“Oh, Nate.” Her big, bright eyes light up, full of happiness. “She’s beautiful.”
“She’s yours.”
“What?” She gasps in surprise. “Mine?”
“Well, ours and Leo’s. We also share custody with Claud. She thought I got the dog for her, so don’t tell her otherwise.”
Maddie drops down to her knees, and Skye’s there to lick her whole face.
“I’ve always wanted a black German Shepherd,” she whispers more to herself.
I settle down next to her and pull her into my side. “I know, babe.”
Her eyes are pooled with tears, but there’s a fire in them that I recognize.
It’s a look I could never forget.
“Maybe you should call Leo and tell him to stay home.”
I lean in closer. “Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“You know exactly why.”
Then her lips are on mine.
23
Nate
The forceof Maddie’s kiss knocks me flat on my ass, jolting my spine against the hard wooden floor. She doesn’t even notice she’s tumbled on top of me until Skye takes it as her cue to join the fun, launching all seventy pounds onto Maddie’s back and shoving her harder into my chest.
She laughs, breathless, her mouth brushing mine. “She thinks she’s a lap dog, doesn’t she?”
“Shit, sorry.” I wrestle an overexcited Skye off us, setting her loose, and she rockets around the apartment in zoomies. My eyes lock back on Maddie. “You okay?”
The warmth of her smile echoes in her voice. “More than okay.”
“I think she likes you.”
Her lips twitch. “I’m very likable.”
“That, we definitely agree on.” I kiss her once more, then push off the floor and stand, pulling Maddie up with me.
I wrap my arms around her so she can’t escape my embrace and walk us to the open kitchen. When I set her on the counter, she spreads her legs, and I greedily eat up the space between us.
Our lips are a whisper apart. “Do you feel that, Mads?”
The desire that’s never wavered, the love that burns so deep within my bones, I could explode from our raw, insatiable chemistry.
Her labored breaths and blown pupils answer everything. Still, she nods, confirming the connection between us. It was never a question for me.
It’s always been undeniable.
Before we go any further tonight, with great difficulty, I force myself to slow down a moment and take a good look at her. Inspecting her eyes, which no longer look as glassy as they were earlier.
Thank fuck.
I’m not sure how much longer I can hold off.
