Madison's Life Lessons (13 page)

Almost two years after the indictment was issued against Bruce—four months shy of Madison’s eighteenth birthday—the minor that claimed he molested her came forward to admit she made up the event because she was possessed by something evil.
Crazy talk
! No one believed her, of course, and she spent the next several years in a state-run psychiatric hospital.

Prior to the ‘possessed’ girl’s confession, the Baptist Association investigated, and was persuaded by an unknown source to allow Bruce to maintain his reverence position under a watchful eye. After the pedophile charges were dropped, the Baptist Association issued an informal apology and closed their case.

Talk of Madison and Micah’s relationship swept through the small town like she’d become an overnight rock star. Her peers starved to call her friend, but she called them fair-weather friends and would have nothing to do with them. Bruce worried their relationship would be perceived as romantic in nature and was reticent to allow her to attend social events with him. He’d had to finagle Bruce with coercion, lies and hollow promises just to be granted permission for Madison to attend their first very public appearance. The press had been there snapping photos and Madison had demonstrated how regal she could be. Handling the politicians with ease, she could’ve convinced them to whip out their checkbooks and write them for ridiculous sums of money. All of this done with her natural charisma. And that’d been her first outing with him. Since then, half the Senate had fallen under her spell.

The only downside, she and Elias got along as fabulously as demons and angels. They fought like college football rivalries—a religion in the south—and his brother teased her unmercifully. Madison didn’t react well to his brand of banter. Even so, Elias would’ve helped him rip the sun from the sky if she’d asked for it.

As their relationship grew, so did Bruce’s very real dislike of him. Not that he strived for her father’s approval. He didn’t ultimately need it.

They requested permission from the school for him to escort Madison to her senior prom. Of course, consent was granted. Mature beyond her years at seventeen and a half, he almost forgot she was still in the blush of youth. As he held her in his arms through the dances, he knew this was where she was intended to be. She caused him to feel when he’d prefer to remain neutral as he set his plan into motion. Emotions complicated his life and endangered his concentration.
There is no room for error.
But…

Embracing her through the slow dance, he’d nuzzled the side of her head, breathed her in and held her tighter than was allowed. None of the chaperones dared to correct his bad behavior. In that moment, he’d been very aware that Madison had managed to crumble the impenetrable wall encasing his unemotional heart.

“Thank you, Micah,” she’d said, startling him out of his thoughts. Her voice was low as if she were hesitant to speak her mind. The music was some slow song he cared nothing about except it allowed him to hold her close.

He leaned back just enough to peer at her. “For what, kitten?”

“For being my friend when I needed one. You’ve changed my life.”

He’d removed a hand from her low back and brushed his knuckles across her cheek. In response, her fingers had curled in the lapels of his tuxedo. “It was life altering for me as well.”
She has no idea how life altering.

Madison kissed him and nearly knocked him on his ass with surprise. Nothing sexual about the embrace, a mere merging of lips, but the joy that surfaced on the heels of his shock rolled along his nerve endings was as devastating as a level ten earthquake. She’d seemed just as astonished by her action, gasping as she snatched away quickly, her eyes rounded as she met his. Not being a bold woman, he could imagine her amazement by her audacious move.

Micah reacted, burying his hand in her hair and crushing her against him. He hadn’t pushed their relationship further because of her youth. And because he’d needed
her
to make the first move. Now that she had, he’d be unable to take it slow. “Tell me no.”

“Yes,” she uttered instead.

He sealed their lips together and parted hers without any resistance from her. She trembled as his entered and tangled with his. He tried to remind himself she was inexperienced to her innate passions. But she tasted so good and he’d denied his desires too long to coax her gently. Slowly, he realized both of her hands were clenched in his suit jacket like she clung to him for fear of floating away. Only then did he force himself away from the bliss he found in her mouth.

“I’ll want to kiss you often,” he said against her ear. She had to know this changed everything. Their relationship couldn’t revert back to one of comfortable friendship. Before, he’d been protective of the woman he planned to claim as his wife. With one kiss, irrational thought surfaced and his heart had declared her as
his.

Madison nodded. The flush of arousal glazed her eyes and stained her cheeks pink.

It looks good on her
.

“Did I frighten you with my passion?” They terrified him with how quickly they awoke.

“No.” She licked her lips and met his stare with hesitancy. “I’m surprised by how much I liked your kisses.”

Micah had smiled, slow and satisfied. He’d kissed her many times over the next six months. He hadn’t touched her sexually because he must marry her before he took her virginity. The temptation to claim her early was almost too much to tolerate.

He ran his hand through his hair, smiling at what he planned. Tonight was their two year anniversary of when their friendship began, and he wouldn’t allow it to go unnoticed. Too much had altered since that day she’d called him crying. He pressed a finger to the doorbell of Madison’s residence and waited only moments for her to open the door.

“It’s Micah,” she called to her parents, snagged her purse off the table by the door and stepped out to join him. The door shut with a click.

Entertained by her hurriedness, he bit back a grin. “I don’t get to speak with your parents tonight, kitten?”

“No. I want you all to myself. I don’t like it when you’re too busy to chat with me at least once during the day.” Madison whispered as if someone wanted to discover all their secrets. “I missed you.”

He loved her possessiveness. That red dress encasing her to-die-for body was at the top of his love-list too. “How much did you miss me?”

