Stone Cold Surrender - Brenda Jackson [36]
Madison had discovered after reading the newspaper at breakfast yesterday morning that Stone’s latest book, Whispers of a Stalker, was still on the New York Times bestseller list even after twelve weeks. During the ride today, Stone had also shared with her information about his involvement on a national level with the Teach the People to Read program—a program aimed at fighting illiteracy.
Another thing she believed with all her heart was that he was someone who could be trusted. She had felt comfortable with him from the first and the thought of them alone in this cabin, miles from civilization, didn’t bother her.
Yes, she decided to admit, it did bother her, especially when it stirred something inside her each and every time he looked at her with promises of untold pleasures in his eyes. Pleasures she’d never had before.
She walked to the window and looked out. It was dark and everything around them appeared black and still. She had actually seen a bald eagle fly overhead, but she might have missed the experience if Stone hadn’t pointed it out to her.
“What are you thinking about, Madison?”
Madison quickly spun around, holding shaking fingers to her chest. She hadn’t heard Stone approach. In fact she had been listening to the sound of the water running during his bath and wondered at what point he’d turned it off.
He was standing in the middle of the kitchen wearing another pair of jeans and a T-shirt with the words, The Rolling Stone, boldly displayed across his large, muscular chest. His hair was damp and she felt like crossing the distance separating them and rubbing her hand over his head. And that wasn’t the only thing she wanted to rub her hands over, she thought as he held her gaze. His eyes blazed with a deep heat. She may not be experienced in some things, but she could definitely recognize sexual desire in a man; especially this man. It had been in his gaze the first time his eyes had met hers.
“So, you want to keep whatever it was you were thinking a secret?” he asked with a rueful smile.
Madison sighed, turned back to the window. “I was just thinking how quiet things seem outside and yet I know there are plenty of animals out there that make this area their home. In a way I feel as if we are invading their territory.”
She felt the heat of him when he came to stand beside her. “Invasion is fine as long as we don’t do anything to destroy their natural environment.”
She nodded and turned and almost collided with him. She hadn’t been aware that he had been standing so close.
“There’s something else I’ve discovered about invasions,” he said, holding her gaze.
Madison knew her control was about to be tested. “What?”
“It can make some people rather uncomfortable. Like right now. I am invading your space, aren’t I?”
Madison nodded. Yes, he was invading her space but she didn’t feel uncomfortable or threatened by it. Instead she felt an incredible magnetism, an intrinsic sensual pull to him.
“Madison?”
She inhaled, pulling air into her lungs before answering, “Yes, but I don’t mind sharing my space with you, Stone. Are you ready for dinner?”
She watched as a smile curved his sensuous lips. “I’m ready for a lot a things.”
She didn’t want to read between the lines but did so anyway. Visions of just what those other things might be danced around in her head. She tried holding on to the decisions she had made yesterday morning about their relationship and discovered she was having a hard time doing so. She cleared her throat. “I’ll put the food on the table.”
Without giving him a chance to say anything else, she walked off toward