Page 55 of Skin In the Game (The BlackWater)

Cole stood beside Maddie in the lift and she figured he was making sure she got in safe.

“We’ve changed the locks. Again. Just as a precaution.” He said as he opened the door and she nodded.

She walked in not looking at him then. She felt drained, angry, and she needed to wash all the dirt off herself.

He put the keys on the side and she glanced at them before looking back at him. He had an expression she couldn’t read and she looked away, slipping his jacket from her and laying it on the counter before walking off to take a shower, figuring he could show himself out.

She let the hot water run over her, taking her time to scrub not only the dirt but remnants of that arsehole from her too. Her hair felt matted and filthy and she washed it before combing through the conditioner to get the knots out.

When she was done she got out, towel dried the majority of her hair, pulled on some clean knickers and a tank top and went to get a drink because god knows she deserved it after the day she’d had.

She walked into the kitchen and froze. He was still there. He’d taken his shoes off, pulled his sleeves up and poured himself a glass of wine like he owned the place. He looked her up and down, taking in the black underwear, the black tank top and the fact that she was braless too.

Fuck, she thought, staring right back at him and feeling something she’d not felt in a long time. Butterflies.

“Why are you still here?” She asked and he smirked.

“I thought you might want the company.” He said.

She sighed, walking over to grab the bottle beside him, throwing him a look and pouring her own glass. He watched her, his eyes scanning from her face down to her arse as she stood beside him.

She took a sip of wine then put it down and sat up on the island across from where he stood watching him now too. Somehow it felt safer up there, more in control because at least this way she was almost eye level with him now. Almost.

“Is that what you’re doing then, keeping me company?” She quipped.

He smirked again before walking up to her. She felt herself take a small intake of breath and her heart started racing. He put his hands on her thighs, pulling her slightly towards him. Her arse gliding across the polished marble.

“What are you doing?” She asked him quietly.

“Shut up.” He ordered and she narrowed her eyes.

“Don’t...” She began but he put his hand over her mouth to silence her.

“Stop fighting this. Stop fighting me.”

She glared at him, part of her wanted to push him off, to show him she was in charge, not him, but the other part couldn’t take her eyes from him, couldn’t stop thinking about his hand on her and where else he might touch her.

“You want this as much as me.” He stated and she shook her head.

He smirked. “I can see it in your face, in your body too.”

She swallowed not wanting to look down, not wanting to acknowledge that her heart was already racing at the thought of him just being there, at the thought of him just with his hand on her thigh.

He grabbed a fistful of her hair, yanking her head back hard with it. “Tell me you don’t then. Tell me, Maddie.” He said and she gasped before she could stop herself.

He let go of her hair but she kept her head almost exactly where it was, where he had put it and he ran his hand back over her legs.

She felt her mouth open, her eyebrows raising and she knew even then that she was wet already. He pushed her legs apart and she let him. And then he slipped his fingers under her underwear, under the fabric. She moaned then. A tiny, barely audible moan but he heard it. He touched her, his finger stroking right down her and she shuddered despite herself.

“You like that?” He asked his face watching her. His eyes focused on her. She stared right back still. She could see his eyes darkening, his lips looked so fucking good.

She bit her own, trying to control the urge to just lunge at him. He plunged two fingers in. Not far, barely to the first knuckle and it took all her strength not to make a sound but he could already hear from her breathing the effect he was having on her.

“You want me to touch you. You want me admit it.” He said and she swallowed. His fingers still hadn’t moved, was still just inside her. Just infuriatingly on the tip of her. “Say it Maddie. Say it.” He ordered.

“Deeper.” Was all she could say and he smirked before thrusting hard into her. She threw her head back, groaning loudly as wrapped his other hand around her waist and pulled her closer to him.

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