I knocked, my body practically vibrating in anticipation.
“It’s open,” his deep, masculine voice called through the thick wood.
Turning the doorknob, I pushed inside, latching the door behind me. His attention was on the computer screen, eyes moving rapidly, which told me he was watching the film—the only thing I couldn’t discern from my position was if it featured the Speed or one of their upcoming opponents.
“What can I do for you?” Maddox didn’t bother to look up.
Biting my lip to stifle a giggle, I silently waited for him to discover that the two of us were alone in his office.
He let out an annoyed sigh, lifting his eyes over the top of the monitor. When he caught sight of me, those beautiful green gems widened, and he stood.
Heat curled through my body as his burning gaze scanned my appearance from head to toe. I was dressed in a plain white blouse and black pencil skirt—basic professional attire, but form-fitting enough to show off my curves.
The air in the room grew thick as we continued to stare at each other wordlessly. Three months of sexual tension were coming to a head, and we both knew it was going to be explosive.
“Hey.” The single word came out as a breathy pant, my heart racing.
Maddox swallowed as I stepped closer, rounding the edge of his desk and perching on the edge next to his computer screens.
When he remained silent, I reached up to stroke the skin of his jaw, already rough with stubble after his morning shave. “Is this a bad time?”
His eyes slid closed, and his lips turned up as he shook his head. “No.” He cleared his throat when the word came out gruff. “It’s just I’ve never understood the appeal of pornos set in an office until you walked in.”
My hand slid higher into his styled hair. “Hmm. Are you having inappropriate thoughts about the young reporter, Coach Sterling?”
Maddox’s chest vibrated with the force of his growl as those brilliant green eyes snapped open. I gasped, stunned by the intensity of arousal swirling in his gaze.
“Who knows you’re up here?” he asked.
I peeked back toward his door. “Only a security guard. And trust me, he won’t be making eye contact with me anytime soon. I think we’re good.”
A dark eyebrow arched high on his forehead. “I’m almost afraid to ask.”
Yeah, I wasn’t going to kill the mood by divulging my excuse to access this restricted floor. “Doesn’t matter how I got up here. It only matters that I did.”
Smirking, Maddox dipped his head to graze against the sensitive skin behind my ear. “Hmm. What is it that brings you to my office, Miss Cooper?”
I tightened my grip on his hair as he trailed a path of hot kisses down my neck before flicking open the top two buttons of my blouse and skimming the swells of my breasts.
“I went to visit my editor this morning,” I rasped as he tweaked a nipple through the fabric of my shirt and bra.
Head snapping up, Maddox searched my face. “And?”
Huffing out a wry laugh, I said, “Let’s see. The meeting started with him assuming I was pregnant and there to quit.” Maddox made a choking sound, and I rolled my eyes. “I’m not, but it’s good to know where your head’s at.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Just wasn’t expecting that.”
“Right.” I blew out a breath, looking toward the ceiling.
“Shit,” Maddox cursed softly. “I’m fucking this all up again.”
“It’s fine.” I was used to it by now. Lowering my gaze, I refused to meet his eye.
“No, it’s not.” He gripped my chin, turning my face until I had a view of the regret etched on his. “I don’t want you to jump to any conclusions in your mind. So, I’ll be totally honest with you. You caught me off guard, that’s all. I’m not opposed to the idea of kids, especially with you.” My heart caught in my throat as he pressed on. “But what I really want is a chance for us to explore our feelings, to test out what a life together could look like, without the added pressure of an unexpected addition. I don’t want anything between us to feel forced or rushed because of a perceived obligation toward one another.”
Oh, wow. Was this how grown-ups talked? If so, I needed more of this in my life.
“Now,” Maddox said gently, sliding his hand to the side of my neck. “Tell me what happened in your meeting.”
