4

Her breathing hitched. “I’m older than you are.”

“Three years,” I scoffed. “It’s nothing.”

“I’m serious. I don’t do relationships.”

“Nor do I.” I bent forward, lowering my voice. “May I be blunt with you?”

“I prefer blunt.”

“I find you incredibly attractive, Deirdre. Very sexy in your buttoned-up clothes and calm exterior. I’d like to see what happens when you’re naked and aroused.” I tilted my head, studying her. “Like now—are you aware in the past few minutes, your breathing picked up and your eyes darkened? You have the loveliest color across your cheeks. Even the tips of your ears are pink. I wonder how far down I could make you flush that way.”

Her color deepened, but she didn’t flinch. She shifted closer, our knees pressed together under the table. Her normally husky voice was even lower, turning me on. “You want honest?”

I nodded.

“I think you’re one of the sexiest men I’ve ever met, Maddox. I see how your toned body moves when you walk, and I imagine you moving in me. You use your hands a lot when you talk, and I want to feel them on my skin. Your muscles flex under your expensive suits, and I want to feel them tighten under my touch.” She ran her finger over her lips. “I want to taste you and watch you fall apart.”

“Then maybe we should go and explore each other.”

On the table between us, her phone pinged with an incoming message. She ignored it, never breaking our gaze. It rang out again. With a sigh, she picked it up, her brow furrowed, and she grimaced.

“Problem?”

“My boss needs me to return to work.”

“Could you refuse?”

She sighed, her posture slumped. “Probably not.” She met my gaze with a slight shrug of her shoulders. “I could postpone him for a short while.”

I shook my head, disappointed yet resigned. The moment had been broken, and it was probably a good thing. Given the dynamic of the group we had, no matter what we said, sex might complicate things.

And I hated complications.

I stood, offering her a smile. “I’ll walk you to your building.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“It’s not a problem. It’s on my way.”

We were quiet as we walked. Strangely, my disappointment lingered, and the desire I felt hadn’t ebbed at all. Before we got to her office building, I pulled her into an alley and yanked her close. Without a word, I crashed my mouth to hers. She flung her arms around my neck without hesitation. I traced her lips with my tongue, sliding into her sweetness as she parted her mouth. I explored her, tasting and teasing, our tongues dueling for control. With a low growl, I fisted her hair, angling her head and taking over. She melted into me; her body was supple and her quiet whimper a total turn-on. I licked at her mouth, nibbled her lips, sucked and pulled at her tongue. I tugged on her hair, holding her tight and controlling her movements. She tasted of coffee and sweets and all things Dee. She gripped my neck, sliding her fingers into my hair, twisting the strands. All too soon, we broke apart, both of us breathless, our mouths swollen and cheeks flushed.

I brushed her cheek with my fingers. “A taste of what should have been.”

She captured my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. She teased the skin with her tongue. “Damn cockblocking boss.”

The words were out before I could stop them. “Make sure that’s the only part of his cock you’re ever near, Deirdre Wilson.”

I spun on my heel and left her.

Our tryst remained a memory until Emmy was kidnapped. After she came home, we all sat in the living room waiting for Bentley to join us. Eventually, Emmy gave up, and wandered upstairs mumbling about studying. Cami followed her not long after, and Aiden watched her leave, his eyes following her until she was gone. Dee disappeared into the kitchen, and Aiden stood.

“I don’t think we’re doing pizza.”

“No.”

“I’m heading upstairs.”

I knew exactly where he was going, so I nodded. After he was gone, I was restless and edgy. It had been one hell of a few days, and my nerves were stretched tight. I paced the room a bit, then decided to get a drink.

In the kitchen, Dee was perched against the counter, nibbling on some grapes. She was casual, dressed in sweats and an old, plaid button-down shirt. She looked . . . edible.

“Hi,” she murmured.

I grabbed a beer from the fridge and took a long swallow, leaning against the counter across from her. “Hey. How you holding up?”

“I’m fine. You?”

I shrugged.

“Is your head aching again?”

“No,” I assured her. The night before, she had made me lie down, and she stroked my head to ease the pain until I fell asleep. I had felt oddly comforted and cared for. “I need something. I just don’t know what I need.”

