Текст книги "Masquerade"

Автор книги: Nyrae Dawn

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Текущая страница: 9 (всего у книги 16 страниц)

Chapter Eighteen ~Maddox~

I’ve never taken a girl home with me. I’ve never gone home with a girl. I’ve never fucked a girl in a bed that I considered mine. She said she wasn’t sleeping with me again and my brain knows that’s smart. We’re somehow all tied up in each other when I’ve never been connected to anyone before.

But then, we’ve also both always been on the same page. We don’t do attachments, so my head is all fucked up about why we’re going into my house together if it’s not for something physical.

Or maybe I think I should feel screwed up about it. Crazy, but I actually feel and that’s what has the fist squeezing my insides.

Shake it off, man. “Watch your step.” With my hand flat on the door, I push it open while stepping back so Bee can walk in.

Slowly, she goes inside. Bee stops when she gets far enough away from the door that I can close it behind us. Even though it’s dark outside by now, I can see inside because of the small lamp I left on this morning.

Automatically, my eyes scan the room, trying to see it the way she does. My couch is against the back wall. Fifty-buck special from a yard sale. Next to it, the little oak side table with the black lamp. A matching coffee table in front, pieces of paper scattered all over it: some flat, others balled up. Some blank, others filled with different drawings.

There’s a small TV, but I only have a few channels. Another yard sale special is in the kitchen, a small round table with two chairs.

“This is strange…” Her back is to me as she looks around the room. Yet, I know, somehow I know, she doesn’t mean my house. She’s talking about being in it.

“Yeah… You thirsty or anything?” Scratching the back of my head, I walk into the kitchen. My first instinct is to watch her, to see if she explores. It’s not that I really give a shit about anything I have, but it’s mine and bringing her here is showing her who I am.

“Sure, I’ll have some water.”

It’s a good thing because that’s all I have.

After pulling two water bottles from the fridge, I toss one to Bee. She catches it easily and then we both stand there drinking, not knowing what to do.

It’s not even a minute later she puts the lid on and turns. “I shouldn’t have asked to come here.”

Before she gets more than three feet away from me and toward the door, “You didn’t,” sort of tumbles out of my mouth. “You said you didn’t want to be alone. I brought you here. It was my choice.”

Slowly she looks my way and gives a small nod. My brain starts searching for words. I find none. I don’t know why I want to. She makes me itch under my skin. It’s not annoying but it’s always there, and I don’t know what it means. It’s like I feel her, even when we’re not touching.

“How’s the piercing?”

“Don’t know. You’re the expert. Why don’t you check it for me.”

She rolls her eyes and grins, not at all taken aback by my words. Not that she would be. Not Bee.

She sets the water bottle down and steps toward me. My breath gets caught up in my lungs. Holy shit. I’m actually holding my breath as she pushes my jacket off my shoulder.

Neither of us reaches for it as it falls to the floor.

Bee looks at me and winks. Her voice is low and feisty when she says, “Sure thing. Just remember, you’re the one who asked. The torture we both feel for the rest of the night will be all your fault.”

Without planning it, my hand reaches for hers, my fingers wrapping around her wrist. “You don’t play fair.”

“Like I said, you asked for it.” And then she pulls her hand out of my grasp. Puts both hands flat on my stomach and starts to push my shirt up—slowly. So fucking slowly I feel like I could lose it.

“We agreed…,” she says. “No more sex, remember?”

“Shit,” I hiss. “Why did we say that?” Slower… higher, her hands warm and smooth against my skin.

“You know why.”

I can’t believe it when I close my eyes. It sounds fucked up but it makes me feel more vulnerable. Like she can do anything she wants to me and I wouldn’t know before she strikes. Still, I don’t open them, just keep letting her push my shirt up until my chest shows.

My hands are begging me to rip it off, to strip her and take her right in my kitchen but I fight it.

“Looks good.” Bee’s breath ghosts across my pierced nipple.

