Those three little words rise in my throat, but I swallow them down once again. Each day, the urge to say them to him grows stronger, yet I still can’t bring myself to speak them. I’m afraid that once I utter those words, the voices in my head will return, trying to snatch away my happiness and convince me that I don’t deserve love.
“You ready for playoffs?”
Maddox sucks in his cheeks. “Truthfully? I’m nervous as hell. I made it to playoffs last year when I was in Houston. But being back home? There’s so much pressure on me, and I’m scared I’m gonna let everyone down.” He grabs a handful of sand, letting it seep through his fingers. “Everyone compares me to Kyrie, but I don’t think I can ever live up to him.”
“Maddox, you are amazing. And you shouldn’t compare yourself to anyone. Kyrie was a fantastic player, but so are you. You both changed the game of basketball, and you’re going to lead the Dragons to the championships just like he did. I have faith in you.”
A warm smile graces his lips and he kisses my forehead. “Thank you for always lifting me up.”
Blush creeps on his cheeks and he scratches the back of his head. “Will you, um, come to my playoff game next Saturday? You can bring Ollie, too.”
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” I say, squeezing his hand.
“Really?” The excitement in his voice and the way his face lights up squeeze my heart.
“Of course. I plan on attending every single game of yours. I’m gonna be the loudest one there.”
“Promise me you’ll wear my jersey. The only last name youshould be wearing is mine,” he says, a teasing smile quirks on his lips.
A laugh bursts from me. “I was already planning to.”
I roll over in bed and reach for Maddox, only to find the space next to me empty. Slipping on my shorts, I head to the living room to find it fully decorated. There are vases of flowers everywhere, a large “Happy Birthday” banner hanging on the wall, and balloons and streamers dangling from the ceiling. In the kitchen, Leilani, the housekeeper, is preparing something that smells absolutely delicious.
Maddox is leaning against the wall wearing a lazy smile on his face. “Happy birthday, beautiful.”
Racing toward him, I leap into his arms and give him a kiss. “Thank you, Maddox. Gosh, you spoil me so much.”
“My girl deserves the best.” He smiles against my lips.
“Breakfast is ready!” Leilani carries out two plates of loco moco—a traditional Hawaiian dish consisting of white rice, a hamburger patty, gravy, and a sunny-side-up egg—and sets them on the table.
“Mahalo, Leilani. This looks delicious!” Maddox says. We both take a seat and Leilani comes back with two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice.
“You are too kind for cooking for us,” I say.
“Na‘u ka hau‘oli,” she says sweetly. “And happy birthday to you.”
“Mahalo, Leilani.”
She scurries off to the kitchen to clean up, and I dig in. “Wow, this is so good. Who knew this combo would be so tasty?”
“Right? Hawaiian food has been amazing so far. I wish I could have woken you up with breakfast, but I didn’t want toburn this house down.” He grins and takes another bite of food.
I reach over and squeeze his hand. “It’s okay that you lack skills in the kitchen. You make up for it in other ways.”
A suggestive smile tugs at his lips, and his hand grazes my thigh. “Oh? Are you talking about my skills in the bedroom?”
Heat pools between my legs as I think about all the ways he has pleasured me. “You are so cocky. But I’m talking about how thoughtful and caring you are. You’ve been so amazing to me, and I am so grateful to have you in my life again.”
Blush creeps across his cheeks and his smile widens. Leaning forward, he pops a kiss on my lips. “I am, too. And I hope you like what I have planned for us today.”
“I’m sure I will. What are we doing first?”
“First, we’re gonna go shark cage diving.”
“What?” My stomach starts churning, and I shoot Maddox a look to let him know he has completely lost his mind. “I’m all about adventure, but I’m not trying to die on my birthday. Have you not seen47 Meters Down?”
He waves me off. “That’s just a movie. We’ll be perfectly fine.”
