Thunder (Big D Escort Service Book 1)

by Summers, Willow

  “Are you a serial killer?” she tried. The delay in response was starting to make her anxious.

  He chuckled and pushed away from the banister. “Hello, lady,” he said. “I’m Colton’s friend. I am interrupting the planning of a fantastically horrible surprise for a friend in order to keep a pretty lady company in her time of need.” His smile would singe a block of ice.

  Madison could feel confusion furl her brow. “Fantastically horrible surprise?” she blurted. It was the only thing she could latch on to for some reason.

  “Yep. They’re as much fun as they are enlightening. But also really bad news. Everyone usually starts out hating them.”

  She shook her head. She should’ve ignored that sticky wicket in the situation.

  Holding out a hand to keep the most relaxed man alive from slinking past her, she looked back at Janie. “Did you order sex from Colton’s friend?” Then, realizing what she’d said, she muttered, “I can’t believe I just said that.”

  “I’m reading!” Janie yelled at the ceiling.

  “That is important, but so is this.”

  “I haven’t talked to anybody. Your man is probably sending his friends around to do weird and embarrassing things again, and while that was fun yesterday, today I am reading!”

  When Janie was in the midst of a good book, the world no longer existed, and every interruption was unwelcome. Clearly, the book she was halfway through fit that description.

  Madison pulled her head back from around the door and started. The incredibly large man at the door had moved closer while she was preoccupied. He had to be six foot three or four, with a body similar to Colton’s and dark scruff on his striking face. Bright green eyes sparkled with intelligence and humor as he smiled down at her.

  “Hi,” he said, his breath smelling of cookies and frosting, or maybe chocolate and wine. She wasn’t sure, but this guy was hot and intense yet light and relaxed, and Madison took three steps back, because what the hell?

  “Creepy-sexy chic,” she blurted without meaning to. His grin widened, and now he was lounging with one muscled shoulder leaning against the doorframe. “Let’s go back to that serial killer question. I know you’re Colton’s friend, but that doesn’t really nail it down for me…”

  He laughed. “Nope. I’m not a serial killer. Your friend is safe with me. I’m Ethan.” His focus felt a little too acute. He stared at her like she was the only person in the entire world that he cared to listen to.

  If he was in Colton’s former line of work, Madison was sure he made a shit ton of money.

  “Thanks for stopping by, but she’s busy, so you can thank Colton. Or I will, since I’m seeing him later.”

  “Look at you, with the beautiful blush. He’s a lucky man.” Ethan straightened up. “She’s reading, right? Your friend. The lovely Miss Janie.”

  “You’re laying it on pretty thick. She’s not really into that. For future reference.”

  “No problem.” He fished his phone out of his pocket, his gaze still rooted to hers.

  She stopped herself from fidgeting. “You’re making me uncomfortable.”

  “That’s my jam. Uncomfortable yet comfortable, right? Turned off, but seriously turned on. Don’t want to, but really want to, and only the way the night unfolds will help you choose. That’s why girls like me.”

  “No. Just uncomfortable.”

  He laughed again. “Then it’s a good thing you’re with my buddy. Let me in by the hair of my chinny-chin-chin. I have a lovely, smart lady to keep company.”

  “How do you know? She could be Satan’s right-hand gal. And anyway, she doesn’t want anyone here. Seriously, go away.”

  “She is a lady, and therefore lovely. She is your friend, and smart women don’t keep the company of dumb people, I’ve noticed.”

  “You’d be surprised.”

  “Yes, I would.”

  “Your teeth are blinding me.”

  “This is fun.” He laughed.

  So did she, because he was crazy, and it was fun.

  She gestured him in. “Fine. Hang out. But don’t be sad if she doesn’t talk to you. Or offended if she yells at you for talking to her. She honestly just wants to read. And if she tries to leave, or that asshole that did this to her shows up, call me.”

  He sauntered into the house, his smell light and crisp. Colton had hot friends, no two ways about it. She hadn’t met one that was average yet.

