Maddox ~ Melanie Moreland Read online

  It was highly attractive.

  For the next weeks, I had gotten to know Dee as our little group formed. I enjoyed talking to her, and we conversed on a variety of subjects. She had a wicked sense of humor and did incredible imitations of people that made me laugh. She was strong and seemingly unflappable, and I suspected there were hidden depths under her no-nonsense façade. She was well read and we had a lot in common, but neither of us pursued anything outside of our group get-togethers. It was nice to have someone to chat with when we were all together. Given the way Bentley was falling for Emmy, I had a feeling I’d be seeing a lot of Dee. I liked her company and found myself thinking of her a great deal, but I never followed through with my distracting thoughts. As much as she intrigued me, I didn’t pursue her.

  Until one day, I was browsing my local bookstore for something new to read.

  Studying a book jacket, I was distracted when a woman’s silhouette caught my attention. She was lissome and pretty, the sunlight catching her light red hair. She was reading the back of a book, her finger running over the spine. Something about her beckoned to me yet seemed familiar. With a grin, I realized it was Dee, and I approached her. “Find something good?”

  She glanced at me, startled. I was close enough to see the flecks of brown in her wide green eyes. She smiled and slid the book back onto the shelf. “Not really.” She indicated the books I had in my hand. “I think you’ve had better luck.”

  “You can borrow one if you like. I tend to buy in batches.”

  She tilted her head, silently mouthing the titles. She looked up with a smile. “That would be lovely.”

  “I was gonna grab a cup of coffee. Can I interest you in joining me?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Seated across from her, I realized it was the first time we’d ever been alone.

  “You come here often?”

  She shook her head with a wry grin. “Is that your best pick-up line, Maddox?”

  I chuckled. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in here until today.”

  “I was in the office for a short while, then dropped in here. Usually I browse on my lunch hour.”

  “That makes sense.”

  Silence fell as we sipped our coffee, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. I noticed she nibbled at the end of her thumb, and it struck me as odd. Given her stoic persona, I found it rather endearing.

  I found my thoughts strange. Endearing wasn’t a word I used often—if ever.

  She met my gaze. “So, is it?”

  “Is it what?”

  “Is that your best pick-up line?”

  I studied her as I drank my coffee. “I don’t typically do pick-up lines.”

  She smirked. “I’m not surprised.”

  “Sorry?”

  “With that whole silver fox thing you’ve got going, I’m sure you don’t have to.”

  I frowned. “Silver fox?”

  “Maddox, the silver fox. Young, sexy, wealthy, plus that premature gray? I bet you beat them off with a stick.”

  I shook my head, amused at her thoughts. “I’m sorry to disappoint, but no.”

  “Really? I’m surprised.”

  I sat back, crossing my legs, swinging one foot. “What about you, Deirdre? All prim and pretty. You drive the lawyers crazy at your firm?”

  She laughed. “Dee. No one calls me Deirdre. It’s stuffy and formal.”

  “No. It’s a lovely name for a lovely woman. It suits you. The lawyers you date don’t call you by your full name?”

  She ignored my comment about her name. “I don’t date lawyers, or anyone else at my firm,” she stated firmly. “In fact, I don’t date.”

  “Ever?”

  She hesitated, then shook her head. “No. Love, romantic love, isn’t for me.”

  I took in a deep breath and spoke. “Why is that?”

  “It’s dangerous. It overwhelms and kills you.”

  At my raised eyebrow, she continued.

  “I’m not saying I don’t see people. I have . . . needs. But I don’t do romantic relationships. I’ve seen the way love destroys people.” She held up her hand before I could speak. “I know it works for some, but I’m not built that way.”

  I drained my coffee, then leaned forward. “Neither am I.”

  She widened her eyes. “Really?”

  “Love equals power. The power to destroy. The ability to hurt and cause pain. The chaos it causes. That’s what love means to me. It destroys trust and leaves you weak.”

  “You feel that way about everyone?”

  “There are a few exceptions. And I will never break them for a woman.”

