Page 81 of Slow Burn
"You drive me crazy," I rasped against her mouth, "batshit-I-can't-get-enough crazy."
Her tongue darted out, the tip slicking overmylips. "Is that a bad thing?"
"No."
I claimed her mouth in a punishing kiss then. One that had my blood boiling hot with need and my heart threatening to explode from the sheer pressure of what it was keeping inside.
Without breaking the kiss, I stepped out of the pants bunched at my ankles, hoisted her up and walked us over to the couch. Maddie was flat on her back with me grinding into her not even a minute later. It didn't matter that there were still layers of fabric separating us, my skin buzzed as if it was alive and on fire.
White-hot heat blazed through my veins giving my racing pulse a higher gear. As fantastic as that felt though, I still needed to feel her skin against mine. Reaching between us, I'd just slipped my fingers into the waistband of her leggings when she gently pushed at my shoulder.
"Let me do that."
I sat back on my heels; gaze fixed on her as she slipped of the couch. Steadily swaying side to side, Maddie shimmied out of her pants and underwear. Her eyes never left mine. Then she reached behind her to undo her lacy bra before tossing it at me.
I caught it easily. Lifting the material to my nose, I inhaled deeply and groaned. "Strawberries."
With quick movements, I lifted my shirt and tossed it aside before positioning myself at the edge of the couch. Hands parked behind me; I jerked my chin in her direction. "Hop on, baby."
Nibbling on her lip, she let her gaze slowly track down my body and as always with Maddie, there was no shame coating my skin. One heated look from her and it felt as if I could conquer the damn world.
Maddie moved closer. Placing her hands on my shoulders, she set her knees on either side of me andsteadily lowered herself. Her warmth wrapping around me with every inch she took.
I wanted to yell. To scream. To curse.
To beg every deity I could think of to give me more of her. Because I needed Maddie. And I needed her to need me as desperately as I did her. Needed her heart to match the crazy rhythm of mine.
For her to love me even if it was just a fraction of the depth of my feelings for her.
Slowly, steadily she began to move. Trailing my hands up her back, I curled my fingers over her shoulders. The tips digging hard into her impossibly soft skin.
Maddie's fingers speared through my hair. Tilting my head slightly, our eyes met. I would've needed to be blind to not recognize the emotion swirling around in those depths. And, shit, if that didn't have my heart expanding and flooding with hope.
Holding my gaze, she rocked her hips, up and down she went, at an impossibly slow pace. Movements that were meant to torture. To steadily drive me toward the brink before pulling back and doing it all over again.
I ducked my head and sucked her breast into my mouth. Eagerly. Hungrily. Clawing at her skin as I took my fill. In the space of a breath, our movements turned frantic. My hands shot to her hips, fingers digging into the skin below her hip bone. Faster and faster she rocked, the grunts and moans of our pleasure bouncing off the walls in a loud echo.
Every thrust, kiss, and lick felt like brutal strikes to my heart, forever branding me with the memory of this.Her. Us. The words I'd fought so hard to keep inside wanted out. But I wasn't sure if she was even remotely ready to hear them.
So instead of telling her how deeply I had fallen for her, I sank my teeth into her shoulder just as her world exploded. Lightning-fast I lifted my head and seeing her with her eyes closed, mouth agape riding the waves of ecstasy was what broke the dam for me.
I breathed out her name in a harsh whisper over and over again. The intensity of the moment, my feelings, so strong it felt as if it might split me in two.
There was no denying my life would forever, irrevocably be changed because of this woman.
Chests heaving, we fell back against the couch. When our breathing had leveled somewhat, Maddie turned sideways and pushed onto her elbow.
Unable to resist, I wrapped a few of her silky strands around my fingers. "You've brought so much joy back into my life, Maddie."
With a gentle touch, she splayed her fingers over my chest. Her gaze serious as it roamed over my face. "Can I ask you something?"
"Anything, baby. You can ask me anything."
She smiled at me then; big, bright, and beautiful. "It's my mom's fiftieth birthday party tomorrow. We're going all out." A little laugh bubbled over her lips. "Well, as much as we can at the community center. It's not going to be anything massive. Just the family and a few of Mom's friends." The hopeful smile tugging on her lips felt like a sucker punch to the balls.
In the silence that followed, tension knotted my gut. Before she even uttered the words, I knew what was coming. Knew I was about to break my girl's heart.
"Come with me? I want you to meet my family." She nibbled on her lips. "To introduce them to the man I—"