“You did that on purpose.” I make myself open my eyes.

She shrugs. “I’m bad like that,” she says before she steps toward the sink and washes her hands. It means she’s planning to touch me.

She is so bad. I like that about her—like that she’s different from any woman I’ve ever known. The fact that she’s standing here right now proves that.

“It’s a little pink, but not too bad. We need to keep an eye on it, okay? Does it hurt?”

Her first finger traces around my nipple and my mouth waters to do the same thing to her. “Tender. Nothing too bad, though.”

“Make sure you clean it tonight. You’ve been using the antibacterial soap, right?”

The sexiness in her voice is gone and even though I shouldn’t, I want it back.

“Yep.” Stepping away from her, I lower my shirt, pick up my jacket, and set it on the counter. “Let’s go sit down.”

Bee grabs her water again and follows me to the living room. Before she makes it to the couch, I’m already starting to pick up the drawings, trying to put them away so she can’t see them. My whole body tenses when she grabs my arm.

“You don’t have to hide that from me. I do it, too, remember?”

The papers fall from my hand. “So show me something.”

There’s blank paper and pencils and erasers all over the table. Bee pulls off her sweatshirt and sets it on the couch before sitting on the floor. I go down next to her, both our backs against the couch as we sit around the small table.

“This is going to be quick, so no laughing.” Bee bends over, her arm and body trying to hide the paper from me as she starts drawing.

“What the hell is that? I thought you were showing me something?”

She looks over her shoulder at me and smiles. Really fucking smiles and I think it’s the first real, bone-deep smile I’ve seen from her. If I wasn’t already sitting down, she’d knock me on my ass.

“When I’m done, Scratch. Have some patience.”

It’s crazy how that name doesn’t bother me anymore. Trying to block out her smile, I shake my head. “Hell, maybe I shouldn’t be workin’ under you, if you don’t even trust your drawing skills.”

My teasing comment doesn’t even faze her. Bee looks at the paper, me, and then the paper again. The only sound in the room is her pencil scratching out whatever she’s drawing.

Quiet I can do, so I watch her while she works. Wondering what she’s doing and how in the hell we got here. That urge to pull away, to question what she’s doing here is still pulsing beneath my skin, but not strong enough for me to do something about it. Right now I’m watching the way she puts her blond hair behind her ear with her black-painted fingernails.

It hasn’t been more than a couple minutes, but I realize I’m watching this woman the whole time, studying her, and it’s like a jolt, pushing me to my feet. This is so fucking strange, being here with someone like this.

“I’ll be right back,” I mumble. Bee is so lost in whatever she’s drawing that I don’t even know if she heard me. Behind me, I close the bathroom door before splashing some water on my face as though that will make a difference.

My cell rings and I almost don’t pull it out of my pocket until I remember Laney got hurt and I haven’t even checked on her. Phone in hand, Laney’s name lights up on the screen.

My thumb lingers over ANSWER before I push it. “Hey.”

“Hey. How are you?” Her voice is soft.

Standing in my bathroom freaking out over nothing. “Okay. How are you feeling?”

“Good. Not really in much pain at all. I’m annoyed over this stupid neck brace. I want to take it off.”

“When do you go to the doctor?”

“Tomorrow, so I should be able to take it off then. I don’t see what a day would change.”

“Keep it on till then to be safe,” I tell her.

Laney laughs; then it trails off. “I wish you realized how big your heart is, Maddy.”

Is it, really? I want to ask her. Wouldn’t I have put aside worries about college and money to tell Mom what was happening with Dad? If I had, maybe she’d be better. Maybe Adrian’s son would be alive. “I fucked up… with Adrian after the accident. I shouldn’t have been such an asshole to him.”

“You should tell him that sometime.” She pauses for a second. “What’s going on? You sound different.”

I look up at myself in the mirror. “Nope. Still me. Listen, I gotta run. Let me know how things go after you see the doc, yeah?”

