Chapter 4 – Leo
Jizz Buildup Isn’t a Death Sentence
Leo
I DON’T WANT to take Maddie back out there. Not when I know I’ll have to keep my hands off her. Pretend I don’t know how she tastes or how pretty she is when she comes.
And especially not when I know my mother’s watching me like a hawk. I don’t want Maddie to question why I’m acting different when everyone’s around.
After righting her panties and dress, I push to my feet, hating how quickly we have to part ways.
I wish I could spend a little more time alone with her.
Find out why there’s a haunted look in her eyes.
But the longer we stay back here, the more likely it is that someone will notice we’re both gone at the same time.
Reaching out, I gently pull Maddie to her feet.
Looking down at her, I steal just a few more seconds to explain.
“My mom told me to stay away from you. If she finds out I brought you back here, there’s going to be held to pay.
So, when we’re out there, I’ve got to pretend like nothing happened between us in here. ”
Maddie seems unexpectedly relieved. Her shoulders relax as she flashes me an easy smile. “I get it. It’s probably better if my parents don’t know either. Otherwise, they’ll lecture me for the next ten years.”
I want to ask why the fuck her parents think they can lecture a grown woman, but decide to put a pin in it.
I already know I haven’t had my fill of Maddie Miller. I want to see her again. Spend time together when we don’t have to worry about who’s around or what sort of judgment might be coming our way.
“I’m going to give you my number.” I’d like to ask for hers, but it’s easy to see Maddie has been through something, and no way am I going to put her on the spot like that. If she just wanted to blow off a little steam with me, so be it.
But I’d really fucking like it if she wants more out of this. Especially since she seems in need of someone on her side.
Maddie’s teeth pinch her lower lip as she reaches into a pocket hidden in the seam of her dress. Pulling out her phone, she gives me a shy smile. “Okay.” After unlocking the screen, she passes it over. There’s no hesitation. No worry I’m going to do anything but add myself to her contacts.
And damned if that doesn’t make me even more hopeful she’s going to use the number I give her. Maddie is too trusting. Too sweet. The kind of woman who could easily be taken advantage of by the wrong kind of man.
Or worshipped by the right kind of man. A man like me.
After quickly adding my number, I pass her phone back, watching as her lips curve into a little smile while her thumbs tap across the screen. A second later, my own cell phone buzzes in my pants.
“There.” Her eyes lift to my face. “Now you have my number too.”
“Am I allowed to use it?” I need to know the rules. The boundaries and limitations. Because I want to be sure I’m better than whatever asshole came before me.
And there have been quite a few hints that there was an asshole before me. Between my mother warning me off her and discovering her parents would lecture her for being alone with me, the math isn’t hard to do.
Coupled with how surprised she seemed by my desire to make her feel good, and it’s pretty easy to deduce the guy she’s breaking up with is a world class twat. And an idiot. Because only an idiot wouldn’t fucking love having Maddie coming on his tongue.
“Of course you’re allowed to use it.” Maddie’s dark eyes move over my face. “I’d actually really like it if you did.”
That’s all the encouragement I need. She’ll be lucky if I’m not texting her before she leaves the fucking house tonight.
I’m not telling her that though. I’m going to at least attempt to play it cool for the next half hour. After that, all bets are off. There’s a high likelihood Ms. Miller’s going to realize I’m a fucking simp before the clock strikes midnight.
I tip my head toward the door. “You go out first. If anybody asks, tell them you got lost on your way to the bathroom.” I thumb over one shoulder in the general direction of the door I used earlier to enter from outside.
“I’m gonna sneak around and come in a different way.
Hopefully it keeps our parents from figuring out we were both in the same place. ”
Maddie gives me a shy nod, like she’s not sure how to act around me now. “Okay.” After offering a little wave, she quietly creeps out into the hall, closing the door behind her.
I wait until she’s completely out of sight, and I’m sure she’s not coming back, before I grip my aching dick through my jeans.
I almost came in my pants when she locked those pretty thighs against my ears, and now I’m suffering.
Miserable enough I take an embarrassing amount of time to consider jacking off in my parents’ bathroom before finally deciding against it.
