actually, yes. The former vice president mentioned a lot of tension with another member, but since that member was along for the ride and the cause of death was vehicular manslaughter, the detectives brushed it off as an unfortunate accident. The driver of the vehicle ran and was never caught."

"Where did the accident take place?" Hollywood picked up the line of questioning.

---