32. Alistair
ALISTAIR
As I drove us through town, Madison held her left hand out, admiring the ring on her finger. The blue-green piece of sea glass sparkled in the light.
“Just so you know, I intend to replace that with a diamond by the end of the week.”
“Don’t you dare!” she gasped, clutching her hand to her chest. “I love it exactly as it is.” She leaned over, pressing her head against my arm. “I wouldn’t want any other ring.”
“You can wear both,” I reasoned.
She shook her head, grinning up at me. “Nope. This one is perfect.”
I smirked, pleased that all the work Kenna and I had put into the ring had been worth it. Even more pleased that Madison seemed to adore it. I did intend to get her a sturdier engagement ring, but we could discuss those details later.
For now, I simply wanted to take Madison home.
We’d already swung by the Deerhound to pick up her things and officially check her out of her room.
When Isla had spotted us walking into the lobby together, hand in hand, she’d beamed even as she’d burst into very noisy tears—something she was quick to blame on postpartum hormones.
After a hasty round of hugs, she’d practically shoved us out the door to go celebrate.
“Should we grab Kenna early from nursery?” Madison asked. “Spend the day together?”
“We could,” I agreed, “but she’s only got a couple hours left, and today was Crazy Hair Day. They’re apparently doing a fashion show at the end of the day.”
“Oh, well, I wouldn’t want to deprive her of that. Did Florence help you with her hair?”
“I’ll have you know that the fourteen pigtails she’s currently sporting were all my doing.”
Madison giggled, squeezing my arm gently. “I can’t wait to see this masterpiece.”
I couldn’t wait either, imagining the way Kenna would squeal in delight as she threw herself into Madison’s arms. “In the meantime, there’s someone else you can get reacquainted with.”
As we neared Dunhope, I was pleased to see that the news vans had dwindled to just two.
Members of the media had been slowly leaving town, and with the release of my in-depth interview, my hope was that I’d taken most of the hype out of the situation.
Hanging around to snap photos of a man who’d already laid it all out on national television didn’t pay the bills.
I pulled up the long driveway, got out of the car, and took Madison’s hand, leading her through the side door. The moment we walked into the kitchen, I heard the familiar tap, tap, tap.
“Princess!” Madison cried, crouching to greet the tiny furball.
Princess ran right past her, leaping at my knees with the energy of a firecracker. She yipped, tail wagging, then flopped over onto her back, batting the air expectantly.
“I see her loyalties have shifted,” Madison said, smirking up at me.
“She just likes a good belly rub,” I said, bending over to greet Princess.
“And to think you didn’t even like her when we first showed up.”
“When you first showed up, she looked like she wanted to chew my hand off.” Once the dog was satisfied with her belly rubs, she got up and trotted over to Madison for pets, licking both her hands.
“I missed you,” Madison whispered to her. “Have you been behaving?”
Princess barked and barked and barked, like she was giving Madison a rundown of everything she’d missed while living at the inn.
Madison glanced at me. “She says someone hasn’t been giving her enough treats.”
“All lies,” I said, walking to the sink to wash my hands. Madison followed. “If anything, she’s been getting way too many. Kenna and I really need to get on some sort of system. Not to mention whatever Florence has been sneaking her.”
Madison washed and dried her hands. “How is Florence?”
“She is on a well-deserved vacation day today. Her daughter and granddaughter were coming up to Edinburgh from London, so she’s gone to visit. And I’m happy to report that she finally stopped glaring at me once I’d scheduled the interview.”
“Good old Florence. Keeping up with the home, taking care of your love life…”
“I should really give the woman a raise.”
“You should,” Madison agreed. “For her cooking alone.” She pulled back to look up at me. “What do you want to do until we pick up Kenna?”
“Well, like Isla suggested…” I took her hands, leading her from the kitchen toward the stairwell. “I was thinking we could spend some time celebrating.” I lifted her hand to my mouth, pressing a soft kiss to her ring finger.
“Celebrating, huh?” She shot me a coy grin, walking the fingers of her free hand up my chest.
“It’s not every day we get engaged.”
“What exactly did you have in mind?” she asked, following me up the stairs.
“Well, Future Mrs. Shaw, I’ve got big plans for us.”
“Do you?”
“Huge,” I said, yanking her toward my chest as we reached the landing.
