“Gotcha.” Maddie headed for the laundry room instead of the back patio sliding glass door.
They took turns spraying each other with repellant, then went out the laundry room door and onto the spacious rear patio. It was a gorgeous early fall night, a bit muggy but probably around seventy-five degrees.
They walked down to the lake’s edge and then to the north for just a bit. There was space by the lake’s edge to walk, but the trees encroached on it sometimes and they had to duck under them or go around. After a few minutes, they saw the lights of another cabin reflecting off the lake’s glossy surface and turned back around so they wouldn’t get too far from Thomas and his cabin. Just in case something went awry. Braden felt very safe here, but who knew what might be coming? He’d never imagined two days ago that a gorgeous blonde would knock him off his feet and find her way into his heart, that his house would get blown up, and that his admiral would get shot while they were at lunch.
“I wonder if Thomas interacts with his neighbors?” Maddie mused.
“I hope he has friends,” Braden said. “He seems pretty lonely, and it was like the release of Midwesterner hospitality when we showed up.”
“He might’ve scared any neighbors off with how exuberant he is. It’d be interesting to hear his story.”
“For sure.” Braden was relieved they could talk easily after how stilted the dinner conversation had been. “I wonder why he’s not married.”
“In his line of work, he might not be able to develop a relationship of trust like that.”
Braden glanced at her. It was easy to see her clearly as they were parallel with Thomas’s cabin again and the lights spilling from the two-story windows. They headed south along the lake. “That’d be tough.”
“What?” she asked.
“Being alone. Never having a family of your own.”
“It’s not so bad.”
His eyebrows rose.
She refused to look at him and upped her pace, hurrying past the cabin until they were in relative darkness again.
Braden searched for something to say. “Maddie …”
“What?” She whirled on him, obviously frustrated.
He hated that it was too dark to see her blue eyes and read what she was feeling. “Are you planning to never get married?”
“I have no clue what business that is of yours.” She brushed past him, turned another time, and strode back north along the shore.
Braden jogged to keep up. He wracked his brain for what to say, how to reach her. They reached the grass below Thomas’s cabin and Braden boldly wrapped his hands around her waist from behind, gently bringing her to a stop.
He was certain she’d either elbow him, or at least stiffen in his arms. Instead she leaned back against him, releasing a sigh as if relieved to be close.
“Ah, Maddie.” He bent close to her ear and gently kissed the soft skin of her jawline. She shivered and rested her arms over his, tilting her head slightly so he had access to her smooth neck. He kissed her neck, savoring the perfect smell and feel of her. His entire body was in hyper-drive with her close.
“You have to admit that we have something special between us,” he said, wanting to beg her to give them a chance.
She turned in his arms to face him, but she didn’t wrap her arms around him. She stared up at him, the lights from Thomas’s cabin reflected in her blue eyes. She looked … afraid.
“Maddie.” He rubbed his palms along her lower back. “I would never hurt you. Never.”
“I know.” She blinked up at him.
“Then what are you afraid of?”
She licked at her lips and he almost kissed her right then and there, but self-control and the perfect timing were of utmost importance right now.
“Me hurting you,” she admitted in a quiet voice that for some reason sent chills down his back.
He stared at her, trying to figure out how to get through to her. He knew she had a blanket of cold that enveloped her warm and selfless soul. But somehow he couldn’t get through that chilly blanket and help her see how incredible she was to him.
“It would be worth it,” he said.