Chapter 9

Liam

Not having her right now was one of the hardest things I had ever done.

That has to wait until we have a chance to talk first.

She needs to understand that I’m not the man for her, there is no happily ever after with me.

I am Mr. Right Now. Have some fun with no strings attached, but that is it.

Gorgeous and innocent girl like Madison doesn’t deserve the baggage that comes with me.

We have to get back to the party. Well we don’t, and Halden’s know better than to ask me questions if we decided not to return. In the end they matched us. I’m the one needing the brake and other people around us because my hands ache to touch those luscious breasts. Times and times again I imagined how they would feel but I guess nothing compares to the real thing. And the real thing is not going to happen tonight.

She is driving us back, both of us quiet and lost in our thoughts.

Is she already regretting this?

We’re there in a few minutes and she parks her car right next to mine.

Madison looks at me and she smirks.

“Shall, we?”

Good, I see no regret in her green eyes. I return the smirk. Huge weight lifted off me.

“Madison, you have to know that I want you...” I stop her from exiting the car because a thought occurs that she might take my behaviour tonight the wrong way.

“Right now, or…?” She asks mockingly.

“Madison!” I am serious as fuck while she is very relaxed.

She was open with me and I want to give her clarity as well.

This is the least I can do. I don’t want her walking away from this evening thinking I’m not attracted to her.

I’m not the best with emotions so I’m not sure how to approach this.

“Ok, ok!” she puts both hands in the air in a gesture of surrender and laughs wholeheartedly.

I join her because the pun of her response just hits me.

“I really and truly don’t understand you,” she tells me, rolling her eyes at me.

Moment we join the party I can see that Piper is about to explode with questions and it wasn’t long before she managed to snatch Madison from me.

Drake promptly pulls me into a conversation and nobody dares to ask where we disappeared.

I offer no explanation and I sit back joining the conversation now and then, but mostly immersed in my own thoughts. I’m torn between my desire for her and the fact that I do not want to see her hurt. Being hurt is a given if we pursue this. This little break gives me a chance to clear my head and to calm down from our conversation.

My watch indicates that Josh, my CTO is calling me again.

I ignored the first two calls, but if he is calling the third time, it must be urgent.

The phone is in my car, so I go back to the parking and call back Josh. In a few short sentences he informs me on how one of our data centers is down because some local maintenance crew cut the communication line by accident. By this time emergency procedures were initiated and our other data centers took over the traffic.

Crisis task force is in the office, only I am missing.

Hell, how did I allow this to happen.

I’m continually making mistakes since Madison appeared back in my life.

“Josh, I’m on my way to the office,” I tell him.

“Sure, but don’t rush.This is why you pay us shit load of money. So you don’t have to do everything yourself.” He responds.

He is right, what is the point of building a competent team if I’m not going to let them do their job. I imagine that parents feel like this when they have to let their children make their own decision for the first time. Good or bad, it has to be their to be made.

“I don’t have a doubt that you did everything. I’ll come to give my support.”

“Sure, see you later.”

I get back to the house to say my goodby to Drake and Piper, not going into details because I don’t know who is listening. Before I go I scan the room looking for the drunk guy from before.

The intention is to give him a few parting words so that the thoughts of bothering Madison don't even cross his mind.

“He is gone,” Drake catches my look.

“Good, I wanted to tell him to stay away from Madison.”

This is only a portion of what I wanted to tell that guy, but Drake doesn’t need to know everything. I’m not done with that guy, not by far.

We say goodby and I search for Madison.

She is outside, sitting in a group of women alongside Piper.

She sees me looking for her and I wave my hand signaling I want her to join me.

“I have to go.” I tell her as she approaches.

She raises her eyebrows.

“Work emergency, one of our data centers is down.” I explain.

Her eyes widen in the light of the information, because she knows what that means.

“We will see each other tomorrow?” She asks tentatively, holding her hands out to me.

“Yes, I’ll pick you up at seven and we will go on a real date.” I respond and hold her.

“We have a lot to talk about.” I tell her.

“You mean more than tonight?” she responds with mock fear in her eyes.

Madison smiles and stands there not really knowing what to say.

I lean and kiss her cheek and her smile widens.

Not just the smile, there is that spark in her eyes.

The one that makes me want to grab her and kiss her silly.

The one that makes me want to stay here with her, instead of going to the office.

I smile back, kiss one of her hands, let her go and walk away.