Chapter 16
Fate might’ve fucked with me for close to a decade, but it was sure as hell smiling on me now.
When Madison and I first met, I’d been a cashier, making next to nothing and only having taken the job so my sisters didn’t bankrupt themselves buying decent quality nesting supplies after presenting as omegas.
Now I was levels higher, with a full bank account and the ability to provide what my omega needed.
Mine.
For the first time, that was really and truly on the table.
I just had to avoid fucking it up, now that I had a chance.
Staring at the ceiling all night wasn’t likely to improve my odds, but sleep was proving more elusive than usual. A strange bed in a strange home had my brain in overdrive.
Quiet knocking at my door woke every nerve in my body, tuning them to the sound. Maybe I misheard? I got up to check and make sure, finding Madison on the other side. Her hair was down and she was tucked into a satin pajama set that left very little to the imagination.
“Hi,” I said quietly. Even in the dim lighting, I could see the shade contrast of a blush on her cheeks. She didn’t say anything at first, only wringing her fingers. I tilted my head, taking her in. “Everything okay?”
“Would—” She paused, moving on to twist the hem of her shirt. “Would it be okay if I slept in here tonight?”
Was this fate’s way of apologizing to me?
I stepped aside, sweeping my arm to usher her in. “What’s going on? Can’t sleep?”
“I feel unsettled and I always feel better when I’m with you.”
My heart gave a hard one-two kick against my ribs. “Go ahead and climb in. You’re sure you want me to stay? I could sleep on the couch.”
She pursed her lips and puffed up her cheeks. “You really think I would invade your room and make you leave?”
“I guess not. I’m just trying to figure out the best way to support you right now.”
Madison crossed the threshold of my bedroom, moving silently until she reached the bed and sat down on the edge. “Are you going to stand there all night?”
The question nudged me into gear and I bolted around the opposite side of the bed while she snuggled under my blankets. I lay on my side, resting my cheek on my hand, propped up by my elbow to watch the impossible happening.
Madison was in my bed.
She wiggled closer like a little worm, until her arm and leg were touching me, then rolled to her side, wiggling again until she was plastered to my chest. I didn’t immediately move—too frozen in disbelief—and she peeked at me, tipping her head back.
“Is this too weird? I can leave.”
I shifted instantly, draping my arm over her and pulling her close, her head tucking beneath my chin. A soft purr filled the air a moment later.
Be cool.
Madison was purring. In my bed. In my arms.
My grudge against fate dissolved away.
Everything I’d ever dreamed of was right here.
“Did I wake you up?” she asked quietly.
“Nah. I hadn’t fallen asleep yet.”
“It’s so late.”
I shrugged, trying to subtly breathe in the raspberry sweetness that hung in the air around her. Except that was a bad fucking idea because it went straight to my dick. I angled my hips away, hoping she hadn’t noticed.
“Did you ever think we’d end up in the same bed?”
How honest was I supposed to be about that? “Hoped more than thought,” I said with an awkward laugh.
“I thought about it.” She rotated slowly and curled an arm over my ribs, the other tucked between us. “Way more than I should have. I don’t know how many of those thoughts were true and not just fantasy to make myself feel better.”
“Fantasy?” My voice nearly broke forcing that word off my tongue, my mind running a mile a minute.
“Dreams, mostly. When I’d wake up alone after those nights, I’d be twice as disappointed.”
“Why?”
“I hate waking up alone. If the bed was empty when I opened my eyes, traitorous thoughts would start banging cymbals in my head.”
“What kind of thoughts?”
“That you’d never let me wake up alone.”
Well, I suddenly had a new life mission.
“I’ll be here when you wake up,” I promised.
Her purr rumbled away. “I believe you.”
She toyed with the fabric of my T-shirt, drawing patterns on my chest. My dick was hard to the point of weeping, but that was information I intended to keep to myself. I could suffer through the night.
“Jude,” she whispered.
“Hmm?”
“You could kiss me again, if you wanted to.”
My laugh startled both of us. “I’m sorry, it’s just, ‘if I wanted to’? In what universe would I not want to?”
“I don’t know. I was trying not to be presumptuous.”
“That’s fair, but I would say it’s pretty safe to assume I’ll always want to kiss you.”
She lifted her head, pouting at me. “You say that, but my lips remain unkissed.”
“Lucky for you, I have excellent problem-solving skills for that.” I dove in, her mouth as sweet as the first time. It wasn’t a single kiss by any means, not when she hooked her fingers over the collar of my shirt and flattened her chest to mine.
Holy fucking shit. Was I actually making out with my dream girl right now?
Her whimper and attempt to drag me closer assured me of that glorious reality. Madison rolled over, pulling me with her while I tried to keep my dick from getting too many ideas. Apparently Madison wasn’t of the same mind.
