"Your motorcycle."This time she did the evil grinning as she glanced down at the bike I was sitting on. I was as stunned as I was amused. Looking her up and down again, I noticed her stance wasn't that of a demure little sixteen-year-old. It was almost as if she'd read my mind and she was challenging me to try and make her blush. Even though I was sure she was Madeline, I didn't want her to know it, so I played it off."You must be Madeline." I took another drag of my cigarette because I needed it, then blew out the smoke slowly. "From what I've heard, you're the wild one."I eyed her, knowing she might not take my choice of words too kindly, but I needed to get the upper hand back."Well, I am Madeline, but I don't know about the wild one. What've you heard?""Oh, I've heard about you." I smiled in a way I knew would not be appreciated, given the implication."I'm more outspoken and possibly too daring for my own good, while my sister's the quieter more level-headed one, if tha
Weeks passed after that first conversation with Madeline at the lake. Not only did it seem she was everywhere I turned now, infuriatingly, she invaded my every fucking thought. I managed to keep her off my mind while I was busy working, but anytime I was in town, all I could think of was the next time I'd see her. More frustrating, who I'd see her with.Before she could make good on her threat—because there were no two bones about it, I'd since decided it'd been a purposeful threat—I made good on my promise. That same night at the lake, first chance I got Nolan alone, I made a few things clear."Stop laying it on so thick with that Hellman twin."As expected, he'd been surprised when I explained about Madeline's request. "Why didn't she come talk to me?" he'd asked, already looking around for them."Because I told her I'd take care of it. You can flirt with Maggie. Just tone that shit down. It makes her uncomfortable. But you stay the hell away from Madeline altogether.""What?" h
The guy pulled his ball cap off and banged his own car's roof with it. "Bunch of . . ." He stopped when he turned to see me eyeing him in anticipation of what else might come out of his mouth. "You know them?""Yeah, I do," I said, silently daring him to say more, but he didn't.Wisely, he shrugged, muttering something about it being a better drive alone anyway as he got in his car and slammed his own door shut. After all was said and done, I was left standing there wondering what the hell that was about.Trying to get her off my mind before was hard enough. Now I had so much more to obsess about. First, the realization that this girl had been putting a lot more thought into me than I ever imagined. But up until then I'd seen nothing but her sweet bubbly side. Now I'd seen what a spitfire she could be. More than anything, I knew I'd now obsess about that change in demeanor just seeing me did to her because it was exactly what she did to me each time I laid eyes on her. This was only
It'd been several weeks since the incident in Kings Falls, and so far, I hadn't noticed anything different about the way Madeline and I continued to sneak looks at each other. Her smile was still as sweet, and she was still keeping the boys at bay whenever she was around a mixed group of guys and girls.I was fairly certain and relieved to conclude her mother hadn't mentioned what she'd seen in that alley. Not long afterward, I got confirmation that she had zero knowledge of the incident in the alley.The usual crowd was out by the lake, hanging around bonfires and drinking beer and wine coolers. So far, I'd only ever seen her hold a wine cooler, but for the most part, she seemed to baby it all night. I'd never seen her act stupid or sillier than her norm when she was just laughing with her girlfriends.I was kicking it with my brothers and a few other guys, far away enough so it didn't look like we were trying to hook up with high-school girls but close enough that I could keep an
For once, I was glad I was underage. Even if Kalen, the owner of The Smoke Wagon, never bothered to card any of us when we went in there, America didn't have to know it. "Not twenty-one yet."She shook her head. "That's right. Oh my God, you're so damn big." She stopped to bite her lip and lowered her voice. "In every way. I keep forgetting you're not twenty-one yet."Momentarily distracted by her hand sliding upward over my cock, I closed my eyes for a second. She began saying something about us heading to her room while the girl she was rooming with was at the bar with the rest of the girls, when I noticed Nolan walk away toward where Madeline's group was earlier. It reminded me suddenly how I'd once again let my guard down about Madeline. It was insanity and I knew it. I'd had one conversation with the girl, and I already felt a sense of responsibility toward her, as if I needed to be watching my girl.The thought hadn't even completely registered in my head when I caught the tai
Thankfully, my bike's motor was too loud once on the highway. I purposely revved it up even more as we turned a corner. Since it was too loud to talk, especially for me since I was facing away from her, there were no more questions or exchanges, except for her telling me where her friends would be waiting for her. When we reached the lake side where she'd be meeting her friends, I braced myself as I turned my bike off.Even with the stop we made to get the helmet on her, we'd left so abruptly we got there before any of her friends. I was certain they wouldn't be long since Maggie and Nolan looked ready to take off when we did. I just prayed Nolan hadn't taken a detour and gone somewhere more private, leaving me no choice but to stay and keep Maddie company until the rest arrived. Not that it'd be a bad thing, but I had to remind myself how much more tempting this just got. More than anything, I did not want to deal with her mama's wrath.I got off my bike first. She stayed on the bik
As expected, with Madeline putting it out there the way she did, I was incapable of staying away from her now. Along with the good, some bad came from Madeline hopping on my bike that night and for months after. Word had gotten around real fast about my "cock-blocking" Shane. So for the most part, the guys who so blatantly sniffed around her before, weren't so barefaced about it anymore. At least not when I was around. But the bad thing was, just like the guys who knew better than to fuck with a girl who I may or may not have staked my claim to outright, word had spread among others in town. But I dreaded most what might happen if her mother found out.To make things worse, the more I attempted to be cautious and keep her at bay, the more Madeline was bound and determined to force me to stop fighting the inevitable. As discreet as I was whenever hanging out with another girl, somehow I got the feeling it always got back to her anyway.Fucking small towns.Each time I saw her after h
I put the helmet down on the counter, feeling caught, but shrugged. "Or anyone who might jump on my bike. Helmet laws. Not looking to get a ticket."He nodded, but judging from his expression, he wasn't buying my BS. Only instead of following it up with an annoyed frown as I was expecting, he smirked. "Look, Hijo," he said, leaning against the counter. "When I first heard about you riding this girl around town—I'm not gonna lie—scared the shit out of me. Not that I didn't think you wouldn't be using your head. I trust my boys. None of you would ever do anything any of those girls aren't fully willing to do. Pisses your grandma off how shameless girls are these days—""Not Madeline."My interruption was so abrupt and full of unexpected attitude, I knew I was toast. Here I'd done nothing but given her rides, and I already knew any chance I might've had of walking away from this conversation without my dad picking up on just how fucking hung up on her I was now just flew out the window