34
ADAM
Who knew seeing a little blue Prius rolling to a stop could put a big smile on my face? It was also entirely possible that the sappy-ass grin I was sporting had nothing to do with the car but rather the woman driving it.
Until the door swung open and she stepped out.
I set Sheldon down and got up from where I was sitting on her front porch step and hurried over to Maddie. Her eyes were somewhat swollen, her nose red, her cheeks blotchy. She'd been crying. And so help me, if I found the person who'd hurt her, they were going to hurt.
She didn't have time to shut the door before I held her face in my hands. "Baby, what happened?"
My brow furrowed when Maddie's mouth curved upward, her eyes sparkling with unfiltered happiness. "Something wonderful." When I just kept staring at her, she laughed. "Let's go inside and I'll tell you all about it."
Hand in hand, we headed into the house while Maddie fervently tried to fill me in on how her father had finally given her something she'd craved since she'd been a little girl.
The more she talked, the more her features lit up.
Warmth seeped into my pores and coated my insides with happiness… for her .
Because of her.
I didn't know the entire story when it came to her parents, but from the little I did know, I understood how important the moment with her father had been. And hell, if she didn't deserve it.
We were standing in the kitchen where Maddie was scooping dog food into Sheldon's bowl. I waited until she set it in front of him before I took her in my arms and held her close. Resting my chin on top of her head, I marveled at how well we fit together. Like she was made just for me.
Maddie tilted her head back, training those whiskey eyes straight at my soul. "Today has been amazing," she admitted quietly, "and it just got better."
There were some pretty powerful words stuck in my throat. But instead of voicing them, I touched my lips to hers. Every brush of my mouth, swipe of my tongue, filled with everything I felt for this woman.
She'd found me at my lowest low when all hope had been abandoned and there was nothing left. Without even realizing, she'd reached in and pulled me from the darkness that had swallowed me whole.
She'd saved me when I'd believed I was unsavable. Taught me to love not only someone else but myself too. There weren't enough words to even attempt to confess to her what she meant to me.
So I kissed her harder instead.
Her hands swept up over my shoulders, fingers spearing into my hair. With a tilt of my head, I deepened the kiss, greedily taking everything she gave me. Down and down I dragged my hands, hoisting her up the instant my fingers dug into her waist.
I lifted her onto the counter and stepped forward as she wrapped her legs around me. Trading her mouth for her throat, I nipped and licked my way along her satiny skin while my fingers found the hem of her shirt.
In one quick move, I tugged it over her head and tossed it to the floor, my lips immediately latching onto the newly exposed skin.
I kissed a hot path along her collarbone and down over the swell of her breast. Following the line of her bra with my nose, I took a deep breath and smiled against her skin.
I loved how she always smelled like fucking strawberries.
My tongue touched a lace-covered tip; swirling, licking, teasing at the same time as I worked my fingers up the inside of her thigh. But instead of arching into me, Maddie flattened her palms against my chest and shoved me backward.
"Not so fast," she purred, hopping off the counter. Standing right in front of me, she curled her fingers around the waistband of my jeans and tugged my hips closer. "Why do you always get to have all the fun?"
Holding my gaze, Maddie slowly dropped to her knees while her nimble little fingers worked on my button and zipper. Gripping the material in her fists, she peered up at me, smile all sugary sweet.
But it was the look of pure sin shining bright in her eyes that nearly did me in. In one quick move, she yanked my pants to my ankles and skimmed her palms up my legs. With her hands resting on my thighs, she slicked her tongue over her lips before curling her fingers around my twitching hard-on.
Nothing, not a single thing on this planet could have prepared me for the moment she sucked me into her hot little mouth.
"Shiiiit," I groaned, my hand immediately sliding into her hair, fingertips digging into her scalp. "That feels so damn good, baby."
Maddie hummed, the vibrations of that erotic little sound pushing my hips forward.
My grip on her hair tightened, desperately needing her to stay right there a little longer.
And Maddie, well, she didn't let up. Using her hand and mouth, she pushed me further and further until I was about two seconds away from exploding.
But as always, I wanted to be buried deep inside her when I came.
Hooking my fingers under her arms, I yanked her up with a hard tug. My hand found hair again, wrapping it tightly around my fist. I pulled her face to mine, our lips barely a breath apart.
"You drive me crazy," I rasped against her mouth, "batshit-I-can't-get-enough crazy."
