Becoming Maddie (The Casterhouse series Book 1) (5 page)

As Maddie was starting to step away Aiden cut in quickly by saying “That's okay Maddie, We can stop at yours on the way and drop Marvin off. No bother.”

Before Maddie could say anything else or come up with another excuse Sarah butted in.

“Perfect! Okay see you there.” then she quickly walked ahead to catch up with her children and move them towards the car.

Maddie turned from watching them to look up at the man stood in front of her.

“What excuse are you going to use now?” he asked laughing.

Damn he saw right through her. Well she would not give him the pleasure of thinking that he knew what she was thinking. If he really wanted to give her a lift and be stuck with her in the ice cream shop she was going to make it as bad as possible then maybe he would take the hint and leave her alone.

“I don’t know what you mean.” she said to him. Clipping the lead to Marvin's collar she wrapped it round her hand a couple of times before saying. “What are you waiting for?”

Aiden bent and picked up his bag then turned and headed towards the car park. When she had caught him up he swung his arm up and put it round her shoulders and pulled her in close. Tucking her into his side. Clearly he didn’t see all the looks the angry women were now giving them. She tried to pull away but he wouldn’t let her. Marvin didn’t even growl.

This was totally a claiming move but who was it for? The people watching them with obvious curiosity or Maddie? To show her he had won this round?

“This will be fun.” he whispered in her ear and his warm breath made her happy place shudder and the air burn in her lungs.

This would not be fun.

Chapter 4

How did she end up in this situation sat in Aiden's passenger seat in his huge truck? So huge in fact, that he had wrapped his hands round her waist and lifted her up into the seat. Sat here being driving to her flat she could feel each place where his fingers had been, burning their imprints on her skin (even through her clothes). He didn’t touch her anywhere else just her waist and she didn’t want to admit how much her body wanted more. Her brain on the other hand was annoyed that he had even touched that much. He lifted her with no effort which backed up her theory about his muscle not being just for show. Not that he actively showed them off they just did it all by themselves.

There was a slight whine from behind her. Turning her body she looked over her shoulder at Marvin who was sat on the back seat looking out the window. Or rather he was sniffing at the small gap at the top. He turned to look at her with his tongue hanging out and a small baffled look on his face. 

“You’re not getting out yet you silly dog.” she said softly. “And the window is not being opened more so that you can stick your head out either.”

Reaching back she rubbed his back and got a lick in return, she then turned back to look out the window. Her main objective of ignoring Aiden was semi working. She managed not to talk to him in any way, even when he helped her up into the truck, but she couldn’t stop herself from looking at him. He drove with great speed but never out of control. If anything he looked relaxed and at ease behind the wheel. What she was really struggling to not look at was his impressive thighs working gently as he moved the pedals and his strong hand working the gear stick. Strong hands that had been round her waist and impressive arms that had lifted her.

Crunching her eyes shut she looked out the side window again. For god sake
what was wrong with her?

So Aiden had lifted her into his high truck with his impressive muscles, Maddie was sure she wasn’t the first woman in history that this had happened too. She just needed to stop thinking about it.

“At least he's not growling at me anymore.” Aiden said next to her.

She refused to answer or even look round at him. Between him and Sarah they have managed to manoeuvre her into this position. She just wanted to be dropped off at her flat and stay there with Marvin.

“I don’t know what I did to make him stop.” he carried on as if he hadn’t even noticed that she wasn't taking part in the conversation. “Got yourself a good guard dog there.”

Maddie could tell that as he talked, he looked at her every now and again, but still she pretended that she was fascinated with what she was seeing out the window more than what he was saying. Her hands were fiddling with her scarf in her lap.

“I bet he cost you a fortune.” Aiden remarked.

She turned around to look at him.

“He didn’t cost me anything.” she said smartly.

Aiden smiled looking out the window pleased with himself for getting her talking she was sure.

“Are you okay?” he asked Maddie, looking pointedly at her hands that were weaving the strands on the end of her scarf through her fingers. Constantly.

Straight away she stopped what she was doing and sat on her hands. He just laughed at her...oh the cheek!

“I am perfectly fine thank you very much.” Maddie said waspishly. “I got him from a rescue centre.”

Aiden looked in the rear view window at her husky and gave a low whistle.

“What was he doing in a rescue centre?” he asked.

Looking out the window again she was surprised to find them on her street. Smoothly he pulled into a space right outside her door.

“How do you know where I live?” Maddie panicked slightly.

He looked at her door and then back to her smiling again.

“It's nothing special.” Aiden said looking at her wide eyes and slightly open mouth. “I know you are neighbours with Ethan so it didn’t exactly take a rocket scientist to work it out.”

She sat back and looked at her lap feeling the blood rush to her cheeks. It wasn’t like her to always jump to the worst about people but there was something about him that told her she needed to be wary. He was not to be trusted or maybe Aiden was and she just didn’t want to.

“Sorry.” she mumbled into her lap.

Aiden sighed next to her making her look up. He was looking at the door to the block of flats with a look on his face that she didn’t fully understand. But she found that she wanted to.

“You were telling me about Marvin?” Aiden said still not looking at her.

Turning away from studying his profile she gave a slight whistle.

“Come on Marvin, in.”

With the call Marvin turned away from the window and looked at her. His front paws tapping on the seat waiting for a door to be opened for him. Maddie quickly opened her door and jumped down without waiting for Aiden to help her down. It was a big jump and she stumbled a little at the bottom but it was worth it not to feel his hand prints burning on her skin again. Straight away Marvin had climbed over the front seat and out her door to come and stand next to her, tail wagging.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Aiden snapped at her. “Are you bloody blind?”

