Page 80 of Cadence
She grins, curling onto her side to face me. “That good, huh?”
“Your pussy should come with a warning label.”
That makes her laugh again as she lies flat on her back, the sound smug and far too satisfied for someone who just destroyed my ability to walk straight.
“Guess I’m better at riding than I thought,” she mutters, biting her lip.
“Yeah?” I rasp. “No shit.”
She sighs, glancing at me again. “You okay?”
I nod, but it’s not convincing. Not even close. I’m wrecked. Not just from the sight of her above me, wild and completely fucking unreal… But fromherin general.
Fingers find mine in the space between us as she links them together. No pressure. Just connection.
Just her.
And fuck, I want to stay. I want to roll her under me, get drunk on her skin, and do it all over again.
But I can’t.
I sit up slowly, dragging a hand down my face.
“I should go,” I mutter, though I don’t move.
She pushes onto one elbow, those blue eyes searching mine. “You can stay…if you want.”
But we both know I won’t. I reach out and tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, tracing the line of her jaw. Then I kiss her, slow and quiet and stupid with meaning, like maybe it can say things I won’t.
Breaking away, I slide from the bed, grabbing my shirt and tugging it over my head as I move to the door. My hand curls around the handle, and I glance back at the beautiful woman lying in the center of the bed, skin flushed, lips parted, eyes fixed on me.
And I know, with a bone-deep certainty, this won’t be the last time. Because I’ve stopped looking for loopholes. Next time? I won’t be hiding behind any excuses.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Paige
“‘It’sNotOver,’”Isay, doubling down and placing my hands on my hips.
“‘Priceless,’” Maddox fires back in challenge, stepping toward me.
I swallow hard, biting back my annoyance. “Are you for real? ‘It’s Not Over’ would kill being played after ‘Always Attract.’ It would lift the whole second half of the set.”
“It slows the pacing,” he counters, closing in until he’s all I can see, clouding my head like he always does. “The lyrics are too moody. We’ll lose the crowd; that’s why it has to be ‘Priceless.’”
“Wearethe crowd,” I snap, pushing him back, needing the space to argue. “We’re the ones building the ride. Each song’s a twist or a drop—”
His eyebrows arch. “It’s a set list, not a ride at fucking Disneyland.”
“You’re insufferable,” I growl. “Of course it’s a roller coaster, you dumbass. Music resonates. It makes peoplefeelthings, the highs, the lows…” I glance at Beau and Eli for help. “You guys agree with me, right?”
Beau takes a slow step back. “Not getting involved.”
Eli grins, looking between us. “I mean…keep going. I like it when you two fight. It’s kinda hot.”
“Shut up, Eli,” we both snap in unison.
Heat rises up my neck as I watch the twitch of Maddox’s jaw, that cocky little smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.
