27
MADDIE
I popped one eye open and immediately grinned. It hadn't been a dream at all. The hard body I was snuggled up against was very real. My hand swept over Adam's broad chest, loving the feel of his warmth seeping into my skin even through the barrier of his shirt.
He was still asleep, so I took the opportunity to shamelessly study him. I hadn't seen his face look as relaxed as it was at that moment. There was no clenching jaw or brows tightly pulled together. Or a delicious looking mouth pressed into a thin line.
Naturally, my brain zeroed in on the amazing kiss we'd shared the previous night. One touch of his tongue and my little world had flipped on its axis. As far as I could remember a single kiss had never felt so intense.
So monumental.
I wanted to close my eyes and relive the moment over and over again, but instead of doing exactly that, I took in the rest of his gorgeous features.
All the while wondering about the man he was before he moved in next door.
The things he'd witnessed and endured. And who he'd been before all of it had happened.
I had a hard time envisioning him as anything else than the grumpy butt next door.
Mostly, because I didn't want him any other way.
"I can feel your eyes on me." His voice was groggy from just waking up, even sexier than his normal raspy tone.
Tilting my head back, I found him studying me through thin slits. I smiled and said, "You love it."
His answering grin had my heart bouncing like a rubber ball, and when he opened his eyes and I experienced the full weight of his stare, the breath whooshed straight out of my lungs. How was it even possible that the man could look so sinfully sexy first thing in the morning?
Also, if he kept looking at me like that, I was definitely going to climb all over him.
Because I wasn't opposed to another taste.
Maybe even more. Almost like he knew exactly what I was thinking, Adam's big hand curled around my hip and he pulled me on top of him.
He was half-lying, half-sitting with his shoulders leaned back against the back of the chaise part of the couch with me straddling his massive thighs.
"Hi." Rough, calloused palms dragged up my bare legs until his fingers could toy with the bottom of my shorts. I wanted them higher. A lot higher.
"We fell asleep on the couch," I said in lieu of greeting, trying my best not to roll my hips to get some much-needed friction.
"Mhm, I guess we did." His hands were on the move again, brushing over my shorts and dipping under my shirt. Up and up they went, until he splayed his fingers over my ribcage. I shivered when the pads of his thumbs brushed the underside of my breasts.
Live wires wouldn't have had the same effect as his big hands on my skin. Skin that felt alive with electricity zipping over the surface. Low, low in my belly there was an insistent tug warning me if he didn't do something soon, I might spontaneously combust.
"Touch me, Adam."
I barely had time to feel embarrassed over being so forward when he shifted his hands and filled them with my breasts. His thumbs moved in slow circles before his fingers squeezed and pulled a moan from the back of my throat.
Tiny bumps peppered my skin while my blood turned to molten lava. My entire body hummed with pleasure. But I needed more. So. Much. More. Digging my knees into the soft cushioning of the couch, I rolled my hips over his hard body and almost whimpered at how good it felt.
"Shit," he groaned. Abandoning my chest, he smoothed his hands over my hips before shoving them down the back of my shorts. Curling his fingers into my bare skin, he helped me move over him. "So good."
Adam tipped his head back, his jaw muscles tight as he continued to push and pull. Over and over again. Without warning, he surged up, covering the back of my head with his palm and pulling my face to his.
He kissed me as if I was his last meal and he wanted to remember every single detail.
Our tongues coiled and twisted while our hips rocked to a crazy rhythm.
I was about two seconds away from bliss when he flipped us so fast, it made my head spin.
As did the image of him hovering over me with those dark, dark eyes boring into mine.
But it was the expression on his face that did me in.
He looked at me like he worshipped me and wanted to do the dirtiest things to me at the same time. I wanted that. Oh, how I wanted that.
His sinful mouth twitched before his head slowly dipped.
I wet my lips in anticipation. My body was already buzzing and ready for another taste of Adam.
Only he didn't kiss me. He ran the tip of his nose along my jaw before nudging my head back.
