Page 22 of The Encounter
He laughed. “No no. I don’t expect you to, and I don’t want to tonight. I would like it if we could have dinner in privacy and escape any chance of paparazzi finding us.”
Her cheeks tinged pink. “Oh. Okay. That sounds nice.”
He smiled and started up his car. When he pulled out onto the street, he glanced over at her. “What kind of music do you like to listen to?”
“A little of everything. How about you?”
“I’m the same.”
The silence passed between them as they drove through the city. He studied her out of the corner of his eye. She stared out the window with an occasional glance in his direction. Her cheeks constantly tinged pink when she’d catch his eyes, and damn, if that wasn’t the most adorable thing he had ever seen.
He pulled into the underground parking garage for his building and parked in his reserved spot before hopping out and opening Maddie’s door. She took his offered hand and held onto his arm as he walked her to the elevators.
The elevator brought them straight into the entrance to his place. He had the whole top floor of the building and the only way to get access to it was by using a key in the elevator or by a few locked doors in the fire escape, unless he were to buzz in his guests.
His golden retriever trotted toward them as soon as the doors opened.
“Hey, Roxy girl,” Jace said, bending down to pat his dog’s side.
Roxy wagged her tail furiously at him before turning her attention to Maddie.
“Roxy, stay,” he said. Unsure whether Maddie liked dogs, he didn’t want Roxy rubbing up on her dress and covering her in hair.
“It’s okay,” Maddie said. “Come, girl.”
Roxy happily took the few steps toward Maddie, who squatted on the floor and scratched Roxy’s face.
“Who’s a good girl?” Maddie said, dropping her voice an octave. “She’s beautiful,” she said, turning toward Jace and speaking normally again.
“She is. She’s a rescue.”
“Have you had her long?”
“About two years now.”
“I love dogs,” she said, scratching Roxy behind the ear.
Jace squatted down next to them and pet Roxy as well. The faint scent of roses washed over him, and he looked over at Maddie.
“Do you like roses?”
“I love them.” As if something dawned on her, she quickly added, “I hope you don’t mind that I left the ones you gave me at home. I didn’t see a point in carrying them around.”
He smiled. “I was asking sinceyousmell like roses.”
She blushed. “I love the smell. It’s rose oil.”
“It smells lovely.”
“Thank you.” She turned her attention to Roxy for a moment before adding, “Did you know it’s an aphrodisiac?”
Jace coughed on nothing, and Maddie’s eyes widened.
“Oh my God. I’m sorry. I have this bad habit of word vomiting things when I’m uncomfortable.”
He chucked and stood up before reaching a hand down to help her stand. Roxy padded away to her bed next to the couch and laid down.
“I make you uncomfortable?”
