I help him gather all the empty dishes onto the tray. He insists on carrying it, even as he limps a little.

  “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Uh-huh.” He sets the tray on the kitchen counter. When I reach for the plates, he grabs me by the shoulders and turns me around. “Tomorrow. Now is bed.”

  Maddox turns off the lights as we go, and by the time we reach his bedroom, I’m ready to drop back into sleep.

  I quickly use the bathroom and remove my bralette, then find Maddox sprawled on the bed, his bare chest exposed.

  Climbing onto the mattress, I lift the covers to peek and find him in boxers.

  “Naughty girl,” Maddox says even though his eyes stay shut.

  “Just curious.” I shimmy under the blanket as he reaches over and turns off the last lamp.

  “Come here. Get in your spot.”

  Your spot.

  He says it like this is normal for us. Like I’ve curled up into his side more than once before. That it wasn’t so long ago, sleeping on a trio of benches in the university library.

  But I know exactly what spot he’s talking about.

  So, I move closer, facing Maddox, who’s flat on his back. And when my front meets his side, I nestle my face in that spot where shoulder and chest meet.

  Maddox curls his arm around my shoulders while I stretch my arm across his chest and hike my knee up so it’s resting on his thigh.

  “Good night, Hannah.”

  I press a kiss to his warm chest. “Night, Maddox.”

  SEVENTY-THREE

  MADDOX

  Something soft wiggles against my aching cock, and I press into it.

  “Jesus.” Hannah’s moan filters in through my half-asleep brain.

  Hannah.

  Here.

  Pressed against my morning wood.

  “Maddox?” Her voice sounds again.

  “Hmm?” Eyes still closed, I reach for her, my hand landing on her hip.

  I tug her against me.

  During the night, we changed positions. And now I’m spooning her.

  Hannah arches her back. “If you don’t put that thing to use…”

  Eyes opening, I roll forward, forcing Hannah to roll too until she’s lying on her stomach beneath me.

  “You want me to fuck you, Babe?” I keep her pinned as I lift partially off her so I can yank her sleep pants and underwear down, exposing her ass.

  “Yes.” Her words are muffled by the mattress.

  I reach down farther, sliding my hand between her thighs.

  “Fuck,” I groan. “You’re already wet for me?”

  She nods.

  I rub my fingers against her opening, spreading the slickness.

  “Were you rubbing this ass on my dick while I slept, getting yourself ready?”

  Hannah nods again.

  I feel like I should tease her a bit. Like I should drag this out.

  But I’m so fucking hard it hurts.

  I pull the front of my boxers down. “Reach down and play with that clit.”

  Gripping the base, I position my dick where I want it.

  Hannah’s ass lifts beneath me, and she lets out a groan, telling me her fingers are where she needs them.

  I lower my hips, one glorious inch at a time.

  Hannah’s pussy swallows me up. Squeezing and clenching.

  Once I’m buried all the way, I drop my chest onto her back.

  My knees are on the mattress on either side of her hips, but I’m still putting a lot of my weight on her. “You okay, Bunny?”

  She nods again, making some noises of agreement.

  I lift my hips, then push my dick back in.

  “Keep rubbing that clit for me,” I tell her as I try to keep my motions steady. “My greedy girl, waking me up with this hot little pussy.”

  She moans.

  Pushing all the way in, I roll my hips this time.

  Hannah arches.

  “I knew you were perfect.” Her pussy is wrapped around my dick like a vise. “Waking up horny for my cock. Getting wetter by the fucking second.”

  She clenches, hard, and I know she’s doing it on purpose.

  I smile against her hair.

  “You trying to make me come, Bunny?” My breath is getting choppier, and the tightness builds in my balls. “Show me how good you are.” I slam my hips against her ass. “Come for me now, Little Utley.”

  She tips over the edge. And I feel every contraction as her pussy pulses around my dick.

  “Maddox.”

  Hearing her cry my name as she writhes below me is the last straw.

