Free Chasing Dragonflies by Tee Smith Page B

standing on her doorstep.
    “I just got out of the shower, I thought you were my brother. I um... I'm really sorry,” she gushed, all her words coming out so fast, she could hardly keep up herself. She would not be surprised if he had not understood any of her mumbo jumbo. He must think I'm a complete idiot, she thought to herself, but judging by the look on his face and he was a man after all, he probably was not even thinking about what was coming out her mouth at all.
    “Don't be sorry,” he said with a smirk.
    “I didn't know you were coming today,” she offered, knowing how lame she sounded, but felt she should say something.
    “Well I hadn't said I definitely would, so I apologise for catching you unaware.”
    “No, no, it's hardly your fault.”
    “I can just go out the back and get started, if you like? I was just wanting to let you know I was here.”
    “Yeah, that's fine...sorry,” she offered again waving a hand toward the side gate. Her towel suddenly slipped and her hand darted back to save it before she exposed herself any further. This elicited another low chuckle from Dex.
    “Okay,” came his reply, but he did not move, he just stood as if rooted to the floor, not taking his eyes of her.
    “Okay,” she smiled back, feeling those eyes, burning through her towel and sizzling over her skin.
    “Yeah, so...I better go do it then huh?”
    Maddie let out a little giggle, she liked the effect she was having on him. “Yeah, I guess you should. I'll be making some coffee in a bit, would you like me to bring you one?”
    “Yeah, that would be great, thanks...two sugars, no milk.”
    “Okay,” she said making a mental note of his request.
    “Okay,” he smiled, his eyes running down her half-naked body one more time, before returning to her eyes. “Well I'll just be out the back then,” he said as he finally turned and ambled toward the side of the house.
    Maddie shut the door and collapsed against it in a fit of giggles. He was like a teenage boy, the way he had stood there eyeing her in her towel, obviously men never grow up.
     
    ***
     
    “Black coffee with two sugars,” Maddie called out as she walked into the garage. It was hot inside, with very little ventilation, making her feel clammy and uncomfortable. Memories came tumbling in on her of long summer says locked away, begging her dad to allow her out into the fresh air.
    As Dex moved from behind her car and came into full view, she quickly pushed those memories out of her mind.
    “Thanks,” he gave her a wink, as he took the mug from her hands. “So where's your boyfriend today? Is he at work?”
    “My boyfriend?” she scrunched her brows at him, surely he did not mean Patrick.
    “Yeah what's his name? Rick?”
    “Patrick—Trick, he is not my boyfriend,” she huffed out.
    He raised an eyebrow in question at her. That annoyed her, and she gripped her mug tighter with both hands. She was not a huge fan of coffee, but she loved the smell of it. So she brought it closer to her face, breathing it in, taking a calming breath.
    “No Trick is my, ah...”she paused for a moment to determine exactly how to explain who Patrick was. “He's my brothers, girlfriend's brother.”
    Dex nodded and mumbled under this breath, “bothers, girlfriend's brother.”
    “And my house mate for now, I guess,” she added. “Not that I get much choice in the matter.”
    “So you and him...are?” he tilted his head to the side.
    “We are friends. I guess,” she surmised. They got along okay, she thought he could be called her friend. Last night had kind of cemented that she guessed.
    “Okay,” Dex let out a long puff of air.
    “What does that mean?”
    “What?”
    “Your sigh.”
    “Oh nothing, I just didn't get the impression that he thought that, but I only just met you both,” he raised his free hand in the air. “It's none of my business anyway.”
    “No, no it's not,” she quipped. She smiled sweetly at him though, she couldn't be