She gasped, grinding against me, and I knew she could feel the bulge in my trousers. Her hand drifted down my chest, palming my cock. “I’d like to be given the rundown of said plans.”
“Oh,” I said, catching her face between my palms. “I’ll give them to you in explicit detail.” I tilted my head then, and she pressed up on her toes, meeting me in a kiss. Her lips were heated, eager. They parted as I licked into her mouth, desperate for the taste of her.
By the time we broke apart, she was panting, her cheeks flushed. “Take me to bed,” she begged.
“I thought you’d never ask.” I scooped Madison off her feet. With a yelp, she clutched my shoulders, giggling as I whisked her down the hall to my bedroom—our bedroom.
I set her down on her feet and caught her in another kiss, then another.
In between, both of us wriggled out of our clothes with all possible speed.
I worshipped every inch of newly exposed skin, running my lips over her collarbone and the curve where her neck met her shoulder and the hollow at the base of her throat.
She scrambled onto the bed, pulling me with her.
I needed to reacquaint myself with everything that was Madison, and as I crawled down her body, I relearned the swell of her breasts and the roundness of her hips, letting my lips brush her clit gently before making my way back up.
“Tease,” Madison moaned, her hips bucking.
“Oh sorry, did you want something?” I whispered playfully as I let my hand trail back down her stomach, slipping between slick folds.
“Mm-hmm,” she groaned, her eyes snapping closed at the touch.
“Tell me.”
“Just…that,” she said as I started a slow circle around her clit. “More of that.”
I continued my ministrations, watching for the moment when her lips parted and her head pushed back into the pillow.
My cock throbbed at the sight of her, needy and wanting.
I kept the circles tight, concentrated, and with a cry, Madison came, the rush of her orgasm leaving her trembling. She clutched my arm as my fingers slowed. I didn’t move, letting her ride out the aftershocks against my hand.
When she opened her eyes again, she turned her head to look at me.
“Hi,” I murmured.
“Hi, yourself.” She let her hand drift down my bare chest, across my abs, dipping over my bellybutton—and then, shockingly, stopping.
I wanted that perfect hand wrapped around my cock.
I wanted to be inside her with a desperation I’d never known.
I wanted to hear her cry out in my ear and beg me to release her.
I tipped forward, kissing her hard, running my tongue along her lips.
She opened her mouth to me and as we sank further into the kiss, she tugged on my arm, pulling me down to rest more of my weight on top of her.
Her legs parted, her hips moving slowly, and I could feel that delicious heat calling to me.
“Wait,” I said, breaking the kiss before things could intensify. “Let me grab a condom.”
She clutched my shoulders, holding me in place, nipping at my jaw. “I’m okay if you don’t.”
My pulse throbbed. “You’re sure?” I said, my lips finding hers once more.
“Very sure. I need you,” she gasped as my cock pressed against her. “Right now. Exactly like this.”
“Need me how? Tell me.”
“I need you inside.” She wrapped her hands around the back of my neck. “Fuck me, Alistair. Please. Remind me how good you make me feel.”
Her wish was my command. I was going to make her see bloody stars. I braced myself against my forearms, lining my cock up against her entrance. Madison parted her legs further, and with a single, slow stroke, I sank into her.
I groaned. It was truly like sliding home.
“Fuck,” Madison hissed.
“I’m working on it.”
Madison giggled, the sound cutting off in a sharp gasp as I pulled out and sank back in, trying to keep myself from unraveling. I’d missed her so damn much and wanted nothing more than to send us both to the moon.
“Yes,” she said. “Mmm, so good.”
“How good?” I rasped into her ear.
“So fucking good,” she said. “Don’t stop.”
I didn’t, keeping my strokes even. When her breathing grew erratic, I reached down between us to thumb her clit. Madison’s mouth dropped open, a delicious sound escaping before her entire body tightened like a spring.
Then she exploded, crying out and jerking her hips, her fingernails digging into my shoulders. The sound and feel of her orgasm wrapped around me was enough to send me careening over the edge, and I followed her into those waves of bliss, swimming through an ocean of pleasure.
“I love you,” she whispered, pressing a soft kiss to my neck.
“Love you too,” I said, holding her so close I couldn’t tell her heartbeat from my own. And in that moment, I knew I’d spend the rest of my life following her anywhere.