Don't Hate the Player...Hate the Game(42)

Maddie cleared her throat. “Um, well, I’m not like other girls my age, but I’m okay with that.”

“So why aren’t you like other girls?”

She twisted her napkin nervously in her hands. “Well, I don’t party, I don’t drink, and I don’t believe in ha**ng s*x until you’re in a longstanding, committed relationship or at least engaged.”

Ouch, that last answer literally hit me hard below the belt. “You really don’t?”

She shook her head. “No, but you do, don’t you?”

Her question caught me off guard. “Well, yeah, I mean I have done it if that’s what you’re asking.”

I expected her to blush, but instead, she laughed. “No, that’s not what I was asking, but I thanks for letting me know.”

With a grin, I replied, “Sure.”

Maddie cocked her head at me. “Did you at least love them?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. “Not the first girl. But the others, yeah, I guess so. I mean, I was in a relationship with them at the time. I’ve never been a player like Jake.

Maddie’s expression momentarily darkened at the mention of Jake, but she quickly recovered. “I can understand it when you love someone. It’s ha**ng s*x with a stranger or someone you hardly care about that I can’t imagine. For me,” she emphasized. “I just look at sex like a gift.”

Instantly an R-rated fantasy flickered through my mind that featured her wrapped in nothing but a giant, red bow. After shimmying it off her creamy, white shoulders, her perfect Double D’s would be exposed. I shifted on my feet at the thought of taking them into my hands and my mouth. Then I would bring my fingers to her—

“Noah?”

“Huh?”

Her dark brows furrowed. “I asked if you were okay. You were moaning.”

Oh f**k. My eyes widened in horror. “Sorry. I was just…um…” Shit, how the hell was I going to get out of this one? “I guess I was just groaning more than anything when I thought about how your beliefs on sex must have seemed to Jake.”

“Well, I can’t say he agreed with me, but he did respect my beliefs,” Maddie replied.

“He did?”

“Yes. He knew we were never going to be friends with benefits or anything like that.”

“I’m sure that bummed him out greatly,” I said, with a grin.

Color flooded her cheeks a little. “I guess so.”

My last statement unsettled both us. Maddie made a desperate to change the subject because she suddenly started gathering up our trash while I couldn’t help but wonder if her reaction had anything to do with Jake’s true feelings and the ring. Once again, I couldn’t help wondering if Maddie was her. That caused a slow burn to radiate through my chest.

Maddie snapped me back to attention when she rose out of her seat. “Come on, let’s go get your mom some flowers.”

“Okay.”

All the florists were closed, so we headed to the Publix across the street. I eyed the colorful bouquets before glancing over at Maddie who was inhaling of the roses. Suddenly, I found myself blurting, “Why do chicks dig flowers so much?”

Maddie grinned. “It’s not just “chicks” who dig them. I mean, you send flowers for all kind of reasons.”

“Fruity reasons,” I said.

“Now that’s not true. The winners at the Kentucky Derby get flowers and the Gold Medal winners get roses at the Olympics,” she protested.

“I guess you’re right.”

“Flowers just say things that words sometimes can’t say.”

A funny feeling rippled through my chest. “Kinda like song lyrics, huh?”

Maddie gave me an odd look. “Yeah, I guess so.” She glanced back at the bouquets. “So which one of these says, ‘Mom, I’m sorry for being a mega-sized, selfish jerk’?”

“Hey, watch it now,” I argued.

She laughed. “Do you want my opinion or not?”

I raised my eyebrows. “Do I have a choice?”

“Probably not.”

“Then let me have it.”

“I’d go with a dozen red roses with baby’s breath—classic, elegant, and very apologetic.”

I eyed the price tag. “Uh, huh, looks like you also go for what straps my wallet the most too!”

Maddie held up her hands. “All right, it’s your decision.” She gave me one last look over her shoulder before she strolled away.

I sighed and rolled my eyes before I snatched up the bouquet of roses and went to pay.

It was after ten when I dropped Maddie off at her house. “Are you sure your parents won’t be mad at you…and me?” I asked.

Maddie shook her head. “I texted them to let them know what was going on. They were worried about you, so they told me to take my time.”

“So, you can’t be alone in the house with a boy, but you can run away from church and stay out half the night?” I asked.

Maddie cocked her head at me. “My parents knew what I was doing out with you.”

Figures, I thought. “They trust you that much?”

She nodded. “And why shouldn’t they?”

“I dunno.”