Two weeks passed and the stifling July heat rolled in. Even in Maddox's air-conditioned guesthouse my tank top still stuck to my body with a fine sheen of sweat.
"It's too hot," I whined, crooking my arm over my eyes where I laid on the cool floor.
Either he ignored me or he couldn't hear me over the drums.
I had no idea what he was playing, it didn't sound like any song I knew but I quite liked it.
A moment later the banging of the drums ceased.
"We could always go swimming. You know, that's what the pool is for when it isn't filled with balls."
"You did hear me," I mumbled, turning my head towards the area where the drum kit sat. I still couldn't really see him, just his sneaker-covered feet, since I was lying on the floor.
He chuckled. "Yes, I did. But I wanted to finish the song. Now, do you want to go swimming or not?"
"I don't have a bathing suit," I argued.
I heard him stand up from the stool and his boots clomped across the floor before stopping in front of me. He lowered to a squat and stared down at me. "Unless you're naked under there," he eyed my clothes, "then I think you'll be just fine."
I wrinkled my nose. The idea of stripping down to my unflattering grandmaish underwear in front of Maddox was not appealing.
"I was lying, I'm not that hot."
He threw his hands in the air, exasperated. "Women," he muttered. His eyes softening, he said, "I'll take you to Target for a swimsuit then."
"No, it's okay." I stretched my arms out on the cool hardwood floor. "This floor has accepted me as one of it's own. We're family now."
He stared at me for a moment, his lips twitching with the threat of a smile.
Instead of saying anything he reached down and grabbed me up into his arms.
"Maddox," I groaned, "this is silly."
"You're the one that's claiming my floor is now your family, so who's the silly one again?"
I groaned. "Just put me down."
"Nope," he said, and I knew he had to be grinning, "we're going to Target and getting you a bikini...a really slutty one." I swatted at his behind and he chuckled in response. "And then we're getting Slurpee's."
"Slurpee's?" I confirmed as he carried me outside and to his car.
"Yep. On hot days like this it's absolutely necessary to have a Slurpee."
He set me down then and opened the car door.
The heat rolled out from the vehicle and I nearly fell down. "I think I'm going back to the floor."
"Don't even think about it." He blocked my way.
I grumbled and slid into the car, the hot leather nearly burning my bare legs.
"Let's go somewhere cold," I told Maddox when we got in, "like Antarctica."
"Sorry, but we're not cuddling penguins today," he chuckled, cranking up the AC. "Target will have to do."
***
"Look, Emma!" Maddox called. "I found the perfect one!"
I glanced over to find him grinning and holding up the skimpiest bikini I had ever seen. I looked down at my ample chest and then at him. "That wouldn't even cover my nipples," I blurted.
He laughed heartily and returned the skimpy garment to where it belonged.
I grabbed a simple navy top and bottom with sunflowers on it. I liked it and it wouldn't be overly revealing. I also wouldn't look like a nun either.
Since we were already in Target Maddox wanted to go look at the pool things. He ended up adding five of those noodle things to the cart, along with squirt guns, floaties, and a few other items.
"Do you think you got enough stuff?" I joked, pushing the car towards the checkout area.
"I think so," he said, completely serious.
After checking out he stopped at 7-Eleven for Slurpee's just like he said he was going to.
When we got back to his house Ezra was lounging by the pool. "Did you get me one?" He asked, pointing at the Slurpee in Maddox's hand.
"No," he shook his head, "sorry. But I did get pool stuff."
Ezra lowered his sunglasses and his eyes lit up at the sight of all the bags.
I left the guys alone and headed inside the guesthouse to change into my bikini. I swung the plastic bag around and around, nearly whacking Mathias with it when I walked inside and ran into him.
"Sorry," I apologized, putting a hand to my racing heart. I was glad that I'd managed not to spill my red Slurpee on his crisp white shirt. "I didn't know you were here."
He grunted in response and moved around me to head outside.
He was so weird.
I shook my head and locked myself in the small bathroom to change.
I hadn't been in there long when I heard the door to the guesthouse open and close.
"I'm going to change," Maddox called, and I heard the sound of his feet on the steps.
Once I was in my bikini I slipped my shorts on. I knew it was silly since I'd be taking them off to get in the pool, but I hated the idea of walking outside and facing Mathias and Ezra without them. I headed out of the bathroom and threw away the plastic bag.