  I thrust in one last time and unload deep inside her.

  SEVENTY-FOUR

  HANNAH

  Maddox offered me the use of his shower, and even though I need to head home soon, I couldn’t resist.

  I know I’ll never get a rain head shower in my bathroom at home, but after experiencing Maddox’s freaking spa-level bathroom, I’m tempted to tape a hose to my ceiling. That felt like I was a damn fairy showering in the forest.

  But alas, I’ll just have to settle for showering every time I come over. What a hardship.

  Considering I barely wore the outfit I came over in, I’ve changed back into my shorts and tank top and twisted my damp hair up into a bun.

  It’s not my best look, but Maddox has made me feel nothing but confident around him, so I don’t stress about makeup.

  I follow the scent of coffee down to the kitchen and find Maddox at the stove in a different pair of sweats and another T-shirt that clings to his muscles.

  He looks up at my entrance. “Have a nice shower?”

  I let my shoulders slump and my chin tip up. “Ohmygod, it was amazing.”

  Maddox smirks. “Glad to hear.”

  I circle around to stand beside him. “Pancakes?”

  He bumps my hip with his own. “Don’t get too excited. It’s just a mix.”

  I bump his hip back. “Nothing wrong with that.”

  Maddox continues to flip and stack pancakes as I pour myself coffee, noticing the half-and-half already on the counter.

  It’s already been opened, but when I peek inside, it looks completely full. Like maybe he bought it just for me.

  Unlike last night, Maddox lets me help with the food. So I warm the maple syrup in the microwave and, at his request, get the peanut butter out of the pantry.

  Also unlike last night, we don’t go to the amazing library room to eat but rather sit with our plates at the counter.

  Maddox makes a stack six high, with layers of peanut butter between each pancake, then he smothers the whole thing with syrup.

  He sees me eyeing it and gives me a bite. And that’s enough to convince me to add a spoonful of peanut butter to my much shorter pile.

  “Speaking of The Count of Monte Cristo,” Maddox says, even though we weren’t.

  I arch a brow. “Yes?”

  “I saw that book in your room.” He tips his head and looks at me. “Do you have any idea how many late fees I have?”

  I laugh as I admit, “I’ve felt so bad about taking library property. I was this close to mailing it back so many times.”

  “We can return it after we finish reading it.”

  I can’t help but wonder about his assignment. “Did you get another copy? Or did you pick something else to read?”

  “I checked out something else.” Maddox shrugs. I hate his answer. “But it ended up sucking, so after I paid the fee for a lost book, I checked out another copy of The Count.”

  Too much relief comes with his words. “I read my copy too. A couple times.” I glance over at him. “Sorry about the fee. I’d offer to pay you back, but I have a feeling you wouldn’t let me.”

  “You don’t have to pay me, but the first chance we have, I’m marching you into that library, and we’re changing the records so it shows you’re the one who lost it, not me.”

  “Uh-huh, sure.”

  Maddox takes a bite of pancake. “Do you still have my hoodie too?”

  My fork pauses halfway to my mouth.

  I forgot about the hoodie.

  “What?” he asks, probably seeing the guilt on my features. “You better not have given it to another guy.”

  I choke on a laugh. “I did not give it to another guy.”

  “Then what happened to it?” Maddox leans his elbow on the counter.

  “I burned it.” I pop the piece of pancake into my mouth.

  Maddox blinks at me. “You… burned it.”

  I nod.

  “Any particular reason why?” He lifts his brows with the question.

  “If you must know…”

  Maddox sits up straight, turning back toward his food. “Maybe I don’t want to know.”

  I continue anyway. “You went to some fancy charity event. And pictures from the night were plastered all over, and they showed you with this woman. And she was” — I wave my hand around — “freaking perfect. And it made me hate you a little. So I burned your sweatshirt in a bonfire.”

  Instead of looking sheepish, Maddox has a smirk on his face while he scoops up another bite of food.

  “What?” I narrow my eyes.