“Love you,” she whispers.

“You too.” I turn my phone all the way off before shoving it in my pocket. Unwilling to let myself hide out in my bathroom, I slide the door open and go out.

“Thought you ran away, Scratch.” Bee looks up at me from where she’s sitting on the floor.

“Had to get up and move around before I fell asleep waiting for you to finish.”

“Asshole.” There’s a smile on her face and then she lifts the piece of paper so I can see it.

It’s me.

A loud laugh shocks me by bursting out of my mouth. “What the fuck is that?” When I get to her, I pull the paper out of her hands.

“It’s you.”

“Need your eyes checked?” Her body touches mine when I go down beside her. It’s crazy how I can tell it’s me, but she’s obviously trying to be funny too. It’s a caricature of me, like the ones people draw at carnivals. My head’s huge, my hair floppy, and there’s a smile on my face that’s so big, I’m not sure I’ve ever had one like it. “And what the hell’s up with the bike?”

“You ride one!” She grabs the paper from me.

“Motorcycle. Not a bicycle.” Then I’m laughing again and it feels kind of good. There’s this rumble in my chest and usually the only vibrations inside me are anger or lust.

“Where’s my shirt?” Of course she had my piercing in there, too, but it’s oversized as well. “You hinting you want to see me without it again?”

“I’m sure any girl would like that and you know it.”

Her words send a sort of jolt through me because they’re so honest. She’s not shy about anything and she says whatever she feels, whatever she thinks. It’s crazy and the urge to ask her questions just to see what she’ll say hits me.

“Gimme that.” I pull the pencil out of her hand before grabbing a piece of paper. “Now go away.” Turning slightly, I bend over the table and wrap my arm around the paper so she can’t see.

Bee sits forward and grabs me, trying to pull me away from the table. “Lemme see.”

I nudge her back. “Don’t be scared, baby. I’ll draw you exactly how you look. I promise.”

A fist squeezes around my throat because of what came out of my mouth. I’ve never called someone baby in my life. Sure I was only giving her shit but—

“If you can. Let’s see how good your art skills really are.” The way she rolls right over it like it’s nothing makes me want to do the same thing. It should be that fucking easy, so I’m going to make it.

“You’ve never doubted any of my skills before, so why would you start now?”

She looks at me and rolls her eyes before picking up another pencil from the table. “We’ll see who has the best kills, Scratch.”

When she huddles over her paper to start drawing, I do the same. My fingers easily sketch her out without having to look at her. It’s as though she’s been embedded into my brain.

This is different. I make the diamond in her nose bigger, put a big tattoo gun in her hand, and make it so her tongue is out of her mouth.

“What the hell ever!” She peeks over my shoulder, but then Bee drops her head back and she laughs. It slips between the cracks and crevices until it finds its way inside me. I concentrate on the column of her throat, which I really fucking want my mouth on right now, but then she’s showing her newest picture of me and I’m laughing again.

On and on we keep drawing pictures of each other. Each time I want to make her laugh more because I love the sound and it makes me feel amazing that I’m the one making her sound so happy. We draw each other for two hours before she tosses her pencil to the table and says, “I’m done. I won.”

For some reason, I don’t argue with her.

“It’s getting late.” Bee stands and stretches, her shirt lifting to show her flat stomach and belly button piercing. My fingers itch to play with it.

Instead, I stand too. “You can take my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.”

Before I finish getting all the words out, she’s already shaking her head. “No. That’s not fair.”

“And I don’t work that way. You’re not sleeping on the couch while I sleep in a bed.” I’m used to sleeping on couches anyway. After Dad went to prison, I didn’t have my own room anymore. Mom got pissed but I always gave the extra bedroom to Laney.

“I can go home—”

“No. It’s late. You’re here.” My pulse is speeding.

“Then we’ll share the bed. I can handle keeping my hands to myself. Can you?”

No. “Yes.”

