First Rapture (The Rapture #1)(20)

Madison shook her head. There were some men who would be attracted to her because she was a famous model, but that wasn’t why Luc had been so eager.

“Luc couldn’t resist a night with any woman willing to spread her legs,” she said in dry tones.

Kristen arched a brow. “I told you earlier that the rumor around Vegas is that Luc has become very particular in his choice of companions. I heard one of his friends say that he’d become a monk over the past couple of years.”

Madison ignored her friend’s words. Just as she’d ignored Luc’s claim that he’d changed from the shallow flirt he’d been when she’d known him.

“More likely he became more discreet.”

“That’s possible, I suppose,” Kristen slowly agreed, frowning as if troubled by Madison’s stark refusal to believe that Luc could change. “What happened when you got to the hotel room?”

Madison felt her cheeks heat. She told herself it was embarrassment. She wasn’t the sort of woman who enjoyed sharing the details of her sexual encounters with anyone, not even her best friend. But deep inside she knew that it was the remembered pleasure that made her face flush.

God. She ached in places that she’d never realized could ache.

The delectable ache of a woman who’d been well loved.

Her blush deepened as Kristen raised a questioning brow.

“I would think that was pretty obvious,” she mumbled.

Kristen chuckled. “So you did the deed?”

Madison nodded, although she’d never, ever call what happened between her and Luc ‘doing the deed.’

That implied a casual hookup. What happened last night was…

Anything but casual.

At least for her.

“We were together…yes,” she confessed.

Kristen leaned forward. “And how was it?”

“Mind-blowing.”

Kristen flashed a teasing smile. “Good for you, girlfriend.”

“No,” Madison growled, shoving away the coffee as her stomach twisted with a sick sense of inevitability. “Not good for me.”

Kristen’s smile faltered. “You wanted it to be a failure?”

“I wanted…” She made a sound of disgust at the memory of her smug confidence when she’d planned her trip to Vegas. She’d been so certain she wanted nothing more than revenge. It’d never occurred to her that she was using any excuse, no matter how pathetic, just to be with Luc Angeli. “Shit.” She rubbed her temples, the headache better, but still a dull throb behind her eyes. “I’m losing my mind.”

“I’m sorry, Maddy.” Kristen grimaced with regret. “If you don’t want to talk about this—”

“He claimed that I’m still in love with him,” Madison broke into her friend’s apology, abruptly revealing the truth.

Why not?

Kristen would worm it out of her one way or another.

Kristen abruptly frowned, her eyes searching Madison’s pale face. “You told me—”

“I know what I said.” Madison heaved a resigned sigh. “But I think I must have been in denial.”

Silence.

At last, Kristen cleared her throat. “Denial?”

“I wanted to believe I hated him.” Madison gave a helpless lift of her hands. “It was certainly better than accepting I couldn’t grow past my childish, schoolgirl crush.”

“What are you going to do?”

It was the first question that Madison had no trouble answering. She’d made her decision during the long hours of staring at the ceiling.

“I’m going to my appointment then I’m returning to New York as I planned.”

Kristen looked like she’d just been slapped. “Going back to New York?”

“Yes.”

“You can’t.”

Madison blinked in surprise. She’d expected sympathy from her friend, not an adamant rejection of her plan.

“Why not?”

“Because you have to talk to Luc,” Kristen said.

Madison slid off her stool, her brows furrowed as she glared at her companion. “Have you gone insane? He’s the last person I want to see.”

“But…” Kristen looked as if she wanted to give Madison a good kick in the ass. “If you still love him then you have to see if this could work.”

Madison was shaking her head before Kristen finished speaking.

A part of her desperately wanted to stay. Just to be near Luc.

Then she realized just how sad and pathetic that would be.

Spending her days hoping to catch some glimpse of Luc, while he was constantly chasing another woman.

She shuddered.

“I can’t.”

“How do you know?” Kristen pressed.

“Because he’s Luc Angeli.”

“And?”

Madison wondered if her friend was being deliberately obtuse. She knew as well as Madison that staying in Vegas would offer her nothing more than heartache.

“And he’s not forever-after material,” she muttered in exasperation.

Kristen shrugged. “Who says?”

“I do.”

The indigo eyes narrowed. “Only because you’re a coward.”