“Hmm… and no Alex to save you this time. I can promise you, I won’t be having a romantic dessert with you. I love you and all, but bromance only goes so far,” he says, and I let out a laugh.
“You’re a dick.”
“Yep, but I’m a buff dick, and good at my job. That’s why you keep me around.”
I groan. “True. What’s Dwayne doing today?”
“Pretty sure he’s going with your brother and Ria to the doctor. Nate’s being very protective.”
I chuckle. “Hmm… yeah, I can imagine.”
“Okay, we’re here. Want me to pull in around the back like normal?”
I nod, and he pulls the car down the side street and into the back parking lot where the staff park. Typically, customers aren’t supposed to park here, but the owners of Finlay’s gave us the okay to park here on occasion. And if I need a quick getaway, this is a good way to do just that.
We step out and walk in through the back entrance. The pub is quiet as not many people come in during the morning hours. And being a pub, most people come here to drink, which is a shame because the food is exceptional.
Walking in, I nod at Tamika, the usual bartender, and she smiles while gesturing to my usual booth. The one I told Madeline I’d be in.
I take a seat, and Scott grins at me and sighs. “Good luck, bro. I’m just going to be over here if you need me.” He pats my shoulder, then heads to the tall table and stool opposite the booth. It’s far enough away that he won’t be able to hear our conversation, but close enough to know if anything’s going wrong.
I’m tense.
I’m nervous.
As I lean back in the booth, I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans while wondering what she’s going to be like.
Will she look like her picture?
Will she know who I am?
Will she fangirl over me?
I have no idea, and not knowing while I wait is slowly killing me.
“Matt?” a deep, husky voice calls out from beside me, breaking my thoughts.
I look up at Madeline, who looks exactly like her picture. Exactly like the freaking redheaded goddess of every man’s fucking wet dreams. Her figure is curvy but proportioned. Her face is model-perfect. Her lips are full and plump, covered in red lipstick. Her eyes are the brightest of bright green. Her lashes go on for days, and she’s wearing a red dress that isn’t revealing but is figure-hugging enough to make my cock twitch, reminding me that I am a man and I have needs. Needs that very much haven’t been met in a long, long while.
“Jesus,” I murmur.
She smirks and bats her eyelashes. “Not Jesus, just Madeline, but it’s so nice to meet you finally. I was beginning to think you were never going to ask.”
Chapter Nineteen
MATT
Standing, I brush my hands nervously down my jeans and sigh. “Sorry it took so long. I just wanted to make sure it was the right thing to do.”
She draws her bottom lip in with her teeth, and I almost come on the spot.
“And was it the right thing to do?”
I chuckle. “I’ll let you know at the end of the date.”
“Good call.” She puts her hand out for me to shake, but I screw my face up and pull her into an embrace instead. She leans into the hug, and she feels nice against me. Her body conforms to mine, and we hold each other for just a moment before pulling away. Madeline looks up at me, and her green eyes sparkle as she runs her hand down my arm, subtly copping a feel.
“So, Matt, I feel like I know a lot about you, and yet, I feel like there’s so much more to learn still,” she says as she walks to the other side of the booth and takes a seat.