She’s right behind me as I turn everything off. I could be a gentleman. Maybe I fucking should but the thought of being next to someone like that, the thought of being next to her, fills me up a little when I’ve been used to being empty for so long.

My stomach is in knots, but I ignore it. I show Bee the bathroom and give her a pair of my sweats and a T-shirt. She lets me in the bathroom first to clean up and then she goes in. I’m in my room when she steps in. My clothes drown her, but my cock instantly gets hard. There’s something sexy as hell about seeing a woman in your clothes. I want to savor it and strip her out of them at the same time.

“It’s not much,” finds its way out of my mouth even though it has nothing to do with how gorgeous she looks. “My room.”

It smells slightly of cigarettes. There’s no headboard on the bed, just a queen mattress, dresser, side table, and more art stuff.

“Who said something has to be extravagant to be something?”

There’s this strange thump in my chest and this urge to grab her and pull her to me that has nothing to do with how beautiful she is. I want to hold her and I’ve never wanted to fucking hold anyone in my life.

Speak, say something. Like they so often are, my words are lost, so Bee fills the space with hers.

Her eyes dart around, suddenly looking a little insecure. You wouldn’t be able to tell by the sound of her voice, which doesn’t waiver as she speaks. “On my ninth birthday, Rex and Melody forgot. They were both busy working on a painting. I knew it wasn’t because they didn’t care. They were just like that sometimes. They got in the zone and everything else left their heads. To make it up to me, Melody made really shitty chocolate chip cookies and we put up a tent in the backyard. The cookies were so bad we built a fire and made s’mores and looked at the stars all night. It was so simple, Maddox, but it was perfect.”

Simple. Perfect. That’s what I want. Not to stress about shit or have my mom try to kill herself or my sister who’s always been so emotional. I love her but it’s hard, so fucking hard when I’m the only one to deal with it, especially when I know it’s my fault.

Suddenly, I really wish I could see those stars on her side again. Wish I could make s’mores with her and sit outside all night. “Who are Rex and Melody?”

Bee shakes her head. “Not tonight. Maybe… I don’t know but not tonight. Okay?”

I nod and walk over to my bed. “I get it. I’ll never push you to talk.” And then I pull the blanket back. Bee crawls into my bed. My bed. After pulling off my T-shirt, I toss it to the floor.

“Did you clean your piercing?”

“Yes.” The light flickers out with the push of a button and then I am in my bed with a woman. With Bee, in nothing except a pair of sweats, knowing I’ll stay in them.

We’re both quiet in the dark for what feels like forever.

“It feels good… to have someone,” she whispers. “Someone who doesn’t push or expect me to be anyone I’m not. Just Bee…”

Without replying, I reach for her and pull her against me. My arm around her waist as the back of her molds to the front of me. She tenses for a second before it melts away.

Bee lets me hold her all night, and I don’t let go.

Chapter Nineteen ~Bee~

It’s been almost a week since I woke up in Maddox’s bed. Since I woke up in his arms after talking to him about Rex and Melody and telling him my name.

Even though those things are small in some ways, I still can’t believe I told him.

And he hasn’t brought it up since. I’m not sure what I would do if he did. Probably be a bitch because that’s easy for me. But he hasn’t and I wish I could thank him for it—wish I would have the next day when we got up, got dressed, and he drove me to Masquerade like nothing happened.

Nothing did happen, I remind myself. It feels like it did and that has me slightly stressed out.

Glancing toward my computer, I look at the time. My next tattoo will be here in ten minutes, so I pull out a piece of paper and start the sketch. It’s nothing big, just a name, so it doesn’t take me long to come up with a couple ideas while I’m waiting for the girl to show.

A couple minutes later, a girl with short black hair walks in. “Hi. We spoke last week. I have an appointment for a tattoo.” She smiles at me.