I’m a grown fucking man. Grown enough that I’ll survive a little jizz buildup.
After taking a few deep breaths and waiting for my body to calm down, I go to the back door, pausing when I find the doorknob unlocked.
Didn’t I lock it behind me when I came in earlier? Maybe not. I was pretty eager to get close to Maddie Miller. I’m probably lucky I managed to get the door closed at all.
I let myself out, and this time I make sure to lock everything up. I don’t want to give my parents any reason to start wondering who might have left the door unlocked. There aren’t many options, so they’ll quickly begin trying to recount my actions. And I can’t have that.
Because I’d hate to have to tell my parents to kiss my ass if they try to get me to leave Maddie alone.
After creeping back across the deck, I slip in through the back door. It’s mostly hidden by the gigantic Christmas tree my mother set up, so it’s easy enough to get inside without being noticed.
What’s not so easy, is trying to not do any noticing of my own.
My eyes immediately swing around the space, looking for Maddie.
I don’t see her on the little sofa she was on earlier, and she’s not in the kitchen when I go to grab a bottle of water from the fridge.
Maybe she’s taking her time coming back, doing a little reconnaissance of her own in an effort to avoid her parents’ suspicions.
Except I don’t see her parents either.
As I pace through the house, checking every spot I can think of for any sign of the Millers, my frown deepens more and more.
She’s gone.
Is it possible her parents noticed Maddie and I were both missing from the party and jumped to conclusions?
Made her leave because of it? I know I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, but surely they wouldn’t hate the thought of their daughter being with me so much they’d force her to go home to keep her away from me.
But Maddie and her parents aren’t the only ones missing. I don’t see Gavin or my sister either. It’s pretty normal for Alexis to be gone by this time, my best friend never ducks out of the Christmas party early.
“What the fuck is going on tonight?” I mumble under my breath as I do another lap of the house I grew up in, ignoring the look my mother shoots my way from where she sits in the dining room with the rest of the wives.
It’s decidedly unfriendly, so I have to guess Maddie’s parents might not have been the only ones who noticed our absence.
After searching for five more minutes, I finally cross paths with my best friend. “There you are.” I stretch both arms out, palms up. “Where the fuck were you?” My eyes zero in on his shirt, confusion pinching my brow. “And why the fuck are you wearing my dad’s shirt?”
There aren’t any other women here for him to impress, so I don’t get why he changed.
Gavin’s dark eyes drop to his chest and he stares at the shirt for a second before finally saying, “I spilled something on mine.”
I lift my brows, trying to figure out when Gavin ‘The Wall’ Wilkes has ever been clumsy. In spite of his gigantic size, the man moves like a freaking ballerina. That’s part of the reason he’s considered the top rugby player in the U.S.
My nose wrinkles as a more likely possibility registers. “Was it puke?”
We haven’t gotten shitfaced on my mom’s punch in years—both of us learned our lesson early—but you never know. He’s been acting pretty fucking weird lately, so it’s possible he decided to act really fucking weird and drink too much death punch.
Gavin’s head tilts as he glares at me. “No, it wasn’t puke.”
I open my mouth, ready to ask him if he’s seen Maddie, but before I can get the question out, my mother shoves her way between us, a snarl aimed directly at me.
“What in the hell do you think you’re doing?”
I look her over, deciding to deflect instead of acting guilty. “Gavin and I were discussing the perils of your poisonous punch.”
My mom is tiny. Short but mighty. Also occasionally terrifying.
Not terrifying enough to make me regret getting my hands on Maddie, though.
My mother steps closer, the change forcing her to crane her neck so she can continue pinning me with a dirty look. “I told you to stay away from Maddie Miller.”
Now would be the perfect time to play stupid.
To claim I only talked to her on the couch because I didn’t want to be rude.
But the sadness and uncertainty I saw in Maddie’s eyes won’t let me distance myself from her.
The way she looked so alone sitting there by herself makes it impossible for me to deny the time I spent at her side.
“I don’t know if you noticed,” I keep my voice even, trying not to poke the beast any more than I have to, “but Maddie Miller’s an adult. If she wants to talk to me, that’s her choice.”
