* * *
"Thank you for a wonderful evening, Kenny," Maddy whispered,
snuggling in close to him in the guest room bed. It was a slightly
dangerous game; however the sounds of her father snoring down the hall
and the knowledge that everyone else was either asleep or out for the
evening confirmed that they were safe-at least for a little while. Besides,
Maddy hadn't actually climbed under the sheet with him, but was covered
only by the blanket and the comforter. She rested her head on his bare
chest as he stroked her hair.
"You're welcome, sweetheart," he whispered in the darkness, before
bringing her in close for another intoxicating kiss. And as their passion
mounted, he ran his hands through her hair and up and down her back,
trying to preserve every moment for future reference. He wanted to
remember everything about her-the softness of her skin and hair, the
subtlety of her artful tongue, the curve of her body and of course, the
irresistible appeal of her tiny, but agile hands.
They had been the first of many beautiful features that had jumped
out at him that night at the Key Largo Club. There was so much he was
going to miss about her, but he tried not to think about that as he held her
tight. And then, Madeline shocked the hell out of him.
"Kenny?"
"Yes, sweetheart?"
"I love you."
God, why now? What was she trying to do to him? All of these months he'd
desperately longed to hear these words from her; words he'd so
eloquently expressed regularly, almost from the day they met, with no
satisfaction. And now she chooses to tell him when his whole life is in turmoil?"Well, just don't get crazy on me, Madeline." His tone was a firm
warning; another unexpected rush of icy cold water.
"What?" she snapped, breaking away quickly to sit up. "What do
mean, don't get crazy on you? I'm just expressing how I feel-not getting
crazy on anything!"
"Oh and guess what? I'm totally naked under this sheet!" His outward
coolness masked his inner heartbreak. But he knew the only way he could
move on was to somehow make her hate him.
Unsure of how to react to this extreme turnabout, Maddy quietly rose
to her feet. "I don't know exactly what kind of game you're playing here,
Ken, but I'm going to bed. Goodnight!"
She closed the door behind her, leaving him to wonder what to do
next as he lay there in the darkness.