Page 77 of Mountain Dreams

“I’d like that,” replied Maddie. “And thanks for dinner,” she added, looking at Jax.

“No problem,” he said.

The brothers shook hands over the seat, and then Cody got out and helped Maddie down. He wanted to keep holding her hand as they walked up to the house, but he thought she might not want Jax and Avery to see.

As he followed her up the steep driveway, he glanced up at the sky. It was a clear, calm night, and a hint of spring was in the air. He inhaled the fresh scent of pine and listened to an owl hooting in a nearby tree. What a perfect night, he thought as he unlocked the door and let them in.

They removed their coats and shoes without speaking. Then he reached for the light switch, but she clamped her hand over his and shook her head.

“Let’s go to bed,” she whispered in the dark.

He froze, his heart pounding in his chest. “Together?” His voice came out in an embarrassing squeak.

“Yes.”

It was the only confirmation he needed. Taking her hand in his, he led her upstairs.

Twenty-Four

Whatever hesitations she’d had, she’d left them at the bottom of Sawyer’s Ridge. Now she couldn’t wait to get naked with him.

As soon as they stepped into his bedroom, she reached for his shirt and started to pull it up his torso.

“Hey, wait a minute. What’s the rush?”

“Don’t tell me you want to talk again?” She slid her hands under his shirt and caressed his warm chest.

“I do have a question or two.”

“Can’t it wait?” she said as she playfully pinched his nipples.

He sighed, but his gaze told her he was fully on board with what she was doing. Then he pulled her hands out from under his shirt and took a step back. She was about to protest when he lifted his shirt up and off and tossed it to the floor.

She sucked in a breath at the sight of his naked torso. “Keep going.”

He lifted his brows and looked amused. “What am I, your personal stripper?”

She nodded enthusiastically. “I plan on asking for a lap dance too.”

He chuckled as he popped open the button of his jeans. “I never expected to hear such things from you.” He slid down his zipper.

“Why, because I wear glasses and like to read?”

He shook his head. “Everything you do is sexy to me. I just never thought we’d be together like this.”

“Me either,” she said, her gaze tracking his hands as he pushed down his jeans.

She expected him to ditch his underwear too, but instead, he punched his hands on his hips.

“You look like Captain Underpants,” she teased.

He gave her a confused look, and she flapped her hand. “Never mind. Carry on.”

“Not until you answer a question for me.”

She huffed, impatient to get to the good stuff. “Okay, but just one.”

“Why did you leave so fast after we made love?”