“I know.” I groaned. “It’s so bad.”
The way she was huffing, I could tell she was trying to formulate words. Finally, she asked, “How did this happen? And what made you think it was a good idea?”
I felt the need to defend myself. “I didn’t know it was him!”
Dakota snorted. “Yeah, okay.”
“Seriously. I really didn’t.”
“How is that even possible?” Doubt dripped from every word.
“Look.” I sighed. “After you guys left me at Pipes, I got up on stage.” Dakota snickered, but I pressed on. “A tall, dark, handsome stranger with extremely striking green eyes took a seat right up front. I will be the first to admit to wearing whiskey goggles. After I finished up, we got to talking—well, it was more like flirting with the intention of fucking, but who’s splitting hairs.Iwas the one who insisted on no names before taking him home. I have to believe that if I heard a name as unique as Maddox, I would have pieced it together and walked away. But I was too fucking desperate to cleanse the memory of Nix’s hands on my body.”
“I have to say I’m impressed he was still interested after hearing you sing.” I could tell she was trying to hold back laughter.
“I hate you.” She knew I didn’t mean it.
“At least tell me it was worth it.”
I practically whimpered against the memory of his hands on my body, the pleasure he commanded so effortlessly. “Best sex I’ve ever had.”
“Book-worthy material?” she challenged.
I grinned; my girl was never not working. “What’s the ignition temp on paper again? Whatever it is, it was hotter than that. And I have to admit, I thought you were full of shit all these years, writing hung heroes.”
Dakota sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh my God. Is Maddox—“
“I kid you not; it was like staring down the business end of a traffic cone.”
“Really,” she said on a breathy exhale. “Congrats?”
“Oh, and did I mention my ass is so sore I can barely sit today?”
“Ummmm, that could be interpreted in multiple ways. Care to elaborate? Because my mind went to the far dirtier option automatically.”
Leave it to my bestie to have her mind in the gutter. I mean, I couldn’t blame her; the intricacies of sex were how she made a living.
“My ass is black and blue. The man is large everywhere, and that extends to his hands,” I explained.
“He hit you?” Her voice rose in pitch. “And not like a playful swat, but enough to cover you in bruises?”
I stopped her before she went off the deep end. “It was consensual, I promise. Poor guy thought I was gonna kick him out after he did it the first time. But damn, the expression on his face when I begged him to do it again? That’ll be spank bank material for years to come.”
“Only you,” she muttered. “So, what’s the plan?”
“Well, currently, I’m sitting on a bathroom floor on the executive level of the arena after running from his office crying.”
“It’s probably best that we circle back to that. Why were you crying?”
“Because he’s a jerk.” I huffed, pouting like a toddler.
“Hmm. Doesn’t sound like the Maddox I know.”
“Yeah, well. I’m sure you’re not privy to the womanizing asshole side. First, he dressed me down in front of the entire press pack after I asked my first question. Then, I went up to his office to try and figure out a way we could maybe work together, and he practically accused me of purposely hiding my identity last night. When I pleaded that I had no idea who he was at the time, he wrote me off as another airhead woman sports reporter.”
“That’s not true.” Dakota’s soft voice tried to soothe me.
“I know that.” I took a deep breath in through my nose before releasing it. “And I told him as much. But when I begged him to keep what happened between us quiet because of how badly I need this fresh start, he only stared at me. I know he’s going to blow this for me. He’s pissed, thinking I used him to get ahead, and it’s all over. From what I understand, he hasa complicated relationship with the media, and I might be the straw that broke the camel’s back.”