  Our eyes met, silent understanding passing between us. The air shifted, and I felt our mutual desire grow. It stretched out, pushing tentatively against the boundaries we had erected. She propped her elbow on the table, lifting her thumb to her mouth. Her small teeth gnawed at the flesh. It was an innocent gesture, yet I found it provocative.

  “I have needs too,” I murmured. Reaching over, I tugged her thumb from her mouth, inspecting it. From the roughness of the skin, and the fact that it was the second time she’d done it since we sat down, it was clearly a nervous habit for her. I slowly dragged my fingers across her palm, then laid her hand on the table.

  Her breathing hitched. “I’m older than you are.”

  “Three years,” I scoffed. “It’s nothing.”

  “I’m serious. I don’t do relationships.”

  “Nor do I.” I bent forward, lowering my voice. “May I be blunt with you?”

  “I prefer blunt.”

  “I find you incredibly attractive, Deirdre. Very sexy in your buttoned-up clothes and calm exterior. I’d like to see what happens when you’re naked and aroused.” I tilted my head, studying her. “Like now—are you aware in the past few minutes, your breathing picked up and your eyes darkened? You have the loveliest color across your cheeks. Even the tips of your ears are pink. I wonder how far down I could make you flush that way.”

  Her color deepened, but she didn’t flinch. She shifted closer, our knees pressed together under the table. Her normally husky voice was even lower, turning me on. “You want honest?”

  I nodded.

  “I think you’re one of the sexiest men I’ve ever met, Maddox. I see how your toned body moves when you walk, and I imagine you moving in me. You use your hands a lot when you talk, and I want to feel them on my skin. Your muscles flex under your expensive suits, and I want to feel them tighten under my touch.” She ran her finger over her lips. “I want to taste you and watch you fall apart.”

  “Then maybe we should go and explore each other.”

  On the table between us, her phone pinged with an incoming message. She ignored it, never breaking our gaze. It rang out again. With a sigh, she picked it up, her brow furrowed, and she grimaced.

  “Problem?”

  “My boss needs me to return to work.”

  “Could you refuse?”

  She sighed, her posture slumped. “Probably not.” She met my gaze with a slight shrug of her shoulders. “I could postpone him for a short while.”

  I shook my head, disappointed yet resigned. The moment had been broken, and it was probably a good thing. Given the dynamic of the group we had, no matter what we said, sex might complicate things.

  And I hated complications.

  I stood, offering her a smile. “I’ll walk you to your building.”

  “You don’t have to do that.”

  “It’s not a problem. It’s on my way.”

  We were quiet as we walked. Strangely, my disappointment lingered, and the desire I felt hadn’t ebbed at all. Before we got to her office building, I pulled her into an alley and yanked her close. Without a word, I crashed my mouth to hers. She flung her arms around my neck without hesitation. I traced her lips with my tongue, sliding into her sweetness as she parted her mouth. I explored her, tasting and teasing, our tongues dueling for control. With a low growl, I fisted her hair, angling her head
and taking over. She melted into me; her body was supple and her quiet whimper a total turn-on. I licked at her mouth, nibbled her lips, sucked and pulled at her tongue. I tugged on her hair, holding her tight and controlling her movements. She tasted of coffee and sweets and all things Dee. She gripped my neck, sliding her fingers into my hair, twisting the strands. All too soon, we broke apart, both of us breathless, our mouths swollen and cheeks flushed.

  I brushed her cheek with my fingers. “A taste of what should have been.”

  She captured my hand, pressing a kiss to my palm. She teased the skin with her tongue. “Damn cockblocking boss.”

  The words were out before I could stop them. “Make sure that’s the only part of his cock you’re ever near, Deirdre Wilson.”

  I spun on my heel and left her.

  Our tryst remained a memory until Emmy was kidnapped. After she came home, we all sat in the living room waiting for Bentley to join us. Eventually, Emmy gave up, and wandered upstairs mumbling about studying. Cami followed her not long after, and Aiden watched her leave, his eyes following her until she was gone. Dee disappeared into the kitchen, and Aiden stood.

