“What are you doing with her?” my father puts his hand on my bicep and tugs me to a halt just as I’m making my way down the stairs to the kitchen. Maddie’s in the shower, and the thought of her, naked and soapy, fills me with a frustrated heat.

This is just business. I can’t let Maddie Morland break my heart again.

My father continues his tirade. “Have you forgotten that she’s only interested in you for your money?”

I give his hand a pointed glare until he removes it. Joseph Drake was an indifferent parent who was never around when I was growing up. I was raised by nannies. When I was eight, I remember being terrified that I’d pass my father on the street and not recognize him, I’d seen him so rarely.

Then there were the affairs, a string of mistresses hidden away from my mother, until one ugly day when the entire truth came out and my mother left him.

“Madison is my fiancée,” I say through clenched teeth. “You will be polite to her, and you will treat her with all the respect she deserves.”

“You’re a fool,” he snaps back. “Sleep with this woman. Set her up in an apartment, give her expensive gifts. But you are a Drake. You don’t marry her kind.”

“What kind is that?” If my father has any sense, he’d hear the warning in my voice and take heed. Yes, Maddie’s family is far from perfect, but I’ve known that since the moment I met her. It’s never mattered to me. It isn’t as if my family is free of sin. My grandfather’s father amassed his fortune by lying, cheating, and with deceit. When a poor man cheats, he’s considered a swindler and tossed in jail. When a billionaire does it, it’s just good business.

He subsides, but from the set of his jaw, I know we aren’t done with this topic.

In the large eat-in kitchen, Aunt Emily greets the two of us with obvious excitement. “Maddie,” she exclaims, her lined face lighting up with joy. “I didn’t know you and Cameron were dating again.” Her eyes drop to Maddie’s left hand, and she squeaks in glee. “You two are engaged? Why, that’s wonderful. Isn’t it, dad?”

My grandfather, who is seated at the table, reading the newspaper, gives me a sharp look, one that I meet with a bland smile. “You remember Maddie, don’t you, grandfather?”

“Yes, of course.” Edward Drake rises to his feet and extends his hand in Maddie’s direction, and she shakes it, her expression neutral. “Pardon my surprise. Cameron’s kept you rather quiet--I had no idea you two were seeing each other.” He pastes a polite smile on his face. “It’s a pleasure to have you with us this week.”

“Thank you,” Maddie replies.

My grandfather introduces Maddie to his friends, Bob and Patti Stevens, an older couple that I’ve met a few times. Once the introductions are done, Maddie bends down to hug my aunt in her wheelchair, her face creasing into a smile. “I’ve missed you,” she says, her voice warm as she addresses my favorite relative. “It’s been far too long. What are you reading nowadays?”

The two of them launch into an animated conversation about books. I grab a beer from the refrigerator and join my cousin Noah, who’s sitting in a corner of the room, staring moodily out of the window. “What’s eating you?”

He shrugs. “It’s a long story,” he replies. “So, she’s the one that got away? I don’t blame her for running from this crowd.” He gives my grandfather and my father a disgusted look. “If you care about this girl, why on earth have you dragged her into this den of vipers?”

I watch Maddie and my aunt chat amicably, their heads bent toward each other. Maddie is the only person I’ve met who treats my aunt like a normal person. Everyone else coddles Aunt Emily because she’s paralyzed from the waist down, or they talk to her in slow, clear syllables, as if she lost the ability to communicate when she lost her ability to move. Not my Maddie.

As if she senses my gaze on her, Maddie lifts her head up and smiles widely at me. “Sorry Cam,” she says with a rueful laugh. “But you don’t read sci-fi, and neither does Misti. You have no idea how nice it is to be able to talk about the same books.”

I grin back at her, aware that the entire room is covertly watching us while pretending to do something else. “I’ll share you for a bit,” I tell her.  “But only because it’s Aunt Emily.”

My grandfather chuckles. My dad bares his teeth in a smile that looks more like a snarl. Maddie blushes faintly, and I want to fold her into my arms.

This entire pretense is so you can buy the cottage, I remind myself.

Except I’m lying.

The truth is, I’m falling in love with Maddie all over again. My heart has stayed in stasis all these years, only to come back to life in Maddie’s presence.

And she has the power to break it into a million jagged pieces.

I can’t allow myself to be vulnerable. Maddie has made it clear that this is a business deal. Once the month is up, she’ll take her five hundred thousand dollars and head back to Calgary, and I’ll be left without her once again.

“That went okay, don’t you think?” Upstairs after dinner, in the privacy of our bedroom, Maddie gives me a questioning look. “You think people bought that we’re engaged?”

“Yes.” I keep my reply short.

Her phone beeps. She smiles as she reads the contents of her screen. “Misti loved her flight,” she says, holding her phone toward me. “She had her first glass of champagne.”

I ignore the outstretched phone. “That’s good, Maddie.”

She notices my one-word answers. “Is everything alright, Cam?” she asks hesitantly.

I have to protect myself, Mads. Because I feel too much around you and I don’t know what I’m going to do when you leave me again.

