My heart expanded in my chest as I understood for the first time that he truly wanted me in a way I’d hungered for since I first understood the concept. “You want me.” I breathed the realization aloud.
His nostrils flared. “With every fucking thing I have,” he declared.
I threw my arms around his shoulders, pressing my face to his neck. For a moment, we just held each other, breathing the same air.
“So, what do you say?” he asked.
I looked into his hopeful gray eyes, shining with the love he’d just professed. In such a short time, this man had come to mean more to me than I could make sense of. He was my anchor, my muse, my undoing in the most delicious of ways. It was true I wasn’t sure I could do this alone—but I wouldn’t be. I had Maddox. And so, there was really only one thing to say.
“I love you too,” I murmured. It wasn’t the answer he expected, but the spark in his eye proved it was the one he needed.
His answering grin was so handsome it stole my breath. “Fuck yes,” he growled, sweeping me up in his arms for a mind-numbing kiss. “Say it again,” he demanded.
“I love you,” I repeated, squealing as he spun us around.
“You look happy. And relieved,” I noted pulling back to peer up at his face.
He shrugged. “Well, the woman I love just told me she loves me too, and as for the bakery… I already bought the place, so yeah, saved me a hassle.”
I smacked his arm. “Pretty sure of yourself.”
He squeezed my hips. “No, baby. Just hopeful.” His forehead touched mine. “And so fucking lucky.”
I grinned up at him. “You’re about to get a whole hell of a lot luckier.”
His pupils dilated, a delicious growl rumbling in his chest. “If I could put this shit off, believe me, I would. But you’ve been without a phone for too long. I know you need some independence. We need to get you sorted.” He squeezed my behind. “But later, baby, you’re gonna make good on that.”
It was a promise I was all too happy to keep. “Later,” I agreed.
****
“Maddox!” A female squeal had me turning in consternation as I stood, bored as hell in the cell phone store Mad had dragged me to. The sales associate had droned on and on about various features as I daydreamed about my next recipe. I just needed the thing to make calls and text.
I had to take a step back as a blonde I recognized as one of the club cherries threw herself at Maddox. It was the woman who’d stared at me with such hatred, I realized as she clung to Maddox.
“Oh, I figured you two were together,” the sales guy was quick to mention. “If you’re single—”
“She’s not fucking single,” Maddox snarled. “Stephanie, get your fucking hands off.” He forcibly removed her arms from his neck with a grimace.
“You haven’t been around, babe.” Her glossy pink lips formed a pout as I watched them with a combination of dismay and jealousy. Clearly, they had some sort of history, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what it was.
“You haven’t seen me because I banned your ass from the club,” he replied harshly. “And I’m not your babe.”
“You weren’t saying that when your cock was inside me,” she purred.
Yep, definitely didn’t want that history. My stomach churned as I took a step toward the exit, all too ready to abandon our mission to get a new phone in favor of ignorance. It wasn’t lost on me that Maddox had been with other women. But the fact he’d been with her in particular didn’t sit well.
His steely gray gaze landed on me, shining with intensity. “Babe, don’t you fucking move,” he ordered harshly, pulling me under his arm and close to his side. Despite his tone, his grasp was gentle. “That’s the second time you’ve insulted my woman, Stephanie,” he growled as her eyes narrowed at the two of us. “Banning your ass from the club wasn’t enough? I had you once—this woman is forever. You may not like it but you sure as hell will respect it. Or I swear to God, I’ll run your ass straight outta town. You get me?” he demanded.
Her full lips pursed as she shot me a glare before nodding. “I get you,” she replied through clenched teeth.
“Get gone,” he ordered with a head tilt toward the exit.
“But I came in here to—” Her protest was cut off by a nearly feral rumble from Maddox. “Fine,” she grumbled, turning on a heel and flouncing from the store.
I tried to slip out from under Maddox’s arm but he only held me tighter as he turned his fury on the sales associate, who now looked like he wanted to pee his pants. “Made a move on my girl,” he stated.
The man swallowed visibly, shaking his head. “I wasn’t…. I didn’t.”
