Page 87 of Pucking Grey

Ryan widens his arms. “Everyone is welcome to sleep here.”

The crowd of guys appreciate the offer from Ryan, but really, I feel the guy staring at me, and I’m wondering if he’s trying to tell me to stay the night here.

Maddie keeps her hands around my neck as she turns to Ryan, “Thanks, Ry, but we’re gonna get going. I have homework and chores to do in the morning.” When she turns to me, her face is right in mine. “Ready?”

The butterflies in my stomach begin as I look into her eyes. I’m still not used to the brown hair either. She’s drop-dead gorgeous. Jesus Christ. I nod, staring into her tired blue eyes. “Let’s get you home.”

She doesn’t move off my lap, so I stand with her in my arms. She chuckles into my neck as everyone watches. Everyone’s like a deer in the headlights. Yeah, I got the girl. Even Matt can’t pull his eyes away from us. She drops her feet on the ground and then we tell everyone good night.

Her dad and Ryan walk us out to my truck.

“Drive careful,” her dad says to me.

I nod as I open the door for her. She smiles at her dad and Ryan after she gets in the passenger seat.

Ryan says to Maddie, “Text me when you get home so that I know you made it.”

I hop into the driver’s seat and start the truck.

Ryan and her dad glare at me.

“I appreciate you taking care of my girl,” her dad says to me.

I look over at Maddie and nod at her dad.

Ryan says, “We know what you’re doing. Just don’t fuck it up.”

I nod. “You don’t have to worry about that.”

Ryan says, “If Maddie trusts you, then we do too.”

“Thank you.”

Ryan taps the truck. “Good night.”

I reverse down the driveway. Maddie is smiling and waving at them. When the truck is turned around and driving forward, Maddie starts laughing.

“I’m so sorry,” she laughs. “I’m sorry you had to deal with that.”

I shrug. “You guys are close. I don’t mind.”

“You don’t? I thought you’d be uncomfortable.”

“Oh, I was uncomfortable,” I confess.

She giggles, and I appreciate that.

I run a hand through my hair and say, “Pretty uncomfortable.” I reach for her. “But we’re not faking it anymore, are we?”

She blushes under the dim light and grabs my fingers.

I observe her face as I drive slowly out of the driveway, excited to start this three-hour drive with her. “We’re friends with benefits now?”

She throws her head back and laughs. God, I want to grab her and kiss her.

I squeeze her and say, “To finish the conversation from earlier, I don’t want to be friends with benefits, okay? I’m done being that guy.”

She slowly simmers down until only the radio is playing. “You swear I’m not just some fun fling you get to flaunt in Matt’s face?”

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