She led him to the double doors and said her goodbyes, leaving him to walk to where he knew Aunt Gina was waiting. A few people looked up with interest as he passed, then leaned across to their companions to whisper frantically.
And then he saw her, and it felt like somebody had lit a fire inside him.
“Hey,” Maddie said, standing up as he approached. “How are you doing?”
He held up his bandaged hand. “All good.” It was impossible to stop himself from smiling. “You came.”
“Yeah,” she said softly. “I was worried about you. Did they say if you damaged any tendons?”
He shook his head, still grinning. “It’s just a flesh wound. A few stitches and a bandage and I’m good to go.”
She sighed with relief, and it heated him more. It was the sweetest damn thing somebody had done for him in a long time. All he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss the hell out of her. Then somebody cleared their throat and he realized Aunt Gina was right next to them, and he leaned forward to hug her.
“Thanks for picking me up off the ground,” he whispered in her ear.
She shook her head. “Don’t make me do it again. Now I’m going home to make some sweet tea, I figure Maddie can give you a ride home.”
Maddie didn’t look surprised at her request. “Yeah, sure.”
“And I’ll call around for some roofers,” Aunt Gina continued. “Don’t worry about your father. If he protests, he’ll get a piece of my mind.”
Gray bit down a grin. Over the years, he had enough pieces of his aunt’s mind to know what a threat that was.
She shuffled toward the main entrance, leaving Gray with Maddie. He still couldn’t get over her being here.
“Shall we go?” he asked her. She smiled and nodded.
He slipped his good hand into hers, his grin widening when she didn’t protest. She felt warm and soft and everything he wanted right now. Maybe that’s why he spun her around and pulled her against his side. His body relaxed as he pressed her against him. “You’re a sight for sore eyes, and hands,” he whispered, dropping his head to brush his lips against hers. She let out a sigh, and the warmth of her breath fueled his desire. If they’d been anywhere else – somewhere private, he’d have shown her just how much. But they weren’t. They were in a hospital lobby, and he had to be satisfied with deepening the kiss, letting his tongue caress hers as he slid his hand down to that perfect dip at the base of her spine.
When he pulled away, her eyes were heated, and he loved the way he affected her the same way she affected him. “Gray…” she whispered. “We shouldn’t.”
“I know.” His grin was lopsided. “But I can’t help it. Every time I see you all I can think about is those lips.” And that body, those legs, the way her voice got all rough when she sighed.
The way he felt real when she was in his arms.
He waited for her to chide him again, but instead her face paled. Her throat undulated as she swallowed, and he turned to glance over his shoulder, trying to determine what had caused such a change in her mood.
That’s when he saw the woman staring at them. He frowned, because she looked familiar, though he couldn’t quite place her.
“Who’s that?” he asked Maddie
.
She squirmed out of his hold. “It’s Jessica Martin. She used to be Jessica Chilton.”
Jess Chilton. Ashleigh’s best friend at school. She was still staring at them, her red-painted lips pressed together.
“I should talk to her,” Maddie said, her words coming out in a rush. “Tell her it isn’t what it looks like. She can’t tell Ashleigh…”
“Why not?”
She looked up at him, her eyes still wide. “Because she’ll go crazy.”
He shrugged. “So let her. What happens between us has nothing to do with her or anybody else.” He reached out and ran his finger down her face, aware of Jessica’s continued scrutiny. “I don’t give a shit what anybody else thinks.”
“I wish I didn’t.” Maddie inhaled deeply. “I really do.”
“Then just try it,” he urged. “It’s not as bad as you think. Trust me.”