Thea's Return (Book 2 in the Original SOCIETY Series) ✔

☙15❧

"I'm pretty sure that's not how that goes..."

Lifting a brow, I lifted my gaze from what I was doing; wrinkling my nose before turning around to see Maddox standing at the doorway of the back porch. He was leaning his shoulder against the side of the porch post with his arms crossed, but the look in his eyes were amused which didn't fit well with his serious posture. 

Sneering in his direction, I told him that he could have helped then, instead of just watching me struggle. I turned my back, grunting when tugging on the hose again. I heard the creak of the steps of the porch then the crunching of the gravel so I knew he was approaching. I still didn't turn when I felt him right beside me. 

I frowned as I tugged on the hose again before turning in a full circle once and then tugged on the hose again before doing another circle. The small chuckle from my left made me stop what I was doing again and throw a glare Maddox's way. The tall idiot smirked that he would have been happy to help me with wrapping the garden hose, but knew that I was not one to take help very easily. 

"Besides..." Maddox grinned, seeing me narrow my eyes at whatever stupid thing he would say next. "It was cute watching you dance around in a circle with the hose wrapped around your waist." 

Rolling my eyes, I tilted my head with a flat look. 

"You're an idiot," I stated, to which Maddox chuckled that so he'd been told. 

He took a deep breath while I went back to wrapping the garden hose. 

Since dinner a few nights ago with the alpha, and with the introduction of meeting his son, I had been trying to keep myself as busy as possible to keep myself from thinking about Auric. My brain was just constantly reeling of him more than it normally would. I could remember how when I would think of Auric it was because I was angry at him rejecting Eli, but now that I know the truth... it was hard for me to deny that I was attracted to him. 

But that wasn't the extent of it. 

I found myself daydreaming about what could have been, and it would always end with me scolding myself that I couldn't do that because of so many factors that would interfere with that kind of happy ending. 

It was so frustrating that I'd find myself sending Eli downstairs to play while I shut myself in my room and cry. It wasn't until I felt the bed dip that I was comforted by Maddox. He'd reach over to tug me against him until resting his head against mine and whispering comforting words that would bring my sobbing down to whimpers. 

I know that I shouldn't allow that considering that Maddox wanted to work on making his feelings for me go away, but we were best friends. We knew how to comfort the other---him more than I---and this was one of the ways. 

Last night I'd found myself in that exact position before turning myself over to face Maddox and just stared at him for the longest time. His brows dipped in the middle and reeled his head back a little before asking me what I was staring at. 

That's when I acted on something I shouldn't have: Loneliness.

Not listening to my heart and mind, and instead letting my body take over, I moved forward to kiss Maddox. I know I startled him and could feel him start to pull away, but I wouldn't allow it. I took hold of his face with both hands, kissing him hard and slowly caressed my leg up his side until I was able to roll him onto his back. With me straddling him, I pulled back panting and saw him do the same. 

Swallowing, Maddox shook his head that this wasn't what I wanted. Not with him. That I wasn't going to like what I did tomorrow. 

He winced a little as he admitted through clenched teeth, "I won't be able to hold back, Bruiser."