Maddie walked round the truck to stand on the pavement in front of him and gaped.

“Excuse me!” she almost whispered. “What did you just say to me?”

“I asked if you are bloody blind?” he said clearly and loudly so that people walking past could hear and turned to watch.

“What the hell have I done to deserve that?” Maddie snapped.

“You jumped out the truck without bloody looking, nearly fell onto the road where there are cars going past and then you got your dog to do the same. So you not only put yourself in fuckin' danger but got your loyal dog to do the same.” he said pointing his finger at the truck, her and then her dog.

Marvin respond to his tone and pointing by stepping slightly in front of Maddie and growling at Aiden.

Although she had not known Aiden long, his sudden frequent swearing was a sure sign that he was furious. At Maddie no less. Well that made it even because she was furious at him too.

“You can’t speak to me like that.” she growled back. “I am not a child to be given into trouble.”

“Well stop freaking acting like one.” he barked back.

Anger flared through her veins and she was ready to have a good fight with him but like always the things she wanted to say flew out of her head and left her tongue tied. The need to release some of the pent up energy that had been building since she met him would be welcomed.

Aiden seemed to be trying to calm himself down by taking big deep breaths that puffed out his stunning strong chest.

“Let’s go inside.” he said, a lot of his anger having left his voice.

“After you spoke to me like that there is no way you are getting inside my home.” She said to him as she headed towards her door.

Aiden was right behind her though and grabbed her arm and stepped up to her so that his front was pressed to her back.

“I know you want to burn off the tension you are feeling.” he whispered in her ear as if he was reading her mind. “But we will find much better ways to do it than fighting.”

Then he shocked her to the core by kissing just below the ear on her neck.

Tingles spread out from the spot his warm lips touched. They shot down every nerve ending making her suck in air quickly and her brain shut down. How can a simple lip touch make Maddie’s body want to melt and her legs wobble?

“Breathe.” he said softly in her ear.

Just like that the mood was broken. She spun around to look at him, breaking his hold on her arm. How dare he touch her like that?

“I will be breathing just fine when you step back.” The last two words were punctuated with her finger prodding his chest. He didn’t budge. “If you would wait in the car I will be a couple of minutes.”

Aiden still didn’t step back but instead moved closer to her causing her to step back and so it went until the front door stopped her retreat. Still he pushed in until they were nearly touching, his hands on the door on either side of her head.

“I need to come up and change.” He said softly, his warmth breath brushing her cheeks. His eyes focused on her lips before travelling back up to her eyes. “Fight it all you like but you will be begging me soon enough.”

The breath Maddie had be holding left her in a rush as he backed off and waited for her to open the door and walk in ahead of her. Deciding it was time to ignore him again she quickly opened the door and almost ran up the three flights of stairs to her door. As she put the key in the lock a realisation hit, this would be the first time that she would have a man in her home...her sanctuary. The idea of it made her hands stall turning the key. She wasn’t ready. She couldn’t invite him into her home. It meant too much. Besides she definitely didn’t want Aiden Scott in her flat. Not with the way he makes her feel. Not with the way he had just acted with her. Not in any way.

Maddie was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn’t felt his hand move until it was resting on top of hers and turning the key, then pushing the door open. Softly he touched her lower back and pushed her inside. Once in he shut the door and looked about.

Well there was nothing she could do about it now. They were in her safe place so the only thing she could do was act like it didn’t bother her and get him out as soon as possible.

“The bathroom is over there.” She said pointing behind the sofa and bending quickly to Marvin. “You can change in there.” she unhooked the muzzle and lead and stood again hanging them up by the door.

Still not looking at him she walked into the kitchen, pulling off her scarf she bent for the dog’s water bowl and filled it. Turning back to place it on the ground she saw Aiden was still stood in the doorway looking around the room and then into the kitchen.

“What?” she snapped feeling supremely defensive of her little place. It wasn’t fancy but it was hers and she has spent a lot of time making it feel comfy. 

He gave her a half smile then walked towards the bathroom muttering. “Nothing.”

As Maddie did silly little things to try and distract her from the more than manly man changing in her bathroom. She thought about the kiss on her neck he had given her. If it had been anyone other than Aiden doing that she would be disgusted with how totally inappropriate it was. Somehow, because it was Aiden, Maddie felt a warm achiness that she really needed to stop and quit thinking about it. 

Like…now.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

It had not taken him long to change and she had settled Marvin in with the bowl of water and some chew toys. This meant that in very little time at all she was back in the truck (thanks to his help up again) and they were on the way to the ice cream place. Minus Marvin.

As they were pulling up outside she could see could see the Clarkson clan waiting for them outside the shop. Rosie was stood on bench playing with her mother’s hair who was sat next to her. Ethan was sat swinging his feet back and forth clearly starting to reach new levels of boredom. Before she could open the door Aiden put his hand on her thigh making her look at him sharply.

“Wait.” he almost growled. “I will help you down.”

Then as she opened her mouth to give him some smart mouth cutting comment, he was out of the truck and walking round to her side. He was treating her like a child who was incapable of getting out of a car by herself.

Aiden reached into the passenger side, undid her seat belt and pulled her out of the cab and placed her gently on the ground. But this time he slid her body down his slowly before her feet reached the floor.