Dare to Desire by Carly Phillips Page B

worse. When she doesn’t remember me at all or when she’s throwing things and saying she hates me.”
    Oh shit. He grasped her hand. “I’m sorry.”
    She forced a smile. “Yeah. Me too.”
    “Did your foster brother help?” he asked.
    She shook her head. “He did leave me a loving phone message I got while I was waiting here. He said since it was my decision, I could deal with it and live with the consequences. The bastard.”
    “That kind of behavior should help you in court.”
    “I hope so. I just don’t know.”
    She looked so defeated he didn’t know what to do to make it better.
    “I appreciate you listening, but I should go. You probably want to shower, and I’m just in the way.” She rose to her feet.
    He jumped up, determined to keep her here. “Did you eat dinner?” he asked.
    She shook her head.
    “Lunch?” he asked, because she’d been busy taking care of her foster mom and not herself.
    “No.”
    He frowned, but he wasn’t surprised. “That settles it. I’ll order us dinner and I’ll jump in the shower. Okay?”
    Madison nodded. “I’d like that,” she said softly.
    “Make yourself comfortable. I’ll be quick.”
    She settled into the oversized couch, the one thing along with the massive television he’d moved from his old house. “Remote’s on the table,” he said before heading for the bedroom.
    He showered quickly, wanting to get back to her as soon as possible. Madison was here, and he recognized she was at her most vulnerable. A turning point if there ever was one. He wouldn’t take advantage, but he would be there for her and make damned sure she knew she was no longer alone.
    *     *     *
    Madison rubbed her bare arms and cuddled farther into the soft velour cushions on Alex’s couch. She didn’t turn on the television because this was the first minute of downtime she’d had all day, and she wanted to just be . And savor the fact that, for the moment at least, she wasn’t dealing with life by herself. It felt so good to not be alone, she thought, closing her eyes and letting go.
    She had no idea how much time had passed when the couch dipped with heavy weight.
    “Hey,” Alex said in that sexy deep voice.
    She looked up at him and smiled. “Hey.”
    He wore nylon sweats, no shirt, and he smelled so good she wanted to crawl beneath his skin. She had no defenses left today to fight the attraction. She didn’t want to.
    “Feeling a little better?” he asked, stroking her cheek with one finger.
    “Yeah.”
    “I’m glad you came to me.”
    She smiled. “I’m glad I had somewhere to go.”
    “Madison—”
    The doorbell rang, interrupting him. “That’s dinner. I’ll get it,” he said.
    A few minutes later they were sitting at his table eating Emilio’s pasta. To her surprise, she was feeling not only better but hungry.
    She didn’t want to focus on her own life and problems, and he seemed to understand. They talked about work and Riley’s pregnancy and laughed over the fact that Ian was running to feed her pregnancy cravings.
    “Are things really better between you and Ian?” she asked, hoping he didn’t mind talking about their relationship.
    In the past, he’d always deflected questions about himself, causing her to do the same. She knew it was his way of keeping a distance between them, and the few times he’d slipped and revealed something intimate, he’d immediately rebuilt his walls. She didn’t really think she’d get far now, but she wanted to know and decided to ask. Besides, better to shine the spotlight on his family rather than her lack thereof.
    “When I ran into him the other night at the restaurant, he seemed … more interested in my life. Of course it could be so he can have a few laughs at my expense. I’m never sure.”
    She chuckled at his supposition. “From what I’ve seen, Ian is a man of few words. The ones he uses, he tends to mean. If he asks, he’s interested.”
    He raised an eyebrow. “You think