Page 59 of The Renegade Billionaire

“They don’t hurt me, Madison.” The words are a mumbled mess against her palm, so she releases me. “I’d have to care about them for them to hurt me.”

“I know firsthand that families can infect faster than cancer, even when we’ve taken all the steps to cut them out. What I’m saying is that unless you’re asking for support, the only thing I want to know about is Braxton Mitchell.”

Fuck. I need to tell her my real last name.

“Is that so?” I ask with a bravado I don’t feel at the moment.

“Yes.” She crosses her arms over her chest and frowns, but the sunshine radiating from her still heats my body against the cool morning air.

“Well,” I spread my arms wide. “What do you want to know?”

“Have you really never been on a date?”

“That was quick.” Leaning side to side, I stretch out my achy back. “Don’t get me wrong, I go out with Grey, and have occasionally…” Shit, this makes me sound like a dick. “I haven’t been celibate, but I guess I never met anyone that made me want to try for…more.”

Until now.

Her cheeks plump up as her lips curl at the edges. “What is it you want, Mr. Mitchell?”

I lift a brow and fight the ever-present chubby I have in her presence. “I want a lot of things, Madison.”

“So greedy.” Her gaze dances with mirth in the early morning sun. Fuck me, do I love it when she flirts with me. “What would you like from me? Right now?”

A groan of desire starts in my gut, then rumbles and rolls through my chest. Did she intend for that to sound so sexual?

“Braxton.” Her tone carries a warning, a light flashing orange. She isn’t telling me to stop, but I haven’t earned the green light yet either.

“A dance,” I say, standing and fishing the phone out of my pocket.

“A dance? Now? Here?” Her words follow my back as I jump down off the back of the truck, then spin to face her.

“Right here, right now.” I scroll on my phone until I find the song I’m searching for, then press play and hold out my hand to her.

“What song is this?” she asks but stands and places her palm in mine. When she reaches the tailgate, I wrap my arms around her thighs and let her slide down my body slowly. It’s the best kind of torture.

I make a point of staring at the brightening sky. “It’s called ‘Stargazing’ by Myles Smith.”

Madison throws her head back and laughs.

Her arms wrap around my neck as I guide her in a slow dance that doesn’t fit the song. “I had a really great time last night,” I tell her honestly.

“Yeah?” Why does it always sound as though she doesn’t believe me?

“Madison, I don’t say things I don’t mean. Any man would die happy if they got to watch the sunrise with you every morning.” Her cheeks tinge pink, and it sets fire to desires I’m struggling to control.

“Any man, or you?”

“I should be so lucky,” I say gently. It’s a tone I’ve come to equate with Madison.

“I think you’ve been wasting your talents by not dating,” she mutters. “You’re a natural charmer.”

“You think so?” I laugh. “I think I’ve just been waiting to find someone worth charming.”

“Smooth, Braxton. Real smooth.”

My face hurts from smiling so much. It’s definitely a first.

“Too cheesy?” I use my hand at the small of her back to press her closer.