Devil and the Deep (The Ceruleans Book 4) - Julie Ann Walker Page 0,92
in the lighthouse and warmed with images of what she hoped to share with him still.
“The only question is,” Alex continued, “did he jump on you before you finished propositioning him, or did he behave like a gentleman and wait a whole two seconds after you’d finished the sentence?”
“I…um…I take by your tone that between the two of us we’re battin’ five hundred?” Maddy asked cautiously.
“Why is everyone using baseball jargon with me tonight?” Alex gestured toward her baggy T-shirt with its history slogan, her two-sizes-too-big shorts, and the KEEN hiking sandal/shoe thingies on her feet. “Do I look like a sports fan?”
No. She looked exactly like what she was. An academic with a penchant for fashion faux pas. What Maddy wouldn’t give to get Alex in Eduardo’s chair. Her stylist was an artist, and Alex was a blank canvas.
“It means,” Maddy clarified, “that I take it he didn’t agree to your offer.”
Alex slow-blinked at her. “If by not agreeing to my offer you mean nearly swallowing his tongue and now refusing to talk to me, then yup.”
“Well, maybe that’s a good thing,” Maddy speculated. “Nearly swallowin’ his tongue and refusin’ to talk to you isn’t a no.”
“It might as well be.” Alex’s expression was sullen. “I think he’s just too much of a good guy to reject me straight out, so he’s falling back on his patented Mute Mason act.”
Maddy didn’t know what to say to that so she kept her mouth shut.
Alex frowned at her. “So maybe his act isn’t so patented after all because you’re doing a fairly good job of it yourself.”
“Alex—”
“But enough about me.” Alex waved her off again. “Let’s talk more about you.”
Maddy was instantly wary. “What about me?”
“Would you categorize this thing you have with Bran as a love thing that turned into a lust thing or vice versa?”
“I’m sorry, what?”
“Would you”—Alex lifted her voice above the wind blowing over the deck—“categorize this thing you have with—”
“I heard you.” Maddy cut her off, looking around at the two crewmen who were across the deck checking some sort of rigging. “I’m just not sure I understand the question.”
“Oh”—Alex nodded—“right. So, during the wait for the Coast Guard to arrive, Mason and I were talking about you and Bran.”
Maddy’s wariness increased. “Um…why?”
“Common ground, I guess.” Alex shrugged as if the reason was inconsequential. “Something he would actually open his mouth and discuss. Anyway, I want you to settle an argument we had.” Alex reached up to pull out a lock of hair that was stuck in her mouth. The cutter was moving at a pretty good clip now, and Maddy grabbed the railing to brace herself when a larger-than-usual wave caused the ship to list.
Alex stumbled and steadied herself without so much as a break in conversation. “See, Mason said that when two people meet, three things can happen.” She raised her voice to be heard over the wind and waves. “Lust can turn into love. Love can turn into lust. Or lust can just stay lust until it eventually fizzles out. So, which it is for you and Bran? Love follows lust, or lust follows love?”
“I-I…” Maddy had to stop to clear her throat. Suddenly the sea was calling to her. Just jump in! Just jump in and escape the situation! But she’d never been one for the open ocean; it gave her the willies. So she looked around, hoping there was a hatch in the deck she could slip into.
“Don’t tell me you don’t know,” Alex said. “You were looking down the wrong end of a gun tonight. Which I’ve been told makes a person see things very clearly.”
It wasn’t a hatch that opened up. It was a door leading into the interior of the cutter.
“Maddy!” Bran called from the threshold. “Can I have a word with you?”
Oh, you wonderful man with your perfect timin’! “Be right there!” she hollered back.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to answer Alex’s question because it was super-duper personal. It was more that she didn’t want to answer because, the way Alex posed the question, it was like Alex thought it was a foregone conclusion that love was part of the Bran-Maddy equation.
And Maddy refused to do that math. She feared the solution would be too painful.
“Go on then,” Alex said when she turned back. “Let Bran dip his doodle.”
Maddy lifted a brow, glad the wind was cool enough to wick away the heat spreading across her cheeks. “Don’t think I’ve ever heard that one before.”