  “Janie, this is Ethan—”

  “Shhhh! They’re trapped.” Janie didn’t turn to look at them. “The killer knows where they are. I need to find out what happens.”

  Ethan was studying the floor, where odd bits of debris still lingered. Madison hadn’t had a chance to finish cleaning, what with needing to find a new dress and all-new makeup for her date. Janie’s ribs had given Janie an even better excuse.

  “Do you want me to take care of this?” He waggled a finger at the floor.

  “Oh, no. You’re fine. Anyway, I need to go. Just hang out, help yourself to anything, and leave Janie alone.” Madison threw a thumbs-up, because soon Ethan would probably try and talk to Janie, and sharp items might get thrown.

  Butterflies in her stomach, she made her way to Colton’s house, preemptively scrutinizing herself. Her car was nice, but it wasn’t of Colton’s caliber. She had a great job, but some of the decisions she made put her in league with the devil. Maybe she shouldn’t mention that part.

  Half an hour early, after getting lost in a tangle of dead-end roads, she arrived at a large house in the great side of town. Equipped with a picket fence, trimmed hedges, and perfectly cut grass, this was peak suburbia. Many of the city dwellers would kill to live here. It had a great school system, and the houses were so big that most of the residents hired help to clean them.

  She’d recalled Colton saying something about being frugal. Yeah, right. He liked nice things, that was clear. No way did a bachelor need all that space.

  Trembling, she parked in front, got out, and got right back in. She’d park a little farther away. Otherwise his family would immediately guess which car was hers. After she reparked the car, she messed with her hair, made sure her makeup was fine, and clutched her handbag. Now or never.

  Twenty-Two

  A thrill of fear ran through him as a light knock sounded at the door. It wasn’t his family, he knew that, since the person bothered to announce their presence before barging in, so it must be Madison. Thankfully, she’d arrived before everyone else, but her here meant the fireworks were not far behind.

  Madison stood nervously on his front porch, holding the strap of her handbag in a white-knuckled grip and doing a terrible job of keeping the fear from her expression. He laughed as he pulled her in for a hug.

  “Don’t worry. It’ll only be the worst night of your life.”

  She jerked back and gave him an incredulous stare.

  He laughed harder. “You wanted me to say the wrong things, remember?”

  A huff escaped her lips and she smiled. “That’s right. Maybe I should take that back.”

  “It really won’t be that bad, though,” he said, standing aside so she could enter.

  “I can tell you don’t believe that.” She glanced at the art on the wall of the foyer before her gaze switched to the sitting room off to the right. Despite his mother’s protests, a large-screen TV hung on the wall above the fireplace. It was good to have multiple rooms to view various sporting events at parties. He hosted the group’s Super Bowl party every year.

  “It’s really nice,” she said in that shallow way people used when they were trying to be kind.

  Taken aback, because he hadn’t met one person who didn’t immediately salivate over the house, he looked around in confusion. “What’s wrong with it?”

  “Nothing. It’s really nice, I said. I like the stonework on your fireplace. Is it just you?”

  “Yes. What do you think, I’m hiding a family here, or something?”

  She shrugged with one shoul
der before turning and smiling at him. “I’m super nervous. Are they going to eat me alive?”

  He laughed. “You see? That’s the honesty I’m used to. What’s wrong with my house?”

  She took his hand. “It’s a lot of money to spend for a bunch of space you don’t need.”

  “I don’t plan to move. A family will have to fit in this place.”

  “I hope you have butter to grease them up before you squeeze them into all five bedrooms.”

  “Six.”

  “Oh, well, that’s a little better. Still. How will a family ever live in such confined quarters?”

  “You’re cracked.” He entwined their fingers and walked her through an archway and into the kitchen. “Behold, an awesome kitchen.”

  A pot bubbled on the stove. The smells made her draw in a breath while closing her eyes. “Look at all that space at the island. Padded seats with backs—Janie would be in heaven.”

