“About six feet, blond, incredibly defined chest, sculpted face, lips that make me want to kiss him for hours, and greenish-blue eyes that I get lost in.” She stopped talking and realized her naturally bold taunting was digging her in deep.
Braden’s silence was far too telling. “What is his personality like?”.
It was crazy how Maddie felt like she knew Braden inside and out. “He’s loyal and kind. He’s very protective of me, even though he doesn’t need to be.”
“I like that,” Braden said. “You deserve a gentleman, even if you can beat him up.”
She laughed softly and found herself continuing. It was too easy to talk to him, especially in the dark where she didn’t get as distracted by his eyes and the way he captivated and engaged her with one simple look. “He’s strong, looks incredible in a towel, and he’s a great fighter, but yes, I can beat him up.”
Braden started laughing at the towel mention, and his laughter only increased as she finished her line.
Maddie was grinning herself and couldn’t stop from saying, “He’s also smart and can tease and flirt with me better than anybody I’ve ever met.”
“That’s good. I know how much you enjoy teasing and flirting.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What else?” he asked.
“He cares about people, his parents, sister, and me being his top priorities.” This was so silly and she was completely transparent now. But she felt everything she was saying deeply, knew it was true. She shouldn’t put herself up there with his family on his list of priorities. She’d known him a matter of hours.
“That is absolutely true,” he agreed huskily.
She trembled with the knowledge that he truly would make her his top priority if she let him. What was happening here?
“He worries about me,” she continued, despite wishing she’d clamp her own mouth shut. “Though he’d never tell me not to fulfill my purpose in life, he worries about what I’ve seen, what I’ve done, and how hard it is on me.” She sucked in a breath. She should not have gone there. The air between them was thick and any hint of teasing had disappeared.
“Also true,” he whispered. “And he’ll always be there for you, ready to listen, help, or support, no matter what you’re going through.”
Really? Braden wouldn’t desert her when he saw how deep the darkness inside was? It was too much to hope for. Not that she’d ever given a man a chance to get inside her head and heart, but she could only imagine the results with someone as impressive and instinctively good as Braden.
“And I’m sure he prays for you,” Braden continued, “and wants you to know that your Savior loves you and would never turn his back on you.”
It was getting far too real now. She couldn’t keep this up, and she felt a sudden rush of emotion that she had no time for.
Closing her eyes tight, she refused to respond. If heaven really did care, maybe her guardian angels could help her with a miracle—to let her fall asleep and not dream, but more importantly, to let her escape all these insane feelings Braden was stirring in her.
“Too far?” Braden asked into the silence.
Much, much too far, but she couldn’t put all the blame on Braden. She’d described him as her boyfriend, she’d let this charade get out of control, and deep inside, she longed for a relationship with someone like Braden.
Exactly like Braden.
“Goodnight,” she said in a firm voice to herself as much as to him.
Braden said nothing for far too long. Was he going to try to force her to talk about her lack of relationship with her Father in Heaven or was he going to scoot over close and hold her throughout the night? Her pulse sped up again. She’d never been in a situation this impossible and out of control, and she’d been in a lot of tight, dangerous, and uncomfortable spots.
“Can you answer one last question?”
“What?” she demanded, her voice too loud and too sharp. She was done with all this emotional junk.
“What’s his name?”
“Brad,” she spit out before she could stop herself.
“Buff, Beautiful, Bad Brad?” he asked.
“That’s the one,” she admitted.