A flashback to the fear hiding in her eyes the previous night comes to the front of his mind. “You make me forget.” Madison had whispered those exact words less than twenty-four hours ago, and Shayne wanted to know what demons she was fighting. He wanted to keep them away and protect her from them in any way he could. Now he just needed to figure out why the hell Madison was different.

  Chapter Seven

  Madison slowly opens her eyes to the blaring sun. She’d had fantastic, filthy dreams about Shayne the night before, and it had ended with him staying over. For once, thoughts of Lacey’s accident hadn’t plagued her nightmares and she was ready to start the day.

  She climbs out of bed and begins rummaging through her closet for clothes to wear when pots and pans clanking in the kitchen causes her to freeze. No one had a key to her apartment but her mother, and she always called before stopping by. Grabbing the lamp from her beside table, the only thing that resembled a weapon, she slowly stalks through the bedroom door and down the hallway. As she approaches the end, a shadow forms on the wall beside her and she swings.

  Shayne jumps back in time to avoid the blow, the lamp shattering against the opposite wall. “What the fuck, princess?”

  “Shit, Shayne, I’m sorry. What are you doing here? And how the hell did you get into my apartment?”

  He quirks an eyebrow at her, amusement playing in his eyes. “You asked me to stay last night.”

  Fuck. Madison didn’t remember much after he walked into the bar. She knew they had talked for hours, but she didn’t remember him coming home with her.

  His chuckle breaks her from the trance she’s in, and she glares at him. Leaning closer, he whispers in her ear. “Damn, princess, if I’d known you were going to try to incapacitate me with a lamp, I would’ve left you at your door and gone back to the hotel.”

  “Haha, city boy. Laugh it up.”

  She makes her way to the coffee machine on the far counter, putting more sway in her hips knowing that he’s watching. The low groan from him makes her smirk.

  “What’s on your agenda today, city boy? When are we going to get started on the house?”

  He stands still a moment, watching every movement she makes. Shayne’s eyes are glazed over with hunger in the most incredible way that anyone had ever stared at her. Madison licks her lips and his eyes catch it.

  “Fuck it,” he mumbles and stalks toward her like she’s his prey. And at that moment, she is, because she would do anything he asked. “You’re something else, Madison, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out why I want you so much. But know that I do, princess.” He steps closer until their lower bodies are aligned enough that she can feel the outline of his erection against her pelvic bone. “Feel that? That’s what you do to me. That’s all you’ve done to me from the moment you stepped out of your car yesterday.”

  Shayne goes to step away, but Madison pulls his shirt, bringing him inches from her face. She watches his green eyes go hard before he removes her hand and steps back, running a hand over his face.

  “Sorry, princess. Not going to happen. At least not today. Whatever demons you’re fighting, I’m not going to be the one who makes you forget. You have to deal with them head-on or they’ll always torment you.”

  How the hell did he know she was dealing with guilt? What had she said last night? Madison’s eyes automatically go to the wall of ribbons and pictures, landing on the last race her and Lacey had done together. A lump forms in her throat and she bolts down the hall, slamming her bedroom door before Shayne can see the glistening in her eyes.

  A second later, he knocks at the door she’s leaning against. “Come on, Madison. Hiding away in your room isn’t helping. Let’s talk.”

  Since the accident, no one’s been willing to talk about it. They hide it away, pushing it under the rug and never once asking Madison if she wanted to talk about it. She blamed herself, carried all her guilt around like a backpack.

  Shayne walked into her life unexpectedly and figured out something was wrong in less than a day. Madison didn’t know whether to spill her guts or pretend like none of the past few minutes had happened.

  “Madison open up or I’m coming in any way. I’m a good listener, and I want to help. You aren’t the only one,” he pauses briefly before continuing. “We all have our demons. It’s whether we choose to face them on our own that gets to us.” Silence follows, and she slowly stands. Opening the door, his green eyes lock on hers before he shoves his way into the bedroom, dragging her to the bed.

  “What was that? Why did you storm out of the kitchen?”

  She breaks eye contact, focusing on a spot on the wall. Deciding it may do her some good, she takes a deep breath and answers.

  “You saw right through me. You asked what was bothering me. I’m a stranger to you, aside from the conversation we had last night. Why would you want to help me?”

  Shayne lifts her head, so she can meet his gaze, not letting go of her chin. “Because you aren’t the only one who deals with guilt and carries it around. I do it every damn day. My mom,” he pauses and shifts her into his side. “She was sick. When I was younger, I didn’t understand. But, when I got older, I learned she had breast cancer. It slowly spread to her brain. She begged me to take the pain away, and there was nothing I could do. I couldn’t save her. I carry that with me every day because I wanted to. I wanted to help her, but I couldn’t.” He sighs and rubs his hand over his face. “The difference between you and me, Madison, is that I acknowledge it’s there and I talk about it.”

