23. Chapter Twenty-Three #2
“So, Hailey,” Allison leans over with a teasing grin, “what does it feel like to finally snag the title? Do you feel powerful yet?”
“Yup,” I grin, lifting my glass to my lips. “I feel like a god.”
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Lennox says, clapping his hands loudly without caring about who’s looking.
“And you,” Heather turns to Matthew, narrowing her eyes playfully. “You guys actually had to compete for the same position. That’s got to be awkward―like, what even happens at home? Do you just glare at each other across the dinner table or something?”
The group erupts into laughter, and I shake my head, trying to ignore the heat creeping up my neck. Matthew doesn’t miss a beat, leaning back in his chair with that calm demeanor of his.
“I mean, it was definitely tense at first,” he says with a grin, shooting me a quick glance. “But I like to think I’m a pretty good sport. Besides, how could I ever beat someone as talented and beautiful as her? Have you seen her face?”
The table groans in mock disgust, a mix of “aww” and “oh, please” filling the air. I can’t help but laugh, the tension in my chest easing with every passing second.
Later, after the drinks have flowed and the food has been devoured, someone suggests dancing. The small dance floor near the back of the bar beckons, and before I can protest, Matthew takes my hand.
The music shifts into a slow, sultry rhythm, and as we sway together, a wave of déjà vu hits me even more strongly, especially when I glance at the bar behind us.
The memory plays in my head like a broken record, vivid and heated. Matthew teasing me at the bar, his shameless smirk as he leaned in closer, the way his lips claimed mine outside in the cool night air, and the reckless passion of us making out in front of his car.
My face warms as the memory intensifies―his hand gripping my thigh, his fingers inside me while he drove like he couldn’t wait another second to get us to the apartment.
I’m so lost in my thoughts that I don’t notice my foot sliding over his. A sharp jolt brings me back to reality as I stumble, nearly losing my balance.
Matthew’s hands are on me instantly, steady and sure, his fingers pressing gently against my shoulders. I glance up at him, embarrassment creeping into my expression, but he just grins down at me, his eyes glinting with mischief.
And then he says it, his voice low and teasing, making it crystal clear that he’s thinking of that same night, too.
“Easy there, tiger.”
I feel the flush rise up my neck, the memory now blazing even brighter in both our minds.
“It feels like a lifetime ago,” I say, the words carrying a strange mix of nostalgia and disbelief.
He nods, his lips curling into a grin. “I was sure you hated me back then, so I fucked you like it.”
“Shut up,” I hiss, my face instantly heating up. I shove his chest playfully, darting a glance around the bar to make sure no one overheard.
But even as I scold him, I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up. The noise of the bar fades into the background, and suddenly it’s just us, the moment stretching between us like it’s suspended in time.
His grin softens, and his voice dips low, serious in a way that makes my heart trip over itself. “Hailey, I love you. I’ve loved you for a while now. You and Leo―you’re everything to me.”
My breath catches, his words settling deep in my chest. No matter how many times he says those three words, they never fail to surprise me and make me whole.
My lips part, and the words come tumbling out as naturally as breathing. “I love you too, Matthew. More than I ever thought I could.”
He exhales, like he’s been holding his breath for a lifetime, and a radiant smile spreads across his face. His arms tighten around me, pulling me closer as we sway in a rhythm that’s just ours.
“I know this isn’t exactly the perfect place to say all this,” he murmurs, his forehead brushing against mine. “But I don’t want to keep pretending or holding back anymore. From now on, everything we have is real. No more hiding, no more faking. Just us.”
I blink up at him, warmth flooding my chest as his words settle over me like a shield.
“And” he continues, his smile tugging higher, “I want to do this the right way. Hailey Donovan, will you go out with me? Properly. No secrets, no strings. Just us.”
The laugh that spills from my lips is light, filled with relief and hope. “You know, that sounds nice and all, but I could think of other interesting ways you could ask me.”
“Yeah? Like what?”
I lean up on my tiptoes, brushing my lips lightly against his ear, feeling the soft catch of his breath and the way my touch sends a ripple through him. The hairs on his skin stand on edge, and I smile, a quiet thrill rushing through me at the effect I have on him.
“Like you and me,” I whisper, feeling his grip around my waist tighten with every second. “Naked and sweaty on the same bed.” I lean back and gauge his reaction. “How does that sound?”
A soft groan rumbles at the back of his throat, low and indulgent. “As you please,” he murmurs, his voice thick with intent. Before I can process his words, he grabs my hand, strides over to our booth, snatches up my purse, and flashes a quick, unapologetic grin at my friends.
I barely manage a hurried goodbye before he hoists me over his shoulder with ease, eliciting a shocked giggle from me. His grip is firm, his movements decisive as he makes his way out of the bar, drawing a few curious glances from the crowd.
The ride to our apartment building is a heated haze, a lustful blur of stolen glances and electrified tension. One moment, I’m sitting in his car, heart pounding as his hand skims my thigh: the next, I’m breathless, naked on his bed, completely at his mercy.
The sex is the hottest thing I’ve ever experienced.
Matthew’s movements are deliberate, his hips languidly carving into mine with a rhythm so achingly slow it borders on torment.
He kisses me deeply, his mouth claiming mine as his hands roam my body with reverence, like he’s memorizing every inch of me.
Each thrust is measured, powerful and deep, dragging me closer to the edge while keeping me suspended in the intensity of the moment.
His lips brush against the shell of my ear, whispering sweet nothings that send shivers down my spine, and his gaze locks with mine―fierce, tender, and utterly consuming.
It’s not just sex; it’s something deeper.
He’s making sweet, slow love to me, breaking me apart and putting me back together with every movement, every touch.
The room feels charged with an almost sacred intimacy, and as my fingers tangle in his hair, I realize I’ve never felt so safe, so seen, so wholly his.
“Fuck, baby. I’m going to come,” I moan in his ears, my breathing shallow as my nails dig into his skin.
“That’s it,” he murmurs in my ears, his voice a rough groan that has me pulsing around him. “Come for me, Hailey.”
A cry leaves my throat, loud and aching as my orgasm slams into me in the best way possible. I’m a shaking, sweaty mess beneath him and he’s fucking me through it, joining my orgasm as he spills all of himself into me, warm and wet.
He collapses against me, panting and spent like I am. Then a moment later, he lifts his head from my chest and grabs my jaw, coaxing my mouth open.
“Hailey Donovan,” he murmurs, his voice dropping to that deep, irresistible timbre that sends shivers down my skin. His fingers glide up to my lips, and he gently presses two into my mouth, his gaze locked onto mine. “Will you go out with me?”
I hold his intense stare, curling my tongue around his fingers and sucking them in just the way I know he likes.
A smirk tugs at the corners of my lips as I watch his pupils dilate, his restraint slipping with every passing second.
His body reacts instantly, his length already growing harder inside me, and I revel in the way I affect him.
“Yes,” I purr, my voice breathy and teasing as I pull back slightly, letting his damp fingers slide free. “Yes, I will.”
The words barely leave my lips before his mouth crashes down on mine, his kiss equal parts fire and desperation.
His hips move with renewed vigor, and I clutch at his shoulders, feeling the sheer power of his need.
His growl vibrates against my lips, sending shockwaves through me, and I know that this―this moment, this man―is everything I’ve ever wanted.