“Introducing me to family? Careful or I might get the wrong idea,” she said, her tone teasing. But then, as if she realized what she’d said, her face paled. “I did not mean that like it sounded,” she said, turning away, clearly unable to face him.
He shook his head. The frustrating woman still didn’t believe he was serious about her. Convincing her was high on his list. He wasn’t withdrawing at her joke, and he figured he’d just let his actions speak for him.
He grasped her hand in his and laid it on his lap, keeping her close for the remainder of the flight.
* * *
As a group, they checked into the hotel that normally hosted the Thunder when they played in the tri-state area. Dylan and Olivia stopped to say hello to the manager. Madison and Alex waited for their room keys. The plan was for the four of them to meet up for a late dinner.
“I still don’t see why you need your own room,” Alex muttered to her as he accepted the key card.
“Because this is a business trip, paid for by my employer, and I refuse to give them a hint of impropriety.”
“That them you refer to is my half brother, who was sleeping with an employee before he married her,” Alex reminded her.
“It’s not the same thing.” She wanted people at work to respect her. She wanted to respect herself. Sharing a room with Alex wouldn’t accomplish that. “And it’s not up for negotiation.”
“Doesn’t mean I won’t be in your bed tonight,” he said, pressing a kiss to the side of her neck before slipping his hand in hers.
She shivered at the seductive sensation of his lips against her sensitive skin.
“Come. The elevators are over there,” he said, not waiting for an answer, which was a good thing since she couldn’t form a coherent word.
As they approached the wide bank of elevators, she heard someone call Alex by name. They both turned.
“Alex Dare?” A boy in a wheelchair came toward them, his father rushing to keep up with his excited son.
“Hi there,” Alex said, striding up to the teenager.
“I’m a huge fan,” he said, gushing.
“We’re from Tampa,” the father said.
“Yeah. We’re in New York to see some doctors,” the teen said in obvious distaste.
The older man looked down on his son wistfully but didn’t say a word.
“Can I get an autograph?” the boy asked.
Alex grinned. “You sure can.”
“Hang on. I’ll go get paper from the front desk,” Madison said, rushing over to the bell clerk and returning with a pen and paper.
“What’s your name?” Alex asked, kneeling down to make himself level with the boy.
“Jake. Jake Wilton.”
“Tell you what, Jake. I’ll sign this, but I’ll take your address and send you an autographed picture and some team memorabilia.”
“All right!” The boy’s cheeks flushed, and he grinned.
For the next few minutes, they exchanged information, and Alex signed the paper, to his buddy, Jake. Madison had never seen this side of Alex. True, she’d seen him with fans, but this exchange with the teenager was different. He was warm, caring, and so much more real.
She wondered if he ever wanted kids. It wasn’t something she’d given much thought to, if only because she’d never found a man she wanted to settle down with. Those trust issues always reared their ugly head. But Alex, who had such an instant rapport with this boy, brought untapped feelings up inside her.
She glanced down. The two had their brown-haired heads close together as they had a private conversation she couldn’t overhear.
“He’s great with kids,” the older man said, drawing Madison’s attention.
“Yes, he really is.” She smiled, her heart fluttering madly in her chest, and she wasn’t sure why. She only knew something about this exchange touched her deeply.
Alex rose to his full height. “You’ll remember what I said?” he asked the teen.
“Yes sir!”
Alex laughed. “Umm, no need to be formal.”
Jake shot his father an I told you so look. “I knew you’d be cool,” he said to Alex, looking up at him like he was his ultimate hero.
To Madison’s surprise, Alex’s cheeks turned red.
“It was great to meet you, Jake.” Alex shook his hand as if he were an adult, leaving the teen beaming. He stepped over to the boy’s father. “You’ve got a strong, brave son.”
The other man’s eyes grew watery. “Thank you. This … today means a lot. He’ll never forget this, and neither will I.”
Alex shook his head, unsure what he’d done beyond the usual fan greeting, but he smiled anyway. “I won’t forget him either,” he told the older man.
And he meant it. The boy had struck a deep chord within him, and his young face and situation would stay with him for a long while. He walked toward the elevator, Madison beside him, lost in thought.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
He met her gaze. “I guess. It’s just … there but for the grace of God and all that.” A car accident had put the boy in the chair, but life had its random moments that changed everything unexpectedly.
“How so?” Madison asked.
“If I’d been hit or fallen a different way, I could be in a chair too. All this time I’ve been wallowing in self-pity, as if not playing football was the worst thing that could have happened to me, when Jake will never have that chance at all. Never have chances at a lot of things I take for granted.”
Madison slipped her smaller hand into his but didn’t say anything, knowing when to keep silent. He squeezed her hand in gratitude, and they walked into the elevator.
* * *
Madison settled onto the edge of the king-sized bed in the large suite. A totally unnecessary expense, but everyone else seemed used to it, so she’d kept silent at check-in.
She waited for her luggage to be brought up so she could unpack her things, and she hoped they wouldn’t be too badly wrinkled. Especially the dress she’d thrown in at the last minute just in case they went out for fun in Manhattan. Good thing, since apparently they were visiting Alex’s cousin’s nightclub.
When a knock came, she opened the door, expecting the bellman. Instead, Alex stood in the doorway, one arm braced on the molding.
“You’re not the bellman.” She stepped aside to let him in.
“Disappointed?” he asked, looking as off-kilter as he had when they’d stepped into the elevator earlier.