  Beyond that was the living room with an entertainment system, which was the envy of all his friends, and a sea of leather furniture.

  “The central hub and man cave rolled into one. Yuck.” She stuck out her tongue and closed an eye dramatically.

  He laughed again, feeling light as air, even though she was clearly mocking him. He pointed at the office on the ground floor and made ready to head upstairs, but she pulled his hand toward it. An ooooh escaped her lips as she stepped behind the desk and ran her fingers over the books lining the built-in bookshelves.

  “Terrible collection, but I really like the feel of this place.” She let go of his hand and strolled toward the standing globe in the corner. “Does this open into alcohol?”

  “Give me some credit. I have a little class.”

  She formed an upside-down duckbill with her mouth. He broke down. “The one with alcohol is in the actual man cave upstairs.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Predictable.” Each cabinet received her scrutiny. The desk received a white glove test, and when her finger came back coated in dust, she tsked. “It’s gorgeous, this room. I like the feel of it.”

  “Then it’ll be your office.” He meant it in jest, but when she looked at him with an embarrassed flush, his heart started to thump.

  “What’s next?” she asked a little too loudly, ending the moment.

  She wasn’t thrilled with his decorating in the master suite, laughed at the sight of the half-filled bedrooms that he still hadn’t gotten to, and lingered in his favorite room.

  “This is the man cave?” she asked, running her hands over the globe that served as a bar.

  “That’s what my friends call it, but it’s actually a game room. Eventually it’ll be a playroom. For the kids.”

  “Do any of your other friends plan their futures like this?” she asked, wandering through the space with her hands clasped behind her back.

  “They don’t know the family part of why I bought this.” No one knew about that. “I just told them I wanted a nice house, and now I can afford it.”

  “Ah.” She glanced out the window overlooking the front of the house. “When did you buy it?”

  “Last year. I put a huge down payment on it, financed with very little interest, and a low monthly payment. I know this looks like splurging, but it’s a safety net. It’s already increased in value. And I know what bills I have for the future, which means I know what needs to be set aside in order to…” He gulped. He hadn’t talked about this to anyone but the guys and his immediate family, the latter of which didn’t approve. “To do my mini-golf play area.”

  She glanced back at him. “Your dream?”

  “Yes, my dream. I have a place all picked out for it. It’s just on the outskirts of town, and I can buy the land at cost from…a family friend. Here’s… I have…” He went to the computer and pulled up the CG model. While he had a dedicated office, he always found himself coming up here instead. “This is just a mock-up, but it’s what I’m going for. A past client did this up for me. She said she’ll help when I’m ready.”

  Madison crossed the room, her hands still clasped behind her back, and bent to look at the computer. She let Colton take her through the mini-golf course, the arcade, the bumper cars, and the little car track. His palms were sweaty and his confidence slipped. While his friends’ disinterest and his family’s scoffing hadn’t put him off, he wanted her to believe in him. He wanted her to think he could, and would, pull it off.

  “What do you think?” he asked, straightening.

  She straightened too and looked around the room. “A few things. One is that this room is you. It’s got your vibe. It isn’t you trying to show off for your friends, like the living room. It isn’t you trying to be domestic, like your sitting room. I hate that weird collection of cows, by the way. What is that?”

  Shaking her head to show she’d lost the thread, she continued, “It isn’t even you trying to outfit something you do well, like the kitchen. You’re a great cook, and clearly you know it. No, this is just you. No bullshit. And that”—she pointed at the computer—“needs to happen, or you’ll never be happy.

  “The other thing is that you’re ready to get going on your dream, from the looks of things. You’re being smart about it. Most people would sink their money into their dream before going for the house, which would screw them over if it didn’t work out, but you have accounted for both your future and your present. I’m impressed. If you put as much effort into your dream as you have into everything else, I think you’re set.”

  He couldn’t help the stupid smile, the overwhelming relief.