His mouth closed over the skin below my ear from where he nipped and sucked his way down my neck.
The sensations he was creating with his teeth, tongue, and the stubble covering his jaw had goosebumps chasing up and down my skin. I weaved my fingers through his short hair and scraped my nails down the back of his head.
Adam growled before giving me a little more than a nip. It wasn't gentle but I definitely didn't mind it. The needy whimper bouncing off the walls a testament to that.
"You like that?" he rasped. When I nodded, his hooded gaze locked onto mine and he bared his teeth in a wolfish grin. Bye-bye panties. "Then you'll love this."
Needy state or not, I raised my eyebrow. "You sound extremely sure of yourself."
He aimed another one of those panty-melting smirks my way before grabbing my shirt and pulling it over my head. After tossing it aside, he stared at my bared breasts and slicked his tongue over his lips.
That was the only warning I got before he descended and covered one with his hand, closing his mouth over the other. Within the space of a few heavy breaths, I'd turned into a moaning writhing mess of bones while this man did wicked, wicked things to my body.
His hands were freaking everywhere. Everywhere . Touching me. Teasing me until there wasn't a single coherent thought left in my brain. Then he was on the move; kissing and nipping a hot path down my body, settling those massive shoulders between my thighs.
I was vaguely aware of Sheldon barking at something, but I couldn't be too bothered not when Adam had his fingers hooked in the waistband of my shorts and he was looking at me like he was about to rock my world.
There wasn't a part of me that didn't ache or throb with the desperate need for this man to give me a release. To push me so far over the edge that catching my breath would be impossible.
I was so ready for it when he pulled at my shorts and dragged his teeth over my hipbone, my entire body surged to life. Back arching, hips bucking. His tongue was hot and wet as he slowly licked his way to the other side.
"I'm gonna devour you until the only name leaving your lips is mine."
Yes! Yes, yes, yes.
"Yoo-Hoo, Maddie-Cakes."
Adam's head whipped up, eyes frantically searching mine. "The fuck? "
Groaning, I rolled my head back and cursed myself for ever telling Frankie where the damn spare key was or that she could use it whenever she wanted to. I was so damn close to getting a release from all this pent-up tension that'd been building and building over the weeks.
She couldn't have waited another hour or so before showing up?
The couch dipped, effectively pulling me from my little pity party.
When I lifted my head, I found Adam standing with one hand gripping his neck while his gaze flicked between the hallway and the glass door.
It took my lust-fogged brain a minute to catch up, and I swear the pure panic on his face had my heart twisting.
I pushed to my feet and after covering my breasts with one arm, I touched my palm to his chest to gain his attention. When his eyes collided with mine, the look in them reminded me of a wild animal. One that felt cornered and scared.
"Go," I said softly, jerking my head toward the door.
He didn't argue. Simply took the out I gave him and even though it hurt just a little that I wouldn't be able to introduce him to my best friend, I understood where he was coming from.
Pushing the sadness away, I scanned the floor for my shirt. I'd just pulled it over my head when Frankie waltzed into the living room, cradling a grocery bag in each arm. "I was out there knocking for ages," she complained. "So, I decided to use the spare key."
Eyes narrowing, her assessing blue gaze scanned the length of me. I stood as still as a statue when all I wanted to do was fidget. "Why didn't you answer the door?" She was staring at a spot on my neck as she asked the question.
"Didn't hear you knock."
"Mmm-hmm." Frankie's head slowly bobbed up and down. "And why is that?"
I licked my lips nervously. If I confessed to her why the sound of her knocking never registered, she'd want to know where the heck Adam was hiding. And then I'd have to tell her about his difficulty being around people.
I didn't want to do that. It was Adam's truth to tell, not mine.
"You're covered in beard burns!" Her screech sounded extremely close all of a sudden. I blinked and blinked again, only to find her standing in front of me, studying the marks on my neck as they were some new discovery.
"Uhm," was about as far as I got before my phone chimed to life. I'd never felt more relieved in my life. Shooting her an apologetic look, I snatched it off the coffee table and pressed it against my ear without checking the caller ID.
