Maddy's face went completely blank for a split second before she flushed a vibrant, furious red.
"NO!" she snapped, her voice cracking as she realized the way her offer had been misinterpreted. "I meant the privilege of letting you call me by my name!"
Johnn froze, his mouth hanging open for a fraction of a second as the weight of her correction settled in. He let out a breathless, wheezing laugh, his shoulders slumping as the adrenaline finally, truly left him. The playful, daring fire in his eyes dimmed into something far softer, almost boyish in its relief.
"Your name… her name…"
Maddy looked away, her hands busy smoothing the front of her tunic to hide the lingering tremor of embarrassment. She cleared her throat, her voice softening until it was barely a murmur, intimate and unguarded in the cool night air.