“Yep. I have a few ideas here if you want to check them out. I’m not sure exactly what kind of look you’re going for.” She walks over to my desk and looks down. There are a couple aspects of two designs she likes, so after we chat for a minute, I put together another quick drawing for her.

“You can have a seat.” I nod toward the chair. “Maddox will set everything up for us…” My feet plant in place on my way to the sink as my words die off. Maddox won’t be doing anything for us today because he’s not here. Goose bumps pebble across my arms. I wanted nothing more than Masquerade to be only mine, and now my brain is automatically going to Maddox being here to help me like working with him is something I’ve always done.

The bumps spread up my neck but I fight to ignore them. It’s a slipup, that’s all.

“Scratch that. I’m setting up. I forgot he’s not here today.” I hand the girl the release and get a copy of her ID. After things are signed and taken care of, I lay the drawing on her ankle so the ink transfers to her skin.

“Right here?” Scooting back, I nod at her leg.

“Perfect.”

The rest of the routine happens as easily as breathing: getting the ink, washing my hands, paper towels, Vaseline, putting together the gun, opening a new needle, gloves. And then I rub Vaseline on her and it’s needle to skin. She gives a small jump at first, then relaxes comfortably.

“Is this your first ink?” The needle skates a line. Her skin is easy, like butter. It’s perfect for tattooing.

“Yeah. I’ve always wanted a tattoo, though.”

“Whose name is it?” Glancing up at her, I see her cheeks go pink.

“You don’t want to know.”

Which means it’s a boyfriend. I smile as I continue concentrating on what I’m doing. “Don’t let anyone give you shit. Some people are like that no matter what your tattoo is of. You might regret it one day, and you might not, but at this point in time it’s important to you. Even if that changes, this will be a memory. If he turns out to be an asshole, it will be your reminder about the kind of guy you don’t want or if you stay together, then there’s the obvious there.” After pulling the gun from her skin, I wipe her leg, dip in my ink, and then rub more Vaseline on her before starting again. “And if you want it gone, it’s not like we can’t come up with something kick-ass to cover it up.” I wink at her and she looks relieved.

“Thank you. You’re the only person who’s not giving me a hard time about it. Elliott… he’s had cancer before. He’s okay now, but you never know, right? I think it’s important. I want a piece of him with me all the time and no one understands that.”

I think about the ink on my body. The sunflower, the Gemini, my stars. I remember Mom’s reaction when I came home with my Gemini sign. How she was upset, then made the comment about how at least it was only one and it was small. Little did she know I’d keep going…

Looking up at her again, I tell her, “They don’t have to understand.” Most people don’t.

We’re quiet after that as I continue to engrave Elliott’s name into her. It’s crazy, loving someone like that. I can’t imagine ever doing it myself but I’d never give someone else hell for it. And then… Rex and Melody loved me enough—or they loved the idea of a child enough—to steal for one and that reminds me how possessive the feeling is supposed to be.

It only takes about fifteen minutes to finish her tattoo. Her eyes get teary when I’m finished and this swell of pride blooms in my stomach. This little flash of Mom fills my head, this foreign wish that she got this. That on some level, she didn’t love me because she has to but because she understands me.

It doesn’t take me long to get things cleaned up. I look around online for a little while, check the supplies, and then go back to my chair, drumming my fingernails on the desk.

It’s not strange without Maddox here. It’s not strange without Maddox here. Only it is and that kind of sucks. It’s cool having him to talk to and to come up with tattoo ideas with and, hell, to give him shit. The knife twists in my stomach at the thought. At the strange way I actually miss him.

“I really need to go out and have a good time tonight,” I mumble. My phone rings, my hand shooting out to grab it like I’m expecting an important phone call or something. “Hello?”

“Hi… Bee? This is Laney. Maddox’s sister.”

My heart jumps a little. Maddox isn’t here. If something is wrong, Maddox isn’t here again and that will kill him. “Hey… is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I’m fine. God, you sound like my brother.” She laughs and I frown. The urge to say, I do not, dances on my tongue, but I ignore it.

