Her lips parted on a soft exhale.
“What’s it going to take for you to see that I could be the man to wipe him from your memory? To show you how a real man takes care of his woman? That you’re worth so much more than he made you believe? That you deserve to be cherished outside of the bedroom and worshipped inside of it?”
Chapter 17
Bristol
Stunned, I stared atMaddox as I tried to process his words. Emotions rushed through me as I struggled to settle on the correct one in response.
Disbelief stood at the forefront. Yes, we’d had incredible sex. Once. But after that, he’d turned into a jealous buffoon. There were flashes of tenderness which were quickly erased by a sexual suggestion. How was I supposed to believe that something deeper lurked beneath the surface between us, especially in his mind?
Then there was compassion. The look on his face, his physical reaction when I explained that he’d shoved me hard enough to knock me on my ass and leave a mark in his quest to rearrange Nix’s pretty-boy face. Maddox was devastated at the thought of hurting me. It was mildly intriguing, considering I’d spent the past three years being treated like shit and expected to be grateful for the privilege.
Next came hope. Hope that I’d found one of those hidden gems like my best friend and her found family. A hockey player—or a former one, in this case—who could treat women right, who saw them as more than merely objects to achieve sexual gratification.
Finally, fear settled in my heart. What if this was a case of right person, wrong time? Dakota wrote plenty of stories about that heartbreaking scenario. Could Maddox be the perfect guy for me, but our circumstances stood in the way? It was too terrifying to ponder that fate was involved, showing me what I could have but leaving it just out of reach. If so, it was a cruel joke. Hadn’t I suffered enough?
Captivating green eyes seared into my soul as his hand on my face held me immobile.
“Bristol, love, say something,” Maddox begged.
Him calling me love nearly had me moaning. My body was responding, even as my mind remained uncertain.
Darting my tongue out, I licked my lips, and his eyes tracked the movement as his Adam’s apple bobbed on a swallow.
My voice sounded strange to my ears, raspy and breathy. “Do you mean everything you just said?”
I slammed my eyes shut, too afraid to hear that it had been another line aimed at getting me back into bed.
“Look at me.” When I didn’t obey, he pleaded softly, “Please, Bristol.”
Steeling my nerves, I forced myself to open my eyes, gasping when I viewed the intensity in his.
His hand slid from my chin, over my cheek, and into my hair. “I meant every word.”
To emphasize his point, his face drew close to mine. His gaze dipped to my lips, and the air grew thick. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about our night together. If he had turned out to be anyone other than Maddox Sterling or another member of the Indy Speed, would it have taken this long to reconnect, to see if our explosive chemistry extended beyond one drunken night? Probably not.
And if that was the only thing holding me back . ..
Fuck it. I deserve this.
I launched myself into his arms, and our lips crashed together. At the first swipe of his tongue, it felt like coming home. This was where I always belonged.
Maddox groaned into my mouth when I climbed onto his lap, shoving his shoulders back against the couch. His hands rose to cup my breasts over the thin fabric of my tank top, thumbing the pebbled nipples straining for his touch. I broke our kiss as my head dropped back on a gasp as he pinched and pulled at them, the bolts of pleasure shooting straight between my thighs, stirring an ache I knew only he could ease.
My hips were restless, seeking friction as his massive erection grew beneath his fly. Cool air met with fevered skin when my top was removed, but it wasn’t enough. I was burning up, so hot for the man beneath me that I feared I would combust. Our spark was ready to ignite, and I was desperate to let it consume us.
The tip of his tongue traced around my exposed nipple, teasing before latching on. He sucked and bit those sensitive peaks until I was mindless, my hands threading through his hair and holding him close, never wanting this to end.
When Maddox pulled away, I whimpered at the loss, but he smiled against my skin. “Look at you all needy for me.” His hands slid to my hips, rocking me over his lap. “Do you know how long I’ve dreamt of having you back in my arms?”
My head thrashed, eyes sealed shut against the warmth spreading out from between my thighs, getting ready to erupt.
“Too long. Since the minute I left your bed weeks ago.”
I moaned when he latched onto the opposite nipple, giving it the same attention.
“Maddox, please.” I wasn’t above begging. I needed more than dry humping on my couch.
