Chapter 23
twenty-three
. . .
Georgia
I’d never been a fan of the blow job before. I’d avoided it at all costs… but not today. I’d enjoyed it, which was hard to wrap my head around.
I’d come to learn over the last twenty-four hours, that pleasing Maddox Lancaster was a complete turn-on for me. The way he’d groaned and thrust and completely come undone—it was a sight to see.
It made me feel empowered and sexy and wanted.
And here I stood, with this beautiful man who had just returned the favor by dropping to his knees and burying his head between my thighs until I cried out his name and could barely stand. He’d then followed it up by washing my hair.
No man had ever washed my hair before.
He massaged my scalp, and I groaned as he carefully rinsed my hair, making sure the soap didn’t go into my eyes.
I lathered up my hands with soap and proceeded to wash his body as he stood there with his arms crossed over his muscular chest, watching me.
Fling or no fling, this surpassed all expectations.
If it ended tomorrow and no man ever touched me again, I would not complain.
“You keep covering my cock in suds, and I’ll have you drop to your knees so I can fuck that sweet mouth of yours again.” His voice was gruff, eyes hooded as he watched me.
I chuckled and rinsed off my hands and turned off the water.
He wrapped a towel around me before doing the same to himself, and we spent the next forty-five minutes getting dressed and ready for the day.
Together.
We talked, and we laughed, and he stayed in the bathroom after he was done, watching me apply my makeup and blow-dry my hair.
And we were out the door shortly after.
Cross-country skiing, here we come.
“We’re going too fast!” I shouted as he guided me down the mountain. His legs were on each side of mine, his arms wrapped around me, and if I wasn’t wearing my white ski bibs and matching jacket, I would feel the erection driving into my lower back even more.
I’d insisted we cover every inch of our faces, just in case someone from the office spotted us out here. Cross-country skiing had been much easier, as we were completely alone all day on the trail.
But the resorts here were busy, so this was the plan. And considering it was freezing outside, being bundled up wasn’t a problem.
“Stop whining. We’re barely moving,” he grumped against my ear, which was covered in my favorite white snow hat with an oversized pom-pom.
We’d spent the last five nights together at his house. I’d only left once to go look at a rental house that had come on the market while Maddox had some work to catch up on, and I’d stopped by my place to grab my ski clothes.
The crazy thing was I wasn’t bored or irritated or ready to leave.
I kept waiting for him to call it done, but he hadn’t yet. And we hadn’t discussed it. We’d had endless sex, eaten every meal together, watched a ton of movies, and had our two outings trying out our skis on both a flat surface and a large mountain.
We would be heading back to the office soon, and I didn’t know what that meant. We’d just go back to being boss and employee?
That was the plan, and I wasn’t going to fight it because this fling had done worlds of good for my confidence.
I now knew what I wanted out of a relationship, and I would no longer settle for selfish assholes who chased their own pleasure or stole my car.
So, I wouldn’t regret this, even if it was short-lived.
Even if it hurt, which I knew it would.
But I’d keep that all to myself. I’d made this deal, and I was going to enjoy it while it lasted and deal with repercussions later.
Maddox hadn’t had another nightmare since our first night together, and it was the first thing he asked me every morning.
We came to a stop at the bottom of the mountain, and he moved in front of me, pulling off his goggles.
“You did better that time, aside from endlessly complaining about the speed.” His dark eyes searched my goggle-covered gaze.
I popped them up slightly so he could see me. “Good. We need to get going.”
I let my goggles fall back against my face, and he chuckled. He’d laughed more over the last few days than he had in all the weeks I’d known him. And that made me happy.
At the very least, we were friends.
I was just the one who’d fallen in love with my friend.
My unattainable, broody, grumpy, gorgeous friend.
“Remember, if my brother hits on you, you have to be firm with him.” We unsnapped our skis and dropped them off in the lodge, trading out our ski boots for our shoes before we made our way to the parking lot.