Her fingers slipped beneath my shirt and onto my lower back, nails lightly scraping before holding firmly on my waistband, trying to tug my hips closer.
Okay, I could be cool about this.
I was in possession of a modicum of self-control. How long that would last was anyone’s guess.
Her scent was a delicious fog, filling my lungs and unravelling the internal leashes holding my self-control. It didn’t affect me quite as strongly as an alpha, or at least that was what studies had determined, but I wasn’t sure I believed those right now.
Madison was mine. And, beta or not, I was hers.
I surrendered to her insistence and hovered above her. She stared up at me in the low lighting, hair fanned around her, lips parted, her chest in real danger of escaping the confines of her pajama top.
She obviously caught the direction of my gaze and tugged down one strap, then the other, inching everything out of the way. Desire was like the boom of a cannon as I sank against her with a groan.
I kissed her first, moving from her perfect mouth to the column of her throat, banking everything on her not regretting this offer as I cupped one round breast and closed my lips over the nipple.
Madison arched with a soft cry that sent lightning down my spine.
One of her hands clutched the back of my head, the other trembling in a death grip on my shirt.
Who was I kidding? There was no being cool about any of this. Tepid wasn’t an option when my whole body burned with a craving for her.
I switched to her other nipple, sucking it to a stiff peak while she squirmed and whined. I’d imagined those sounds thousands of times, but the reality was so much better, I was lucky I didn’t spill on the spot.
The second it took to remove my shirt was too long to be away from her. I sank down and soaked up the sensation of a half-naked Madison pressed against me. She claimed my mouth again, persistent fingers exploring my skin.
Did she want me as badly as I wanted her?
The way she bucked her hips and pawed at my ass cheeks gave me hope we were equally matched in that department. I nearly came out of my skin when she slipped both hands beneath my waistband to squeeze.
“Stop wearing so many clothes,” she said petulantly.
“Maddie,” I gasped out. “We can’t go too far too fast. I think I would die if you regretted it.”
Her next kiss was less frantic and she cradled my cheek. “I can’t regret being with you. The only thing I regret is all the years we missed out on. I don’t want to lose any more time.”
I swallowed down the lump in my throat. “Really?”
“Of course, really. If you want to wait, we will, but don’t do it on my account.”
We’d already sailed past the point of no return, but somehow, it felt like there was a secret second point of no return in front of us right now.
“If you’re sure. I never want to hurt you.”
Madison wriggled right out of her pajamas and flung them to the floor. “I’m sure.”
God help me.
I climbed off the bed—my only option to strip with any grace. Her appreciative gaze followed me. Once I was bare, she opened her arms to me and spread her thighs so I could tuck between them, drugging myself on her kisses.
She was already dripping slick.
Fuck me.
She really did want me.
Before I could slide down her body and consume a feast between her lush thighs, she impatiently shifted her hips to meet mine, snaring the tip of my dick. I stilled, trying to keep myself together.
“Jude,” Madison murmured my name, gently rocking as if telling me to get a move on.
“I love you.” The words tumbled out of me. “I have for years—hopelessly, desperately, probably pathetically. If we’re doing this, you have to know that.”
I caught a hint of salt in the air from tears sliding down her temples. “I love you, too. I won’t stop, but right now, I need more than words from you.”
Message received.
I let my hips sink, dick gliding into her while we both shuddered. The needy sound she let out as she clung to me was all the encouragement I needed now.
I loved her, but I didn’t fuck her like it. Each driving thrust jostled the bed. Madison braced a hand against the wall, her moans and whimpers a symphony of pleasure. I couldn’t exactly fuck my way straight to her soul, but dammit, I could try.
Every slick descent forced another perfect sound out of her and I murmured her short name over and over as we chased our pleasure together.
Her nails digging into my ass cheek urged me on.
I wedged my fingers between us, letting my hips drive them against her clit until she was a shaking mess beneath me and her body went taut, her hand clapping over her mouth to muffle her scream.
I didn’t stand a snowball’s chance in hell of lasting longer than that. The pulse of her cunt dragged me over the edge with her. I spilled every drop I had to offer, rocking my hips until she had wrung me dry, and indulging myself in the sweetness of her mouth when she freed it.
I rolled us both over, prolonging her pussy wrapped around me and her body against mine.
Madison let out a laugh of delighted disbelief. “We did that.”
“We did.” I smiled, threading my fingers through her hair. “How are you feeling about that?”
“Feeling like I would enjoy a repeat when we wake up.” She grinned and leaned up to kiss me again. “You?”
I let out my own laugh. “Feeling like I’m the luckiest son of a bitch on the whole fucking planet.”
She snuggled into me with a purr, and I knew it wasn’t even just a feeling. In this moment, there definitely wasn’t a single soul out there luckier than me.