Beyond Broken(46)

"I know," he said, more than a little irritated now. She watched as he tossed a glare over her shoulder, in the direction of her table. "Leave him. We can go right now."

What scared her was that even though it was a crazy suggestion-absolutely ludicrous-she still wanted to say yes. Even though he was surly and rude and had just ignored her in front of his friends, she still wanted to say yes.

What the hell was wrong with her?

She'd never been with a man before, had always wanted her first time to be with someone she loved, but the thought of being with Caleb set her blood on fire.

"I'm not going to leave right now," the more rational part of her said. "I came with my friend anyway. She's my ride."

"I drove. I can take you home."

"Caleb … "

"Just think about it, princess," he repeated. It was his tone that did her in. Soft and intimate and the way he said 'princess' made it sound like an affectionate pet name.

"I have to get back," she said quietly.

"I'll wait outside when you're ready to leave," he told her, like he already knew she'd say yes, the arrogant prick. And with that, he turned and headed back to his own table. His friends' gazes all swung around immediately, acting like they hadn't been watching their exchange.

In a daze, Maddie retreated. Paul was looking at her and then looked over at Caleb across the room. "A friend of yours?" he asked carefully.

Kyra kicked her under the table and shot her a look that said we need to go to the bathroom now.

"Something like that," she murmured, taking a hefty gulp of wine.



       
         
       
        





EIGHTEEN





Maddie looked at her face in the bathroom mirror and out of the corner of her eye, she saw Kyra looking at her expectedly.

"Well?" she asked. "What are you going to do?"

Maddie had told her what Caleb said. After a brief moment of repeated, "Oh my God, oh my God," from Kyra-honestly, Maddie was just impressed that her best friend hadn't shrieked in ecstasy-she'd gone quiet.

"I don't know," Maddie said.

"What is your initial gut instinct? If you had to answer him right now, what would you say?"

Maddie's initial gut instinct was to say yes. But she didn't want to tell Kyra that. Kyra, out of all people, knew that Maddie was a hopeless romantic at heart. She dreamed of love, of being wooed, of a man that respected her. So, why had she chosen Caleb out of all men?

"If you're having second thoughts, babe," Kyra began quietly after Maddie's hesitation, "then I don't think you should go through with it."

"I … I don't think I'm having second thoughts," Maddie admitted, just as quietly. Even though the bathroom at Hemlock Tavern was miraculous empty at the moment, she still expected someone-or worse, one of Caleb's friends-to burst in at any moment. "That's what scares me. I should not want this, right? I hardly know him. I mean, really know him … "

Kyra sighed, pushing a stray hair away when it fell into her face. "It doesn't surprise me."

"What?"

"Look, like I've told you before, you've always had a weird thing for him. And now that you finally have him, I'm not surprised that you'd want him."

"You don't think it's a mistake?"

"It's only a mistake if you think it will be, Maddie," Kyra replied softly. "But if you really want my opinion … I don't know if you should."

Maddie had half expected her to be grinning, nudging her, telling her to finally give it up to the man who'd haunted her dreams for the last decade or so. As though sensing Maddie's uncertainty, Kyra remained calm, like she knew that if she teased her, Maddie's nerves would ratchet up even more.

Kyra looked over her shoulder at the bathroom door, making sure it remained closed before she said, "I'm not sure I'm his biggest fan, babe. Not after some of the things he's said to you. But I know you. I know that you'll obsess over this decision. I know that if you don't go through with it, you'll be wondering what would've happened if you had. But please, please, please, don't romanticize this. Look at it for what it is and then make a decision. Caleb isn't relationship material. He's told you so himself. If you do this, don't expect roses and a proposal the next morning. Expect him to be gone. And I'm not telling you this to hurt you, I'm telling you this because I just don't want you to get hurt." 

"Thank you," Maddie murmured, looking down at her hands. "I appreciate you telling me the truth."

The truth was she wanted to give into him. She would regret it if she said no to him. And, sadly enough, she felt a little thrill go through her whenever she thought that Caleb Montgomery would be her first.