A second eyebrow joined the first. “And that’s a good thing, right?”
“Yes. A very good thing,” I agreed. “But now I’m even more embarrassed about last night. I love you so much and I should’ve claimed that last night. I should’ve claimedyou.In truth, I don’t give a shit what Davis’s friends think, and I should’ve told them that. I know Davis would approve of us, and that’s all that matters. He’d be pissed as hell at his friends for not being supportive. I will never leave you hanging again like I did last night.Ever.I’m proud as hell of you and damn lucky to have you by my side.” I swallowed hard, feeling suddenly self-conscious. “So... that’s it... I guess. I just, um... thought you should know.”
As my rant slowed to silence, I finally noticed the red tide rising up Mads’ throat. He turned, those bright green eyes glassywith tears, and he smiled, a huge sunshine grin that split his face and lit up his eyes. The dishcloth was thrown to the floor in a very non-Mads’ gesture, and he started running.
I rose to my feet and he launched himself into my arms, the impact sending us both sprawling backward on the sofa. Mads landed on top of me, his weight forcing the air from my lungs. I coughed and wheezed and tried to kiss him, but he wriggled back onto his knees and began tugging at the buttons on my jeans.
“Need these... off.” He fumbled with the final button before trying to force them down my thighs.
“Hang on. Hang on.” I lifted my hips.
“Thank God.” He shoved my jeans and my briefs down to my knees, then stood on the sofa, teetering slightly as he grabbed the hems of the pants and lifted my legs into the air. He shook the denim a few times until the jeans slid free of my feet, whereon he threw them to the floor. My briefs quickly followed and then he was on me again, his knees straddling my hips as he unceremoniously shoved my T-shirt over my head and added it to the pile. All of which left me naked as a jaybird and with zero complaints about that.
Like he wasn’t sure about the best course of action from there, Mads proceeded to sit on my thighs, his hungry gaze sending goosebumps popping across my skin.
“See something you like?” I cupped his arse in both hands, wriggled him forward, and thrust my very interested cock up in the general direction of his balls.
He rolled his eyes. “Subtle much?”
“Do you want me to be subtle?” I did it again and his head fell back.
“Keep that up and this’ll be over before it gets started,” he grumbled, his words lacking any heat.
“Oh, believe me, it’s started,” I countered, pulling him down for a kiss. “Although you are decidedly overdressed for theoccasion.” I rolled him off my hips and onto the couch. Then I got to my feet and offered him my hand.
He quirked a brow. “Are we going somewhere?”
“Yes.” I pulled him to his feet and set about divesting him of his clothes.
Amusement danced in those bright green eyes. “But what if Gazza or Lee?—”
“This isourhouse,” I reminded him, noting the pleasure in his eyes at my emphasis on the word. “If our house guests return unexpectedly and then walk past this scattering of clothes on the floor without alarm bells going off, then they deserve what they get. Does it bother you?”
Mads thought about that. “No. Surprisingly, it doesn’t.” Naked at last, he stepped into my arms and slid his hands around my waist, our semi-hard cocks brushing together in obvious approval. “Happy now that I’m naked?”
“Not yet.” I cradled his face, relishing the rub of his coarse scruff against my palm. “I want to fuck you, Mads.”
He stilled, eyes wide in question. “Really?” He licked his lips, unable to hide the anticipation. “Are you sure?”
“No,” I deadpanned, taking his chin between my thumb and finger and pressing a kiss to his lips. “Yes. I’m sure.”
He leaned back just enough to walk his fingers down my belly to palm my solid cock. He gave it a squeeze, grinning like a kid at Christmas. “Then I’d say it’s time to put your money where your mouth is, Mister Fisher. You’ve got a lot of ground to catch up and I’m a demanding boy.”
And fuck if I wasn’t down for the challenge. There was nothing sexier than Madigan Church unleashed in bed. So, so different from the buttoned-up book nerd I’d met all those months ago. I’d never been more surprised by anyone, and this new direction we were taking would likely be no different. I’dbeen enjoying Mads’ prowess as a top for months, and I couldn’t imagine him being any less impressive as a bottom.
Bossy as shit and surprisingly uninhibited, Mads fulfilled all my librarian/bookbinder fantasies and then some. The need for order and tidiness and everything in its place stopped at the bedroom door. In bed, my cautious, quiet book conservator was an unrepentant, filthy tease. Talk about not judging a book by its cover, pun fully intended.
Mads was a generous, expressive lover. How any of his exes could paint him as boring and old before his time, I had zero idea. Then again, Madigan saved his passion for the things that meant most to him, and I was lucky enough to be counted amongst them.
But this was new ground for us.
The fact I hadn’t yet topped was an anomaly Madigan had kindly not questioned me about. Davis had preferred to bottom by a big margin, so it had mostly gone that way between us. Maybe that was why it had taken me so long to top Mads. To be honest, I wasn’t sure. It wasn’t like I was worried I’d think about Davis while I was with Mads; that particular cat was out of the bag because Ididthink about Davis. Often, as it happened. In bed. During sex. At the oddest moments. But never with guilt or anxiety or regret or comparison. More like a fond memory that appeared and then disappeared just as quickly.
Mads would sometimes pause when it happened. He’d send me a quirky smile like he knew and that it was okay. Maybe he did. And maybe it was. He’d confessed that sometimes he thought about Davis too. Nothing weird. Just warm appreciation.
It had taken me a long time to become comfortable with the idea that I could inhabit two spaces at the same time, and it wasn’t a judgement on either one. These two men were layeredin my life. Inextricably connected. Past and present. You didn’t get one without the other.
It had taken me until that moment to really understand.