My hand was on the knob to head outside when I heard Maddox coming down the steps.
I turned to look at him and all coherent thought went out the window. His body was a work of art. I mean, I had no idea abs could be like that—so defined, sculpted, and perfect.
He chuckled, his lips turning up in a crooked smile.
I floundered and hurried to turn back around, but the door opened at the same time and slammed into my face.
My hand shot up to my nose and I felt the sticky warmth of blood on my fingers.
"Oh God." My voice was muffled sounding.
Maddox rushed forward and grabbed me by the shoulders, turning me around.
Ezra stood there apologizing profusely.
"Let me see it," Maddox pleaded, trying to pry my hands from my face.
I shook my head.
"Emma," he warned, his eyes flashing silver. Growing exasperated with me he grabbed me by the arm and towed me towards the small kitchen area. Ezra hovered behind us, still mumbling that he was so sorry.
Maddox lifted me by my hips up onto the counter.
"No, no." I pleaded when he tried to pry my hands from my face again.
"Silly girl," he muttered, smoothing my hair behind my ears, "let me see."
With tears pooling in my eyes I let my hands drop. My face hurt—like I'd walked face first into a concrete wall...which I guessed was kind of what happened. Only it was a door...not a wall.
Maddox winced when he saw my face.
"Is it that bad?" I asked. "Do you think my nose is broken?"
"Oh, God! Did I break her nose?" Ezra exclaimed, echoing my question.
Maddox shook his head. "I don't think so. There doesn't seem to be enough blood for that and it doesn't look crooked. Go get me a cloth," he told Ezra.
Ezra disappeared, clearly happy to be assigned with a task.
"Be honest," I pleaded, resisting the urge to cover my face again, "how bad is it?"
"I think it might bruise." He shrugged, inspecting my face. He took my chin between his fingers and tilted my head in different directions. "You're definitely going to be sore for a little while."
"Great," I huffed. I was going to have a bruise and puffy nose all because I'd been drooling over Maddox. It was like the universe was trying to punish me for being happy.
Universe: Oh, look! Emma is ogling her smoking hot boyfriend! Let's ram a door in her face!
Ezra returned with a dampened washcloth and handed it to Maddox, who then gently dabbed at the blood on my face.
"I'm so sorry, Emma." Ezra started in again.
"It was an accident," I told him. "You didn't know I was standing there. I'm not mad," I promised.
The door to the guesthouse opened again and I looked to see Mathias stroll in.
"What happened to your face?" He asked, looking between the three of us. "Did you try to kill her or something? Should I get the shovel?"
Maddox shook his head at his twin brother. "No, she had a very unfortunate encounter with a door."
Mathias winced. "Looks like it hurts."
"It does," I muttered.
Mathias came over to stand beside his brother in front of me where I sat on the counter. He inspected my face much the way Maddox had.
"Get her some ice you idiot." He finally told Maddox.
Maddox balked like he couldn't believe his brother was bossing him around. He handed the cloth to Mathias and said, "Finish cleaning her face off, please. I'll have to go into the main house, I know we don't have anything in the freezer here."
I was surprised when Mathias didn't argue about tending to me. I'd gotten the impression that Mathias didn't like me—or anyone for that matter. It shocked me even more when he tenderly wiped away the last of the blood from my face.
Ezra hopped up on the counter beside me, but seemed to have stopped apologizing—at least for the moment.
"Can you breathe through your nose?" Mathias asked.
I tried. "Yeah," I answered.
"Good." He gave me a small smile and I figured that was a lot coming from him. Up this close I noticed his eyes were a bit different than Maddox's. While Maddox's gray eyes usually looked silver, Mathias' were darker like the stormy gray clouds you saw before a storm. With a nod of his head, like he was agreeing to a thought he'd had, he walked off and out the door.
Maddox came busting in only a few seconds later with an icepack wrapped in a cloth. I tried to take it from him, but he insisted on holding it to my face.
"I don't need you to be my nurse," I mumbled.
"Well, I'm going to be," he stood his ground.
Ezra sighed. "I'm so sorry, Emma."
"It's okay," I assured him, for what felt like the thousandth time. "Go swim or something. You don't need to stay here."
He nodded and jumped off the counter. "Holler if you need me."