“I wanted to tell you I’m having a little get-together for my birthday next weekend. Nothing big or anything. Just Adrian, Cheyenne, Colt, and Maddy. I’d love it if you could come.”

I fight down the instinct to blurt out a no. She’s nice and she’s Maddox’s sister, so I don’t want to be a bitch. And I want to go. At least, I think I want to go. But my thoughts start running. It doesn’t take a genius to see where she’s going with this. That it will be two couples and then Maddox and I. Maddox doesn’t see how alike they are. He and Laney are both fixers. I can see her trying to fix him by setting him up. The difference between them is she would do it for anyone and he would only go there for her.

Besides, I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t want me at this party. I’m pretty sure I shouldn’t want to be there either. Not after the other night at his house, and hell, how everything has been between us since we met each other.

“Saturday or Sunday?” That’s not a no. I should be saying no.

“Sunday. You guys are closed, right?”

“Usually, but I actually have someone coming in this Sunday, so I’m not sure if I can make it.”

“Oh.”

There’s no doubt in my mind that she knows I’m lying. I can’t seem to say yes or no, though. “I’ll see what I can do. I’d love to come but it depends on Masquerade, okay? I’ll keep you posted.”

“Okay. I really hope you can make it.” She pauses for a second. “Is my brother there?”

“No. He had to work extra today. Ever since they made him head of security, he’s had to pull some extra shifts.”

This time her pause is so long I wonder if I said something wrong. “Maddy got a promotion?”

Dropping backward, I lean against the back of the seat. Shit. This isn’t my business to be in the middle of. “Yeah, it wasn’t that long ago, though. I’m sure he spaced telling you.”

At that Laney laughs, though it’s not a happy sound. “You don’t have to cover for him. That’s Maddox. He never talks to me about anything. Maybe one day.”

“I’m sorry,” I say, not quite sure why.

“Yeah,” she whispers. “Me too.”

* * *

It’s 11:00 p.m. and I’m standing in front of Lunar, dressed for a night out. A million times I’ve told myself it’s only because I want to go out and Lunar is the only cool place close by. I haven’t decided if it’s the truth or not.

Having a good time is definitely high on my list, though, because I didn’t even bring my car. I want to be able to drink and have fun, so it’s a cab kind of night.

As soon as I step inside, the colored lights flash in my face. The loud music pumps through me, filling me with the urge to dance. My first stop is the bar. Trevor is there like always with two other guys I don’t recognize. There’s a ton of people up here, so while I wait, I fight the urge to look around for Maddox. It doesn’t matter where he is because I’m not here for him.

Trevor glances up and catches my eye. He smiles and I shake my head before he makes it down to me. “Beer?”

“I almost said Cosmo to throw you off, but I can’t drink those things.”

He opens a Corona, pops a lime in, and hands it to me. I hold it up to him before taking a drink.

He says something, but I can’t hear him, so I lean forward. “What?”

“Your man. He’s in the back.”

A shiver rocks through me. Get it together, Bee. “What man? I don’t have one of those.”

“Hmm. I didn’t think you were the type to play games.” His mouth is so close to my ear I feel his breath.

Jerking away from him, I flip Trevor off. “You don’t know me, so don’t pretend you do.” He grins, and I take a couple more drinks of the beer. “And I don’t play games.”

The rest of my beer goes down smoothly and quickly. He’s already handing me another one when I set the bottle on the counter.

“So you’re available?”

Smirking at him, I say, “I didn’t say that either.”

Trevor laughs and shakes his head. “That’s what I thought.”

Before he has the chance to say anything else, I walk away with the beer in hand. I’ll pay for it later. I’m not playing his games tonight. My eyes immediately land on Maddox, leaning against the wall in the back. His arms are crossed, his face tight, and his eyes lasered in on me.

