The Love Game (The Game, #1)

CHAPTER Ten - Braden

Maddie reaches up and tugs her hair from its holder. Her fiery red curls fan out around her shoulders, settling with one last bounce down her back. The end of her hair is inches from her ass – the ass I got to touch earlier, per winning conditions.
She won, but I did get to touch that pert little butt, so I'd call that a win-win situation.
“So,” I begin as we walk across the sand. “You never answered my question earlier.”
“What question?” She looks at me with those big green eyes of hers.
“Do you speak to your family much?”
“My dad and I talk about once a week, usually on Sunday. It's become kind of a habit. My brother? Not so much.” She shrugs a shoulder.
“Aren't you close?”
She snorts, shaking her head. “About as close as two opposite poles.”
“What about your mom? Do you ever speak?”
She stops by the edge of the water, drawing a line in the sand with her toe. Her eyes mist over a little, and I move next to her. She looks up, and there's pure, raw pain in her eyes. Pain I can't even begin to understand.
“My mom died three years ago,” she whispers softly, dropping her eyes again. “She was a victim of a drive-by shooting.”
Shit. “I'm sorry,” I say lamely. What the f*ck do you say to that?
“Don't be.” Maddie looks at me. “Did you shoot her? No. It's not your fault. Don't apologize for what someone else did.”
I reach up and tuck her hair behind her ear. What is it about her hair?
“I'm sorry you had to go through that.”
Her eyes are startlingly clear as she takes in my words. She doesn't flinch, doesn't cry, and doesn't break. Is her heart made of stone?
“So am I,” she finally replies. “But it's done. There's no point in dwelling on what could have, should have, or would have been, because that doesn't make it any better for anyone. In fact, it probably makes it worse. She's gone. I can't change that, I can only live with it. And I do,” she continues, quieter. “I live with it every day, and I'm always gonna miss her, but just because she's gone doesn't mean I can't be the person I'm meant to be.”
Shit, that's insightful. What do you say to that? How is this little girl able to render me speechless? I have an answer for everything.
Granted, it's usually a swear word or sex-related, but it's still an answer.
I slide my hand from her shoulder down her arm. I slip my fingers between hers and squeeze gently. “You're really strong, you know that?”
“No. I'm just me.”
“Doesn't change it. You are strong.”
“What about you?” she says suddenly, the mist clearing from her eyes. That's all I'll get out of her today. But if she opens up, she trusts me, right? That is what it means? And trust leads to love. Where is Megan when I need her?
Shit. I'm a prize dick for thinking about that shit when she's just bared her soul to me.
“Not much to tell.” We start walking again, our clasped hands swinging slightly between us. “Grew up in Palm Springs with Megan, lived the good, easy life, then spread my wings and came to college.”
“With Megan.”
“Yeah. We made a pact we'd go to college together. I'm only two months older than her, and we saw each other every day as we grew up. She's like my sister.”
Maddie nods, and I can tell she understands. It's a relief because it'll make the whole “dating” thing easier, but not even the guys get why I'm so protective over her. Touch her and you die kinda protective.
“I think it's nice you're so close,” she says. “I miss having that closeness with someone. Maybe I'll find it again one day.”
“I'm sure you will. Who knows? We might be that close one day.” God, I really am laying it on thick today.
She turns up to me, a smirk on her lips and her eyebrows quirked. “Presumptuous.”
“I prefer hopeful.” I grin. She laughs and shakes her head. “Seriously.”
“Okay, Braden.” She's still shaking her head. “It'll be a miracle if this....” She motions between us. “....lasts beyond tonight.”
“Is that what you think?” I challenge her, stopping in front of her and holding her other hand.
“Why wouldn't it be? I've had your attention for oh, six days. That's a miracle in itself.”
I shake my head. She's f*cking smart, and now I have to play it just as smart. It's all a game. Love or be loved. I don't do the first one, so it's gonna have to be the second. Megan's made me watch enough chick flicks in my life. I can fake this mushy shit.
“Angel,” I say softly, running my thumb across her cheek, across the tiny freckles I've never noticed until now. “What if I ask you to give me a chance?”
“A chance? At what?”
“A chance to be more than your friend.”
Her eyes flick across my face, checking my sincerity. Luckily I'm good at holding a mask in place.
“And?” she asks.
“And what?”
“And what if you mess up? What then?” Maddie looks down.
“Then I give you full permission to set Kay on my ass,” I say quietly, tilting her face up. “I promise. I'm not perfect, Maddie, I'm nothing like perfect, and I'm the first to admit it. But, if you'll let me, I'll try and be perfect for you. So you can have that closeness you want.”
I'm a prick.
“Fine,” she says after a moment. “One chance, Braden. That's all.”
I smile slowly at her and rest my forehead against hers. My breath fans across her mouth, and she closes her eyes. Kiss her, and I've sealed the deal.
I lower my lips to hers, and my f*cking phone rings. I sigh and step away from her, putting it to my ear.
“What?” I snap.
“Oho, did I interrupt something?” Ryan snickers.
“You have the worst timing ever.” I glance at Maddie, and she blushes a little, looking away.
“Do I now?”
“Yep. What do you want, a*shole?”
“Are you coming back here? Lila wants to know how your date went. She's having f*ckin' kittens here, man.”
I cover the bottom of my phone with my hand and look at Maddie. “Wanna head back to the house? The girls are there already.”
“Sure.” She smiles up at me.
“We're on our way,” I say into the phone. “See you in a few.” I hang up and shove it back into my pocket. “A*shole.”
Maddie chews the inside of her lip to control her laughter.
“Hey.” I nudge her and take her hand in mine again. “Don't laugh.”
“Sorry.” Her eyes glimmer with amusement.
“No you're not.”
“You're right. I'm not.” She shrugs and grins, tugging me along. “Come on. I bet Kay already has my shots lined up, and she'll drink them if I don't!”
I look upwards and shake my head, following her back to my car.
I have a girlfriend. A fake girlfriend, but still a girlfriend.
Who the f*ck would have thought?