Kissing Madeline (Dearest #3) (35 page)

All at once, the words rush from my lips. “That girl in the video. It’s not me. It’s the girl Jacob was cheating on me with.” He lets out an audible sigh. “I would never do that to you. I would never jump from your bed into another man’s arms. I just wouldn’t.”

Those arms squeeze me tighter, and he kisses the top of my head. “I know, babe.” He’s quiet for a few minutes. Then he asks, “Do you have any idea who would want to do this to you?”

I shake my head. “You mean who would want to destroy my career?” I blow out a breath, still not quite able to wrap my head around everything.

“Would your ex do this? Maybe make this video to make it look like you? To somehow get back at you?”

Sitting up, I turn to face Daren. Because he needs to hear the ugly details. “Jacob didn’t do it.”

“But you said he wanted to get back together with you. Maybe this was some kind of revenge sex thing.”

“Jacob didn’t do this. I mean, he didn’t make the video.” God, this is kind of humiliating. Daren looks a little surprised by my insistence. “I took it. With my phone.”

Daren’s eyes widen, and I continue. “That’s the day I caught him cheating. I took a video so I could remind myself that I never wanted to trust him again. So when he called, apologizing or trying to rationalize this or confuse me, I could remember.” My shoulders slump. “It was a stupid thing to do, but I was so crushed, so pissed off. But I never showed anyone the video. In fact, I’ve never spoken to anyone about it before you. And what’s weirder is I deleted it a while ago. It shouldn’t exist.”

Daren’s eyes soften. “C’mere.” He pulls me to him. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”

“I’m okay. I made peace with it. That’s why I was able to delete it, but who the hell got their hands on my phone? I’ve never given anyone the password, and I don’t remember letting anyone use it.”

“Hmm. That’s a good question.”

“I need to call Jacob and apologize.”

Daren’s hand on my back stills. “Are you sure you want to admit responsibility?”

“I have no problem owning up to what I did. Do I think he’ll take any legal action against me for taking the video? No, I don’t. But regardless, it’s the right thing to apologize, isn’t it?”

Daren kisses the top of my head. “Yeah. It is.”

“He has to know I took it. He’s not an idiot. But I don’t want him thinking I did it to get revenge. That I’d try to hurt him like that. No matter what he did to me, I’d never sink to that level.”

Daren nods, and I’m relieved that he understands why I need to do this.

“So if it wasn’t your ex, who else had access to your phone and laptop? Didn’t you let Nicole use your laptop that one time?”

“What time?”

“At my party? Before I mauled you on the pool table.” He chuckles.

“God, I forgot about that. Yeah, Nicole definitely had access, and I got so wrapped up in you and me hooking up that I never changed my password after she used it that night.”

He's quiet. “You were wrapped up in us?”

“Uh, yeah. I couldn’t think straight all week,” I admit.

“Good. I was afraid I was the only one whose brain got scrambled by our night together.”

Burrowing my head into his chest, I laugh. “God, no, I was a mess. I wanted you. I’ve always wanted you, but the reality that we had slept together totally threw me.”

Calloused fingers draw my hair away from my face. “I’ve always wanted you too, sweet thing.”

I smile like an idiot, glad he can’t see me grinning. “Even when I was a geeky high school sports reporter?”

“Fuck, especially then.” His fingers tighten in my hair. “You’ve always kind of kicked my world off its axis. Even in high school.”

“We only talked for like fifteen minutes.”

“That’s all it took, babe.” He kisses my forehead again, and I smile and close my eyes.

I feel such a huge relief knowing he’s here. I have no clue how to deal with my crumbling career, but knowing Daren is in my corner makes me feel like I can weather whatever storm is ahead of me.

I feel his chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm. The sound of his heart is so calming that I drift in and out of sleep as I listen.

* * *

When I wake a few hours later, I’m still wrapped around Daren. Or maybe he’s wrapped around me. Whatever this is, it feels right. My world is falling apart, but having him here makes me stronger and makes me think I can face whatever lies ahead.

My lips are parched, and I start to pull away so I can get something to drink, but his arms tighten. “Where do you think you’re going?” His groggy voice sends chills down my arms. His hard body angles toward me, and the bed squeaks underneath us.

I laugh, I can’t help it, the ridiculousness of it all finally settling in. “We can’t hide out here forever.”

“We could try.” His eyes crack open, and he grins. “I’ve rather enjoyed staring at your 30 Seconds to Mars poster.”

“Ugh.” I laugh and it feels good. “Stop. I haven’t stayed in this room for years. My uncle just left up all of my embarrassing junk.” I glance around, hoping nothing too horrifying is out. Like pictures of me in braces. I’m pretty sure I could go a lifetime without showing Daren those shots. “Speaking of my uncle, how did you know to come here?”

“I called Sheri. She wasn't sure where you had gone, but I asked if she knew where your uncle lived. I hoped he might know where you went in the event you weren't here.”

“And how exactly did you get past him?”

A bigger smile tilts Daren’s lips. “I knocked on the door. He was on his way out, but when he saw me, he slapped me on the back and pointed toward your room.”

My jaw falls open. “That’s it?”

“Yup.” A beat of silence passes and Daren shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe he saw my press conference.”

I still, unprepared for that answer. “You had a press conference?”

“
I
did not have a press conference. That bitch Jeanine pulled me into one.”

I sit up. “And what did you say?”

His eyebrows lift marginally. “I’m sure if you pop on the TV, it’s on somewhere.”

He’s so casual about the whole ordeal. I’d laugh if my whole life weren’t hanging in the balance.

“What do I do?” I whisper. My fingers toy with a thread hanging from my blouse. I must look like a crumpled mess, still wearing my work clothes.

“Well, for starters,
we
need a bigger bed. My ass is about to roll off the side here.”

