Once Julius walks outside to grab our bags out of the back of the Jeep, I pull Maddie into me, kissing her deeply, enjoying this little moment of peace with her. This is the first time I’ve actually felt like we’ve had a real moment alone together. No worries, just pure bliss in each other's company.
Maddie pulls away, giving me a shit-eating grin.
“What?” I ask.
“The third, huh? That’s mighty fancy of you, sir,” she says sarcastically as she tries to stifle her laugh with her hand.
“Oh, you think that's funny, huh?” She bursts into laughter as I start tickling her sides.
“Miles!” she squeals, twisting away from me, but I don’t let her escape.
She collapses onto the floor in a fit of giggles, and I follow her down without hesitation, laughing just as hard as I keep mercilessly tickling her. She squirms beneath me, tryingto shove my hands away between breathless laughs, her curls spilling across the floor.
“S-stop!” she gasps. “Miles, I can’t breathe!”
I finally relent, grinning like a complete idiot as she lies there catching her breath, glaring at me with a smile she can’t quite hide.
She drops to the floor and I follow, tickling her like crazy until she's begging me to stop once again. I’m falling so hard for this girl. There’s a good possibility that I might already be in love with her.
Is it crazy to feel that way after such a short time? Maybe, but I don’t give a shit.I’m crazy for her.
“You can try to tease me and call me sir all you want, but it’s just going to get you fucked, Princess,” I whisper, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
I’m already hard as a rock and I would love to use her to ease the ache. Her breathing hitches and I know my words affected her. I gaze into her eyes, mesmerized by the way the copper color of them softens from the light that peers in through the window. I lean in to kiss her just as Julius walks in with our bags, clearing his throat.
“Please excuse me, sir, but I wanted you to know that I had called in the previous staff and they’ll be here soon. I will place your luggage in your room. Dinner should be ready in a few hours.”
“Thank you, Julius. I’m going to give Maddie a tour of the house.”
Having Maddie in my childhood home is such a surreal feeling. I only wish my parents were here to meet her, too. For as long as I can remember, they only wanted me to be with Izzi because her parents were their best friends, but ultimately, they just wanted me to be happy. If they had the chance to meet Maddie, they would love her as much as I do.
I’ve shown Maddie almost every room in the house, all except my room and the one that belonged to my parents. I haven’t been able to go in there since I lost them, and I honestly don’t think I’ll ever have the ability to again. Losing them and being inside the home they built together is hard enough, but being inside their bedroom is on an entirely different level of difficulty.
We finally make it to the bedroom we’ll be sharing when I realize how quiet Maddie has been. Opening the door, I enter the room and spot our bags Julius placed next to the bed. Maddie walks in behind me, her eyes roaming the room as she sits on the edge of the king-size bed. I make my way toward her, kneeling in front of her and spread her legs apart so I can sit between them.
“What are you doing?” she asks, a questioning smirk forming on her lips.
I grab one of her hands, bringing it up to my lips and kiss the top of it. “I want to know what’s on your mind. You’ve been quiet and I want you to know that you can talk to me about whatever is bothering you.”
Rubbing my hands up and down her legs, I try my best to comfort her, letting her know I’m here for her no matter the situation.
She drops her head, twiddling her fingers together, letting me know she’s nervous. “It’s nothing, really. I just love your house. It’s stunning.”
There it is. Her eyes roam up and land on mine. I give her a smile before leaning in and planting a soft kiss on her lips.
“It’s okay we grew up differently,” I breathe. “Just because you had a harder life, doesn’t mean we can’t build something like this together. You are everything to me, Maddie. I don’t care if our upbringings are different, I’m just upset yours wasn’t how it should have been.”
I was worried bringing her here would cause some sort of doubt within her. I would never want her to feel like we can't betogether just because I came from money and she didn't. Despite everything, we are the same.
I rise from where I’d been kneeling in front of her and slip my arms around her waist. She smiles as she loops her arms around my neck, and I lift her effortlessly by her thighs. Her legs wrap around my waist as I pull her flush against me. I kiss her slowly, pouring everything I can’t bring myself to say into it. Every ounce of my love, every promise, every silent plea for this moment to last forever.
I want to tell her. God, do I want to tell her. But it’s too soon. The last thing I want is for her to feel pressured to say it back before she’s ready. I’d rather wait a hundred lifetimes to hear those words than wonder if she only spoke them because I did.
Maddie’s fingers disappear into my hair, tugging at the roots, causing me to moan into her mouth.
Fuuuck,I love when she pulls my hair.
Sitting down on the bed, I lean back, giving her the opportunity to straddle my lap. She grinds herself on top of me, biting my lip and taking control of the situation. She’s never been the one to take the lead, but watching her step into her confidence has been such a damn honor, and I’m loving every second of it.