“Sure.” I lift my shoulder in a dismissive shrug. “We’re alone. No need to act anymore, right?”

A flash of hurt crosses her face. I feel like a heel at her expression. “Fair enough,” she says stiffly. “Do you need the bathroom before I shower?”

As she speaks, she clenches her eyes shut and rubs at her temples with a frown. Her forehead is furrowed and she’s paler than she was during the day.

When we dated, Maddie used to get really bad stress migraines. I cross over and dim the light. “Headache?” I ask her.

She nods miserably. “I felt it come on during dinner,” she confesses. “Only your family would have a three course sit down meal at a cottage. I didn’t want to embarrass you by using the wrong fork.”

“You think I care about shit like that?”

She shakes her head. “No,” she whispers. “You never treated me like I didn’t belong.”

My heart feels like it’s being squeezed by a powerful fist. “Come here,” I tell her gruffly, sitting on the bed, my back against the headboard and patting my thigh. “Does a scalp massage still help?”

“Yes.” She sinks down on the mattress and places her head on my lap. I stroke her hair, softly, soothingly. “Close your eyes, baby.”

Her eyes are green pools of gratitude. “Thank you, Cam,” she murmurs.

“Shh…” With any luck, after a hot shower, some herbal tea and a good night’s sleep, Maddie will be as right as rain. I peck out a one-handed text to Noah telling him to put the kettle on, and continue rubbing gently at her scalp until Maddie dozes off.

Ten minutes later, there’s a soft tap at the door. I move a pillow under Maddie’s head and slide to my feet.

Noah holds a tray up at me. There’s a teapot there as well as a selection of teas and milk, sugar, honey and lemon. “I didn’t know how Maddie takes her tea,” he explains. “Is she okay?”

“It’s a migraine. She gets them when she’s stressed.” Taking the tray from him, I set it down at the side of the bed. Maddie stirs, but doesn’t wake. I shut the door and join Noah on the landing. “She’s usually fine after a good night’s sleep.”

“You shouldn’t have brought her here.” Noah’s voice holds an edge of condemnation. “Aunt Emily was right to be concerned.”

That catches my attention. “What did she say?”

“Something about your father driving her away the first time,” he replies. “What the heck were you thinking, Cameron?”

“I would never hurt her deliberately.” I cling to those words as self-defense.

Noah gives me a scornful look. “I hope that helps you sleep tonight.”

As tempting as it would be to lash out at my cousin, I know he’s right. I should have found some other way to get my grandfather to sell me the cottage. Now, a woman I care about deeply is in pain because of my machinations.

I hear movement inside the room. “I have to check up on her,” I tell my cousin, already turning the handle of the door. I can’t help feeling like I’ve fucked up again. It’s up to me now to make amends, as best as I can.

Maddie’s sitting up, leaning against the headboard, her eyes clenched shut. “Cam?”

“How’s the head?” Without waiting for her to reply, I tear open a chamomile tea bag and pour some hot water into it, stirring in a generous spoonful of honey. “Here. Drink.”

She sips obediently from the cup I hold to her lips. “You remember the way I like my tea,” she says softly. “You remembered my burger order, too.”

I tuck a stray curl behind her ear. “Did you think I could forget you, Mads?”

“You didn’t call me.” Her voice catches on the words. “I left and you never called.”

I stare at her, even though her eyes are shut and she can’t see my expression. “Did you expect me to?” I can’t completely conceal the hurt from my tone. My father offered her money to leave me, and she took it. Hopped in a cab and exited my life. Did she expect me to chase after her?

She heaves a sigh. “Never mind. We agreed not to talk about the past.”

I’m an idiot. I’ve already caused her stress tonight. Now I’m fighting about something that happened nine years ago. “Do you want me to run a bath for you?” I trace the line of her jaw with my finger and she shivers in response, and my body responds, as always, to her.

She’s sick, Cameron. This isn’t the time…

I turn the hot water tap on in the tub and help her to the bathroom. “Stay,” she whispers, as I turn to leave. “Keep me company, Cam?”

Maddie’s always been strong. It kills me to see her so weakened, so frail. “Whatever you want, baby.” I turn my head away as she strips out of the dress she wore to dinner, and I mutter curses and do multiplication tables under my breath as she removes her bra and panties. She’s so beautiful. Her large breasts were made for my touch, my tongue. Her pink-tipped nipples are swollen, and as she steps into the tub, I catch a glimpse of her pussy.

Trying to distract myself from the sight of her naked body, I fiddle with my phone and find some soothing music to play.

When she’s ready to get out, I towel her dry and guide her to the bed, and tuck the blankets around her. I’m about to make a bed for myself on the floor when she makes a soft protest. “Will you hold me, Cam?”

I’ve never been able to say no to her. I’ve never wanted to. I climb into bed and wrap my arms around her. “I’d do anything for you, sweetheart,” I whisper into her hair. She doesn’t hear me. Safe in my arms, she’s fallen fast asleep.

And I’m left with a stark realization. It’s too late for me. It was always too late. I should have known it the instant I saw her at the funeral home.

Once again, I’ve fallen in love with Madison Morland.