Her tongue darted out, the tip slicking over my lips. "Is that a bad thing?"
"No."
I claimed her mouth in a punishing kiss then. One that had my blood boiling hot with need and my heart threatening to explode from the sheer pressure of what it was keeping inside .
Without breaking the kiss, I stepped out of the pants bunched at my ankles, hoisted her up and walked us over to the couch.
Maddie was flat on her back with me grinding into her not even a minute later.
It didn't matter that there were still layers of fabric separating us, my skin buzzed as if it was alive and on fire.
White-hot heat blazed through my veins giving my racing pulse a higher gear. As fantastic as that felt though, I still needed to feel her skin against mine. Reaching between us, I'd just slipped my fingers into the waistband of her leggings when she gently pushed at my shoulder.
"Let me do that."
I sat back on my heels; gaze fixed on her as she slipped of the couch. Steadily swaying side to side, Maddie shimmied out of her pants and underwear. Her eyes never left mine. Then she reached behind her to undo her lacy bra before tossing it at me.
I caught it easily. Lifting the material to my nose, I inhaled deeply and groaned. "Strawberries."
With quick movements, I lifted my shirt and tossed it aside before positioning myself at the edge of the couch. Hands parked behind me; I jerked my chin in her direction. "Hop on, baby."
Nibbling on her lip, she let her gaze slowly track down my body and as always with Maddie, there was no shame coating my skin. One heated look from her and it felt as if I could conquer the damn world.
Maddie moved closer. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she set her knees on either side of me and steadily lowered herself. Her warmth wrapping around me with every inch she took.
I wanted to yell. To scream. To curse.
To beg every deity I could think of to give me more of her. Because I needed Maddie. And I needed her to need me as desperately as I did her. Needed her heart to match the crazy rhythm of mine.
For her to love me even if it was just a fraction of the depth of my feelings for her.
Slowly, steadily she began to move. Trailing my hands up her back, I curled my fingers over her shoulders. The tips digging hard into her impossibly soft skin.
Maddie's fingers speared through my hair. Tilting my head slightly, our eyes met. I would've needed to be blind to not recognize the emotion swirling around in those depths. And, shit, if that didn't have my heart expanding and flooding with hope.
Holding my gaze, she rocked her hips, up and down she went, at an impossibly slow pace. Movements that were meant to torture. To steadily drive me toward the brink before pulling back and doing it all over again.
I ducked my head and sucked her breast into my mouth.
Eagerly. Hungrily. Clawing at her skin as I took my fill.
In the space of a breath, our movements turned frantic.
My hands shot to her hips, fingers digging into the skin below her hip bone.
Faster and faster she rocked, the grunts and moans of our pleasure bouncing off the walls in a loud echo.
Every thrust, kiss, and lick felt like brutal strikes to my heart, forever branding me with the memory of this. Her. Us. The words I'd fought so hard to keep inside wanted out. But I wasn't sure if she was even remotely ready to hear them.
So instead of telling her how deeply I had fallen for her, I sank my teeth into her shoulder just as her world exploded. Lightning-fast I lifted my head and seeing her with her eyes closed, mouth agape riding the waves of ecstasy was what broke the dam for me.
I breathed out her name in a harsh whisper over and over again. The intensity of the moment, my feelings, so strong it felt as if it might split me in two.
There was no denying my life would forever, irrevocably be changed because of this woman.
Chests heaving, we fell back against the couch. When our breathing had leveled somewhat, Maddie turned sideways and pushed onto her elbow.
Unable to resist, I wrapped a few of her silky strands around my fingers. "You've brought so much joy back into my life, Maddie."
With a gentle touch, she splayed her fingers over my chest. Her gaze serious as it roamed over my face. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything, baby. You can ask me anything."
She smiled at me then; big, bright, and beautiful.
"It's my mom's fiftieth birthday party tomorrow.
We're going all out." A little laugh bubbled over her lips.
"Well, as much as we can at the community center.
It's not going to be anything massive. Just the family and a few of Mom's friends.
" The hopeful smile tugging on her lips felt like a sucker punch to the balls .
In the silence that followed, tension knotted my gut. Before she even uttered the words, I knew what was coming. Knew I was about to break my girl's heart.
"Come with me? I want you to meet my family." She nibbled on her lips. "To introduce them to the man I—"
"No."
With one hoarse word my newfound happiness turned to nothing but smoke and ash.