  “I know exactly what event you’re talking about. And, that girl… She was hired to be there.” He shoves his food into his mouth.

  “Do you seriously think telling me she was an escort makes it any better?”

  Maddox immediately starts to cough. “Dammit, Hannah,” he laughs, making himself cough more. “She wasn’t —”

  I pat his back, not wanting him to die over this.

  “I meant she was hired by the event to walk around and take pictures,” he says, still laughing.

  “Oh.”

  “Yeah, not my escort. And not my girlfriend.” He takes a sip of his coffee to clear his throat.

  I sigh. “Well, what a waste of a good hoodie, then.”

  Maddox tries to laugh but ends up coughing one last time and thuds his hand against his chest.

  I eye him. “You gonna be okay?”

  “Yep, sorry, your attempt to kill me hasn’t worked.”

  “Darn. Guess I’ll try jalapeño chips next time.”

  Maddox turns his head to glare at me. “Did you just compare me to that fucker?”

  He’s so put out by the suggestion that I have to smother my own laugh. “Obviously I’m joking. You’re taller than he is.”

  Maddox fights a smile. “Cute.”

  I bat my lashes and take another bite of pancake.

  “Seriously though, what’s his deal? Has he been like that the whole time you’ve worked together?”

  “Um, like what specifically?”

  Maddox taps his fork against his plate. “Like a fucking creep. Following you around and asking you to lunch.”

  “Oh, that.” I roll my eyes. “Yeah. I’ve never given him any reason to believe I’d be interested. Because I’ve never been.” I answer the question I’m sure Maddox wants to ask. “But he’s your typical corporate dick bag. Never taking a hint. Thinking their existence is a gift to women everywhere.”

  “I’ll fire him.” Maddox stabs into his pancakes.

  I’m happy that’s his first reaction, even if it’s over the top. “You can’t just fire him for no reason.”

  Maddox grunts instead of answering.

  SEVENTY-FIVE

  MADDOX

  Watching Hannah leave feels so wrong.

  I want her to stay the entire weekend. Want her naked at least twice more before Monday comes.

  But she has responsibilities at her house, and I have some things I need to do to mine.

  SEVENTY-SIX

  HANNAH

  A figure fills my doorway, but I keep my attention on my screen. “Just give me another second to finish this email, then I’ll be ready.”

  Instead of answering, my coworker steps into my office.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see them lower into my guest chair, and my fingers stop moving because the body is bigger than the one I’d expected.

  My eyes lift. “Maddox?”

  He purses his lips. “And who were you expecting?”

  There’s an edge of jealousy in his voice, and I almost want to tease him about it. But he’s looking too damn delicious today, so I tell him the truth. “I’m going to lunch with Sarah.” I glance at the clock on my monitor. “In five minutes.”

  “Who’s Sarah?”

  I try not to look at his big man fingers as they tap on the armrest. “Girl in marketing.”

  “You two do lunch a lot?” Maddox is still looking jealous, even though I’m clearly not having some sort of sexy affair with Sarah.

  My mouth pulls into a smile. “You’re cute.”

  The tension in his shoulders vanishes, and a smirk forms on his lips. “Come sit on my lap and say that.”

  “Maddox,” I hiss, glancing at the open door behind him.

  He reaches back like he’s going to swing the door shut.

  “Stop it.” I snag a paperclip off my desk and throw it at him. “You’re gonna get me in trouble.”

  He catches the paperclip.

  Of course he does.

  “Throwing things, Miss Utley? Might need to send you to HR for some of those workplace training videos.”

  “Says the man who just asked me to sit on his lap,” I deadpan.

  Maddox twirls the paperclip in his fingers. “Maybe we should watch the movie together.”

  I press my lips together.

  Maddox wasn’t in the office yesterday, having meetings elsewhere, so now is the first time I’ve gotten to see him since I left his house Saturday morning.