I hear Gavin suck in a breath. Probably out of fear for my safety. Not only because I’m his best friend and he doesn’t want to see me hurt, but also because I’m his teammate. If I’m out for the season, the Swamp Cats won’t be nearly as formidable.
My mother’s blue eyes widen in surprise. Or maybe anger. Either way, I know she’s about to lose her shit on me.
So I decide the best plan of action is for me to get the fuck out of here before it all goes sideways. Taking a step away from my furious mom, I give my friend a wave. “I think it’s time for me to head out.”
“Don’t you dare walk away from me, young man.” She lowers her voice, and I know what’s coming before she says it. “I would hate to have to bring your father into this.”
Seems like Maddie’s parents are the only ones who haven’t gotten the memo that they aren’t in charge anymore.
I snort, annoyed instead of afraid like she’s hoping. “You might as well. At least then he’d fucking do something.” I’m pushing it, but for some reason tonight feels different. Not just the party and Gavin, but life in general.
Me.
I’ve been biting my tongue about a lot of stuff for a really long time, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep doing it, so I turn and walk away, leaving my mom sputtering behind me.
I’m sure Gavin’s going to be pissed as hell at my exit, but hopefully he’ll follow my lead and get the hell out of here too.
I’ve always given Alexis shit for ducking out of this thing early, but now I get where she’s coming from.
Christmas isn’t what it used to be.
Pushing my way out the front door, I make a beeline for my Charger. Climbing behind the wheel and firing up the engine, I pull away from the curb.
And just like before, I know what I should do. I should go home. Spend some time cooling off. See if I can get my thoughts back in line.
I’m not trying to make my parents’ life hard. They’re both obviously happy with things the way they are. I might not understand it, but I guess I don’t have to.
But at the end of the day, they’re not going to tell me who I can and can’t talk to. I’m a grown fucking man who makes his own decisions.
And my decision is to pull into the closest gas station so I can fire off a text.
Hey.
Did you leave the party already?
I’m probably breaking all sorts of man-code rules by texting Maddie less than thirty minutes after last talking to her, but I don’t give a fuck. I’ve seen how shit works out for someone who follows the man code, and I’m not interested in living that kind of life.
I don’t need—or want—a woman to wait on me. I don’t need a wife to make my doctors’ appointments or iron my shirts—not that I wear shirts that need ironing.
I want a fucking partner. Someone at my side. Someone to take care of. Someone to smile at me in the mornings and lay next to me at night.
Luckily, it doesn’t seem like Maddie’s bothered by my eagerness, because she responds almost immediately.
I did. My parents threw a whole set about me disappearing and said I ruined the night for them. I just dropped them off at their house after listening to them lecture me for ten minutes. Now I’m going home to sit in my pajamas and eat frosting from the tub.
I love how she doesn’t hold back either. I always hate the beginning stages of dating because you don’t really know the other person. You’re overly cautious and on your best behavior.
But I already know Maddie, and she already knows me, so there’s a level of trust right from the start.
I tap out a response. One that’s a little presumptuous on my part, but I’m not the kind of guy who beats around the bush.
You should invite me over. I also love to eat frosting from the tub.
It’s not the only thing I love to eat, but I think I'm going to cool it in the sex department for a while. Show Maddie I’m more than a pretty face and a talented tongue.
The response bubbles pop up, and I hold my breath, hoping she takes me up on the invitation I made for myself.
Fine. But you have to bring your own frosting.
A grin spreads across my face as an address pops up next. I don’t waste time. I shift my car back into gear, going straight to the closest grocery store. After dropping one of each frosting type into my cart, I add in a carton of milk—just in case—then quickly check out and get on my way.
I’m surprised to find Maddie lives just a block away from the beach in a large, upscale apartment complex. I find her building pretty easily and park next to a dark green Buick sedan with a vanity plate that has me chuckling.
PAPI69
Same, Papi. Same.
But not tonight. Tonight all I’m gonna eat is frosting while I figure out why Maddie Miller looked so fucking sad.
And then I’m gonna find a way to fix it.