  She tries to turn her head, but he isn’t having that. His thumb slowly runs back and forth along her jaw, soothing her erratic heart rate. “You know, in the eight months since my sister’s accident, you’re the first person who’s asked what’s wrong. You’re the first person who genuinely cares that I’m not okay. And, Shayne, that means a lot. Maybe I was wrong about you.”

  The smirk is firmly on his face again, his normal trademark she’s noticed these past two days. “Let’s get one thing straight, princess. You aren’t wrong about me. I’m a cocky bastard with an ego to match. I am that city boy you refer to me as. I grew up in the city, and fuck if I know how to live out here. That’s what you’re for. That’s why you can help fix the house and barns. You have to help me fit in around here.”

  A laugh erupts from her mouth and she can’t stop it. Shayne eyes her quizzically, probably wondering if she’s gone insane. “Sorry, city boy. Nothing I do is going to make you fit in. Your expensive watch, car, and clothes just don’t go with our ripped jeans, cowboy boots, and flannels.”

  He glares at her, but Madison can see the excitement dancing in his eyes. “That’s all I have to do, dress differently? I’ll buy some flannels soon then.” He stops, a serious expression taking over his face. “Back to you. Talk to me. About your sister. About her accident. What happened? What’s going through that pretty little head of yours?”

  Madison takes a deep breath and looks away again. She hasn’t talked to anyone about Lacey since it happened.

  “My sister and I were close. I don’t just mean in age. We were inseparable and did everything together. We started riding when we were six and never stopped. Once we were old enough, we started racing. We competed against each other, sure, but one of us always came out on top. We didn’t resent each other for it.”

  Madison pauses, gauging his reaction. He nods his head for her to continue.

  “It was our last race before we were going on vacation with our parents. Our brother was home; he didn’t do that often. Now, it’s even longer between his visits. Anyways, everything had been in place. We’d made sure the horses were ready, the saddles were correct, everything.” She stops for a minute, trying to ease the panic taking over. Shayne places his hand on her thigh, rubbing circles into her skin. She continues.

  “My horse was fine. I finished second in my race. Then it was Lacey’s turn. Everything was great, she only had three more jumps on the course to get first. When her horse jumped, its shoe moved and when it landed, the horse freaked out. If it isn’t properly in place it causes the horse a lot of pain. Lacey was thrown off and before anyone could get to her, the horse had stomped on her a few times. She was knocked unconscious. I haven’t ridden since.”

  Tears fall down Madison’s face before she realizes she’s crying. Shayne pulls her close and wraps his arms around her, letting her cry into his chest. “You can stop. Tell me the rest when you’re ready. But, Madison, that could’ve happened to anyone. I don’t know much. Okay, I don’t know a damn thing about horses or how to care for them, but you can’t blame yourself for what happened.”

  Hearing Shayne say that makes her anger rise to the surface. She jerks back and throws her hands up. “How can you say that? I checked her horse! I was supposed to make sure everything was perfect! Lacey is dead because I didn’t do the job I was meant to!”

  Shayne grabs her wrists and holds them in his grasp, staring directly into her eyes. “It is not your fault, Madison! And when you finally start to see that, you’ll feel a lot better!”

  Madison was boiling now. Shayne had stepped over the line. So, why did she want to kiss him senseless? Before she could second guess herself, she slams her lips against his. He doesn’t respond right away, but it only takes a few seconds before his tongue pushes against her lips and she opens for him. Seconds later, he pushes her away.

  “Madison, we can’t do this. I can’t do this. I’m not for you, princess. After the house and barns are remodeled, I’ll be leaving. I’m going to hire contractors, too. Four months and I’m going back to Atlanta.” He runs his hands through his hair. “Come on, let’s get breakfast.”

  Chapter Eight

  Shayne was out of his depth with Madison. Nothing could happen between them, as much as he wanted it to. Pushing her away took every ounce of strength he had. Then he decided to stay for breakfast.

  He admitted that he couldn’t cook much, but she told him to sit, and she would make omelets. Whatever she was cooking smelled damn good to him. The silence between them was deafening, though.

  Shayne didn’t know how to make Madison understand that she wasn’t responsible for her sister’s accident. He only hoped she would talk to someone about it now.

  As he was waiting for breakfast, he noticed a picture tucked underneath the napkin holder on the table. He didn’t want to be nosy, but it looked old and he was curious. Pulling it out, Shayne instantly recognizes his younger self.

  “Where’d you get this?”

  Madison turns to see what he’s holding. She smiles. “My mom had it in a scrapbook. She said there’s more somewhere. Apparently, we were friends as kids. That’s me in the picture, too.” She turns back to tend to the food and he could only stare.

  Shayne didn’t have many personal belongings that were his mom’s. They had moved a few times, struggling to make rent or have food. A lot of their photos had got left behind when they had to leave. “Do you think she would let me make copies of any of them? I-I don’t have any.” His throat suddenly felt tight.

  “I’m sure she would.” Madison places two plates on the table and sits across from him. “We can ask her tonight at dinner.”

  Shayne meets her gaze, confusion etched on his face. “Tonight at dinner?”

