Her hand goes to my chest as if that’s going to stop me from filling this space between us. “Because I didn’t think you were a cuddler. You seem to be the more love ‘em and leave ‘em type. I didn’t... I wasn’t sure. But I do know that I don’t want to lose you as a friend, so I’m not going to make this weird and hang all over you or anything.”
She rambles it all in one long breath, and when she’s done she takes a deep breath and bites her lip. One of my favorite things about Madison is her cockiness. She’s always been self-assured and independent. I hate she can’t be that with me like this. “You’re right...”
She grunts and pulls her hand back, and I’m quick to move until I feel every curve of her body against mine. I cup her cheek. “You’re right. Before tonight, I’d say I don’t like to cuddle and maybe I have been a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. But with you, I would give anything in this world to hold you all night. And fuck, someone could offer me a million dollars, but there’s no way I’d leave this bed right now.”
She’s looking at me hesitantly before a smile finally starts to lift on her lips. “Really?”
“Yeah, really.”
“So what does that mean?” she asks, and I hold my breath. I could tell her how I’m feeling, but I don’t because I don’t want to freak her out.
“It means that we have tonight. Then tomorrow I’m...”
She opens her mouth, and I correct myself. “I mean we are going to deal with Baron. We’ll go back to Whiskey Run and we’ll talk.”
Her eyes widen. “Talk?”
I nod, and because I can’t wait any longer, I lean in and nip at her lips. “Talk.”
She curls her body into mine. “Okay, so tonight we...”
I push her on her back and lean over top of her. Fuck, I can barely contain what I’m thinking right now. If I thought she’d say yes, I’d ask her to marry me. I take a deep breath and let it out. She’d think I’m fuckin’ crazy. “Tonight you let me make love to you... all night... over and over.”
Her eyes light up in the darkness. “I like the sound of that.”
I help her out of the shirt she has on, and once again, we’re skin to skin. She fits perfectly against me, and since I can’t say the words—not yet—I show her. I spend hours loving her body, hoping against all hope that I can be what she needs and more importantly, what she wants.
11
John
My phone lights up in my hand, and I know it’s time. I squeeze it and look at Madison still under the covers asleep. She’s probably only been asleep an hour. I couldn’t get enough of her last night, and as she moves, kicking the cover off her legs, showing her thigh, my cock hardens again.
Gently, I stand up. I want to kiss her ‘bye, but I can’t risk her waking up. I type into my phone that I’ll be right out, and then with one last look at Madison, I stroll out the door. She’s going to be so mad when she gets up, but there’s no way in hell I would put her in danger. I can’t do it, and I won’t.
I walk out of the hotel room, and Knox and Bear are standing there. I’m sure if anyone saw them, they’d wonder what they’re doing. Neither one of them are the type to blend in, but hell, I’m not either. “Did you get everything?”
Bear drops a bag at my feet. “Fifty thousand dollars.”
I nod and pick it up and throw it over my shoulder.
Knox smirks. “I’m not even going to ask if she’s worth it. You’ve been pining over her since I met you.”
I’m not even going to deny it. “She’s definitely worth it. So we’re still good. Knox, you’ll stay here and guard Madison. Bear and I will go and take care of this.” I lift the bag onto my shoulder.
Bear grunts, and Knox nods. “Yep, and we dropped off Ethan at the facility this morning. He wasn’t fuckin’ happy about it, but we have people in place. He won’t be leaving. And Aiden has the jet at the airport ready to take us all back to Whiskey Run.”
“Okay. Good. That will make her happy,” I say, already feeling guilty for lying to her. I turn to go and stop. “Take care of her, Knox. When she finds me gone, she’s going to try and talk you...”
He holds up his hands. “I got this... Nobody gets in, nobody gets out.”
I take a deep breath, and Bear and I get on the elevator. We’re both quiet on the way down, but any time you’re with Bear there’s not really a lot of conversation. As we leave, I get into Bear’s rental car. “Really, a full-size truck?”