Page 80 of Slow Burn
I hugged him right back. "Love you too, Dad," I croaked out between sobs.
We probably looked a picture. Both of us sitting in the middle of the floor, crying our eyes out. I didn't care, though. Because there was absolutely nothing in the world that could bring me down after this.
34
ADAM
Who knew seeing a little blue Prius rolling to a stop could put a big smile on my face? It was also entirely possible that the sappy-ass grin I was sporting had nothing to do with the car but rather the woman driving it.
Until the door swung open and she stepped out.
I set Sheldon down and got up from where I was sitting on her front porch step and hurried over to Maddie. Her eyes were somewhat swollen, her nose red, her cheeks blotchy. She'd been crying. And so help me, if I found the person who'd hurt her,theywere going to hurt.
She didn't have time to shut the door before I held her face in my hands. "Baby, what happened?"
My brow furrowed when Maddie's mouth curved upward, her eyes sparkling with unfiltered happiness. "Something wonderful." When I just kept staring at her, she laughed. "Let's go inside and I'll tell you all about it."
Hand in hand, we headed into the house while Maddie fervently tried to fill me in on how her father had finally given her something she'd craved since she'd been a little girl. The more she talked, the more her features lit up. Warmth seeped into my pores and coated my insides with happiness…for her.
Because of her.
I didn't know the entire story when it came to her parents, but from the little I did know, I understood how important the moment with her father had been. And hell, if she didn't deserve it.
We were standing in the kitchen where Maddie was scooping dog food into Sheldon's bowl. I waited until she set it in front of him before I took her in my arms and held her close. Resting my chin on top of her head, I marveled at how well we fit together. Like she was made just for me.
Maddie tilted her head back, training those whiskey eyes straight at my soul. "Today has been amazing," she admitted quietly, "and it just got better."
There were some pretty powerful words stuck in my throat. But instead of voicing them, I touched my lips to hers. Every brush of my mouth, swipe of my tongue, filled with everything I felt for this woman.
She'd found me at my lowest low when all hope had been abandoned and there was nothing left. Without even realizing, she'd reached in and pulled me from the darkness that had swallowed me whole.
She'd saved me when I'd believed I was unsavable. Taught me to love not only someone else but myself too. There weren't enough words to even attempt to confess to her what she meant to me.
So I kissed her harder instead.
Her hands swept up over my shoulders, fingers spearing into my hair. With a tilt of my head, I deepened the kiss, greedily taking everything she gave me. Downand down I dragged my hands, hoisting her up the instant my fingers dug into her waist.
I lifted her onto the counter and stepped forward as she wrapped her legs around me. Trading her mouth for her throat, I nipped and licked my way along her satiny skin while my fingers found the hem of her shirt.
In one quick move, I tugged it over her head and tossed it to the floor, my lips immediately latching onto the newly exposed skin. I kissed a hot path along her collarbone and down over the swell of her breast. Following the line of her bra with my nose, I took a deep breath and smiled against her skin.
I loved how she always smelled like fucking strawberries.
My tongue touched a lace-covered tip; swirling, licking, teasing at the same time as I worked my fingers up the inside of her thigh. But instead of arching into me, Maddie flattened her palms against my chest and shoved me backward.
"Not so fast," she purred, hopping off the counter. Standing right in front of me, she curled her fingers around the waistband of my jeans and tugged my hips closer. "Why do you always get to have all the fun?"
Holding my gaze, Maddie slowly dropped to her knees while her nimble little fingers worked on my button and zipper. Gripping the material in her fists, she peered up at me, smile all sugary sweet.
But it was the look of pure sin shining bright in her eyes that nearly did me in. In one quick move, she yanked my pants to my ankles and skimmed her palms up mylegs. With her hands resting on my thighs, she slicked her tongue over her lips before curling her fingers around my twitching hard-on.
Nothing, not a single thing on this planet could have prepared me for the moment she sucked me into her hot little mouth.
"Shiiiit," I groaned, my hand immediately sliding into her hair, fingertips digging into her scalp. "That feels so damn good, baby."
Maddie hummed, the vibrations of that erotic little sound pushing my hips forward. My grip on her hair tightened, desperately needing her to stay right there a little longer. And Maddie, well, she didn't let up. Using her hand and mouth, she pushed me further and further until I was about two seconds away from exploding. But as always, I wanted to be buried deep inside her when I came.
Hooking my fingers under her arms, I yanked her up with a hard tug. My hand found hair again, wrapping it tightly around my fist. I pulled her face to mine, our lips barely a breath apart.
