Page 6 of Love Me Now: Baltimore & Madelyn

“—I’on even know what you saw in that block-head ass girl. She tough on the eyes, bruh.”

Chuckling, I said, “Whatever happened to beauty being in the eye of the beholder?”

“Mm, mm. You need to behold some damn glasses ‘cause she wasn’t it.”

I burst out laughing at his stupid ass.

“Give mysister-in-law, Boss Lady, a big ol’ nasty ass kiss,” he clarified.

“I’ma tell Nene you on the phone lustin’ after another woman.”

Dayton cracked up. “Never that. Have you seen my wife? The mother of my kids? Supersoaker Nene—”

“Bye, mane!” I hung up on Dayton, still laughing at his crazy ass. The laughter abruptly died on my lips when Maddie’s room light clicked back on. Less than a minute later, she appeared at the patio door.

Madelyn Bell was tall, with a slim-thick body that curved and dipped dangerously. Her heart-shaped face that held cat-like, wise brown eyes, perfectly arched eyebrows, long lashes, a delicate nose, and perfect ass full lips seemed to be crafted from a master’s touch. In all my adult thirty-eight years, I’d yet to find a damn thing wrong with Mrs. Bell. If anything, I kept finding shit that attracted me to her.

Shit.

Gritting my back teeth, I willed my body not to react to this woman. She came onto the patio dressed in her blue silk pajamas and a pair of socks. Her hair was inside a bonnet, and her face was free of makeup. Concern marred that beautiful face.

“It’s cool out,” I stated.

“Everything okay?” she asked, ignoring me.

Meanwhile, her scent snagged the hell out of my senses.

“Yes, all is well. I was about to leave.” Sure, I was lying, but hell.

“Oh, it’s okay. That’s not why I came out here,” she replied.

I swallowed hard when she took a deep breath and lowered her fine ass body into the patio couch opposite me. She got comfortable, tucking her feet underneath her and everything.

“I can’t sleep,” she whispered after a few minutes had passed.

“Ya light was barely off,” I stated.

She smirked. “Right. You notice everything.”

Of course, I did. Still, I asked, “You think so?”

“I know so.” She smiled gently, then it slowly faded. “I’ve never told you thank you. For everything.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Mrs. Bell.”

Her head leaned back on her shoulders. “Mrs. Bell? I thought I was Madelyn.” Her playful smile nearly lit up the night.

I wondered if she recalled the way my fingers felt on her chin. Or if she recalled how much thought I put into the bath I’d made her that night.

I gave her a smile of my own. “If that’s what you’d like me to call you, I don’t mind.”

The atmosphere was charged. I could tell by the way she looked at me that her mind was somewhere she refused to admit it ventured to. Maddie had just buried her husband. I wasn’t looking for her to acknowledge the undercurrent between us. Plus, she had healing to do. To add to that, mixing business with pleasure was just…overboard.

If anything, I wished she would simply acknowledge the shift between us. I couldn’t stop thinking about the night I stood in her bathroom preparing her a bath. My fingers touched the products she used, the towel she used, and even her body loofah. To know that shit encountered various parts of her body almost teased me beyond my control. I stood in her space, imagining my hands cleaning her delicate body.

“Madelyn or Maddie is fine,” she finally answered.

“Aight. Madelyn or Maddie… Is there any way I can help you get some sleep tonight?” From here, I saw her breath stall in her throat. Inwardly, I chuckled. She could deny it, but her body’s reaction to me was loud as hell. Had been since that night in her bedroom.