Hide and Seek (6 page)

"I know what you mean. Sophie came bouncing in like nothing's different, but everything feels different to me. Everywhere I look, I see you. You're this sexy ghost that haunts me."

"Spectacular is another word that comes to mind. Thank
you
."

* * * *

Monday lived up to its reputation. Maddie's kids were rambunctious after two days away, and no one wanted to nap. She breathed a sigh of relief when they were on the playground, and the kids could burn off their energy. Burn was an appropriate choice of words—it was mid-June and already almost ninety degrees. Maddie fanned herself with a book as she watched the children scramble around, seemingly oblivious to the weather.

She touched the brim of his ball cap. She would have liked to run her hand over his stubbly face, but knew she couldn't.
Besides, he looks
grimy
.

Rob grinned at the look on her face. "Yes, the bloom is off the rose. I didn't clean up before I got here today. It's too damn hot. I just want to go home and hop in the shower."

"Ooh, me too." She batted her eyes at him.

He groaned and rolled his eyes. "Sweet Jesus, you're doing it to me again. I'm not going to be able to take this everyday without getting my hands on you at some point."

"Lunch half-hour, I'm afraid. We have a floating sub cover for each of us during naptime. I usually bring a sandwich and eat in the break room."

He thought about that. "Thirty minutes, huh? Well, I can take an hour if I need to. And tomorrow, I think I need to. Let's see—it's about two minutes to your place, allowing thirty seconds to climb in and out of the truck. That gives us twenty five minutes alone at your house."

Maddie's eyes lit up. "Twenty five minutes? Sounds like heaven."

He sidled up next to her and whispered, "Sounds like about twenty minutes more than I'm going to need once I get my hands on you."

Maddie grinned and looked down when Sophie appeared between them, her face red and flushed.

"I'm thirsty," she announced.

Maddie brushed the hair back from Sophie's face. "Show your daddy where we get drinks inside. You'll need a nice long one before you go home. You've been playing hard." She looked at Rob. "Paper cups above the sink. You'll see them."

She was watching for him at twelve-thirty the next day, and was at his truck before he could even park. "Hey."

"Hey there." He slipped out and let her scoot in his door. Sophie's car seat was in the far seat, so Maddie squeezed in the middle next to Rob. "I was going to move that car seat, but decided I'd kind of like to have you squashed up against me."

"You view that as a problem?" He pulled into her driveway and parked. He turned to her for a full-on kiss, and they both groaned and groped at each other. "Let's go." He grabbed her hand and they ran for the house.

Maddie spotted her landlords working in their front flowerbed, pulling weeds while the shade was with them. "Hi Mr. and Mrs. Peabody." She smiled and gave a little wave as Rob dragged her up to the house.

"Lovely day," Mr. Peabody remarked.

"Keys," Rob demanded.

She fumbled for her keys and gave them to Rob. "Yes, it sure is," she answered the neighbor then said, "See you!" as Rob pulled her into the house and slammed the door behind them.

They came together and kissed passionately, tongues going back and forth as their bodies would soon be doing. They started undressing each other in the living room and finished at the foot of her bed.

"We don't have a lot of time here," she reminded him.

He grinned at her. "Time enough for what's important."

* * * *

Twenty minutes later, she followed him to the bathroom to clean up. "Damn. I was hoping we'd have time for a quick shower. We're going back to work smelling like sex."

He laughed. "Then everyone will understand why we're in such good moods." They quickly sorted their clothes and dressed.

She looked at the clock and hollered, "Shit! We've got to get out of here!" She grabbed two brown paper bags from her refrigerator. "Where are my keys?"

Rob dangled them in front of her.

She shoved them in her pocket. "Lock the door, will you?"

They headed out, and saw no signs of the landlords. "Maybe they heard us and got embarrassed," she said, sliding into the truck.

Rob was right behind her. "Maybe they got horny, listening to all that grunting and groaning. Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Peabody are enjoying a little afternoon delight as we speak."

"I hope so!" Maddie chuckled as he drove down the road. "It was a hell of a lot of fun." She opened one of the bags and pulled out some grapes. "I packed you a lunch. You can scarf it on the way back to the job site."

He smiled at her appreciatively. "Thank you. I thought I'd have to settle for this happy and contented feeling in the pit of my stomach."

"Haven't I taught you anything, for God's sake?" Maddie popped a grape into his mouth. "Never settle."

* * * *

Wednesday night when her phone rang, Maddie grabbed a bottle of water and snuggled with the cordless phone in her bed. Their conversations had grown longer each evening, and she settled in for comfort. "Hey baby," she answered the phone.

"Do you realize," Rob started right in, "that Sophie goes to bed at eight? She's always asleep by eight-thirty. She's a very sound sleeper."

