This—him inviting me over to what I could only assume was his home for dinner—was decidedly different. It was borderline domestic and so different from anything I’d encountered to this point in my life.
I had a feeling that the moment I crossed the threshold, I would be entering another world. One where the man living inside had made it clear he wanted to take care of me. And not only in bed, but all the time. It was frightening and exciting in the same breath.
Maddox’s eyes tracked my movements as I exited my car, his legs crossed as he leaned against the doorframe, hands tucked into his pockets. There was nothing but adoration shining in their green depths, and it warmed me to the core while sending tingles down my spine.
The man looked edible in a gray sweater over dark wash jeans, his feet bare even though it was December. His dark hair was messy, lacking the product he used to style it while at the rink, likely having showered once he’d returned home.
In a suit, he was powerful and sexy, but I liked him dressed down like this better. It gave off an aura of coziness, making me want to curl up in his arms before a fire.
“I’m overdressed,” I said, gesturing to my dress and heels as I climbed the porch steps.
A warm smile filled Maddox’s face, and the second I was within reach, he pulled me into his arms, brushing his lips against mine in a soft kiss. “You look amazing.”
I shivered at the sincerity of his words. “Thank you.”
Stepping backward, he tugged me further into the house, closing the door behind us. My eyes scanned the interior of the open-concept house. The staircase in the foyer featured a wrought iron railing, leading to what appeared to be an open hallway bridging both sides of the house. That overhead hallway created a thruway to the visible living room, which I could tell from here spanned two stories.
“This place is beautiful,” I mused.
Point for the older guy, being well-established already.
Maddox chuckled beside me. “Thanks. I was slightly nervous you’d think it was a shack after being in Jaxon Slate’s house.”
The Slates did have an impressive residence, but I would never expect Maddox’s home to rival theirs. They had a large family, whereas he was a single man.
I shot him a teasing smile. “Guess that’s the difference between a player and a coach.”
A shadow passed over Maddox’s face, and his body tensed as the playful mood between us shifted.
“Come on.” His voice was gruff as he urged me further into the house with a hand on the small of my back. “Don’t want to burn dinner.”
Shit. Did I take it too far and mess this up already?
Mentally kicking myself, I let him lead me into the kitchen, which was completely open to the living room. Maddox pulled out a stool at the marble island for me, and I took a seat while he moved to check on whatever was simmering on the stove. With his back to me, I could see the tension vibrating through his muscles.
The silence was deafening, so I asked, “Can I help with anything?”
Maddox’s body shook with the force of a heavy sigh, but with it, he seemed to relax, and when he turned around, he was smiling. He was dealing with something, that much was clear, but he shoved it aside so as not to ruin our night. Maybe someday, he would talk to me about it. When he was ready to share, I’d be there waiting. Just like he’d been there for me.
“You wanna grab a bottle of wine out of the chiller?” He gestured to a glass case near the fridge.
“Sure.” I nodded, sliding off the stool. Pausing at the wall of wine, I asked, “You have a bottle in mind?”
“Dealer’s choice.” Maddox didn’t spare me a glance, back to working the food on the stove. Whatever it was, it smelled delicious, the aroma making my mouth water.
I could see the label for a chardonnay on the top shelf, so I raised on my tiptoes and stretched my arm to reach it. My fingers grasped the cool neck, pulling it down. When my heels came down, my trick ankle twisted, and I stumbled, the bottle slipping from my hand.
Almost as if in slow motion, I watched the glass crash to the tiled floor and shatter into a thousand pieces. Wine splashed everywhere, drenching my legs and the front of my dress.
My gasp was drowned out by Maddox’s shout of, “What the fuck?”
Instantly, arms banded around my waist, lifting me into the air. My ass hit the cool marble of the island as Maddox stood before me, scanning for injuries.
The chill of the wine soaking through my clothes had me shivering, but I managed to get out through chattering teeth, “I’m okay. Just clumsy.”
His eyes closed in relief, and he asked, “What happened?”
Trying for levity after embarrassing myself, I joked, “Didn’t quite land the dismount.”
