Playing With Fire (Guarded Hearts) by Alexis Noelle Read Free Book Online

"What's up, Dad?"
    He leaned forward and shut off the TV. This was serious. "What's going on with you and her?"
    Well, isn't that the million dollar question. I decided to be completely honest with him. I really needed some advice. "I don't know, Dad. I think I'm falling in love with her." There, I said it.
    "You think? Son, you've already fallen and so has she. So what's the problem?"
    He thought Maddy was in love with me? "No, Dad, you're wrong about her . She has a boyfriend."
    "I see the way she looks at you and that girl is hung up on you, boyfriend or not. Can I ask why she isn't with him and his family? Not that I'm complaining because she's a great girl."
    "He didn't want her there. God, I hate him so much and I think he is hurting her. I don't have any proof, but I know something is wrong."
    My dad looked at me for a second, then shook his head. "Well, what are you gonna do about it? Your mother always said, ‘the choices we make and the chances we take determine our destiny.' What do you want your destiny to be, Carter?"
    I already knew the answer to this. I'd been thinking about it all day. "I want to tell her how much I love her. I want to be with her, make her laugh, be able to be the one to hold her when she is upset. I want to show her how amazing she is and be the first person in her life to treat her like that. Every time she comes in a room, I can't take my eyes off of her. When she touches me, sometimes I need to remember how to breathe."
    He smiled at me. "Well, you have four days with her to show her how it could be. I'd take advantage of that if I were you."
    He was right. I needed to show her how it felt to be loved. I knew she hadn't had that since her mom. "Thanks, Dad. You really helped." He sat back in his chair and turned the TV back on.
    Tomorrow was going to be day one to make Maddy mine.

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Madison
     
    I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and heard Carter talking to his dad. I knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, but I had to know what he was saying. He loved me? He wanted to be with me? He said more nice things about me in those couple minutes than anyone had my whole life. If I was being honest with myself, I'd fallen for Carter too.
    Just then, he walked into the room and I couldn't contain my smile. "So, what do you want to watch? I looked through the channels, but there wasn't much on."
    He smiled at me and went to get something from his bag. "When you went to get the turkey, I snuck a little surprise in the cart." He turned around holding the DVD of " The Notebook." He bought this for me so we could watch it together?
    There went another little piece of my heart to him. I barely had any of it left. He'd taking it piece by piece ever since we met. I just prayed that, one day, he wouldn't tell me he didn't want it anymore. "If you don't want to watch it , that's fine."
    Shit, I hadn't said anything. "No , Carter, that was so sweet of you to get that for me. I've wanted to see it."
    He smirked at me. "Okay, great, on one condition." Uh-oh. "You don't think any less of me if I cry again. I heard this is worse than the other one."
    I couldn't stop myself from laughing. He was perfect. "I promise."
    Carter put the movie in and then came over to the bed. He stood there, unsure for a minute, then grabbed a backrest and lay down against it. I was sitting Indian style on the bed, but about ten minutes into the movie, I couldn't help myself. I scooted over to where Carter was, lay down next to him and put my head on his chest.
    I felt him release a breath I didn't know he was holding. Should I not have done this? What if he doesn't want me on him? Just then, he put his arms around me and gave me a squeeze. This was where I wanted to be.
    I cried at the movie and as much as Carter would deny it, I felt him reach up to brush a tear away. He grabbed the remote, shut off the TV, and we just lay there together. He began stroking my hair and I let out a sigh of contentment.
    "If I