Little bitty explosions feel like they start to go off in my stomach but I ignore them and move through the crowd, straight for him. The whole time I beg the fireworks to slow down but they don’t.

Maddox doesn’t move an inch when I step up in front of him. “He wants you.”

More pops and cracks ignite. “Jealous?” I swallow a drink of the beer.

“Haven’t we had this conversation before?” He’s still not moving and this quiet whisper floats through my brain: Touch me…

“You didn’t answer the question.”

Then he grabs me and pulls me to him. His mouth comes down on mine and that same stupid little whisper says, Finally…

Maddox’s tongue pushes into my mouth and I wrap one of my arms around his neck and bury it in his hair, trying not to spill the beer in my other hand. He turns and my back is suddenly against the wall, my body squeezed between the hard brick and Maddox’s heat. His kiss gets deeper, his body moving against mine, and as stupid as it is, I wish we weren’t here. Masquerade, my house, his house, anywhere but here.

My thoughts start pushing their way through and I gather enough strength to move my hand to Maddox’s chest and shove him far enough away to say, “Don’t kiss me because you’re jealous.”

“You’d rather I did it for other reasons? That’s not what we’re about, remember?”

The words are harsh, tiny lashes across my skin that I didn’t expect. He’s right but it hurts and it’s not supposed to.

With my hand on his chest, I push him again as I try to move around him. Maddox curses, steps in front of me, and grabs my waist. “I kissed you because I want you. Because you’re gorgeous and even though I shouldn’t give a shit, I don’t like seeing him touch you.”

He’s breathing hard, so hard I hear it even with the music blaring around us. It’s then I realize I’m breathing just as hard. My chest heaving under my tight, long-sleeved shirt.

Maddox brushes his finger over my shoulders, left bare because of the cut of my top.

“I’m not saying… It doesn’t mean…”

With my fingers, I touch his lips. “Shhh.” I set my bottle down and then I kiss him this time. My tongue moves with his, in out, in out. Maddox holds me between the wall and his body again, his mouth taking over. Moving so expertly against mine. My body thrums with energy… need. I want him too. Want him the way I’ve never wanted anyone.

When his mouth trails down my neck, I say, “I’m not saying it means anything either. Let’s not use any words. Let’s…” Have fun. Forget everything else. Pretend we’re something we’re not. “Dance.”

“I told you I don’t dance.” His mouth is still close to my skin.

“I’m asking you to make an exception.”

Maddox pulls away and I expect him to keep going. Instead he hooks his finger in the loop of my pants and starts to back up, pulling me with him.

“Will you get in trouble? I know you’re working.”

His eyes haven’t left mine since he started walking. “I don’t give a shit what Trevor thinks and Tyler’s not here.”

Then I’m pulled tightly against him. His hands are on my waist; then they slide up and down my back as we move together. I rock my hips, sway with him as I wrap my arms around his neck. We’re close, so very close our bodies touching and moving as in sync as they do when we’ve had sex.

It feels good and he feels good but still I grab on to what I said to him about not using words. Not defining anything. It can be like it was at his house the other night. We can laugh and dance and kiss and then walk away like last time and nothing will change. Neither of us want it to change, so it’s okay. We’re okay.

His hand goes up the back of my shirt, skin to skin, rubbing and caressing. I moan and move with him as one of his legs slides between mine.

“You can dance,” I whisper.

“There are a lot of things I’m good at.”

I don’t doubt that. “Okay, then I’m surprised you are dancing.” Sure, I asked him to but I don’t know if I thought he would really do it.

His mouth drops to my ear. “There are a lot of things your body inspires me to do.” Again, I wish we weren’t in public.

And then he nips my lobe with his teeth and we keep dancing. When the song’s over and it goes into the next, Maddox pulls away. “I need to get back to work.”

“Yeah… yeah, okay.” I step back, trying to catch my breath. Holy crap that was sexy as hell.

“You hanging around or are you out of here?”

“I figured I’d stay for a while.”