He pulled the passenger door open for me and helped me inside before reaching for my seat belt and pulling it across my body and snapping it into place.
I didn’t try to stop him. I’d learned that these were the ways that Maddox showed me he cared.
By worrying about my car or buckling my seat belt, giving me more orgasms than any one woman deserved, or encouraging me to try things like downhill skiing, even though I didn’t enjoy it.
My hands were freezing, and he got into the driver’s seat and cranked up the heat.
I used my teeth to tug off my gloves when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.
“Isn’t your brother bringing a date?”
“I don’t know. The dude is very secretive.”
“Hmmm… it must run in the family.” I found my phone and then squealed when I read the email from the property manager. “I got the house. I can move in over the weekend. I’ll be in my own place before we go back to work.”
Maddox stared straight ahead as he turned down the final street and then into his long driveway. Once he pulled into the garage, he turned off the car but didn’t say anything.
“Hello? Did you hear me?”
He turned to face me. He looked… agitated.
Upset.
Disappointed, maybe?
Was I reading into things?
“Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”
“You can’t muster up a little more enthusiasm?”
“I thought you were staying with me until we went back to work. What if I have someone move you in so you don’t have to leave?”
My jaw fell open. For a guy who only had flings, he’d surprised me more times than I could count. He’d been attentive and thoughtful, and we talked about things I’d never talked about with any man before.
He wanted to know what I liked in the bedroom—which was all things Maddox Lancaster. What my dreams were. What my favorite subject in school was. Favorite movie.
I mean, I wasn’t a pro at this whole thing, but I’d been in yearlong relationships that didn’t go this deep.
“I don’t even really have any furniture, if I’m being honest. So there won’t be a lot to move in. I’ve got my dishes and my kitchen stuff, some cute decorations, and things to hang on the wall. It won’t take long.”
“What will you sleep on?”
“I’ll probably get my bed from my parents’ house.”
“That’s madness,” he hissed.
I tugged the goggles completely off my head now that we were in the garage. “It’s not madness. This is how normal people live. They save up and then furnish their new place. The first step was getting the house. The next step will be furnishing it.”
He studied me for a long moment, a habit I was growing used to. “I have some things in storage. Why don’t I send them over?”
“What kind of things?” I raised a brow because this had come out of left field.
“A bed. A couch. A table and chairs. I wasn’t able to use them.”
“You weren’t able to use them in your mansion?” I pressed. The whole thing seemed suspicious.
“Correct. Us abnormal people sometimes purchase too many things, and they don’t fit.” He pushed out of the car and came around to open my door, but I was already out.
“It just seems odd that you have all the things that I need.” I followed him inside.
He whipped around, and my chest slammed into his. “I have extra furniture that I’m not using, Georgia. And you need furniture. Stop making this more difficult than it needs to be.”
“Fine. I’ll pay you for it,” I said, our eyes locked on one another.
He groaned. “Are you really going to make me say it?”
“Say what?”
“I have more money than I know what to do with. I don’t need you to pay me for furniture that I’m not using anyway. Isn’t this what friends do?” He smirked.
My shoulders relaxed. “I suppose. So, we really are friends, aren’t we?”
“Well, if you were a really good friend, you’d let me take you to the bedroom and have my way with you before my brother gets here.”
“I could live with that,” I said over my laughter.
“Good.” He kicked off his shoes and tossed his coat onto the couch. “Don’t ask your parents for the bed. I’ve got one, and I’ll get it all moved over there.”
“You’re so sexy when you talk about furniture and moving,” I said over a fit of giggles. He rushed me and tossed me over his shoulder.
“I’ll show you sexy, Georgia Reynolds.”
He carried me to his bedroom and dropped me onto the bed. He bent down and tugged off my boots one at a time and tossed them onto the floor. He peeled off each item of clothing that I wore, one at a time.
“How many pieces of clothing can one woman possibly wear?” he grouched, and I laughed and shook my head.
“It was cold out there.”
Once he had me completely bare, he stared down at me. “Yeah? How about I warm you up, baby?”