Maddie chuckled. "Are you suggesting that if Maddie's real quiet, by nine there might be some version of the horizontal mambo going on in daddy's room?"

"I was suggesting that very thing. If I'd thought of it earlier, it could have been happening tonight. But frankly, I'm beat. How about tomorrow?"

"Oh, tomorrow sounds perfect. I'll be humming all day long with anticipation."

"Of course, you realize, Maddie, being real quiet is the key to this plan working. I really don't want Sophie to find out about us that way."

She snorted amusement. "Do you think she might be able to find out about us some other way? Because as much fun as this sneaking around is, it's bound to get old."

"You know, I was ruminating on that very subject."

"Sounds painful," she teased.

"It very often is. But I was thinking maybe we could get her used to the idea of you and me sort of slowly, maybe beginning with a picnic this weekend, the three of us? Hell, she likes you already. She babbles about you all the way home from the center. It drives me wild, because I picture you a bit differently in my mind than she does."

Maddie chuckled at that. "A picnic sounds great. If she takes it okay, we'll move ahead slowly."

"Perfect," he said, and sighed. "Now, let's get back to the idea of anticipation. Why don't you give me something naughty to think about until tomorrow night?"

She gave a sultry chuckle. "Did I ever tell you what Zoey taught me to do with some whipped cream and a bowl of ice cubes?" She went on in descriptive detail, and Rob groaned into his end of the phone.

Maddie behaved herself Thursday night, and was invited back the next evening. She had to bite Rob on the shoulder once when the pillow fell away, but he never complained.

Since they didn't have to work the next day, Rob convinced Maddie to stay over Friday night. He set his alarm for five a.m., just enough time to make love and send Maddie home before Sophie woke up on Saturday.

They were sleeping soundly in a tangled heap when a storm passed over. Maddie was quite content; she heard the thunder and the rain pelting the roof, but it was a pleasant sound, and she snuggled next to Rob, slipping back to sleep.

A loud crack of thunder sent Sophie scampering into her father's room. "Daddy! Daddy! I'm scared!" she cried, and jumped on his bed.

Maddie bolted upright, and pulled the sheet around her chest. Rob was a bit slower to rouse. He rubbed his eyes and a mortified expression came over his face when he spotted his daughter.

Sophie looked at Maddie and cried, "Oh, Miss Stewart! I'm so glad you're here! I was so scared!" She leapt into Maddie's arms.

"It's all right, sweetheart." Maddie held Sophie and pushed the hair back from her face. "It's just a little storm, nothing to worry about." Thunder boomed over them again and Maddie said, "It sure is noisy, though, isn't it?" She looked over Sophie's head and said through her teeth, "You didn't know she was afraid of storms?"

Rob replied through his teeth, "I didn't know it was storming." He rubbed his daughter's back. "I'm sorry, munchkin."

Maddie grimaced.
I wonder what he's apologizing for?

Sophie clung to Maddie and looked at her father. "It's okay, daddy. I feel better being in here with you guys. Can I sleep with you and Miss Stewart?"

Maddie raised her eyebrows at him. Rob shrugged and smiled. "If it's okay with Miss Stewart, I guess so."

Maddie hugged Sophie. "Of course you can, sweetie. I need to use the bathroom, though. I'll be right back." She yanked hard on the sheet that was covering her, pulling it free. Rob chuckled as she wrapped it completely around her and headed for the other room.

"Top drawer on the left," he said.

Maddie stopped at his dresser and opened the drawer. There were several pairs of pajamas. She took a pair, and tossed a set of bottoms on the foot of the bed for Rob. She went in to his bathroom and slipped on the pajamas, returning with the sheet for Rob to use.

"Come here, sweetie." Maddie distracted Sophie as Rob covered himself with the linen, taking his pajama bottoms into the bathroom. When he returned, Maddie helped him make the bed smooth again and they both climbed in, Sophie happily snuggled between them.

Bo sauntered into the room with the next bolt of lightning, looking more curious than scared. "Come on, Bo," Rob muttered. "Might as well join the party." The dog jumped on the foot of the bed, and plopped down on Maddie's feet.

When Maddie opened her eyes again it was morning. Bo was curled up on top of the covers in the crook of her knees, Sophie was sharing her pillow, and Rob was watching her. "Good morning," she whispered.

"Good morning, beautiful."

"Can't sleep?"

He raised the covers so she could see that Sophie's feet were pressed into his stomach. "Somehow you got the better end of that deal."

He laughed, and reached across Sophie to give Maddie a kiss. They kissed for several minutes before the child stirred, and they had to stop. "To be continued," he whispered, and Maddie nodded.

They watched her walk into the bathroom then looked at each other. "At least she didn't wet the bed." He shook his head.