Page 32 of I’d Be Honored

She quickly forced the images away. Hayley didn’t want any of those things. She had just told Maddie that.

“You know what? This feels like the perfect time to take a shot.” Maddie flagged down their waitress in the hopes of lightening the evening’s mood.

“Oh, no. I don’t do shots,” Hayley protested, holding up a hand.

Ignoring her, Maddie leaned toward the server. “Two shots of tequila, please,” she ordered, tacking on a wink that made the woman blush. Then she turned back to Hayley with her best puppy-dog eyes, a look she had nailed very early on in her career. “Aw, come on, just one. For me?” She batted her eyelashes innocently.

When the two small glasses arrived on a tray, Hayley huffed, then reluctantly pulled one toward her.

“To a great first date,” Maddie toasted, reaching out to clink her glass against Hayley’s. But before the rim could reach her lips, a hand gently stopped her. Her skin burned beneath Hayley’s fingertips.

“This is not a date.” Hayley’s tone was stern and serious.

“Whatever you say,” Maddie drawled, brushing her off. She deftly moved the glass to her other hand and threw the alcohol back in one smooth motion.

Hayley held her gaze for a beat before downing her own shot and carefully placing the empty glass near the edge of the table.

Maddie raised an eyebrow.

“I said I don’t do shots, I never said I couldn’t.” Hayley’s eyes glinted.

Now we’re getting somewhere, Maddie thought.

NINE

HAYLEY KNEW IT WAS A BAD idea to get drinks with Maddie from the very second she agreed to it. She felt like a fish out of water the entire rest of the afternoon, unsure what to do with herself and agonizing over what she should wear. A quick mental reminder that this was only a friendly outing helped steady her nerves—for a moment, at least.

For Gemma, she told herself, turning it into her mantra for the evening. I’m doing this for Gemma.

All thoughts of altruism vanished as soon as she laid eyes on Maddie.

The woman was captivating, a gemstone of pure turquoise gleaming against a mine of muted tones, her fitted tank top the exact same hue as her eyes. When Hayley sat down and crossed her legs, her foot accidentally brushed against Maddie’s bare knees under the table, shifting her focus to the short skirt Maddie had paired with her top. The brief contact sent a sharp thrill straight up Hayley’s spine.

She spent the rest of the night unable to stop thinking about sliding her hands up that skirt, just high enough for her fingers to grasp the soft part of Maddie’s inner thigh.

Keep it in your pants, Hayley reminded herself more than once, the voice in her head sounding just like Gemma’s.

But the longer she sat across from Maddie—warm, confident, gorgeous Maddie—Hayley found it increasingly difficult to keep her emotional armor in place. A year ago, the woman’s intrusive questions would have gotten on her nerves. She probably would have walked straight out of the bar based on her track record. However, that night, something about Maddie’s easy charm held her attention. It made her feel safe.

Hayley’s laughter felt unpracticed and bright, a sudden sound that kept catching her by surprise. The knotted tension in her shoulders, the running mental tally of Maddox Group sales, and the mountain of laundry awaiting her at home all simply dissolved into background noise. For the first time in years, the relentless, driving tick of her internal clock stilled. She hadn’t even planned an escape route, she realized.

Hayley snuck a glance at her Rolex. Her cheeks felt hot, and the buzz in her veins told her it was time to go home.

“We should probably head out.”

Maddie’s eyes widened.

“No, no—not we, as in, together,” Hayley flustered, the alcohol making her thoughts blur. “I’m just ready to head home. You can stay here, though, if you’d like.” Her eyes flitted toward the brunette taking an order at the table across from them. “The waitress seemed quite taken by you.”

Shut up, Hayley.

“Jealous, are we?” Maddie asked, scrutinizing her with a smile.

On cue, the woman suddenly appeared beside them, sliding the black check holder onto their table. She caught Maddie’s eye before reluctantly backing away again.

Hayley cleared her throat. “Of course I’m not jealous,” she insisted, doing her best to appear indifferent. “I think you should go for it, actually.”

“Well, thank you for the permission.” Maddie looked at Hayley as if she were a particularly difficult puzzle.