Where was the strong, independent woman I believed myself to be?
She’s on vacation; needy Madi is filling in.
Matt gently placed my feet on the porch, but kept one arm wrapped around me as I leaned on him.
“Keys,” he gently reminded me. “Unless you want me to search for them.”
The idea of Matt sticking his hand in my pockets had the same effect as a shot of adrenaline. I created space between us and stared at his hand as I reached into my pocket. Thank God the porch light was off. I fished out my keys while pretending I wasn’t thinking about those damn hands. Hands that could be demanding and controlling, gentle and comforting.
Tonight, I needed both versions of Matt.
That strong hand, the one I couldn’t stop staring at, reached over and took the keys out of my hand.
The house tilted and blurred as he lifted me.
My arms wrapped around his neck. My head fell onto his shoulder.
All was right in the world.
I blinked and found myself in my bed.
Chapter 32
Matt
She’s mine.
That thought played on repeat as Madi fell asleep in my arms for the second time since I’d lifted her out of my truck.
She’d stayed on busy helping everyone at the hospital. Madi was a force of nature, thanks to the combined magical effects of adrenaline, caffeine, and sheer force of will.
I was in awe.
But she crashed as we walked to my truck after saying goodbye to everyone at the hospital.
By the time I buckled her seatbelt, with nary a complaint from her, she was shaking.
When I ordered her to drink a bottle of water, she lifted it to her lips on auto-pilot and drained it.
Before I exited the lot, Madi was snoring softly with her head resting against the cool window.
The purring sounds she’d made while I carried her short circuited my brain. Instinctively, I pulled her closer to my chest, which did nothing to help stop the blood rushing below my beltline.
Her soft arms wrapped around my neck felt as natural as breathing.
She’s mine. Madi wouldn’t admit it yet, but she would when her brain caught up to her body. Her willingness to give up control to me, to lean on me—physically and emotionally—to trust me told me all I needed to know.
Now that I’d taken my head out of my ass and admitted my feelings, I’d show her every day I was hers until I shattered her walls of doubt.
I wasn’t the man she needed, yet, but I’d work every single day to become him. I’d love and support her while she built her business, proving to her that she could have it all.
It wouldn’t be easy, but I’d never backed down from a challenge.And I won’t start now.
By some miracle, I got her in the house and into her bedroom without waking Jack or Meg. After gently placing her on the queen-sized bed, I slipped her thick rubber-soled nursing shoes off and draped a blanket over her.
Unable to resist, I brushed my knuckles across her cheek and touched my lips to her forehead. “Good night, Red.”
Bright and semi-early Sunday morning, I was standing in Jack’s kitchen talking to him and Meg while we waited for Madi to wake up.
