Wrong But Wright.

Maddie

January

Huffing a sigh and necking a hefty swig of moderately priced champagne, I lean against the wooden support of the deck overlooking the covered pool. The dainty bracelet watch on my wrist tells me it’s just before midnight.

Looking back to the house filled with people. I could have gone with friends to Florida for winter break. Some even went to Cabo. Where did I decide to stay? Texas, otherwise known as ‘home.’ Goddamn being a good daughter—forever a plague.

I love my parents, but Jesus, I’m twenty-one. I graduate in five months. I still live at home because it’s cheaper than renting anywhere nearer campus, and to top it all off, if Jamie hadn’t been a total asshole and cheated on me, I’d be in Aspen right now. “Not even a fucking kiss at midnight—pathetic!” I hiss to myself.

Only it isn’t to myself. Someone clears their throat from behind me, causing me to startle.

“Jesus Christ!” I yelp as my now champagne flute springs from my fingers. Thankfully the stranger has amazing reflexes. His hand whips out as fast as lightning and catches the glass before it shatters all over the deck.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I just need some air—it’s awfully stuffy in there, wouldn’t you agree?” His gravelly Texan twang sends shockwaves through me. Green eyes twinkle into my own murky green eyes as the essence of a flirty grin adorns his stubble-covered lips. I’m in such awe looking at this hell of a man in front of me. I can’t think straight, let alone answer him.

What I should be saying is, “Yes, absolutely, I agree. My parent’s friends are some of the most undeniably boring people I have ever met. I came out here for some air also.” However, no words leave my mouth. I merely nod sporadically like an idiot.

I expect the stranger to turn away immediately to get away from the crazy lady. But, instead, he brushes the back of his index finger across his lower lip as though in thought, a smile creeping across his mouth. The mystery man takes a step closer. His scent is almost intoxicating. Cedar with a hint of citrus, my pupils dilate, my breath hitches—actually hitches. What the fuck is up with that?

Stretching his large calloused hand forward, he sweeps a tendril of hair off of my face, tucking it behind my ear. I feel like I’m in a dream right now. Part of me wants to know his name. The other part is enjoying living in this strange, mysterious parallel universe I’ve found myself in.

“Not a fan of parties?” He asks, gesturing inside to the thrum.

“No, it’s not that. I enjoy a party. I just prefer a party where the guests are—” My next words stick in my throat as I look into the eyes of the stranger. It isn’t that he’s old, far from it. In fact, if he is old, I’d say he ages well. I’d put his age at maybe twenty-ish years my senior, but still, I wouldn’t kick him out of bed—that’s for sure.

“—Are—?” Mystery man continues my last word, sarcasm dripping from it.

Yeah, he knew where I was taking that sentence, shit! Think of something—quick! Screw it, I wait any longer, and he’s really gonna think I’m stupid. Maybe he’ll laugh, maybe the ground will swallow me whole, only time will tell.

“Younger?” I purr the answer as though it’s a question.

“Ouch, you wound me, Bambi.” His hand dramatically grasps over the left pocket of his red, plaid shirt, clutching at his clearly ‘wounded’ heart. His new nickname for me doesn’t pass me by either.

“Oh, I have a feeling it won’t wound you for long, a guy like you? Pick yourself back up in no time.” I wave him off.

“A guy like me? Any idea where they keep the key to that shed over there?” He asks, throwing me off.

“The shed? Why would you need to go in the shed?” I ask curiously.

“Clearly, you need a shovel to keep digging that hole deeper, Bambi.” He barks a hearty bellow, finding himself hilarious. Who is this guy? And why Bambi? Because he startled me? Because I’m clumsy?

I find myself joining him in his laughter, “Okay, I deserved that,” I chuckle, shaking my head.

Mystery man’s face turns serious, his eyes squint as he regards me, “Look, stop me if I’m too forward, but I couldn’t help overhearing you when I stepped out here.”

