I eyed the jacket, suspiciously. “What are you doing?”
Maddox circled my wrist with his finger and dragged me closer. He placed the jacket over my shoulders and gave me a pointed look, his face hard, until I succumbed and placed my arms through the sleeves. “Keeping you warm. I'm a man, Lila. I know you don't like me and think I'm an absolute asshole.”
His lips twitched when I scoffed. “Fine, I'm an asshole sometimes."
I gave him the look. Are you serious?
"Okay, all the time. But I still know how to treat a lady right.”
Treat a lady right? What a joke.
But still… my heart warmed. His scent was still heavy on the jacket, and I chewed on my lip when I noticed how good the smell of him was.
Maddox buttoned up the jacket for me and tugged the collar higher and closer, so my neck was covered. “There. Cozy enough?”
My lips parted, but I didn’t know how to answer, so I only gave him a tiny nod.
He pulled back and looked me up and down, a frown appearing on his face. “Jesus Christ. You’re so tiny.”
I rolled my eyes. “Thanks.”
I expected another joke coming from his lips. Instead, he looked tense and his brows were curled with a frown. “Are you sure it's safe for you to be out here like this, so late?”
Huffing in response, I rolled my eyes again. As if he cared. “I don't need a knight in shining armor. I can take care of myself.”
His blue eyes were so bright and vivid under the moonlight. It was tempting to get lost in them. But when he opened his mouth, he squashed down all the effects he had on me. “I'm not going to be your Knight because I know you aren't a damsel in distress. You’re more like the dragon in the fairy tale.”
My lips curled and against my better judgement, I found myself smirking. “If I could fry you right now, I would.”
It was easy to get lost in the easygoing expression on his face What were we arguing about before? Shit, I got sidetracked.
His devious grin was back, but there was something… pleasing about it. He was mocking me like before, being a bully, but this was a war with no venom. “I bet I'd taste good as an omelet.”
“Do you always have a reply to everything?” I asked, not expecting a particular reply since I already knew the answer.
Now, he was smirking like the devil. As if he had won this round. “Were you born this sassy or do I bring the sass outta you?”
I blinked, my brain stuttering at his question.
I was petty, yes. I never backed down without a fight, yes. But this newfound sass…
Swallowing past the heavy ball in my throat, my gaze skittered away from him. Maddox tended to make me feel on edge, like I was about to jump off the cliff. He irritated me, non-stop. But as bad as it sounded when I admitted it, I had grown used to him being a jerk. The ongoing battle between us was exhausting, but it had been something I started looking forward to. Our pranks and verbal sparring had become something I had grown used to.
The realization had me taking a step back.
I had always been competitive, but I had never found a proper opponent.
Not until Maddox.
His gaze shifted behind me, and his smile slid off his face. “Your bus is here,” he said, breaking through my muddling thoughts.
The bus came to stop in front of us, and I started forward, leaving him behind. My hands were shaking as I tried to take off his jacket. He held my hands in place, over the buttons. “Keep it. You can give it back later,” he said, his voice gruff and thick.
“Have a good night,” I breathed, stepping into the bus.
“Oh, Lila?”
I peeked at him over my shoulder. He had his hands shoved into the pockets of his pants, a few stubborn strands of hair falling over his eyes. “You don’t hate me,” he stated firmly before cracking a smile. “Sweet dreams, Lila. I might visit you there.”
My lips twitched, and I turned away before he could see it. If you google Maddox's name, Cocky will be his definition. Maybe that should be his middle name. Maddox 'Cocky' Coulter.
I swiped my card and took a seat at the back of the bus. As it drove past where we had been, I saw Maddox still standing there, staring at the bus as I left him behind.
He was right.
We were at war, two very fierce opponents.
But…
I didn’t hate him.
Realization dawned to me that I didn’t loathe Maddox as much as I thought I did. Things just turned out a bit more complicated because it would have been easier if I hated him.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Maddox
Hate is a strong word.