  “Sarah agreed to help with the books for some team her daughter skates on. And she offered to take me to lunch in exchange for helping her make sense of the spreadsheets.” I try to get us back on topic. “And she’ll be here any minute.”

  “Skating?”

  “Ice skating.”

  “In the summer?”

  I roll my eyes. “Oh my god, are you just here to pester me, or did you need something?”

  He keeps his eyes on mine as he lowers his voice. “Can you come over Friday?”

  It shouldn’t make me so giddy to hear him ask. And he definitely shouldn’t be asking me in the office. But I kinda love it.

  I’m about to say yes when I remember I have plans. “I can’t.”

  “Oh.” Maddox looks so dejected I’m tempted to take him up on his first offer and climb into his lap.

  “I want to.” I tell him the truth. “But my mom has book club on Friday night, so Chelsea and I have plans to get pedicures and have a girls’ night.”

  “Saturday, then?” Maddox narrows his eyes as I start to smile. “Why do I feel like I’m stepping into a trap?”

  “Not a trap. Just a baseball game.”

  “Baseball,” he groans. “First the hockey restaurant, now this.”

  “You’re so dramatic,” I laugh. “A bunch of people from Chelsea’s school are going to the Kids game, and Mom has decided she doesn’t want to go, so we have an extra ticket.”

  “But baseball is so boring,” he complains. “Can’t I just take you and Chelsea somewhere else? Literally anywhere else.”

  “Dramatic,” I repeat. “And don’t act like you don’t like baseball. Everyone likes baseball.”

  Maddox sighs. “Fine, what time should I pick you up?”

  “I think it starts at two —”

  “What starts at two?” a female asks from the door. “Do you need to —” Sarah cuts off when she sees Maddox in my visitor’s chair. “Oh. Uh.” She looks up at me with wide eyes. “Sorry, did you want to postpone?”

  “No, no, we’re good,” I tell her. “Maddox is talking about something else.”

  For a moment, I wonder if calling him that sounds too personal, but he’s always telling everyone to call him by name, so it’s really not that weird.

  Maddox slips the paperclip into his pocket as he stands from the chair. “Hi, Sarah. Nice to see you again.”

  “Thanks,” she breathes as she holds her hand out.

  Then she must realize this isn’t really a handshake moment, and she starts to lower her hand. But Maddox is already reaching out to take hers because he’s accommodating like that, so she lifts her hand back up.

  It’s the most awkward interaction I’ve seen in a long time, and I have to avert my gaze to keep from cracking up.

  “I just need to finish this email real quick.” I focus on my screen.

  “I’ll get out of your hair, then,” Maddox says. “You ladies have a nice lunch.”

  I lift my gaze to see Maddox pause at the doorway.

  “Hannah, let’s plan for noon.”

  “Alright,” I agree with my most casual voice.

  Sarah’s back is to him, and she’s staring at me with wide eyes, so she doesn’t see when he winks at me.

  Once he’s gone, Sarah collapses into the chair Maddox just vacated. “I can’t work for a man that attractive. It’s just not right.”

  I glance at the empty doorway. “You’re not wrong.”

  SEVENTY-SEVEN

  HANNAH

  “So…” I slow to a stop as the light ahead of me turns red. “Would you mind if Maddox came with us to the game tomorrow?”

  Chelsea is typing out a text to one of her friends. “Don’t care.”

  I watch her for a moment, trying to see if she’s hiding a reaction from me. “Are you sure?”

  Chelsea nods. “Yeah.”

  The light turns green, and I lift my foot off the brake.

  Maybe she didn’t hear me. “Maddox, the guy who came over during Grandma’s birthday.”

  “Uh, duh. I know who Maddox is. He’s kinda hard to miss.”

  Fair.

  “And you’re okay if he comes to the baseball game?” I glance over and find Chelsea looking at me.

  “Still a yes.” Her sass shouldn’t warm my heart, but it does.

  “Okay, if you’re sure.”

  Chelsea sets her phone in her lap. “Are you two dating?”