just wanted to talk to her. How I wanted to hold her.
“Your info is on file with the production company. As far as driving up to give you the script, I’m also here because Corrine had some concerns about our last day filming together. She was hoping we could work things out so that…”
Madeline looked down. “I’m sorry about that, Theo.” Then her gaze shot up to mine again. “Are you here to fire me?”
My brain completely skittered to a stop. What? No! I was totally fucking this up. As terrifying as it was, it seemed to me that I needed to tell her the truth. Giving her excuses and half-truths was only making things worse.
I put my hands on my hips and I looked down, toeing the dirt beneath my shoe, trying to find the right words.
Finally, I looked at her. “Madeline, I’m here because I want to see you.” There, I said it.
Her expression suggested she was still uncertain about what I meant by that.
“Bringing the script and talking to you about our work the other day, those are all just excuses to be able to come here and see you.” I further expounded.
The worry line on her forehead lessened a little bit, but she still didn’t say anything, and worry began to creep up my spine. I scanned my brain for what else I could say. How could I be any clearer?
Finally, she spoke. “You’re not worried that maybe you’ve been followed or will be seen here?”
“No. Maybe I’m being reckless or naïve, but I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t give a shit. I want to see you. I feel like I should be able to see you. The paparazzi shouldn’t dictate my life. The question is, do you want to see me?” I hated how desperate I sounded. For a second, I resented her a little bit for putting me in a position to feel so powerless with her. Right now, the weight of the world seemed to hang on her answer and that didn’t sit well with me.
“But I thought we decided-”
Trying to hold back the frustration that could come through in my tone, I said, “I know what we said. For me, I really just don’t care anymore. I do care about hurting you. If you don’t want to take the risk, that’s fine. I will accept and respect that. Or maybe we can arrange to ignore each other at work and when in public, but I can see you in the evenings. I’ll take that. We live in the same building, so we can just hang out together when we’re home. Or you can tell me to leave."
“No.”
My heart sank. She didn’t want to take the risk. Or maybe she just didn’t want to see me anymore. Whatever the reasoning, her answer was no. I couldn’t quite find the words to say so I started to turn to leave.
“I mean no, I don’t want you to leave.” I heard a splash of water and when I turned, she was coming out of the pond and now was ankle-deep. “I’ve missed seeing you too, Theo.”
Happiness began to bubble up from my belly into my chest. “Does that mean I haven’t made a total fool of myself by coming up?”
She smiled, that radiant one that always felt like the sun was shining on me. “No, you’re not a fool.”
A new wave of desperation washed through me. A desperate need to touch her and hold her and kiss her. I yanked my shirt over my head and tossed it by her clothes. I undid my pants as I toed off my shoes.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a laugh in her voice.
“Joining you for a swim.” My boxer briefs did little to hide the impact of seeing her half-naked. That was until I put my feet in the ice-cold water and my dick immediately contracted up into my body as it anticipated being submerged. It would’ve been embarrassing, except that I was just too focused on her. I reached out, putting my hand along her lower back and pulling her up against me. Her warm hands slid up my chest, squeezing my pecs slightly before sliding up to my shoulders.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” she said happily.
“I’m sorry it took me so long.” Not wanting to wait a second more before tasting her, I lowered my head to her, covering her mouth with mine. A burst of sensation blasted through me as my