Free Teach Me To Live (Teach Me - Book One) by Alannah Carbonneau Page B

surprisingly, he was without company in the female form.
    Honestly, tonight was the one night I would have welcomed the company he kept, because then he wouldn’t be staring at me as though I’d lost my mind. I had yet to admit to him that I’d seen the coffee shop girl again. Or even that I now knew her name.
    Sliding my thumb over the numbers to unlock my phone, I immediately found her contact before typing out a text and pressing send.
    Yeah, I’m weak as shit. Clearly.
Me: You make it home all right?
    A few minutes passed before my phone vibrated and the screen flashed with her name. My heart leaped as I opened the text.
Madison: I made it. And then had another fight with my Mom.
Me: You good? I can come steal you away. Just say the word, sweetheart.
    Her text was almost instant.
Madison: If my Dad saw me riding away on the back of your bike . . . he’d lose his mind. I think, for the sake of your continued breathing, that we should stick to staying where we are tonight.
    My continued breathing. If only she knew.
Me: Don’t worry about my breathing. Our every breath is measured, sweetheart. That’s what makes living life every day to the fullest so important.
Madison: You’re so insightful . . .
Me: Are you complaining?
Madison: Never.
    I smiled, wishing for the billionth time tonight that she were here with me now. I should have tried harder to persuade her to stay the night. We wouldn’t have had to do anything—I just wanted to know her. I wanted to spend time with her, laugh with her and maybe even kiss her a few more times. Damn, she was a good kisser. She was definitely an innocent kisser, but still, that sweet innocence tasted amazing.
    I texted her again because I just couldn’t seem to stop.
Me: What are you doing now?
Madison: Just getting into bed. You?
    Thoughts of her getting into bed assaulted every crevice of my brain and I shifted on the couch, concentrating on answering her question.
Me: Sitting on the couch with my brother. Being lazy.
Madison: Sounds fun . . . am I seeing you tomorrow?
Me: Did you want to see me tomorrow?
    My heart raced in my chest so quickly it was nearing on painful. I hadn’t been this ridiculous over a girl since my very first serious girlfriend, Chloe. That had been years ago.
Madison: I would like to see you.
Me: Then you’ll see me.
Madison: When?
Me: I can meet you at the coffee house first thing . . . or I can pick you up from home?
Madison: We’ll stick to meeting at the coffee house for now. I still think the last thing my Dad needs to see, is me riding away on a bike with a boy . . .
Me: Are you worried about your Dad seeing the bike . . . or the tattoos?
Madison: Both . . .
    I laughed. At least she was honest.
    The sound of my brother’s voice tore my attention from my texts with Madison. “Dude, what’s going on with you tonight? You’ve been all weird.” He craned his neck, making an obvious move to catch a peek at my screen. “Who are you texting?”
    “Madison.”
    “Who?” His face scrunched, his eyes clouding as his mind traveled back in time as he tried to recall if I’d mentioned a Madison. When nothing flashed in his memory, he continued. “Who’s Madison?”
    “Coffee shop girl,” his blue eyes widened. “She called me today.”
    “Thank God!” He slammed his body dramatically into the couch. “I seriously thought I’d have to organize an intervention. You were fucking obsessed over that chick.”
    “She’s pretty amazing,” I admitted. “She’s sad. And she’s got shit she needs to deal with, but don’t we all?”
    “You really think someone with shit is what you need right now?” Kaiden’s question was soft, but it instantly pissed me off.
    “Why wouldn’t it be something I need?” I could feel the tension climbing through my very veins. “I’m just as good for her as anyone else.” I knew it was a lie as I spoke, but I couldn’t take the words back no matter how untrue they were. “I’ve got shit to offer her,