“W-Wait,” I said, a bit breathless. “I thought you didn’t do this sort of thing.”
“I don’t.”
“I’m confused. You said it was too much of a distraction.”
Maddox grabbed hold of my chin. “Oh, you are.” He ghosted his lips across mine. “Yet, it is a distraction I welcome in this moment. So silence that mouth, and use it to kiss me instead.”
I couldn’t argue with that reasoning. The man had been wounded by a damn demonic beast. If I could help him, why not? Kissing him was heroic. For the good of the kingdom.
I’m so full of shit.
Our lips pressed back together, soft and hesitant at first, as though we were both familiarizing ourselves with the shape and feel of the other’s lips. He soon deepened the kiss. My skin tingled from where Maddox touched me—my nape that he had in a firm hold and my waist where he’d wrapped an arm around me to draw me in closer.
“Your wound,” I said as he pulled me on top of him.
“Doesn’t hurt,” he said between more kisses. His lips moved from my mouth and trailed down my neck, causing electric pulses in my veins. His strong arms tightened around me as he found the weak spot at the base of my throat and lightly sucked.
“Ah, fuck.” I felt so hot, like I would explode any second. My neglected libido was up and running at full speed, desperate for some action that involved more than my hand and the weak orgasms I reached using my tried-but-true collection of spank-bank material.
I cupped the back of his head, digging my fingers in the short strands of his hair. I felt him smile against my neck before he sucked harder. I tried to hold back a moan, and it came out as more of a squeak. Maybe exploding wouldn’t have been so bad right then. It would’ve at least gotten me out of that embarrassing moment where my little squeak was still echoing in my memory. Probably in his too.
“Adorable,” Maddox said as he nuzzled my neck. “Let me hear it again.”
“I don’t squeak on command.”
“Is that so?” He lightly grazed his teeth across the same sweet spot on my throat. His big hands moved to my ass and gently squeezed before he yanked me forward, positioning my thighs on each side of him. And when he lifted his hips, grinding his hard bulge against me, he got his wish. The squeaking commenced.
“Stop,” I said, fighting a smile. “We aren’t the only ones in the room, you inconsiderate ass. I’m sure your men don’t want to be woken by our groans as we rut against each other.”
“It would be quite the shock for them.” Maddox nipped at my jaw. “And did you just call me an ass?” He ground his hips up into me again, harder this time.
But then he winced.
“I told you.” I pulled back to look at him. “You hurt yourself, didn’t you?”
He stared up at me with a defiant look in his eyes. God. He even madethatlook good.
“Stubborn.” I shook my head. “Just like I said you were.” The reality of the situation then sunk in. I was straddling Maddox, our lips swollen from sucking face. The same Maddox who bossed me around, made me clean the stables, and who I’d thought hated me. “Why did you kiss me? You wanted a distraction, but whyme?”
“Because.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“You want to know? Truly?” Maddox slid his hands up my spine. “When I was attacked, you appeared in my mind. I thought of your rambling mouth, sass, and your inability to walk on flat ground without tripping over yourself. I thought of your deep green eyes and the light dusting of freckles on your nose. I’m uncertain as to why I can’t get you out of my head, Evan, but those thoughts of you lit a fire in my heart and gave me the strength to make it home.”
“We only met three days ago,” I whispered.
“Yet, it feels like much longer.”
Honestly? It did for me too. Like my mind might not have known him… but my heart did.
I swallowed the sudden tightness in my throat. “You should get some rest. The elixir works better if you’re asleep. That’s what Briar said.”
Maddox stared at me for several seconds before giving a small nod of his head. I could practically see the walls lifting again around him, shoving any emotion behind a mask of indifference. “You should rest as well.”
I slid off his lap, being careful of his injuries. “Well, um. Good night. I guess.”
Why was this so awkward?