  “I don’t think we’re doing pizza.”

  “No.”

  “I’m heading upstairs.”

  I knew exactly where he was going, so I nodded. After he was gone, I was restless and edgy. It had been one hell of a few days, and my nerves were stretched tight. I paced the room a bit, then decided to get a drink.

  In the kitchen, Dee was perched against the counter, nibbling on some grapes. She was casual, dressed in sweats and an old, plaid button-down shirt. She looked . . . edible.

  “Hi,” she murmured.

  I grabbed a beer from the fridge and took a long swallow, leaning against the counter across from her. “Hey. How you holding up?”

  “I’m fine. You?”

  I shrugged.

  “Is your head aching again?”

  “No,” I assured her. The night before, she had made me lie down, and she stroked my head to ease the pain until I fell asleep. I had felt oddly comforted and cared for. “I need something. I just don’t know what I need.”

  “I could make you something.”

  I smiled and, without thinking, pushed off the counter. I moved a stray piece of hair from her cheek. It was soft against my fingers and I rubbed the silken texture. Suddenly, I knew what I wanted.

  What I needed.

  “Always looking after everyone, aren’t you . . . Deirdre?”

  Her eyes grew round, and her hand holding a grape froze partway to her mouth. With a low chuckle, I bent and sucked the grape into my mouth, chewing it slowly. “Mmm, sweet. Delicious,” I murmured. I set down my beer bottle on the counter. “You know what else I remember being sweet?”

  She shook her head, the motion slow and deliberate.

  I lifted her to the counter, sliding my hands along her thighs, parting them wide and slipping between them. Her breathing picked up, the flush of color I remembered so vividly staining her chest.

  I traced the streak of color with my index finger. “Ah, I like this. I recall wanting to know how far it went.” Teasingly, I popped a button, then another, my fingers finding the warm skin and rosy color on her chest.

  I leaned into her, almost groaning when her legs wrapped around me, pulling me in closer. “I remember how sweet you tasted on my tongue, Deirdre. How you felt pressed into me. How much I wanted to drag you to my place and fuck you. I didn’t even care if you got in trouble with your cockblocking boss. I wanted you. Does that ring a bell with you?”

  She curled her hands into my shirt, fisting it tight. “Yes.”

  “I know what I need from you right now. Are you willing to give it to me?”

  “Oh God, yes.”

  “Are you sure?”

  She slipped her fingers into a pocket of her flannel shirt and held out a condom. “I’ve been waiting for you to come find me all day.”

  I yanked her tight and kissed her. I fisted her hair in my hands, tugging and twisting the silk between my fingers. I devoured her mouth, licking and nipping at her as she whimpered and moaned. She grabbed at me, her need as strong as my own. I heard the kitchen door open, but I couldn’t stop. I knew Bentley had seen us, but he left quickly, and I didn’t care. In seconds, I had her sweats stripped away, revealing frilly pink underwear so minute they barely covered her. In one twist, I tore them from her body, sliding my fingers into her wet heat. She bucked against my hand, her groan loud in my ear.

  “You like that, Deirdre? You like my fingers in that sweet pussy of yours?”

  “Not as much as I want your cock.”

  “First, you’re going to come on my hand, then you get my cock. Do you understand?” I hissed in her ear. “We do this my way. Always my way.”

  She tensed, her muscles fluttering.

  “That’s it, baby. Let go.”

  She arched, her mouth open in a silent scream as she came. I tore her shirt open, sucking her tight nipple into my mouth right through her pretty pink lace lingerie. I bit down as she arched again, her body straining for more.

  I yanked down my sweats, my hard, aching cock springing free. I rolled on the condom, her eyes wild and watching, her breathing hard.

  “Oh God, you’re so big.” She moaned.

  “You want this, Deirdre? You need to tell me what you want. What you need.”

  “I need you to fuck me. Take away the ache with that huge cock of yours.”

