Page 7 of Save Me

I’m slower than him, but I have longer legs, and I use them to sweep him back away from the door. I open it, then freeze, staring at the man outside. Everything slows like someone hit pause on the world.

Holy fudgesicle.

Maddox is hot. I mean hot hot. Like jaw-dropping, lick him all over hot. He’s a little bit taller than me, probably just over six feet, with black hair and the greenest eyes I’ve ever freaking seen. From the moment they lock with mine, they arrest me with the haunted look they have. He looks like all he watched were sad movies growing up.

And then my gaze is darting down his face to his shapely nose and his soft-looking lips.

Hot diggity dog.

Maddox glances away and clears his throat. “Uh, I’m Maddox? I’m here to meet…Princess?” When he talks, I see his canines are just a bit sharper than most people’s.

Fudge.

Then he’s staring at me, and I’m staring at him, wondering how those teeth would feel on my neck.

He cocks an eyebrow.

Right. Right! Princess. Who is currently trying to squeeze past me to partake in outdoor get-hit-by-a-car time. Gently, I scoot him back.

“Yes, of course, come in!” I step back and wave Maddox inside. Maddox gives a tight smile and then steps in.

Princess, who usually backs off as soon as he realizes his golden ticket to freedom is gone, stands there, tail fluffed. For a beat, we’re caught there in my entryway, and I can feel Maddox’s presence like he’s a fire and I’m a fluff caught in his oxygen-sucking current. All I want to do is take a step closer.

Not only is he taller than me, he’s built too, with just enough muscle for me to know without a shadow of a doubt he could manhandle me like I’m nothing.

My knees weaken, and then I realize I’ve just been standing here like a weirdo.

“Sorry!” I then realize that Princess isn’t trying to run from Maddox like he usually does. Instead, Princess is all over Maddox’s shoes, sucking in air loud enough to make loud, long snuffs like Maddox’s shoes came from the oxygen factory, and Princess is suffocating.

For a second, I stare at Princess. Why isn’t he running? Then my gaze moves up to Maddox, who is stiff in everything except for his eyes. His eyes are crinkling at the edges, smiling softly at Princess.

Suddenly, a vision flashes before my eyes. Maddox, Princess, and I in our forever house, happily sharing Thanksgiving dinner together, me shoving mashed potatoes in Maddox’s mouth and him shoving them away but laughing at me with a sparkle in his eye. Princess has his own plate, of course, and outside our warm house, there’s a warm barn filled with animals we’ve rescued together.

Then, Princess starts biting Maddox’s shoes. Like, digging his teeth in.

“Princess!” I snatch him up, face heating. Where are his manners?

Maddox clears his throat, and I meet his gaze again.

That warmth is gone, and in its place is a coldness that makes my chest tighten.

Right. Well, that just won’t do. Operation get that vampire smile out is underway.

CHAPTER FIVE

I may or may not have put peanut butter on my shoes. I wasn’t sure how else to get this skunk to like me. And I really need this job.

“Right!” CUPCAKELOVER’s voice is bright, and he seems genuinely…happy. He’s attractive and my age, with styled blond hair, blue eyes, and tattoos all up and down his arms. The arms that are currently caging a skunk that, if I didn’t know better, is sizing me up.

I’m not getting wearing-my-skin vibes, but then again, do you ever?

In fact, I’m getting very different vibes watching CUPCAKELOVER evaluate me. His presence makes me light up with awareness. The kind of awareness I swore I’d never explore again.

I clear my throat, shifting, heat crawling up the back of my neck. The anger follows immediately. I said I’d never do this again for a fucking reason.

“Make yourself at home.” CUPCAKELOVER waves at an adjoining living room. A fancy living room with white couches that probably cost more than my rent. There’s also a fancy multicolored rug over the marble flooring, which just pisses me off more until I remember that maybe he can help me pay my rent.

“So tell me about your parents’ skunk!” Rich bad boy says. “How long have they had them?”