“I met Damien my sophomore year.” Heat wicked up my neck. My cheeks would be blazing soon. “He was a poli-sci major and he had plans for law school. I was... ” Enamored. Starry-eyed and infatuated. “Impressed. He was nothing like what I had grown up with. The more serious we got, the more we talked about the future. Planned it out. Including debt.”
Anger blew his pupils. “He convinced you not to finish school so he could afford to go.”
“I told him I’d make good money as a nurse. It’s why I picked that profession—I could get away from home and work anywhere. But he claimed we’d have two large student loans before he even got into law school.” I fisted my hands. “I was so proud of going to college, but I had no help. We were newlyweds and the debt was scary.”
It had been nothing like what I’d been left with in the divorce. The school loans were considered our debt.
“So I quit and worked as a CNA instead, plus picking up odd jobs here and there.” I flexed my hands and fisted them again. “Then, after my divorce, I tried to help Scott with this place, but he knew better. He always knew better.”
“Why didn’t you stand up to him like you do everyone else?”
“He’s my brother. He helped me after I moved home.” Scott had been the only one there for me after the divorce. He’d found me a cheap rental and finally let me help him with Flatlanders’ social media and a little more.
“You should’ve been free to tell him that he wasn’t listening to you.”
My temples throbbed. “Once you quit thinking my family is like yours?—”
“Jesus, all I’m saying is that you make yourself heard. There’s a reason you earned the name Mad Maddy?—”
“Don’t use that name.” It made what he said before sweep through my head. Made me wonder if he was one of the guys who wanted to know where else I was passionate.
He stepped closer. My chest was nearly touching his. “Maybe if you heard it more, you wouldn’t lose your temper each time someone said it.Mad Maddy.”
“Stop it.”
“Mad Maddy.” He dropped his voice to a low level that vibrated right through my belly, lighting up nerves along its path. “Mad Maddy. Mad Maddy.”
“Knock it off.” My demand lacked force. He could tell me to fuck right off in that voice and I’d ask him to say it again.
He lowered his head, his lips a whisper from mine. “Mad Maddy.” The slight tickle of his breath along my skin filled me with an aching need. “Mad Maddy,” he said with a whisper. “Is that better?”
“No.” My answer came out hoarse. It was not better. My breasts ached and my heart beat between my goddamn legs. I was horny. Because of him. “You need an annoying nickname.”
“I look forward to what you come up with, Mad Maddy.”
“Oh my god, Teller?—”
His lips brushed against mine, the softest of touches, a slight tickle from his beard, and my vocal cords froze. I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move. He added more pressure and a whimper escaped me, going right into him.
I could crawl onto him, into him, just to get more.More.
A horn blared outside, and I jumped away from him with a gasp. “What are you doing?”
What wasIdoing? I hadn’t smacked him away as soon as he touched me. I’d wanted it. Dammit, I’d been dreaming of it if I had to be blunt with myself, and I had to be. Teller had nothing to lose. I’d lost almost everything already. I couldn’t risk the rest.
I pressed my fingers to my temples. “You can’t do that again.”
“I’m sorry.” He folded his arms and dropped his chin.
I tried to summon rage. He’d kissed me without asking.
Could he do it again?
Crap. I already couldn’t quit thinking of him. Now I wished he’d done more than put his mouth on mine. I had a lot of other ideas. No. This wouldn’t do. “It’s over.”
“Mad—”
I smashed my hand against his mouth, his whiskers scraping against my palm, sending shivers over my skin. His dark brows skyrocketed.
