Page 13 of The Sicilian Princess
"I'm Maddox." He shook my hand and ordered himself a coffee.
"Nice to meet you."
He grinned at me. "It sure is. So, how are things with my grumpy best friend Nick?"
As soon as he asked that, the pieces clicked in place. He was the guy who was eating with Nick that day. He was always hanging around the diner.
"It's all right, I guess," I mumbled. I didn't really want to talk about Nick. It was bad enough, Amber had come into my place of work trying to stake a claim on a man who clearly didn't want her anymore. I didn't want to deal with any more drama.
"For what it's worth, Amber was never really with Nick." He stole a fry off my plate, and I was contemplating stabbing him in the hand. I didn't share food, not with anyone. It was too good to share.
"Don't do that again," I warned.
Maddox smiled even wider. "Or what?" Clearly, he wasn't intimidated by me.
"I'll gut you like a fish."
Maddox threw his head back and let out the loudest laugh I had ever heard. He slapped his knee like it was the funniest joke in the world. People were looking and I could feel myself turning red.
"I needed that," he said after calming down. Took him a full five minutes to stop laughing at me and I was certain he was still laughing on the inside.
"It wasn't a joke," I grumbled, shoving a fry in my mouth.
"You're going to do just fine, little thorn." With that cryptic remark, he left me to finish my lunch.
A little later in my shift, I realized I didn't correct Maddox calling me little thorn. That was the worst nickname on the face of the planet. It didn't give me butterflies like when Nick said it to me. For some reason, everything he said to me sounded like a dirty proposition. As if I had conjured him, Nick waltzed into the diner, looking left and right until his eyes fell on me. He wore a sexy grin, and all I could think about was what he would look like with that grin and nothing else on, although he had the cowboy vibe down.
"Ready to go, little thorn?" Nick's hand went to my lower back as he led me to the employee break room. I knew I should throw him off me, but damn, did it feel good. I couldn't think back to the last time a man touched me like he did.
"Shouldn't I say something to Haley?" I grabbed my stuff.
"She already knows."
He was so highhanded. He steered me to his truck and, as was his way, helped me in. I should really be protesting the way he just took over for me. I could take care of myself. I could also get in his truck by myself. He didn't even need to pick me up. I could've walked. I wasn't someone who couldn't fend for herself. Before I could start an argument with him, he grabbed my hand and held it in his, effectively stopping any thoughts I had in my brain.
As he drove, he asked me about my day. I told him all about the mundane things I had done. He praised me for doing well. It felt intimate. I liked it. When we pulled into the motel, he let out a loud sigh. I was going to ask him what was wrong, but he was out of the vehicle before I could. He helped me out, as usual, but before I could pull away, Nick pushed me gently against the passenger door of his truck. He bent his head, his eyes locked on my lips. Then his mouth was on mine. I wasn't even shocked. This pull we had, began from the moment I passed out in the diner. It was only getting worse as time flew by. Nick wrapped his hands around my ass and lifted me. I clung to him like a monkey, and when his hard length rubbed against my jean-clad mound, I moaned, granting him access to my tongue. He sucked it, and I knew he was going to be great at giving head.
"Little thorn," he groaned against my lips. His mouth trailed down as he placed kisses all over my neck. I was writhing over him, not caring that we were in a parking lot where anyone could see us. Nick was grinding on me and sucking my flesh. I knew I was going to have a hickey. He pulled away and laid his forehead on mine. We both were panting. He gently slid me down his body and grabbed my hand. Then he dragged me to my room, and I thought this was it. We were going to fuck. No such luck. After opening the door, he placed a sweet kiss on my lips and then abruptly left. I sank onto the bed, touching my fingers to my swollen lips and wondering what the hell just happened.
