Hiding her smile in an elegant flute glass, she stared at him unabashedly, still trying to accept the fact that he really wanted her, needed her. She had already known that Sam could do a tuxedo with style, but she couldn’t help but notice that he was completely comfortable in this elegant setting, a flashy charity function that he’d ask her attend with him.
In her standard little black cocktail dress and high heels, she was feeling incredibly underdressed, like a fish out of water. She was pretty certain that every woman here had a custom gown with an expensive designer label, and that not one wore costume jewelry.
But Sam was completely sincere when he said I looked absolutely gorgeous. He’s the only one that matters.
She sighed as Sam flashed his charming smile at an elderly woman, a flirty and charismatic smile that had the poor woman blushing like a teenager. Yeah, Sam loved women of all ages, and Maddie could tell they were completely enchanted with him. Strangely enough, she wasn’t jealous. The man she was watching was only a very small part of the man she knew, the face of Hudson Corporation, the public Sam Hudson, elegant billionaire.
But he’s so much…more.
Maddie held that information close to her chest, loving the fact that she knew the real Sam Hudson, and he was a scorching hot alpha male with a tender side that melted her heart until she could do nothing but accept that she loved him. Always had. Always would.
For her, there was only Sam. That basic and elemental connection had cemented when they had met, and she had never been able to release the bond. She accepted the fact that Sam was her one and only, that there had only ever been one man for her in this lifetime. Sure, it was frightening, but it was also exhilarating to find him again, to discover that he had been missing her as much as she had missed him all these years.
I just wish I had known the truth earlier. I wish I had known how much he had suffered in his past.
Maddie released a tremulous breath, grateful for second chances. How close she and Sam had come to never being together again! She was a woman of science, but she had to admit that sometimes fate and destiny couldn’t be completely denied.
Sam’s eyes scanned the room, as though looking for her. Their gazes connected and locked, and he gave her a heated look, a glance that she knew was reserved only for her. Her breath hitched as he stared openly, possessively, his look telling her exactly what he was thinking. The silent communication flowed between them, the heat almost so unbearable that Maddie needed a cold shower.
I was supposed to go to the ladies’ room. He wants to know why I’m standing here alone watching him.
Actually, she had been on her way to the restroom, but she’d stopped to get a drink and then had gotten mesmerized by watching her ultra-hot man lay on the charm with every person around him.
Giving him a small smile, she raised her glass to him and turned to go up the long staircase to the restroom.
“Need an escort?” A low, friendly voice sounded beside her ear.
Maddie stopped on the first step. “Max,” she answered, happy to see his smiling face. Unable to stop herself, she hugged him lightly. “It’s good to see you.”
He hugged her back and offered his arm with a delighted smile and Maddie took it graciously. God, he looked good. There wasn’t a single spark of chemistry between them, but there was something about him that tugged at her heart. Aesthetically, she could look at him and appreciate how handsome he was and how well he sported his own black tuxedo. He was such a gorgeous guy, and so incredibly sweet. Still, he didn’t appear to have a date. Maybe it was too soon for him.
“Having fun?” Max asked her as he guided her up the stairs.
“Not really,” she answered honestly. “I’m not sure how you and Sam do this all the time.”
“Do what?” he asked curiously, stopping at the top of the staircase with Maddie on his arm, a quizzical expression on his face.
She released him and stepped back. “This. All of this.” She gestured generally around the room. “I guess I’m not exactly a socialite,” she said softly. “The only good thing about it is seeing all the handsome men in tuxedos.” She winked at him cheekily.
“One in particular,” he answered with amusement. “I saw the way you were looking at Sam. I doubt you knew there was another male in the room.” More seriously he added, “You look happy. Even if you are a little bored. You get used to it after a while.” He shrugged. “It’s pretty much an obligation that comes with the money. It’s a fair trade.”
Maddie shrugged, supposing that what Max said was true. There were certain parts of being a doctor she didn’t like either, but she’d gotten used to dealing with it. For Sam, she was willing to do almost anything.
“I’ll catch up with you later, Maddie. I need to talk to you about something,” Max mentioned casually as they parted.
She gave Max a small wave, heading toward the right to the ladies’ room while he went left, probably heading toward the men’s facilities.
Maddie quickly used the restroom and paused as she washed her hands, looking at herself in the mirror. She had tried to do a more elegant hairstyle, and her make-up was fine, but she was so…ordinary. And so incredibly different from all of the beautiful women present at this charity event. However, after talking to some of them, she didn’t feel terribly inadequate. She was a doctor and she could see plastic surgery from a mile away and some of the women looked downright anorexic. Although Maddie had tried to participate in the conversation, very few of the women could converse about anything other than social activities, fashion or other mind-numbing topics.
Sam does need me. He needs a woman he can talk to at the end of the day. And he needs love. Desperately.
She dried her hands with a small sigh, knowing Sam had probably always tried to surround himself with people to hide his emptiness. It wouldn’t work. She had tried that trick herself, working all the time until she was exhausted, filling every hour of the day with work. But the vacuum had still remained, hidden but present, a void that only Sam had ever filled.
Pushing open the door, she stepped into the hall and walked toward the stairs. She heard the argument as she hit the first step, two angry male voices coming from the hall in the other direction.
“I know you’ve been calling her. That you took her to dinner. I want you to leave her the f**k alone. She belongs with me. She always has. I need her, dammit,” Sam’s angry baritone was easy to recognize.