“I could make you something.”

I smiled and, without thinking, pushed off the counter. I moved a stray piece of hair from her cheek. It was soft against my fingers and I rubbed the silken texture. Suddenly, I knew what I wanted.

What I needed.

“Always looking after everyone, aren’t you . . . Deirdre?”

Her eyes grew round, and her hand holding a grape froze partway to her mouth. With a low chuckle, I bent and sucked the grape into my mouth, chewing it slowly. “Mmm, sweet. Delicious,” I murmured. I set down my beer bottle on the counter. “You know what else I remember being sweet?”

She shook her head, the motion slow and deliberate.

I lifted her to the counter, sliding my hands along her thighs, parting them wide and slipping between them. Her breathing picked up, the flush of color I remembered so vividly staining her chest.

I traced the streak of color with my index finger. “Ah, I like this. I recall wanting to know how far it went.” Teasingly, I popped a button, then another, my fingers finding the warm skin and rosy color on her chest.

I leaned into her, almost groaning when her legs wrapped around me, pulling me in closer. “I remember how sweet you tasted on my tongue, Deirdre. How you felt pressed into me. How much I wanted to drag you to my place and fuck you. I didn’t even care if you got in trouble with your cockblocking boss. I wanted you. Does that ring a bell with you?”

She curled her hands into my shirt, fisting it tight. “Yes.”

“I know what I need from you right now. Are you willing to give it to me?”

“Oh God, yes.”

“Are you sure?”

She slipped her fingers into a pocket of her flannel shirt and held out a condom. “I’ve been waiting for you to come find me all day.”

I yanked her tight and kissed her. I fisted her hair in my hands, tugging and twisting the silk between my fingers. I devoured her mouth, licking and nipping at her as she whimpered and moaned. She grabbed at me, her need as strong as my own. I heard the kitchen door open, but I couldn’t stop. I knew Bentley had seen us, but he left quickly, and I didn’t care. In seconds, I had her sweats stripped away, revealing frilly pink underwear so minute they barely covered her. In one twist, I tore them from her body, sliding my fingers into her wet heat. She bucked against my hand, her groan loud in my ear.

“You like that, Deirdre? You like my fingers in that sweet pussy of yours?”

“Not as much as I want your cock.”

“First, you’re going to come on my hand, then you get my cock. Do you understand?” I hissed in her ear. “We do this my way. Always my way.”

She tensed, her muscles fluttering.

“That’s it, baby. Let go.”

She arched, her mouth open in a silent scream as she came. I tore her shirt open, sucking her tight nipple into my mouth right through her pretty pink lace lingerie. I bit down as she arched again, her body straining for more.

I yanked down my sweats, my hard, aching cock springing free. I rolled on the condom, her eyes wild and watching, her breathing hard.

“Oh God, you’re so big.” She moaned.

“You want this, Deirdre? You need to tell me what you want. What you need.”

“I need you to fuck me. Take away the ache with that huge cock of yours.”

I stroked myself, pleased with her answer. “I’ll take away the ache, baby. I promise you that.”

I buried myself in her. The entire world narrowed down to mind-blowing pleasure. She was hot, slick, and tight. She met my thrusts, matched my rhythm, driving me crazy with her mouth as she licked and nipped at my neck. I pumped steadily, gripping her hips hard, lost in the vortex we had created. Sweat pebbled around my scalp, and my back grew damp. I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her tight as I fucked her with everything I had.

“I’m going to come,” I groaned into her ear. “Let me feel you, baby. Take me with you.”

Minutes later, she cried softly into my neck, her body locking down. I stiffened, letting my orgasm wash over me. Ecstasy raced through me as I shuddered, enveloped in her arms until I was done.

I lifted my head, meeting her gaze, wondering what I would see. She grinned, sated and relaxed. “I don’t think Bentley would approve of what we did in his kitchen.”

I grinned back; relieved she was still simply Dee. “I don’t think we should tell him.”

“I don’t think we should tell him how you fucked me in my room later either.”

I quirked an eyebrow at her. “Is that a fact?”

“I think so.”

I kissed her. “All right then.”

My smile faltered as the memories grew dim. Whether I admitted it or not, my feelings for her had already started to grow even then.