“Not enough to give you the kiss you obviously want. You’re late,” she scolded.

“That’s mean and unfair.”

“Don’t be late then.”

“It wasn’t my fault. I was detained.”

“Then you should’ve called. You’ll learn from this lesson.” He could hear the laughter in her voice even though she managed to hide it from her features. “Where are we going tonight?”

“I get a kiss before I tell.”

“Counselor, you can play fair or—”

He kissed her hard and she melted against him. A tiny groan emerged when he pulled away. With her eyes closed, and face upturned, he laughed at her dreamy expression.

“Cheater.” Her eyes flashed open and she presented him with a mock scowl, but a small smile twitched at the corners of her lips. “You got your kiss, so what are your plans?”

He laced their fingers together and led her toward his car. “It’s a surprise, kitten.”

Her fabricated pout captivated him. “I hate surprises.”

“Liar.”

He opened her car door and she poked him in the solar plexus. “I should be able to lie to you once in a while.”

Micah kissed her nose. “Then get better at it, kitten.”

Madison laughed and slid into his black Porsche.

“You’re quiet tonight.” Micah glanced at her in the seat beside him as he parked his Porsche.

Madison shrugged. “You seemed distant. I didn’t wish to disturb whatever thoughts bothered you.”

He snagged her by the nape and tugged her across the console to claim a kiss. She loved the way he kissed, even if her daddy said she shouldn’t show it. When he broke away, she thought he peered in the direction of her eyes, but it was hard to tell in the shadows. “I was thinking how much better my life is because you’re in it.”

That comment was so unlike him, she made a face. “Something happen today to make you melancholy?”

“No. I just want you to know how important you are to me.”

A slow smile, as she ran her fingertip along his smoothly-shaven jaw. “Why are we at the park at night?”

“You’ll see.” He pushed open his door. “Stay right there.”

After climbing out of the vehicle, he walked around to her side and opened her door. She took the hand he offered and she hugged him after she stood. With a finger beneath her chin, he tipped her head back. She explained her sudden embrace without him asking for one. “That was my way of saying you’re important to me too.” She rubbed her nose against his chest. “You smell fabulous tonight, Micah. Are you wearing a new cologne?”

“No, it’s called the scent of love.”

She laughed. “That’s awful. You’re terrible at romantic dialogue.”

He chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Retract your claws, kitten.” She thought he winked. “Come along, my surprise is near.”

“Oooo…I love surprises.”

They walked toward the water fountain at the center of the park, the one he’d met her at the day she was distraught over catching her mom with the Deacons. That day had changed her life so much. She’d take the heartache a hundred times over if it meant she could claim the man.

“Won’t you give me a hint of what it is?” She caught his hand draped over her shoulder and laced their fingers together.

“No.”

“An itty bitty hint?”

“No. You’ll see soon enough.”

“I don’t like it when you tease.”

Laughter grumbled up from his chest. “Kitten, you’re adorable when you’re pouting.” He kissed the side of her head. “Now close your eyes.”

“Why?” She stopped walking and faced him.

“I don’t want you to see the surprise until you’re in position.”

“Oh, good grief, seriously?”

“Seriously.” They stared at one another. “Better yet…” She gaped as he undid his tie and tugged it free. She’d imagined watching him do that many times, but the reality was so much better. It felt like her mouth was suddenly stuffed full of cotton and she swallowed, as he made a circular motion with his finger. “Turn around.”

“You’re going to blindfold me?”

“Do you want your surprise or not?”

Madison huffed dramatically and she knew he didn’t buy her irritated routine. Neither could she deny she was intrigued by what could be so important he needed to blind her. She turned and allowed him to knot his tie at the back of her head.

Micah twisted her back around, facing him. At least she thought she faced him. “Can you see anything?”

“No.” She placed her hands on his chest. Yep, they were facing.

“Are you sure?”

“I’m pos—”

He kissed her and she wrapped her arms around his neck, going into the embrace willingly. “Walk normal,” he said against her lips. “And I’ll guide you safely.”

“I trust you.” And she did, more than anyone in her life. He’d become her rock of support, the foundation on which she lived. Without him, she’d be nothing and she wasn’t talking about the folks who suddenly wanted to be her friend or show her preferential treatment. They were in her life because of him and she had no use for people like that. Micah had become her world and she worried about losing him or that he’d discover she really was all the vile things daddy said she was.

But those thoughts weren’t for tonight. She gave a mental shake, refusing to give value to the words Daddy had begun to renew over the last month.

Micah guided her without one stumble and then they stopped. “Stand still.” She nodded and waited until he said, “Remove the blindfold, kitten.”

She hooked her finger beneath the silk material and tugged it down around her neck. Twinkling lights were strung from the fountain and trees. And Micah kneeled at her feet.

“What—”

He captured her hand, pressed a kiss to her wrist. “Madison, will you make me the most envied man in the world and marry me?”

Am I dreaming?
His thumb swished against her palm.
No, not a dream
! Her heartbeat zoomed out of control. She’d only dreamed of this moment and none of her fantasies were as perfect as the reality.

“Yes,” she breathed, tears bursting forth to blur her vision.

Micah swept her into his arms. “I love you, kitten,” he said between kisses. “I love you.”