I laugh and smack him on the thigh. “I’m being serious.”

“Me too. I have a nice ass, and I really don’t want it landing on something hard.”

“Oh my God. Shut up.”

He yanks me down to him, and I topple over in a mild fit of giggles. Once I’m all wrapped up in those arms again, he kisses my forehead. “Okay, I think you need to get your stuff. We’ll stay at a hotel because I need a gym and, like I said, a bigger bed. Your uncle probably doesn’t want to hear the coils on this one all night long because I fully plan on loving up on you at some point later this evening, ’cause, you know, makeup sex.”

I blush and smile into his shirt, my heart fluttering at the prospect of reconnecting with him.

He squeezes my butt cheek, and I grin wider. “But before the sweaty sex, I need to call our attorney and get tomorrow situated.”

I lean up. “What are you getting situated?”

“Your uncle said you needed to line up an attorney for tomorrow. I’ve already called one.”

“I thought you said you didn’t talk when you arrived. That he just pointed you in the direction of my bedroom.”

It’s dark in here, but it almost looks like Daren’s cheeks are flushing. “Well, he might have said a little more than that.”

“Like?”

“Like, ‘Don’t fucking have sex in my niece’s bed.’”

“He did not.” My eyes widen.

“He did.” Daren barks out a laugh and strokes my hair as I collapse back on top of him.

“That’s so fucked up, I can’t even.”

“Babe, I’m pretty sure everyone knows we have sex.” He says it like a joke, but his laughter stops. I know he’s pissed that there are images of us together like that.

“I’m so mortified.” I shake my head back and forth on his chest.

Those hands grip me tighter. “Shh. It’s okay. I already have a team of people trying to get to the bottom of this. We’ll get some answers soon. Besides, sex is what happens in situations like these.”

Sniffling, I look up at him. “Situations like what?”

His eyes run over my face, hovering on my lips before they meet my eyes. “Situations where the guy is so ridiculously in love with his woman he can barely function.” Reaching toward me, he tucks a long a strand of hair behind my ear. “I love you, Maddie. So much.”

Tilting my chin up, he kisses me. My heart is thundering so hard in my chest I’m sure he can feel it beneath me.

I blink back tears. “I love you too, Daren.” Looking into those hazel eyes, I take a deep breath. “I always hated leaving your bed at night.” My voice is barely above a whisper.

“Then why did you? You know I wanted you to stay.”

Using the back of my hand, I wipe away the tears. “I just didn’t want to be one of those girls who overstays her welcome, and you’re too much of a gentleman to tell me.”

Groaning, he pulls me tighter. “Sweet thing, c’mere.”

Next thing I know, I’m on my back, and he’s hovering over me. When his lips reach mine, he groans again, but instead of devouring me like I’m expecting him to, he gives me a peck and pops off me like he’s doing a football drill. “Get your stuff. I need to get you to a hotel. Now.”

I watch him cross the room and grab my bags.
I’ve had a day from hell and I have no idea what’s going to happen with my career, but knowing Daren is here somehow assuages my fear.

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

- Maddie -

As the door opens, Daren’s hand returns to the small of my back and ushers me in. Wide-eyed, I take in the executive suite, complete with a living room, a small kitchen, and at least two rooms off the main area. “Wow, this is the VIP treatment.”

“My father called ahead and reserved it for us.”

My synapses must be fried from all the crying. Otherwise I’d remember that Daren’s father
owns
this hotel.

Daren’s father.

I pause, horror settling in my stomach for the millionth time today.

“What’s wrong?” Daren pauses next to me.

My shoulders slump, and I shake my head. “Your father knows what happened. Has he seen our photos?”

“Yes, he knows, but I’m sure he’d rather have an extremity removed than check them out, so I think you can look him in the eye when we meet for dinner soon.”

A gasp leaves my throat. “Dinner?”

“Yes, dinner. And before you go getting all weird about meeting my parents, you should know they’re totally on your side. For the record, my mom has been your biggest fan since we started taping those segments this summer. She was damn near tickled pink to find out we were dating. Granted, I’m sure she’d prefer to forgo the sex gifs, but she’ll recover.”

Daren rubs my back, and I nod, still feeling shellshocked from the whole ordeal. “I’d like to meet your parents. If they aren’t too horrified by the situation, that is.”

Two big hands settle on my shoulders and turn me to face him. “My dad is an executive of a Fortune 500 company. I’m pretty sure he’s been around the block. Nothing that you and I can cook up will shock him.” Daren squeezes my arm. “I promise.”

He heads into one of the bedrooms before he calls out to me. “I had Sheri pack some of your stuff and drop it off earlier. We’re going to be staying here this week. I hope that’s okay. I figured the security is a lot tighter at the hotel, and with a private elevator, we won’t have the press breathing down our backs.”

I wander in behind Daren and look around. Although this isn’t the master, it’s still a lovely room with a queen-sized bed, fluffy white bedding, and a mahogany dresser. My bags are already waiting for me.

“Daren, why do we have two bedrooms?”

He turns slowly to face me and tucks his hands into his pockets. “I wasn’t sure where you and I were at. I didn’t want to assume we were getting back together.” He grins and looks embarrassed. “Okay, I hoped like hell we were getting back together, but if you needed some space, I wanted you to have it. So I got us a suite with two bedrooms.”

Heat burns my eyes, and I roll my lips to keep them from quivering. “Of course I want us to be together. I don’t want separate rooms.”

We stand there staring at each other a beat, and Daren’s eyes crinkle in the corners, a smile teasing his lips. And then his arms wrap around me.

I’m feeling like such a basket case, but he seems to understand.

Goosebumps break out on my arms as he rubs my shoulders. “Baby, you’re freezing. Do you want to take a bath, and I’ll call up some room service?”