He laces our fingers together and rests them on my thigh. I stare at our woven fingers and swallow tightly. I didn’t think it was possible to fall even more in love with him. I was wrong. After what we just shared, the raw intimacy, it’s clear: My heart no longer beats for me. It beats for Easton. I was a fool to think it could ever be any other way.
He abruptly shifts beneath me, and I latch onto him, so I don’t end up dumped onto the carpet. Then his phone is in front of us, our faces reflected back in the selfie-view of his camera.
“Smile, Maddy. This night needs documenting.”
I do him one better. I turn his head and kiss him. A picture we’ve never had but one I’ve always secretly hoped for.
We still have so much left to talk about, but right now I’m just going to soak in the moment. I’m finally where I’ve always wanted to be.
seventeen
Maddox
IknockonEaston’sfront door, and it swings open to reveal his mom. “Hey, Mrs. Winters.” I step inside and give her a hug.
“He’ll be right down,” she says, her attention sweeping over me. “Don’t you look nice. What are you boys up to tonight?”
I follow her into their kitchen but hesitate. What do I say? I’m not sure what Mrs. Winters knows about me and East. It’s only been two days since everything happened back at my apartment. We haven’t had a chance to talk yet since I’ve had classes and he’s been busy with Shane, who just left this morning. Also, technically, Eastdoesn’t even know what tonight is. I just told him to dress nice; no jeans.
A thunderous sound rumbles through the house. I fight a smile, and Mrs. Winters lets out a woe-is-me sigh. That would be Easton coming down the stairs. Or a herd of elephants. Same thing.
Mr. Winters calls for Mrs. Winters, and she excuses herself right as Easton turns the corner of the hallway and steps into the kitchen.
He halts in his tracks, body swaying as it tries to catch up with his feet. His gaze rakes over me, and he bites his lip. His throat ripples, and his gaze finally lands back on mine. “Wow.”
I’m not ashamed to admit I puff out my chest a little at the complete awe in that one word. It zings through me, dances through my veins. Because Easton thinks I look good. Not in a friendly,you clean up nice,dudeway. No, the way he’s looking at me tells me I look edible, and now I’m thinking maybe instead of dinner we should feast on each other instead.
I shake my head. No. I want to do this right. I step up to him, and he tugs playfully at the scarf resting loosely around my neck. “Like what you see, East?”
He nods enthusiastically, drawing a chuckle from me.
“I like this,” he whispers, trailing a hand down my chest to rest on my stomach. “The turtleneck and scarf, and those fucking suit pants that are indecently tight.”
I grin. I thought he would. We haven’t had much time learning this new side of us, but I’ve discovered East really likes my ass and thighs. I paired my black cable-knit turtleneck with a camel scarf and black skinny-fit suit pants cuffed at the ankle.
“You clean up pretty nice yourself.” I step back and rest against the kitchen island countertop, finally taking him in. He’s wearing a burgundy V-neck sweater with a white button-up underneath, the collar peeking out of the neckline. I groan as my gaze falls to his light beige boot-cut dress pants. He looks like a wet dream—like a sexy billionaire. But, like, the kind you find in romance movies or books. Not the actual skeevy, asshole billionaires who exist in real life.
Easton’s hands fall to either side of me on the countertop, caging me in. He presses a soft kiss to my lips, and I melt. My heart. My brain. My body.
“Are you going to finally tell me why you wanted us both all dressed up?” he says against my lips.
I press another kiss to his lips, still a bit in shock this is real life. “I want to take you on a date, East.” I push gently on his chest, and he draws back. “I made dinner reservations. This isn’t something I’ve ever experienced with you. There’s the Maddy and East we were before, and there’s the Maddy and East we’re going to be. There’s a difference. I want to show you that difference.”
“The difference is, in this version, I get spoiled,” he says thoughtfully. “I think I like that.” He shoots me a lopsided smile, and it hits me right in the heart, a perfect pitch.
I roll my eyes, but there’s no heat behind it. “Please. You were spoiled before too. This will just be a classier spoiled. I’m going to wine and dine you, East.”
He leans forward, chest bumping up against mine, lips a breath away. “And sixty-nine me?” He bounces his eyebrows, and I choke back a laugh.
A throat clears, and we jump apart. Mrs. Winters is leaning against the hallway wall, arms crossed, a single eyebrow lifted in question. “I’m going to pretend I didn’t just hear any ofthat, but, um, this looks like a new development.”
Easton looks back at me and smiles. “Yeah, Maddy’s taking me out on a date, Mom.”
Oh. Warmth floods my chest. I don’t think anything could have prepared me for how it would feel: Easton acknowledgingus. Not as Maddy and East best friends, but as what I hope he’ll say yes to tonight. Maddy and East. Boyfriends.
“All right, you boys have fun. Be safe. Text me when you get there and when you leave.”
Easton sighs. “Mooooom, we’re adults.” He grabs my hand and tugs me toward the door.
