3

Maddox

I WAS ALONE once again. Dee never stayed. It was one of our rules. There were many, but that one had never changed or been broken.

Pouring another shot of whiskey, I sat on the sofa, thinking of when we met.

Deirdre Anne Wilson slid into my life as easily as she slid into the back seat of the limo on the night out for Emmy’s birthday that Bentley arranged. She sat beside me with her long, sexy legs crossed demurely and a smile playing on her full lips.

“You must be Maddox.”

“Dee, I presume?”

“Right in one.”

She looked around the interior of the car. “Nice limo.”

I grinned and pulled a bottle of champagne from the bucket. “Thanks to Bentley.”

She arched an eyebrow my way knowingly. “I think my sister insisted. She has no boundaries.” She glanced over at Cami. “I’m afraid Aiden has his hands full.”

I poured her a glass of the bubbly with a chuckle. “I wouldn’t worry about Aiden. He can handle himself.”

I thumped the roof of the car and yelled at Bentley to move things along. I was hungry, and I wanted to get the evening started.

When Bentley and Emmy finally entered the limo, I handed them each a glass of champagne and toasted the birthday girl. I already had a soft spot for Emmy. She was bright, vivacious, and a good match for Bent. I had never known him to be so taken with someone.

Aiden seemed caught in Cami’s spell, and she only had eyes for him. I had a sense she was going to keep him on his toes, and he might prove to be a good partner for her—if he allowed it.

That left Dee and me. I was prepared to endure the evening being friendly, for Bentley’s sake. I didn’t know what I anticipated Cami’s older sister to be like, but the alluring woman sitting beside me wasn’t part of my expectations. She was average height, with a willowy build. Unlike Cami’s vivacious looks and personality, Dee was sedate and pretty in an understated way. Her clothes were simple and unfussy, her hair cut chin-length, and her face makeup-free. Yet, there was something intriguing and sexy about her. Her large green eyes were intelligent and her movements graceful. She had a low and husky voice, and she chose her words carefully. When she smiled, her face lit up, but in a different way from her sister. Cami beamed, while Dee’s expression softened and warmed, like the diffused light of dawn.

It was highly attractive.

For the next weeks, I had gotten to know Dee as our little group formed. I enjoyed talking to her, and we conversed on a variety of subjects. She had a wicked sense of humor and did incredible imitations of people that made me laugh. She was strong and seemingly unflappable, and I suspected there were hidden depths under her no-nonsense façade. She was well read and we had a lot in common, but neither of us pursued anything outside of our group get-togethers. It was nice to have someone to chat with when we were all together. Given the way Bentley was falling for Emmy, I had a feeling I’d be seeing a lot of Dee. I liked her company and found myself thinking of her a great deal, but I never followed through with my distracting thoughts. As much as she intrigued me, I didn’t pursue her.

Until one day, I was browsing my local bookstore for something new to read.

Studying a book jacket, I was distracted when a woman’s silhouette caught my attention. She was lissome and pretty, the sunlight catching her light red hair. She was reading the back of a book, her finger running over the spine. Something about her beckoned to me yet seemed familiar. With a grin, I realized it was Dee, and I approached her. “Find something good?”

She glanced at me, startled. I was close enough to see the flecks of brown in her wide green eyes. She smiled and slid the book back onto the shelf. “Not really.” She indicated the books I had in my hand. “I think you’ve had better luck.”

“You can borrow one if you like. I tend to buy in batches.”

She tilted her head, silently mouthing the titles. She looked up with a smile. “That would be lovely.”

“I was gonna grab a cup of coffee. Can I interest you in joining me?”

“I’d love to.”

Seated across from her, I realized it was the first time we’d ever been alone.

“You come here often?”

She shook her head with a wry grin. “Is that your best pick-up line, Maddox?”

I chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in here until today.”

“I was in the office for a short while, then dropped in here. Usually I browse on my lunch hour.”

“That makes sense.”

Silence fell as we sipped our coffee, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I noticed she nibbled at the end of her thumb, and it struck me as odd. Given her stoic persona, I found it rather endearing.

I found my thoughts strange. Endearing wasn’t a word I used often—if ever.

She met my gaze. “So, is it?”

“Is it what?”

“Is that your best pick-up line?”

I studied her as I drank my coffee. “I don’t typically do pick-up lines.”

She smirked. “I’m not surprised.”

“Sorry?”

“With that whole silver fox thing you’ve got going, I’m sure you don’t have to.”

I frowned. “Silver fox?”

“Maddox, the silver fox. Young, sexy, wealthy, plus that premature gray? I bet you beat them off with a stick.”

I shook my head, amused at her thoughts. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but no.”

“Really? I’m surprised.”

I sat back, crossing my legs, swinging one foot. “What about you, Deirdre? All prim and pretty. You drive the lawyers crazy at your firm?”

She laughed. “Dee. No one calls me Deirdre. It’s stuffy and formal.”

“No. It’s a lovely name for a lovely woman. It suits you. The lawyers you date don’t call you by your full name?”

She ignored my comment about her name. “I don’t date lawyers, or anyone else at my firm,” she stated firmly. “In fact, I don’t date.”

“Ever?”

She hesitated, then shook her head. “No. Love, romantic love, isn’t for me.”

I took in a deep breath and spoke. “Why is that?”

“It’s dangerous. It overwhelms and kills you.”

At my raised eyebrow, she continued.

“I’m not saying I don’t see people. I have . . . needs. But I don’t do romantic relationships. I’ve seen the way love destroys people.” She held up her hand before I could speak. “I know it works for some, but I’m not built that way.”

I drained my coffee, then leaned forward. “Neither am I.”

She widened her eyes. “Really?”

“Love equals power. The power to destroy. The ability to hurt and cause pain. The chaos it causes. That’s what love means to me. It destroys trust and leaves you weak.”

“You feel that way about everyone?”

“There are a few exceptions. And I will never break them for a woman.”

Our eyes met, silent understanding passing between us. The air shifted, and I felt our mutual desire grow. It stretched out, pushing tentatively against the boundaries we had erected. She propped her elbow on the table, lifting her thumb to her mouth. Her small teeth gnawed at the flesh. It was an innocent gesture, yet I found it provocative.

“I have needs too,” I murmured. Reaching over, I tugged her thumb from her mouth, inspecting it. From the roughness of the skin, and the fact that it was the second time she’d done it since we sat down, it was clearly a nervous habit for her. I slowly dragged my fingers across her palm, then laid her hand on the table.