Chapter 16
sixteen
Maddox
We walk into the living room and stop in our tracks.
Three idiotic grins stare back at us. My roommates and teammates, Henderson and Alvarez are posted up on the couch.
Alvarez has a leg casually hanging over the arm of the couch, a huge I fucking knew it written all over his face.
There’s a blond guy I haven’t seen before, who must be Easton’s teammate, wearing the same smile sitting on the loveseat.
It’s so big, it’s about to swallow his face.
He pipes up first. “So… Would seem we’ve reconciled our differences.” He bounces his eyebrows.
My mouth opens and closes, but nothing comes out.
Alvarez smiles wider. If he’s not careful, it’s going to get stuck like that, and he’ll never be able to pick up a chick again. He looks like a lunatic; add a little red and white paint, and he’d be the Joker. “These walls are thin, boys,” he says. “Gotta say, I’m happy this is how it ended up.”
His smile drops, and concern glints back at me.
Alvarez and I have grown really close this semester.
He’s been there for me through some of my toughest days with this whole thing with East. “The first time Winters stormed down here after it sounded like you two were going to fall through the fucking ceiling, I was a little afraid I was going to find a dead body up there.”
I find my voice. “Uh, yeah. No. Just us working through things in a very mature, healthy manner.”
Henderson laughs. “Yeah, brawling and boning. Very healthy, man.”
Shane nods seriously. “Ah yes. The Brawl and Bone. My favorite conflict resolution tactic.”
Easton chuckles next to me, then grabs my hand, and drags me toward the loveseat. He falls heavily into it and pulls me into his lap. “It was effective,” he says, and the guys laugh.
East’s arm snakes around me, and he draws me in tight.
My pulse takes off. It’s not like this is all that uncommon for us.
Easton’s always been extremely physically affectionate.
But most of the time, it’s me providing the comfort.
Him with his head on my lap, him curling into me.
I had always purposely avoided seeking the contact myself.
I didn’t feel right touching him when each touch went straight to my heart.
Secretly loving someone tears you up inside.
I was in a constant state of paranoia. Was I taking advantage of our friendship? Taking more than I was allowed?
It’s been a while, too. It happened less and less when he was with Shelby. She’d claimed the spot I’m in now. A spot I never thought I’d find myself in. God, it feels so fucking amazing.
He laces our fingers together and rests them on my thigh.
I stare at our woven fingers and swallow tightly.
I didn’t think it was possible to fall even more in love with him.
I was wrong. After what we just shared, the raw intimacy, it’s clear: My heart no longer beats for me.
It beats for Easton. I was a fool to think it could ever be any other way.
He abruptly shifts beneath me, and I latch onto him, so I don’t end up dumped onto the carpet. Then his phone is in front of us, our faces reflected back in the selfie-view of his camera.
“Smile, Maddy. This night needs documenting.”
I do him one better. I turn his head and kiss him. A picture we’ve never had but one I’ve always secretly hoped for.
We still have so much left to talk about, but right now I’m just going to soak in the moment. I’m finally where I’ve always wanted to be.