It Burns Within Us | Wildfire Series Book 1

T H I R T Y - O N E

"Because there's nothing to talk about." Madie jerked up and sat at the end of the bed. Then her hand flew to her head, rubbing at her hairline. 

I frowned, sitting up, too. "But are you okay? I just want to make sure you're okay and you've had time to think before our relationship...goes down any kind of road that we can't turn back from."

"Bren, we're already halfway down the road. Don't you think?"

"You didn't answer my question."

She dropped her hand, her face brightening. But it seemed forced. I knew what Madie looked like when she was unrestrained and vibrant; this wasn't it.

Madie cleared her throat. "I'm fine." She glanced about the room, and I wondered what she was looking for. Finally, her eyes met mine again. "In fact, I was thinking maybe we could go out tonight."

"Out." I repeated the word, drawing it out unnecessarily. The idea of leaving our little safe haven did not sit well with me.

"Yes, out!" she exclaimed, jumping off the bed. I saw a flash of her bare ass, my shirt lifting as she stood.

I leaned back against the headboard and checked to make sure the comforter covered the tent forming in my shorts. "Where do you wanna go?"

Madie bounced toward the bathroom and slipped out of sight even though she left the door open. She called out to me. "I don't know. Somewhere that has music. And maybe dancing?"

At the word dancing, I had the urge to slide completely under the covers and never come out. But regardless of my personal feelings on the matter, loud music and dancing didn't seem like activities that would be good for someone recovering from brain surgery.

"Do you really think that's a good idea, Madie?" I tried to keep my voice light, but I doubt I was successful.

The sound of running water interrupted our conversation, and I thought maybe it was over. But then Madie popped her head around the corner of the door frame. "Of course I think it's a good idea. Otherwise, I wouldn't have suggested it."

I tried not to roll my eyes. I didn't know what the expression on my face was saying, but Madie started to plead with me, hanging onto the whitewashed wooden trim. "Come on, Bren. We're in Malibu. There must be somewhere we can go to get out of this place for a little bit."

My frown deepened. I hadn't realized that she was itching to escape that badly. I thought we were on the same page, thinking we'd found our own little paradise here on the beach. But I didn't say anything about that. "Okay. We can look for someplace."

She smiled, and I thought that maybe everything would be okay as long as I could see that grin. But then she disappeared again, back into the bathroom, toward the running water. My shirt got thrown out into the bedroom, hitting the soft carpet. I stared at it, trying not to think about what that meant—trying not to think about the fact that Madie was naked, in the shower, wet, with the door open.

And for some reason, she continued to chat with me like this was the most normal conversation in the world. "It'll give me a reason to get a new outfit. We've only been here a week, and I've already worn all of my clothes. I was thinking I should get a few more things."

Her voice pulled me out of bed, and I walked to the open door, hovering there. "I can take you shopping after breakfast."

The pattern of the water changed, hitting the tiled floor with unsyncopated splashes, telling me she was under it, washing her hair or her body, or god knows what. All I knew was that she was touching things I wanted to touch, and thinking about that was a fucking tease. "It's okay," she yelled over the rushing water. "You don't have to take me, Bren. I could get an Uber if you don't want me to use your car."