My chest squeezed. I didn’t know if it was the way that he was looking at me, or that he’d just called me baby.
I sucked in a breath and nodded. He tugged his sweater over his head and pushed his jeans down, along with his briefs. I’d never tire of seeing this man naked.
He crawled over me, his mouth crashing into mine.
And then he kissed his way down my neck and my chest. His hands were everywhere.
“I love your fucking body so much, Tink. I want to mark you as mine in every way.”
Fling. Fling. Fling.
It’s not real.
“I want you,” I whispered.
He settled between my thighs and looked at me with the most mischievous look on his face before he buried himself there. He took his time. Teasing and licking and bringing me just to the edge and then pulling back.
“Please, Maddox.”
He paused and his gaze locked with mine. His lips were shiny with my desire, and I squirmed beneath him. He slipped a finger inside me, and then another, before his mouth sealed over my clit.
And that was all it took. I went right over the edge, just like I always did with him.
I tried not to think about the fact that it would all be ending soon.
Because right now… this felt like forever.
Before I even caught my breath, he glanced at the clock and reminded me that his brother would be here shortly.
So, we both hurried into the bathroom to take a quick shower, where I dropped to my knees and returned the favor.
The water fell down his muscled chest when he found his release and a feral sound escaped his lips. It was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
After, we dried off quickly, both of us still floating from the high we’d just experienced.
“Are you sure you want me here with Wyle?” I asked as we hurried out to the kitchen once we were dressed.
“Yes. We’re friends. Why wouldn’t I want you to meet my brother? I’ve met your family.”
I shrugged. “That’s true. And I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
The doorbell rang, and Maddox poured me a glass of wine and then made his way to the door.
“I thought you were bringing someone.” I heard Maddox ask, and a voice that was very similar to his chuckled.
“Yeah. That didn’t work out. She was a stage-five clinger.” When they came around the corner, Wyle Lancaster’s gaze moved to me.
He resembled Maddox with his dark eyes and intense stare, but his hair was lighter. He was maybe an inch or two shorter and not as lean as his older brother. But he was fit and gorgeous and definitely had the Lancaster good looks.
“Who do we have here?”
“I told you I was inviting a friend. This is Georgia Reynolds. She works for Lancaster Press.” Maddox cleared his throat and moved around the bar to pour his brother a glass of wine.
“Ahh… and what do you do for the company, Georgia?” he purred. He didn’t have his brother’s broody demeanor. The man was definitely a flirt, and he reached for my hand and kissed the back of it.
Before I could respond, Maddox slapped his hand away from me, which made us both laugh. “She’s my administrative assistant. Don’t be inappropriate.”
Wyle had a big grin on his face, and he nodded. “I see. You’re his admin, and you eat together when you aren’t working? Is that allowed?”
Well, he’d just had his head buried between my legs thirty minutes ago, so I’m guessing we’ve broken multiple rules.
“We were working.” Maddox handed him the glass of wine and then looked at me. “He’s just fucking with me. This guy has never followed a rule in his life.”
“This is true. But my brother tends to stick to certain rules. So, this is a nice surprise.” He clinked his glass with mine just as the doorbell rang.
“I hate surprises,” Maddox said as he moved toward the door to get what I assumed was the dinner that he’d ordered for the three of us.
“So, what rules is it that your brother sticks to?” I asked.
“Well, Georgia, this may surprise you, but my brother would normally not be dining with a woman he worked with when the office was closed.” He winked and leaned close to me.
“Nor would he ever bring a woman to a casual dinner with his brother. He takes dates to events, not to dinner at his home. But this isn’t an event, is it? ”
I took a sip of wine to think about how I would respond. “This isn’t a date. We’re just friends.”
“Maddox doesn’t have any female friends, unless you count our new stepmother.” He turned when his brother walked in before glancing back at me quickly, keeping his voice low. “I have a hunch you’re special.”
Was I special?
Would I be special next week when we returned to our normal lives?
I sure hoped so.