Page 80 of Hungry Hearts

ELLA:*heart eyes emoji*

ME:*middle finger emoji*

I don’t blame the group for giving me a hard time. They’re right. I’ve kept Maia to myself for too long. There’s no denying we’re in a relationship, even if we haven’t said the words.

Still, with our schedules, our time together is limited, and I don’t want to overwhelm Ruby by bringing her into the mix or making Maia find a babysitter for her while we go out. I like our cozy evenings at her house. I only wish I could give her more than three a week.

Mondays are still my favorite days. Maia isn’t at the salon and I’ve been taking that day off. After she takes Ruby to school, I come over and we have a sexathon until we’re basically dehydrated and starving.

We make breakfast together, have more sex, shower, and then it’s time to get Rubes from school. We do the family dinner thing, sometimes she cooks—after she got over her insecurities of cooking for me. We play dolls, read books, and tuck the little princess in for the night.

Except for Wednesdays, since it’s my morning meeting with the aces, we meet for coffee after she drops off Ruby at school. I love starting my day with her, even if I’m bone ass tired from working late nights.

Drake had an emergency call with Hong Kong this morning and pushed our usual meeting to eleven. I’ll be there, but I’m taking advantage of the extra time and am going to see my girl.

My girl.Mygirls. It doesn’t freak me out even the littlest to call them that. Maia doesn’t know about the later meeting so I’m surprising her at her house. I texted her before I left to make sure she wasn’t heading into the salon early. I got us coffees and picked up extra donuts so Rubes can have one for an after-school snack. When I pull up to her house, I see she’s not alone. The familiar car raises the hair at the back of my neck.

I cross the front lawn with quick strides and jam my finger into the doorbell. She answers in her robe with a mug of coffee in her hand. I scowl over her shoulder at Dickhead, too comfortable in my woman’s house, especially this early in the morning.

“Ryder? What are you doing here?”

If she were any other woman, I’d question her first, accuse her of betrayal, but she’s Maia and I have no doubt this is all Dickhead Flynn’s doing.

Because I’m a pissed off angry alpha male, I tug her robe by the tie with my free hand so she’s snug against me and lower my mouth to hers, fucking her mouth with my tongue the way she likes. The way I like.

I take the kiss deep, tongue, teeth, moans. Hers and mine. After I know she’s good and flushed—and knowing Maia, soaking wet—I release her. “Morning, Angel.”

She opens her eyes, glazed over from the kiss, and gives me a throaty, “Morning.”

Still ignoring the fuckface standing behind her with an angry scowl, I walk through the house and set the coffee and drinks on the kitchen counter.

“This is a pleasant surprise,” she says, following me through the house.

“Drake pushed back the meeting. I would have been here earlier, but traffic was a bitch.”

“Nice mouth,” Fuckface says.

“Maia likes it.” I don’t miss her motherly sigh. “What’s he doing here?” I nod my head toward our intruder.

“Having coffee.”

I raise my brow and glance at him. “Why?”

“Because it’s his birthday and we haven’t spent much time together lately.”

“How sweet. I’ll keep him entertained while you get dressed.”

Maia glances down at her robe as if unaware she’s not wearing appropriate attire for entertaining a guest.

“Yeah. I should get ready for work.”

“Thanks for my birthday present, Maia.” Flynn has the nerve to step between Maia and me and hold her tight in an embrace. He drops a kiss to her cheek, still with his fucking arms around her, and says, “When your caveman gets over himself, the offer still stands for a double date. Maybe tonight?”

“That could work—”

“No. I promised Ruby I’d have chicken quesadillas ready for her when you two get home from dance class tonight. And you and I have an ice cream sundae date.”

Last night, during our nightly sexting, I told her Ruby could have a G-rated sundae and after we put her to bed, I’d show Maia exactly how and where I like my hot fudge and whipped cream.

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