“Oh yeah? And what did you hear?” I ask, my heart beating rapidly faster, so much so, I’m nervous he’ll see it pumping through the material of my dress. I try to stand firm, but as I adjust my footing, I wobble where I stand—not helping on the clumsy front.

One more step forward, he brushes his fingertip down my throat, right over my pulse point – oh, he can see my heart racing alright. “You were muttering something about not having anyone to kiss at midnight. Now call me crazy, but that’s no way for a gorgeous girl like yourself to spend New Year’s Eve, am I right?”

“A girl like me, huh?” I use his earlier words against him.

His finger has stopped on my shoulder blade. Stepping one final step forward, he wraps his hand around the back of my neck, squeezing gently. I can’t move, frozen to the spot, my breathing already ragged, the only movement I can make is my thighs, rubbing together to give myself some much-needed friction. “That’s right, I can’t bear to see you stood here all alone on New Year’s, so how about you let me be the one to kiss you?” His words slam into my chest, leaving me even more breathless than I was before.

Forcing the words up my throat, I almost pant as I tell him, “I don’t even know your name.”

A smirk flickers across his lips. He leans in, brushing the soft peachy skin of my cheek with the rough stubbled skin of his own. Hot breath licks at my ear lobe as he whispers, “Jaxon Wright, nice to meet you, Bambi.” Pulling back, Jaxon looks into my eyes, awaiting my response. I’m sure I’ve heard his name before. I just wish I knew where.

“M-my name’s not Bambi—It’s—”

“Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six—” The chorus of people shouting the countdown to midnight stops me in my tracks.

“It’s now or never, Bambi.” Jaxon smolders, his grasp on my neck never relaxing.

Fuck it—you only live once, right? Besides, it’s unlikely that I’ll ever see him again after tonight.

To reach his mouth, which stands at least a foot above my own, I have to tiptoe. As the other party-goers continue the countdown for us, I inhale a deep, wavering breath.

“Three, Two, One! Happy New Year!” An explosion of fireworks, sirens, screams, horns, and whistles create a wall of sound around us, but soon it all fades white noise as Jaxon’s mouth envelopes my own.

This isn’t just any New Year’s Eve kiss. As his tongue invites itself into my mouth, dancing with my own. Jaxon winds an arm around my waist. His hand slips over the dip in my spine, landing comfortably on my ass before he squeezes. Pulled against his chest, it’s like we’re one person, not two. Keeping one of my hands on Jaxon’s hip to ground myself, I let the other slink up into his short dark brown hair, running my nails against his scalp, eliciting a gruff moan from his lips.

A fireball develops in the pit of my stomach. It splits into two balls of equal size, both surging in the opposite direction. One races its way up my chest and into my head, rendering me senseless. The other heads straight for my crotch, a rush of blood finding its way along with the fireball, leaving my lace underwear soaked.

“Holy shit!” I exclaim as Jaxon pulls away, far too soon.

“You can say that again. Happy New Year, Bambi!” Placing one more kiss on my flushed cheek. Before I have the brainpower to wish him well back, Jaxon wanders back off inside to revel in the celebrations.

Gathering my shattered thoughts, I rush back inside to an overwhelming hubbub. If I thought the party was in full swing before midnight, I was kidding myself. People are reveling in the New Year, singing a dancing, having consumed far too much champagne.

Inside my own bathroom, I dab my face with a cool, damp facecloth. What the fuck was that kiss? Should a kiss with a complete stranger be as electrifying as that one? Is it because he was a stranger? What if I bump into him downstairs? Worse yet, what if he has already left?

Heading back to the party, I freeze at the bottom of the stairs. Right in front of me, I see my parents, laughing and joking with Jaxon. What in the world? I mean, I guessed that he must know them owing to the fact he was invited to their party. But a part of me had hoped he was a guest of a guest, or maybe a gatecrasher. A client of Dad’s, perhaps. But this, the sight in front of me, it’s clear they are old friends—fuck!

As I make my uncalculated approach, I’m still trying to work out how Jaxon knows my parents as well as it seems. Did he know I was their daughter when he offered to kiss me?.