"This is Maddie," I said into the phone as I turned my back to avoid Frankie's death-glare.
"Hi Maddie, It's Lucetta."
"Oh! Hi." We'd been keeping in touch via text messages so the fact that she was calling was a bit strange. "How is your mom?"
"She's in a lot of pain, but we knew the healing process would be slow." She paused for a beat. "Especially for someone her age."
"And you?" I asked tentatively. "Are you doing okay?"
I heard her deep intake of breath. "I am. I've had a lot of time to reflect on my life and the choices I've made while I've been down here."
"That's great." I guess . There was something in her tone that gave me pause. A little niggle of foreboding trickled down my spine.
"Look, Maddie, I know this is out of the blue, but I don't think I'm coming back to Clearwater Bay."
I couldn't hide my surprise. "You're not?"
A sigh filtered through the line. "No. My mom needs me here, and we're finally breaking down the walls that'd been between us for so long."
I was happy for Lucetta. From the little I knew, I understood that her mother didn't approve of her dancing career. But I couldn't help but wonder, "What's going to happen to Soulbeat?"
In the silence that followed, I wandered to the glass door. Instead of looking out over the ocean, my gaze drifted to Adam's house. "That's actually why I'm calling," Lucetta finally said.
Another beat of silence followed while I waited with bated breath. "I'll be selling the studio, Maddie."
My head was spinning. All I could manage was a muttered, "Okay." Once Soulbeat was sold, I'd have to go back to the hardware store. It was the last thing I wanted. Working in that store would crush my spirit. It sounded harsh, but it was the truth .
I wanted to teach. I'd known from the first moment I stood in for Lucetta. I wasn't destined for a big stage and bright lights and that was completely fine. But not having dance in my life anymore wasn't.
"Are you still there?"
I squeezed my eyes shut and cleared my throat. "Yeah, I'm here."
"Soulbeat has been my life for more years than I care to count," Lucetta began. "I started that studio with nothing more than a degree and a dream." She drew in a deep breath and I opened my eyes; Adam's house still in my line of sight. "I don't want just anyone taking over."
"Of course not," I agreed solemnly.
"This is short notice, I know, and rest assured I won't pressure you into making a decision right away."
A fluttering of hope bloomed in my chest. "Lucetta, what are you talking about?"
"I want you to take over the studio, Maddie. There's no one else I trust more."
My head started to spin again. So much so that I had to smack my hand against the glass door to steady me. Lucetta was still talking, mentioning figures and ways for us to make it work.
"You've given this a lot of thought," I stated when I finally found my voice.
Her response came without hesitation. "I have."
On a shaky breath, I promised her I'd give the decision some real thought and let her know what I wanted to do. By the time we said goodbye and I stabbed the red button, my entire body was shaking .
Frankie appeared by my side a second later. Eyeing her out of the corner of my eye, I let out a nervous laugh. "You're never going to believe what just happened."
The words spilled from my lips without pause. Frankie curled her fingers around my arm and led me to the couch, never once interrupting my frantic ramblings. I loved her all the more for it.
Once I was done talking, I fell back against the couch with a heavy sigh. Tilting my head toward the ceiling, I covered my face with my hands and groaned. "I don't know what to do."
"Well, what do you want to do?"
Dropping my hands, my head rolled to the side. "Of course I want to buy the place. Not only does it have immense sentimental value to me, but teaching…" I shook my head. "It's given me new love for this art."
Frankie's smile spread wide. "There's your answer."
"It's not that simple." I sighed again just thinking about it. "I have savings, but not nearly enough to cover the costs."
Ever the optimistic, my friend patted my leg. The grin on her lips never left as she pushed to her feet. "There's always a way. Now, come on, you can fill me in on those beard burns while you test the new sandwich combinations I want to try out."
My gaze stayed glued to her back as she headed into my kitchen. She made it sound so easy, and maybe it was. The real question though was exactly how far was I prepared to go to chase after my dreams.