Free Helios Awakened (The Helios Chronicles #1) by Tawa M. Witko Page B

Madison whispered against his neck.
    She could feel him smile in her hair and turned slightly so that she could kiss him once again. This time it was slow and sensual, she felt an overwhelming desire to memorize all areas of his beautiful mouth. She was affected deep into her core and she could feel that he was affected as well when he shifted slightly underneath her.
    “So does this mean you like me?” she said with a smirk as she looked deeply into his eyes.
    “Maybe,” he said, unable to mask the smile that was spreading across his face. “I’ve wanted to kiss you since I first saw you.”
    “Mmm, me too,” Madison replied.
    He placed his forehead against hers, thinking what a crazy day it had been. They had been on the brink for so long it seemed. Their spark or electricity or whatever you wanted to call it had ignited when they first met. That was undeniable. A part of him wanted to get up and leave, to take her somewhere to be alone, but the reality was there was nowhere they could legitimately go. He lived with his aunt and uncle and she lived with her grandmother. He knew of nowhere really and it seemed so unusual and bizarre to 'park' somewhere with her, not even sure that was something people did anymore.
    “What are you thinking about?” she asked
    “Just how crazy this day has been,” he said as he laid a gentle kiss on her forehead.
    “I love it so far.”
    Madison gently ran her fingers along his shoulder, tracing the outline of his tattoo, following it over his shoulder onto his shoulder blades. She felt several marks there, wondering what they could be. Andrew flinched as her fingers ran over several of his scars. He didn’t want her to ask any questions about that. He wasn’t prepared to go there with her yet. It was something he just didn’t talk about. He quickly moved and helped her up, grabbing her towel from the ground. Madison stared at him a bit dumbfounded, especially noting the expression on his face.
    “Andrew, are you alright?” Madison asked with concern.
    She noticed that his posture had changed and he no longer had that relaxed feel about him. He was definitely in another place and she desperately wanted him back. She liked the playful and flirtatious Andrew. She liked the way his eyes had sparkled when he returned from racing with Jayden and mostly she liked the way his body had melted into hers when they kissed. Andrew blinked a few times and glanced at her troubled expression.
    “I’m sorry,” he said trying to smile but failing miserably.
    “You don’t have anything to be sorry about. You just looked very far away.” She took his hand in hers and squeezed it lightly.
    “I was,” he replied and squeezed her hand a little tighter. He started leading her back to the camp where everyone was gathering.
    “Hey Andrew, can you help me with the firewood?” Jayden asked, carrying a handful of wood.
    “Sure, no problem.”
    Andrew walked Madison to the table and kissed her lightly on the lips before reaching for his shirt and throwing it on. He followed Jayden to the truck loaded with all the firewood and threw his body up onto the bed, repositioning the logs on the tailgate so they were easier to access. Pretty soon a few other guys came to help as well; conveniently, Jimmy was nowhere to be found. Between all of them, they had the truck unloaded in no time.
    Madison watched as the men moved the wood closer to the fire pit and marveled at the way Andrew’s biceps flexed and how focused he seemed. He truly was the epitome of a man. Raw with unbridled sexuality, strong and masculine yet there was an intimacy and gentleness about him that seemed to lay just under the surface. She had known him for less than a day yet she was certain that she could easily fall in love with him. He walked back up to her and rested his knee between her legs on the bench, offering her another kiss.
    “I am going to change out of these trunks,” he said before cocking his head questioningly,