Brighter Than The Stars: Book One

Alternate 1.5

Madeline went through her closet, going through one option after another, unable to concentrate on besides the man across the hallway.

She'd wished for him, prayed for him a few times even though she wasn't religious, and thought about him every single day. Even after making friends of her own, and growing up, Madeline never moved on from Elijah. He'd never turned into someone she thought about only once in a while.

Yet in all the times she'd thought of him, it was never in the way she found herself thinking about him now.

The way he'd laughed so lightly and care-free when they'd stayed up talking. The way his energy filled her small bedroom. The way he'd been so open with her, talking to her as an old friend rather than a lost friend or the girl he once babysat. Madeline didn't know if it was just time that had changed Elijah, or his father's death. But he seemed lighter than he'd ever been.

If it was just his lightness she was thinking about, Madeline would be welcome to relish in it. Unfortunately, there was the issue of Elijah going from a scared shitless kid who'd disappeared from her life, into a man who seemed to fear nothing and no one. A man who was beautiful from the inside out. That beauty was difficult to ignore when she'd woken up against it, his arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace.

"You gonna wear that, or just stare at it for another twenty seconds?"

His voice behind her caused Madeline to jump straight into the closet, knocking down the entire pole in the process. "Shit!"

Elijah rushed over to her and balanced the pole, putting it back into place despite half her wardrobe already being on the floor. "Those must have been some deep thoughts you were having."

Madeline turned to look at him, noting his skin was still damp from the shower, his dark hair dripping, and his bare chest smack dab in front of her. It was like she'd been transported into the Captain America movie, so desperate to reach out and touch it, even for only the briefest of moments.

"Maddie?"

"Hmm?"

"You okay?"

Madeline tore her gaze away from his chest to look further up. "Yeah, why?"

Only half of Elijah's lips smiled. "You kind of look like you're going to faint again."

She realized there was a fair possibility of that if his bare chest remained this close to her. "Would you mind putting a shirt on?"

Elijah looked down at himself, stepped back, and his smile vanished. "Yeah. Shit, I'm sorry. I thought I grabbed one before I got in the shower. My bad."

He'd actually looked slightly embarrassed, but there was nothing to be embarrassed about. And 'bad' was the last word she'd ever use to describe a body like that.

She watched as he grabbed a piece of fabric from the very top of his bag and slid it over his body, covering the glorious sight she'd never be able to unsee. "So, what'd you want to do today, or did you already have plans?"

"No plans," Madeline told him. "We could go to the beach." So she could see his bare chest once again.

Elijah's smile returned. "Sounds good. Think your parents would let us take the boat out on the water, or did they sell it?"

Her parents would never allow her to take the boat out without them, but they seemed so happy to have Elijah back, they'd probably sign over the deed to their house if he asked them for it. Hell, they'd signed over a car to him all those years ago. "They still have it," Madeline confirmed. "And I'm guessing you could ask them for anything right now, and they'd say yes."

Elijah looked down and let out a quiet laugh. "I'll try not to take advantage of that."

The way he said the words, all Madeline could think about was having him take advantage of their generosity through her. It was enough for her mind to go hazy once again. 

~~~~

Elijah was already downstairs, staring out the window between the kitchen and dining room, a cup of coffee in his hand. Her mom was hard at work in the kitchen, preparing to feed everyone before she had to go to work. Her dad sat on the couch with his own cup of coffee, keeping his eyes on Elijah.

"He was doing fine until he looked over at the house," her dad explained, "then he just got quiet."

She supposed it was different seeing it in the light of day, despite all his terrible memories taking place under the cloak of night.

Madeline walked over to him, taking her time so as not to take him by surprise. When she saw his eyes move from the house to her, then back to the house, she knew it was safe to place her hand on his arm. "Tell what you're thinking about."

Elijah let out a slow breath, then took a chug of his coffee. "I was thinking about the last time I was in town. When I put your present in the mailbox, I looked over and saw his truck in the driveway, and knew if I didn't drive away right fucking then, I was going to walk in and put a bullet in his head." Elijah chuckled at his own words. Not his genuine laugh, but something more tired and haunted. "I had the gun, and I still had the anger to go through with it. I knew I would have done it without a second thought, but I didn't want you visiting me in prison."

Madeline tugged at his arm until he stepped away from the window and turned to face her. Her arms wrapped around his middle as her head rested against his strong chest. His heartbeat was the most beautiful sound in the world right then. And when he hugged her back with his free arm, she felt an overwhelming sense of security. Completely safe. Completely happy. "You're back. That's all that matters to me now."

His lips pressed against the top of her head, taking his time with the simple act. "I missed my M&M too much to stay away. All my M&M's." Then he whispered for only her to hear, "but you most of all."

"I know having that house next door hurts, and takes you to dark places. But I'll be there every time to push you through. Bring you that calm you need."

It took a moment for those words to register, but once they did, she felt his smile against the top of her head. "I'm going to hold you to that."