I'd promised myself that if I had not heard from her by Friday, I would make the move. I sat in my truck outside of the fire station, freshly showered, and hung up my cell phone. There was no answer. I glanced over to my passenger’s seat and looked down at the fresh bouquet that sat wrapped on my seat. I debated calling again, but then decided to drive over there to see her instead.
I shoved my key into the ignition and turned the engine over and reversed out of the spot. It took me twenty minutes to drive across the city, and a smile spread over my face as I saw her car in its usual spot in the driveway. I cut my lights before I pulled in beside her car. I didn't want to notify her I was here. I wanted it to be a surprise. I grabbed the bouquet from the passenger's seat and made my way to the front door and rang the bell.
"Go away, Derrick," I heard Tess call from inside the house.
I frowned. What the hell had Derrick been doing here? I wondered and rang the bell again.
"Why can't you take a hint," her words echoed from inside.
This time, instead of ringing the bell, I raised my hand and knocked hard on the door.
"Derrick, I told you to go... away." Her words stopped the second her eyes landed on me. "Maddox? What are you..." she asked, looking down at the wrapped bouquet I held in my hands and back to my eyes, then she stepped back and opened the door.
"Everything okay?" I asked as I stepped inside, my eyes washing over her, the sudden want to protect her filling me.
"Yes, everything is fine." She smiled and nodded. I held the flowers out to her. She reached out and took the flowers, her fingers grazing mine, and a wave of desire flickered to life inside me. She removed the wrapper and buried her nose into the bouquet of carnations. "These are beautiful, thank you." She smiled.
"You're welcome. So, what was going on?"
"Nothing, Derrick showed up."
"Ah. Everything okay?" I asked while watching her twirl a strand of hair around her forefinger.
"You wouldn’t believe me if I told you anyways,” she said, waving her hand dismissing the subject. “Anyway, what are you doing here? I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon," she admitted as I followed her into the kitchen.
I watched as she grabbed a vase from under the counter and filled it, then placed the flowers into it and set it in the middle of the table.
"Well, I thought I would come by and see if you wanted to go for dinner?" I asked, letting out a deep breath, trying to fight being nervous as I waited for her answer. "There is a new French place over on Fifth that I thought we could try," I said, approaching her, unsure if I should touch her.
She looked up at me, a soft smile coming to her lips. "That sounds wonderful," she whispered.
I nodded. "Hmm, yes, it does," I whispered as our eyes locked. "You, what else sounds wonderful?"
She bit her bottom lip as she stepped into me and placed her hands on my chest, looking up into my eyes, waiting for me to speak.
"The sound of your yes when I ask you to come back to my place tonight," I replied, pushing a strand of hair from her eyes. I didn't wait for her to answer. Instead I just lowered my mouth to hers and took her in my arms.
"Anyway, so he showed up at my door tonight and practically begged me to allow him to explain his wrongdoings." She laughed as she took a sip of her wine.
"I can't get over that. However, I know you gave him the time to do that, didn't you?" I said, looking at her with a mischievous glint in my eye, knowing full well she wanted nothing more to do with him.
"Yep, of course. I gave him just long enough to give him a piece of my mind and kick him out. Of course, he never could take a hint very well, and after he stood staring at me, giving me those big puppy eyes, he finally left. Then you arrived. I figured it was him begging me again." She giggled and then grew quiet. "How have you been?"
"I've been good. Working mostly. What about you?"
"Same," she said, meeting my eyes.
As she sat across from me, I couldn't get over how beautiful she was. She had been the only thing on my mind since the night I pulled from her driveway, and I’d been a damn fool for not getting out of the damn truck and going back in that house that night. Now that she sat in front of me, I was almost afraid to breathe in case one wrong breath made her disappear. I reached across the table and took hold of her hand in mine, my thumb running across the back of her hand as I looked into her eyes.
"I've missed you...," we both said in unison, both of us lowering our eyes at our admission.
I watched as a small smile came to her lips as she rose her eyes to mine. "I should have called!" she exclaimed.
“No, I should have called,” I insisted and we both laughed.
Her tongue jutted out and licked her lips. She was about to say something when “Easy on Me” by Adele began playing. This song brought me back to New Year’s Eve as I held her in my arms and we danced together right before midnight. I grabbed her hand and stood up. "Come with me," I said, gently pulling her out of her seat.
"Maddox? What are you doing?"