Page 37 of Double Trouble
He grins and backhands Aislynn in the upper arm. “She’s not great at introductions.”
“Leave me alone,” Aislynn says, swatting him away. “I’m tired.”
“Just let me know when you want me to drive,” Tristan lilts, and it gets him a death glare.
“You are not touching my baby. Your only responsibility is to hit me if I start dozing.”
“Aye aye.” He salutes her, and Tanner and I share an amused look. At least if we can’t make out on the way home, we’ll be entertained.
The day isn’t over yet, but I’m running out of time.
And I’m going to tell her today.
I love you, Maddie.
The words play in the back of my throat, aching to be said, but my brain keeps telling them to chill out. Wait till we’re alone again.
Maddie snuggles into my side, and I rest my cheek on the top of her head, the soft tunes of country music playing in the background. Aislynn and Tristan sing along, their voices blending together in perfect harmony. They probably karaoke together on the weekends to standing ovations.
The sun slips away, and pretty soon all I see out the window is my own reflection staring back at me. Nerves prickle up and down my side where Mad’s resting. She’ll occasionally add to the conversation, so I know she hasn’t dozed off, but she stays put against me.
I won’t let myself get too excited. This is how it is during the initial week of dating. The touching, the cuddling, the kissing… it’s all well and good until suddenly it’s not. Suddenly it’s too tight of a hug, too long of a kiss, too stifling to cuddle. It scares me to push, so I let her make all the moves. But even then, I wonder if she truly wants me to respond the way I’m dying to.
My thoughts get heavy, and my lids droop. I don’t want to sleep; I want to stay awake for every moment I get with her in my arms, but my body has other ideas, and soon I drift away.
***
“Hey, boyfriend.”
A small whisper rouses me, and I flinch. Mad lets out a soft giggle and pokes my cheek.
“Wake up, sleepy.”
I suck in a deep inhale, my eyes blinking open and trying to focus on something. Her hazel eyes and grin greet me.
“Hey,” I say, stretching from underneath her. A pang goes up my spine, and a hiss slips through my teeth. Backseats were not made for sleeping.
Mad quickly glances at the front where Aislynn is still singing, bopping along to the music with Tristan beside her, flicking through his phone. Then she turns to me. “I know it’s late, but… can I come to your place?”
I lift a brow, my brain still trying to wake up. “Huh?
She drops her voice even lower, rising so her lips are at my ear. If she thinks this’ll help me concentrate more, she’s dead wrong.
“I’m not ready to go home. Can we watch a movie or something?”
She wants to come to my place. She’s never been there before, and my mind zaps to coherency. Where’s my laundry? Are my dishes done? Shit, my bathroom…
“Uh…”
She shakes her head and slams her eyes shut. “It’s okay if you don’t want—”
“I want.” Damn, do I want. I could tell her I love her, right there on my couch, no one around except Hawk. “It’s just…” I scratch the back of my head. “It might be a mess.”
She snorts. “Like I care about that.”
I cringe. “Don’t speak too soon.”
She gives my ribs tickle fingers, then pushes up, leaving my side cold and lonely. Her face pokes between the two front seats.