  I stroked myself, pleased with her answer. “I’ll take away the ache, baby. I promise you that.”

  I buried myself in her. The entire world narrowed down to mind-blowing pleasure. She was hot, slick, and tight. She met my thrusts, matched my rhythm, driving me crazy with her mouth as she licked and nipped at my neck. I pumped steadily, gripping her hips hard, lost in the vortex we had created. Sweat pebbled around my scalp, and my back grew damp. I wrapped my arm around her waist, holding her tight as I fucked her with everything I had.

  “I’m going to come,” I groaned into her ear. “Let me feel you, baby. Take me with you.”

  Minutes later, she cried softly into my neck, her body locking down. I stiffened, letting my orgasm wash over me. Ecstasy raced through me as I shuddered, enveloped in her arms until I was done.

  I lifted my head, meeting her gaze, wondering what I would see. She grinned, sated and relaxed. “I don’t think Bentley would approve of what we did in his kitchen.”

  I grinned back; relieved she was still simply Dee. “I don’t think we should tell him.”

  “I don’t think we should tell him how you fucked me in my room later either.”

  I quirked an eyebrow at her. “Is that a fact?”

  “I think so.”

  I kissed her. “All right then.”

  My smile faltered as the memories grew dim. Whether I admitted it or not, my feelings for her had already started to grow even then.

  I was fucked right from the start.

  Maddox

  AIDEN STROLLED INTO my office, a file tucked under his arm, a box in one hand and coffees in the other. With a grin, he sank down in a chair across from my desk.

  “Hey, Mad Dog.”

  “Hey.”

  He opened the box with a flourish and handed me a cinnamon bun, one of my weaknesses. I took it with a shake of my head. “I think you keep the café downstairs in business.”

  He bit into his lemon Danish, chewing and swallowing. “They make amazing baked goods.” He handed me a coffee. “Sandy is out with Bentley, so I had to get creative.”

  I laughed at his statement. “You know as well as I do there is always coffee in the thermal pot.”

  He shook his head. “Nope. Reid pulled another all-nighter. He has the pot on his desk with a straw.” He rolled his eyes. “The kid is gonna be wired.”

  “In more ways than one. What’s he working on now?”

  “More Ridge Towers stuff. He’s full of ideas.”

  “He’s full of so
mething.” I sipped my coffee. “Where are Bent and Sandy?”

  “Looking at some houses with Van and Olivia.”

  I chuckled. “More flips?”

  “Yep.”

  Bentley still loved finding houses, fixing them up, and flipping them for a profit. We had a busy department dedicated to the endeavor. I had to admit, he knew what he was doing. He kept it small, hiring the best, and handpicked each project. Vince Morrison, or Van as we called him due to his incredible guitar-playing abilities, oversaw the construction, and Olivia Rourke handled all the design work. They each had their own team that worked well together. It was a profitable arm of the company.

  “How many?”

  “Two on the same street, both selling. Big places, in North York.”

  “Great. That’ll keep Van busy.”

  “Yep.” He leaned back with a yawn.

  “Tired? Your new wife wearing you out?”

  He smiled, glancing at his hand. His thick band caught the light, glinting brightly. It almost equaled the glint in his eyes and the brilliance of his smile. I realized it was the first time I had ever seen Aiden truly happy. It had taken him a long time to allow himself to feel that way.

  “We were sort of celebrating last night. You know, she’s all moved in, and yeah, I get to keep her.”

  I chuckled at his bashful remark. Something else new for Aiden.

  “Good for you, man.”

  “At least I have an excuse. You look exhausted.”

  I waved my hand, dismissing his words. “Headache. Nothing to worry about.”

  He frowned but didn’t respond. He finished his Danish, then relaxed into the chair.

  “She got a tattoo.”

  “Cami did?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Should I ask, or is it way more personal than I want to know?”

  He chuckled, tapping his arm. “She traced one of these red flowers and put it over her heart with my name on it. She said that way I knew I lived in her heart all the time.” He glanced at me with a shrug. “Cheesy, right?”