Jaxon’s back is to my front, he hasn’t seen me walking towards them, but Dad has. “Here she is!” He tells Jaxon. Clearly, I was the topic of conversation. “Sweetheart! Come over here. I want you to meet a very good friend of mine. Jaxon Wright, I’d like you to meet the apple of my eye, our daughter, Madeleine.” I cringe at Dad’s use of my full name.

Jaxon turns, I almost see the scene playing out before me in slow motion. A charming smile appears on his face as he takes a sip of the amber liquid in his glass, his hand reaching out to shake my own. When Jaxon’s eyes lock with mine, he looks as though he’s seen a ghost. Inhaling a sharp breath, he chokes on what I presume is Bourbon. Okay, then he didn’t know.

I smile sweetly, holding out my hand to shake his, “Jaxon, nice to meet ya. Happy New Year!”

Jaxon continues to regain his breath after choking on a mixture of booze and air. Dad smacks his back in an effort to help, “Jesus Christ, Jax. You got bones in there?” Dad laughs as he continues to pat Jaxon’s back.

When Mom joins in, with concern on her face, Jaxon rights himself. “I’m fine, honestly. It just went down the wrong hole. Sorry, Madeleine, what a greeting, eh?” His hand grasps mine, his thumb gently caresses the back of my hand. The action causes me to jolt. In front of my parents? Is he kidding? At around the very same moment, a twinge between my lower lips shocks me. I gulp hard. Jaxon watches and smirks as my throat bobs. Great, if he couldn’t see the reaction I had around him before, he’s definitely going to see it now.

“It’s just Maddie, Please. What a greeting, indeed, Jaxon,” I say the words with an air about them. I hope to God he can read it, understand, of course, that I’m referring to our earlier greeting.

“Maddie, love. Jaxon was my best friend in high school. We even went to college together. He’s just moved back to town after all this time! How’s that, huh?” Dad has his excited voice on in full force. Mom rolls her eyes at him, knowing he’s had too much to drink.

“Talking of college, Gray was just telling me that you go local?” Jaxon, who hasn’t taken his eyes off of mine, asks.

“Uh, yeah, I finish in five months, then I’ll be free!” I laugh, “Anyway, it was nice meeting you, Jaxon. But if you’ll excuse me, I’m about ready for bed.”

Mom and Dad both wrap me in a hug, each kissing me on a cheek. Jaxon smiles, tipping his glass at me, “G’night, Maddie.” The way he says my name does something to me that I cannot explain. I should not be thinking all the dirty thoughts about him that I am. He’s one of my Dad’s longest friends. It’s so wrong.

Before I reach my bedroom door, a silent hand reaches out from behind me, grabbing my wrist, causing me to let out a sharp squeal. A hand muffles my squeal, “So jumpy, Bambi!” Jaxon chuckles as he slowly releases my mouth from his grasp.

“You know my name now. You can stop calling me Bambi.” I sass him.

“Not a chance, I like it. It suits you.” He shrugs. “I just wanted to say, it’ll be good seeing you around more often.” An almost hidden grin adorns the corner of his lips. What is he up to?

“What are you talking about? Just because you’re back in town doesn’t mean you have to start hanging out all of a sudden.” I snap at him, getting bored of his illusiveness.

“Oh, did your parents not mention?” Jaxon steps forward.

I step back instinctively, my back hitting the firm surface of my bedroom door. “What?” I ask, sweeping my tongue over my dry lips.

“I’m joining Grayson at his construction company. And he even invited me to live with you guys while my new place is being renovated. Looks like we’ll be seeing a whole lot more of each other.” Bending down, he brazenly kisses the corner of my lips like he did downstairs on the deck, “Sweet dreams, Bambi!” With a wink, he slips into the room across the hall and shuts the door.

Oh, this is gonna be interesting!

~**~

*AN*

Hope you’ve all missed me as much as I’ve missed you, it’s good to be back!

How did you like the first chapter of Wrong But Wright? What do we think of Maddie and Jaxon?

Happy Reading! ❤