Chapter Twenty-Four - Braden

 

“You think I'm beautiful?” she whispers softly. Of course, that would be what she hears.

“Yeah.” I turn her face up to mine. “I do. You are beautiful, Maddie. Inside and out.”

And I'm being completely fucking honest. She's not hot, or fit, or bangable. She's beautiful, she's sexy and she's sweet.

She closes her eyes and, when she opens them, they're glistening with tears. Oh fuck.

“Did I say something wrong?”

She shakes her head and spins in my arms, sliding her arms around my waist. Her cheek presses against my chest and I feel her take a deep breath. I hold her to me tightly.

“No,” she whispers. “No you didn't.”

“Then why are you crying?”

Her shoulders shake, and she looks up at me, a smile on her face even though her eyes are filled with tears. “Because it makes me happy.”

“Good,” I whisper and kiss the corners of her eyes, kissing the tears away. “I like making you happy, Maddie.” And I do. For some reason, I do.

I pull her over to my bed and climb in, pulling the covers back and patting the space next to me. She slides in, my shirt raising up. I catch a glimpse of black silk panties. Holy....

Doing my best to ignore the inappropriate thoughts running through my mind, I wrap my arms around her and pull her close to me, spooning her. She hugs my arm, and I breathe in the sharp apple scent of her hair, the ends tickling my nose.

She's molded to my body like she was made to fit there, and it's fucking unnerving. I'm not sure anyone else could fit against me the way she is right now.

I trace my finger along her arm and after a while her breathing evens out. I shift up to see her face. She's asleep – her eyes are closed, and her thick eyelashes are fanned out across her cheeks. Her lips are puckered in a slight pout, and I'd love to kiss them right now. I won't wake her though.

I lie back down next to her and pull her tighter to me, letting my eyes close shut.

 

~

 

I'm woken by an elbow in my cheek.

“The fuck?” I mumble and sit up, remembering Maddie next to me. “Maddie?”

I open my eyes, and she's shaking her head, still asleep. The TV casts a harsh glare over her, and I can see her lips moving, mumbling in her sleep. What's she saying?

“Maddie? Angel?” I push hair away from her face and she jolts awake, breathing frantically. Tears I didn't notice are streaming down her face. “Maddie?”

“Just a dream,” she whispers to herself. “Just a dream.”

“Angel, are you okay?”

Her eyes focus on me for the first time. She nods. “Just hold me. Please, Bray.”

“You know I will.” I tuck her into me, facing me this time – and I realize she called me Bray.

“Thank you,” she whispers, slipping her legs between mine and holding me tightly. Tears are still falling from her eyes. I can feel them as they drip from her eyes onto my shoulder and onto my pillow. I have no idea what to do. I have no idea why she's crying. I'm lost.

I make soothing noises in her ear and smooth her hair until she's quiet again.

There's more layers to this girl than I'll ever understand – but I'm starting to want to understand.

 

~

 

Maddie picks a piece of her muffin off and eats it.

“How do you stay so skinny?” I ask, amused.

“What do you mean?” She tilts her head to the side.

“I'm pretty sure I've seen you eat one of those muffins every single day for two weeks.”

“Only two weeks? I'm pretty sure I've eaten one of these muffins every day for at least eight months.” She casually shrugs a shoulder.

“And you look like that?” My eyes roam her body shamelessly.

“Fast metabolism.”

“Not that it would be an issue if you didn't have one. I'm sure I could think up a way to burn off those extra calories.” I wink at her, and she smirks.

“I'm sure you could think of several ways,” she replies. “Unfortunately, so can I, none of which probably agree with yours. They're all exercise.”

“I never said mine weren't exercise.”

“Sex does not count as exercise.” She looks at me pointedly. “In any position.”

“It burns calories,” I argue. “That counts as exercise.”

She sighs and shakes her head, but I can tell she's trying not to laugh. What? I make a damn good point.

“It's not a recognized form of exercise, Braden.”

“You called me Bray last night. I liked it.” I scrape her hair from her face with my fingers.

“Did I? When?”

“You, um... You had a nightmare, and I woke you. Then.”

“Oh.” She puts the muffin down. “Sorry.”

“Hey.” I make her look at me. “Don't be sorry. Do you have them often?”

Her eyes move from my face, looking out at the crystal clear water in front of us. “Sometimes. Less than I used to.”

“Why do you get them? I mean, what do you dream about?”

The silence is telling. I know what she's going to say before she even says it.

“The day my Mom died.”

“Maddie, we don't have to talk about this-”

“Talking helps, sometimes. I've just never had anyone to really talk to.”

I take her hand, slipping my fingers through hers. I rub the back of her hand with my thumb. “If you want to talk about it, then we'll talk.” I want her to talk to me about it.

She takes a deep breath, and in the silence, I wonder if she's going to speak. But she does.

“I have the nightmares because I watched her die.”

Fuck.