  “The third thing…” Her voice turned severe and her business look hit him full blast. “You didn’t need a house this big for a family, and you didn’t need that car. I don’t know how much you’ve saved for your venture, but I bet it isn’t enough. Overkill will hurt you.”

  He was struck dumb for a second. “Ouch.”

  She shrugged. “I bought an expensive car, too. And paid more than I should’ve per month with the ex, plus kept my other apartment—I’m not one to talk. Which is why I am an excellent authority on overkill. Just so you know.”

  He rubbed his chest. “True.”

  “Next question: do we have time for a quickie? Because this room has strangely made me incredibly horny, and I want to jump you so hard I am literally shaking.”

  Her lipstick was ruined in a flash. Her hair wouldn’t survive. The laptop wobbled as they worked—her palms flat on the computer desk, and his hands on her hips. It was fast but incredibly satisfying, and when they were done, she glowed in that way that made him squeeze her close and wonder if his heart would pop out of his chest and roll around on the ground, it was pounding so hard.

  “Hello?” they heard.

  Madison tensed. So did Colton. The family had arrived.

  Twenty-Three

  Colton held her hand all the way down from his favorite room to the living room, where an older man with a full head of gray hair was pointing the remote at the TV like it was a hold-up.

  “What is with this damn thing?” the man said, scowling.

  He was tall and broad like his son, with the same strong jaw and air of confidence. A little overweight, his gut burdened the belt of his black trousers, and his button-up was clearly trying to break free.

  “Dad,” Colton said, stopping them.

  “Yes?” He didn’t look over. Instead, he pushed a button on the remote so hard his hand shook. “Blast this thing. I’m pushing power! Why isn’t it turning on?”

  “Dad…” Colton huffed in that way kids did when their parents were not understanding some basic facet of technology. “That’s the wrong remote. Here.” He grabbed a different one off the mantelpiece.

  “Well, why do you have so many remotes? Your mother got me just one. I have just one remote, and it does everything.”

  “This is a universal remote. Here.” Colton handed it over. “But first, might I introduce Madison?”

  His dad scowled at this remote while pushing the power
button. The stereo roared to life. “My God—” He reached for his head and ducked, looking up at the ceiling. Clearly he expected a bomb to fall from the sky.

  Colton took over, turning the stereo off and the TV on.

  “Ralph, what’s happening in there?” A woman’s voice rang through the doorway.

  “All these unnecessary electronics,” Ralph groused, straightening up slowly. He waggled his pointer finger at the TV when Colton tried to hand back the remote. “Put the game on. I don’t know how to work that blasted thing.”

  “Ralph, what is—” An older woman with perfectly coiffed hair cut short, a pastel blouse, and a pencil skirt walked into the room, all business. Upon seeing Madison, she slowed and clasped her hands in front of her with a practiced polite expression. Being that she seemed extremely cultivated, she was probably the president of some club or other, and the host of weekly card games featuring bland talk and tea and crumpets. She was so unlike Madison that it was nuts.

  “Well, hello,” she said, smiling. “You must be Maddie.”

  Madison wanted to correct her, but didn’t dare. “Yes, ma’am.” She stepped forward with her hand outstretched, suddenly feeling frumpy and not put together.

  “This is my mom, Martha,” Colton said, his hand on Madison’s lower back. “And my dad, Ralph.”

  “Hello.” In a much better mood now that the game was blaring down at them from the wall, Ralph came closer with a genuine smile and an outstretched hand. “Good to meet you, honey.”

  “Don’t call young women honey, dear, they don’t like that.” Martha tilted her head with a tight smile at Madison. “Would you like to help me in the kitchen?”

  No, she certainly would not. She’d rather enjoy a beer and the game with the menfolk, who clearly weren’t expected to lift a finger.

  As if hearing her thoughts, Colton lightly pushed her forward. “I got it, Mom.”

  “Now, Colton, why don’t you watch the game with your father. Maddie and I can handle—”