Superb and Sexy (Sky High Air #3)(69)

“Damn,” he breathed.

Yeah. Damn. As in damn, he smelled good. Damn, he looked even more amazing.

And damn, just being this close to him made her ache deep down in her chest cavity as if her heart was rolling over and exposing its underbelly.

But she needed to get over herself because any second now, he was going to realize what she planned to do, and that would be the end of her just standing so close to him, absorbing his heat, his strength, his innate masculinity that had her in a state of constant awareness.

At her involuntary little sigh, he lifted his head and searched her eyes for a long moment. “You should know,” he said, “I like her don’t come idea. That’s all I’m going to say on that.”

She felt her surprise cross her face.

“What?”

“I expected you to go all caveman and beat your fists against your chest, demanding I stay here.”

He raised a brow. “Beat my fists against my chest?”

“Yeah. Maybe even drag me off by my hair to your cave to keep me with you.”

He let out a low laugh. “Drag you off by the hair?”

“Oh, like you’ve never done the Neanderthal thing.”

“I have definitely not dragged you off by your hair to my cave.” Watching her speculatively, he rubbed a hand over his chin, the five o’clock shadow rasping. “Although it’s a very interesting fantasy.”

She choked out a laugh at the sudden heat in his eyes. “You really do surprise me,” she admitted.

“And you me. Constantly. You want to go back.”

“Yeah.”

But she intended to do it alone.





Chapter 26


B rody knew exactly what Maddie wanted to do. She wanted to go back to Stone Cay alone. Short of pulling that whole knuckle-dragger thing she’d accused him of, he wasn’t sure how to proceed. “I need to talk to Noah. Give me a minute,” he said and pointed at her. “And you should know, I’m keeping my eyes on you.”

She rolled hers but didn’t move when he walked to Noah, who was in the center of the lobby. From where Brody stood, he could still see Maddie. She was glaring at him, and he didn’t care. “I need a few more days off,” he said to Noah. “And I need a plane tonight.”

His partner didn’t blink at the scheduling nightmare, but they both knew it was going to hurt. Their clients wouldn’t be happy. And for the first time in memory, Brody didn’t give a shit.

This was more important. Maddie was more important. She intended to vanish on him again, and this time, he couldn’t be so sure he’d get lucky enough to catch up with her.

“Which plane?” Noah asked.

“Something fast. The Lear, if it’s available.”

“I think it is. Is she okay?”

“Fuck. I don’t think so, no.”

“You’re on it?”

“As much as she’ll let me be,” Brody admitted.

“She’s a tough cookie, she’ll—”

Maddie walked up to them, and they both stared at her. “So. Do I need a magic handshake to join this club?”

“We weren’t talking about you,” Noah said quickly.

Brody looked at him.

“We weren’t,” Noah said, sounding like a guilty kid.

“Uh-huh.” Maddie gave them both a long look, but especially Brody, who wanted to squirm.

He never squirmed.

“I’m going home,” she said. “I want to get a change of clothes.”

“I’ll take you.” Brody put a hand to the small of her back and turned her away from Noah, who he shot a dirty look.

Noah lifted his hands innocently.

Brody nudged Maddie to the front doors. That she was letting him take her home didn’t ease his mind. She’d ditch him at the first opportunity, and he knew it.

They drove to her condo complex in silence. “Thanks,” she said before he could turn off the engine of his car, leaving him to park and catch up with her, which he managed to do at her front door.

When she found she couldn’t shut it without taking off his foot, she sighed. “I promised I wouldn’t do anything stupid.”

“Yes, but I believe we have different definitions of stupid.” And though she had a hand on his chest to hold him off, he simply pushed and stepped inside.

Which earned him another sigh. “I’m a big girl, Brody. I’m just going to shower, eat, catch a quick catnap, and then…”

“Yeah. It’s that ‘and then’ that I’m worried about.” He tried a smile. “Besides, a shower sounds nice. So does eating, and I especially like the nap part.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m not sleeping with you.”

“No problem. We can find something else to do in your bed.”

She stared at him, clearly at a loss for words, which he could honestly say he hadn’t seen happen to her very often.

“Do you really think sex is appropriate right now?” she finally asked.

He shut the front door behind him, just in case she had ideas about pushing him out. “Sex is always appropriate.”

“Brody.” She let out a low laugh. “Even setting aside the ridiculous amount of ways I’m attracted to you and you to me…”