  “My mom wants me to bring you to dinner tonight. She knew your aunt and your mom. My parents grew up here, too, ya know. I mentioned your name yesterday and she talked about us playing together when we were younger.” She points at the picture. “That’s where the picture came from. I asked if she had any.”

  “I guess I can go. I mean, it couldn’t hurt. I haven’t had a good meal since I’ve been here.”

  Madison smirks. They eat their food quietly. When they finish, he excuses himself back to his own hotel and said he’d pick her up tonight.

  Shayne didn’t know what to wear to dinner. It was just her parents. It wasn’t like they were dating. It wasn’t like they were anything but friends. Could they really call each other that? They’d only known each other two days, yet, they’d shared their personal life like it’d been years. It felt like it’d been years.

  He shook the thought away and decided to go shopping for some different clothes. The department store in town carried everything from groceries to clothes. He had no idea what he was looking for, but remembering Madison’s statement from earlier this morning, he opted for jeans, a few flannels, and plain t-shirts. Shayne wasn’t going to buy cowboy boots. He’d probably get laughed at and Madison would say he was trying too hard. He smiles thinking of the way her eyes lit up when she was excited or happy.

  Damn it. Those thoughts were going to get him in trouble. He needed to keep Madison at arm’s length. He didn’t want to hurt her, and that’s what would happen in the end. He was leaving. Atlanta was his home.

  *****

  Shayne pulls out front Madison’s apartment at four o’ clock. She was sitting on the bottom step, staring at her phone. When he notices what she’s wearing, he laughs. Great minds think alike.

  He steps out of the car and rounds the hood to stand in front of her. “What’s on your mind, princess?”

  Madison’s head snaps up, gaze colliding with his. Once the shock wears off, he watches her eyes travel down his body. The flannel was tighter than he was comfortable with, but the intensity of her stare made him want to buy fifty more. Stop it.

  “Looks like we’re matching today,” she smiles and stands, heading toward the passenger door of his car. “You ditched the clothes and watch, but you forgot the most important part, city boy.”

  Shayne gives her a quizzical look. “What’s that?”

  She turns back, planting both hands on the roof of the car. “This is the most ridiculous item you’ve got. I know it’s a rental, but you need something else. A truck, maybe. But not one of those new things that are shiny and pristine. We’re going to find you an old beater that’ll take you from point A to point B.” She laughs. “You, city boy, are privileged and no one here likes it.”

  Shayne waits until they’re seated to reply. “Last I checked, princess, some people here like that.” He smirks at her and pulls away from the sidewalk.

  There’s a blush on her cheeks, and he was proud of himself. His intentions always worked. Madison wore her emotions for everyone to see. Embarrassment included.

  “You need to make a left up here and follow the road until you come to the second driveway.” She whispers it, staring out the window. Shayne hadn’t wanted to upset her. He was trying to joke around. Before he can say anything, she speaks again. “I don’t like you for your privilege or pristine things, Shayne. You may not see it, but you’re a good guy. You’re attractive and funny. But your ego needs knocked down a few pegs.” She bursts out laughing and holds her sides from the impact.

  “You think you’re so funny, don’t you, princess? I’ll get you back for that later.”

  “I should warn you. My older brother, Blake, will be here and he’s bringing someone home for us to meet. My mom’s ecstatic, so I’m going to apologize for her behavior now. She’s wanted us to get married and have grandbabies since we graduated high school. I’m not ready to make that happen, but maybe Blake is.” She sighs and rubs her temples. “She’s going to try to coax you into admitting any feelings for me. She’s going to make comments about us being a cute couple and all those crazy things. Ignore her, nod, smile. Just don’t encourage her, please.”

  Shayne looks sideways as he pulls into the driveway. Madison’s shoulders stiffen the closer they get. He stops before they get in sight of the porch.

  “Princess, we don’t have to go to dinner. We can go back to the bar and talk for hours. I don’t want to do something that makes you uncomfortable.”

  When she turns to look at him, there are unshed tears glistening in her eyes. She wipes them, trying to keep them from falling. “My mom would have my ass if I blew off this dinner. Blake doesn’t come home often, so this will be my only chance to see him for another few months or so.” She clears her throat. “Lacey is the only thing I can see when I’m here. My parents don’t understand that, so I act normal. I come by at least once a week, but I never stay long. Dinner is for Blake’s benefit. And now yours. Let’s go before we’re late.”

  Shayne shifts the car into drive and parks behind the others in the yard. “Are you sure I’m welcome here, Madison?”

  “Shayne has a vulnerable side? Oh, I’ve got to see more of this. Yes, you’re welcome here, city boy. I wouldn’t have mentioned it if you weren’t. Come on, you’ll see.”

  Madison stands at the front of the car waiting for him. He was nervous to meet her family, and he didn’t know why. He follows her up the steps, her hand in his, her thumb rubbing the back of his. She was trying to comfort him, calm him down. Then he remembers what she said about her mom.

 

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