Once he was gone Maddox lowered the icepack and frowned.
"What's wrong?" I asked. "Is it getting worse?"
He shook his head. "No, it's not that...I just...I feel weird inside."
"Huh?" I looked at him like he'd lost his mind.
"What I mean is, I've never felt so terrified in my entire life. I don't like seeing you hurt." He reached up and tenderly stroked the side of my face. I relaxed into his touch, closing my eyes. I never thought being with a guy could be like this—so easy and happy. My dad had always been a jerk, even when the alcohol hadn't been a problem. I'd never had a good male figure in my life, and I guess along the way I'd come to believe all guys would be like my dad.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "I'm not as breakable as I look. Don't worry about me, please."
He chuckled, giving me a small smile. "I don't think I could stop worrying about you if I tried." The look he gave me was so intense that I felt it all the way down to my toes. He pressed the icepack to my nose once more. "I think if you keep icing it the swelling will go down quickly."
"Well," I grinned, putting my hand overtop his, "at least I'm not hot anymore."
His laugh boomed around us. "Yes, at least there's that," he agreed.
***
"The swelling has gone down a lot," Maddox commented. "It doesn't even look that bad anymore."
I peered up at him where I was lying with my head in his lap. "You're such a liar."
The movie continued to play on the large TV in the basement of the main house, but neither of us was currently paying any attention to it.
"I would never lie to you, Em. I promise it's better. I should probably get you another icepack though." I sat up from his lap and he stood. "I'll be right back," he promised.
I gave him a small smile. It was all I could muster. The day's events had really knocked me down.
While he was gone I went to use the bathroom. I'd only seen part of the main house when he brought me down here but everything looked so pretty and shiny. But you could tell it was lived in. It wasn't one of those places that looked so pristine that you were scared to sit down on a couch for fear of leaving behind a miniscule stain. I was also quite taken with the cape cod style of the home. Most homes in this area didn't look like this, and I liked it. It made me feel like I was vacationing by a beach up north.
I washed my hands and inspected my appearance. Maddox hadn't been lying. The swelling had gone down some—but in its place a bruise was forming.
I had just sat back down on the large sectional couch when Maddox returned with the fresh icepack and popcorn.
The buttery smell invaded my senses and my mouth watered.
He handed me the icepack and sat down, draping a blanket over our bodies.
I curled against him, soaking in his warmth. I still couldn't believe that I was with Maddox—that he was my boyfriend. I hadn't been planning on him, but I was discovering that it's the unexpected things in life that make it so great.
He placed the popcorn bowl in his lap and I reached for a handful.
I popped a piece in my mouth and moaned. "This is so good." It tasted like the kind of popcorn you got from the movie theater, not from the grocery store in a box.
"If you think I make fantastic popcorn, wait until you see my cooking skills," he boasted with a proud smile.
I narrowed my eyes. "I thought you said your freezer was empty?"
He chuckled. "That's only because mom likes to make dinner for us," he shrugged. "She likes to make sure she sees all of us at least once a day."
"I think it's nice that you call Karen mom," I commented, laying my head on his shoulder.
I felt, rather than saw, him smile. "She is my mom. Just because we don't share blood doesn't make her any less of a mom to me, and I always want her to know that."
I tried to resist the urge to sigh dreamily. "You're a good guy, Maddox."
"No, I'm not," he answered quickly, glancing down at me. "I'm selfish."
"Why do you say that?" I questioned, my brows furrowing together with curiosity.
He looked away with his jaw clenched tightly. I noticed his hands start to shake where he held the bowl in his lap.
"Maddox?" I prompted. "What's wrong?"
The shaking stopped and he schooled his features. "Nothing. Never mind."
I stared at him, puzzled. I couldn't figure out what was going on, but I felt like it was important.
"You can tell me anything, Maddox. I hope you know that."
"I do, Em," he winced.
"Then what's the problem?"
He took a deep breath and looked down at me. "There's no problem, I swear."
I stared at him for a moment, contemplating his words. I finally nodded, and said, "Okay." If I was going to make this relationship work I had to learn to trust him. If he was keeping a secret from me, which it felt like he was, then I had to believe he had a good reason for keeping it.
He's not like your dad. I repeated the mantra over and over again in my head. But somehow I didn't feel any better, because another voice kept piping in with, What if he is?