“So, Annalise, what brings you back to San Francisco?”Izumi asks. “I thought you wanted to live in New York and start your fashion line there?”
Taking a sip of my water, I avert my eyes. “I got really lonely and I missed my family.” Not a lie, but not the full truth either. Maddox doesn’t need to know any more about my life than he already does.
My body may have forgotten his betrayal, but I sure as hell haven’t.
Maddox fixes me with a puzzled look, doubt flickering in his eyes and letting on that he doesn’t fully believe me, but I brush it off.
CHAPTER TEN
annalise
FOUR YEARS AGO
“My mom’sgonna kill you if she finds you here,” I whisper as I quietly shut my bedroom door.
“Please, she loves me more than you,” Maddox teases.
He plops down on the bed and pulls the covers over himself, getting comfortable.
I join him in bed and he pulls me close, running his fingers through my hair.
“I just had to come see you. I missed you too much,” Maddox says, pouting.
“You saw me at school today, you dork.” I chuckle, leaning in to kiss his cheek.
“It’s not the same as getting to sleep next to you, and waking up with you in my arms.” He presses a tender kiss to my lips. My stomach flutters as a warm blush spreads across my cheeks.
Everyone at school sees Maddox as a popular jock, but there’s so much more to him. Beneath that tough exterioris the sweetest and most caring person I know. And he only ever shows his soft side to me.
“I really hope we get accepted to the colleges we applied to in New York,” I say with a sigh.
“We’ll get in, without a doubt,” he says, squeezing my hand.
“Easy for you to say—you’re the valedictorian,” I scoff, rolling my eyes. “You’ll get accepted anywhere.”
He props himself up on an elbow, resting his head on his hand. “And so will you. Your portfolio is amazing, and your designs will blow them away.”
“I feel like it won’t be good enough.” My fingers twist in the sheets as doubts creep into my mind. “What if they hate it?”
“Annalise Rose Monroe! Talk down to yourself one more time and I’ll leave,” he says, his tone playful. “If you give yourself a compliment, you’ll be rewarded later.” He whispers the last sentence, trailing kisses along my neck as his hand slides up my inner thigh.
A rush of heat floods through me.
“Fine.” I roll my eyes. “I, Annalise Rose Monroe, am a talented, creative, strong, and beautiful woman.” I lift my gaze to him, a smirk tugging my lips. “There. Are you satisfied now?”
“You forgot to add: with a big ass, and a mouth that can?—”
He chuckles as I shove him playfully. “Shut up, you idiot.”
“You’re going to be a world-famous fashion designer, and I am going to be an NBA star and make it to the hall of fame.” An adorable dimpled smile stretches across his face. “We’ll be the ultimate power couple.”
“Together, we’ll be unstoppable,” I add.
Maddox climbs on top of me, kissing me softly.
“Now it’s time for me to give you your reward,” he murmurs, smiling against my lips.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
