She turned the screen his way, and Deke saw Maddie talking to a man.
A familiar man.
He was so fucking dumb. “She told me she’d started dating someone very recently. Someone named Dan Gray.”
“You know he likes his color names,” Kyle said.
On screen, the man who’d called himself Dan Gray…and Mr. White and Mr. Black and any number of colorful surnames, reached for Maddie’s hand.
“Oh, that is not fucking happening.” Deke started for the door.
Well, at least he could let Adam know he didn’t have to worry about the Agency.
They were already fucking here.
Chapter Seven
Maddie walked away from Deke, deeply thankful that her phone had vibrated and saved her from what might have been an awkward sexual encounter since she’d stopped caring about anything the minute he’d kissed her. That text coming through had been a reminder that they weren’t alone, and she was actually in her backyard.
The man kissed like a god, like every romance hero she’d ever dreamed of all rolled into one.
“You okay?” MaeBe was staring her way as she walked back into the kitchen.
She wasn’t the only one. Kyle had a smirk on his face, and Boomer wasn’t looking at the three menus in his hands.
Yep. Everyone had seen her, and they would have seen her climbing up his body and trying to get inside his pants if she hadn’t been rescued.
Although it appeared she was about to have another awkward situation that would likely be watched by her new friends. They might pop some corn and enjoy the trash fire that was her life.
“I’m good.” She held up her phone and prayed she didn’t look like a woman who’d recently had a tongue halfway down her throat. A sexy, talented tongue. A tongue that had licked pretty much every inch of her body at one point in time, and didn’t she fucking remember. “I kind of ghosted this guy I’ve been seeing for a couple of months. I didn’t mean to, but things got real at work, if you know what I mean.”
“There’s another man?” Kyle lost his smirk. “Does Deke know?”
She was so glad she’d told Deke about Dan Gray. Oh, he’d figured out she wasn’t all that into him very quickly, but she didn’t have to explain the guy away to the man in the backyard. “Yes, he knows about Dan. We casually dated for a couple of weeks. Nothing serious, but I think he’s worried about me. He’s apparently outside and wants to talk.”
MaeBe glanced down at her screen. “Yeah, someone’s pulling up in your driveway. Does this guy drive a Prius?”
That was Dan. She strode toward the front door. “Yeah. He’s nothing to worry about, but I don’t want to have to explain Deke to him. Or any of you. He knows I live alone and don’t have many people over, so if he sees you he might have questions I don’t want to answer. I’ll get rid of him. I’m going to tell him I can’t see him again. He’s a nice guy. He’ll leave as soon as he realizes it’s not working for me.”
“I’ll be on the roo…in my room,” Boomer offered like that was a normal thing to announce. “Just going to go hang out up there until dinner.”
“I think that’s a great idea,” Kyle agreed.
She wasn’t sure why Boomer needed to be in his room, but she had a guy to break up with. It was a surprise that he was here. She thought he could take a hint, but she wasn’t worried. Dan was a logical guy, and they’d been nothing more than friendly dinner companions.
She smoothed her hair, put her phone back in her pocket, and opened the door, stepping onto her porch. Dan was just getting out of his car. Maddie walked across the yard to join him. The further she kept him from the house and all its new and never talked about before occupants, the less chance she would have some explaining to do.
After all, she was about to have to tell a guy who liked her that it wasn’t going to work out.
She wouldn’t tell him the reason why she couldn’t even contemplate a relationship with him was standing in her backyard, and she would probably get naked in a hot tub with him later on tonight.
Daniel Gray stopped when he caught sight of her. He wore khakis and a button-down shirt, his uniform. He was as tall as Deke but leaner. His dark hair and gray eyes should have her sighing.
But he seemed dull next to Deke.
He was exactly the right man for her. It was like someone had checked off a list. Intelligent but not arrogant. Good job but willing to listen to her work stories, too. Handsome but not overwhelmingly so. Not intimidated by her.
“Madeline.” He put a hand to his chest. “I swear you’ve given me a heart attack the last few days. Where have you been? You don’t answer my calls or texts. I was worried something happened to you.”