I hear a sound and shoot up into a sitting position, eyes narrowed in focus. Then, annoyed that it proved to be nothing more than a cough or something, I push up off the bed and head into the bathroom.
With quiet steps, I head toward their door and listen closely.
Nothing sounds out of the ordinary. No talking or laughing or…that.
I drag my hands down my face, trying to grab ahold of some sense.
I can’t stay on patrol all night. Besides, what’s my plan? If I hear them doing something I don’t like, am I going to barge in and interrupt?
Maybe.
With a low groan, I decide it’s probably best to leave my room and head for safer ground. I take my pillow off my bed and walk out into the dark hallway, glad Jolie and James have a huge house. I don’t have to worry about waking anyone up with my nighttime wanderings.
In the living room, I’m about to flip on a light when I notice someone lying on the couch. The soft glow of a Kindle blinds me until I step closer and see Maddie bundled up under blankets.
She jumps and stifles a scream when she notices me standing there.
“Holy sh—”
“Sorry.”
She squeezes her eyes closed as if trying to calm herself down.
“What are you doing out here?”
“Reading,” she says, opening her eyes and refocusing her attention on her e-reader, not exactly pleased to see me.
“Yeah, obviously. I meant why are you out here?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
So she dragged her pillow and a blanket to the couch?
“Guess Brent’s a light sleeper?”
She offers a noncommittal hum and goes back to reading.
I toss my pillow on the end of the couch opposite her head and walk over into the kitchen. Now that I plan on staying up a while, I need a snack. I flip on the light under the cabinets so I don’t crash into anything and then I search the pantry until I find a box of cereal. I fix us each a bowl. Once they’re filled, I carry them back to the couch. When I start to sit, Maddie groans in annoyance because she has to yank her feet out of the way just in time before I crush them.
I don’t say thank you; instead, I hold out her bowl.
“I’m not hungry,” she says with an icy tone.
Huh.
The Maddie I used to know would never turn down a late-night bowl of cereal.
I chuckle under my breath and place her bowl down on the coffee table in front of us.
“You know there’s plenty of other seating,” she points out.
“I’m fine,” I say, scooping some cereal into my mouth.
I like this. Maddie has a little bite to her. Maybe I’ll keep provoking her and see how hard she sinks her teeth into me.
Without another word, she holds her Kindle up in front of her face, blocking me from view, and continues reading.
I know for a fact she’s not absorbing a single word.
Can you imagine focusing at a time like this? I can barely succeed in getting my spoon to my mouth without spilling the cereal all over myself. She’s so close to me, her toes graze my thigh. I can smell the shampoo she used when she showered before bed. I’m aware of her every movement, no matter how small.
We continue sitting near each other in silence. Time crawls. The only sound in the room is me crunching on cereal with my mouth closed.
She eventually groans, shoves her blanket off herself, and sits up beside me. I glance at her out of the corner of my eye as she reaches for her bowl. She’s in her pajamas, a loose cotton tank and shorts. The side of her shirt dips low on the sides so that I catch more than a little hint of bare skin as she leans forward.
My body reacts instantaneously, like I’m a starving man in the desert who’s just caught a glimpse of fresh water. Blood rushes south as my heart hammers in my chest.
She leans back against the couch with her bowl, bending her legs up against her body and using her knees as a makeshift table.
I’m staring, and she notices. Her eyes cut to me, glaring as if to say, What?
I smile and she shakes her head and turns away, focusing on her food.
“What exactly is your goal here?” she asks. “To annoy me?”
“I’m just eating cereal. I think you’re reading too much into it.”
“I asked you to stay away from me.”
I shrug. “Yeah, well, if you were in your room with Brent like you’re supposed to be, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now.”
That shuts her up.
“You know you can run back to your room any time you want,” I add.
She straightens her shoulders and continues eating.
If I didn’t know better, it would almost seem like she doesn’t want to go back to her room.