Page 125 of Save Me

“Houston, we have a problem.” I stare at the bed, hands on my hips.

“Huh?” Maddox’s voice is muffled from inside the box he’s in.

I frown. Once we toured the house, we went to my storage unit and have been unpacking like chickens with our heads cut off, making this place feel like home. Our home.

Only, the bed doesn’t look right. I had a spare blue comforter that I threw on the bed after I threw away the one that witnessed the death–alleged death, as Dakota would say–but this one makes me want to rip it off and throw it in the garbage. It screams middle school comforter not two-grown-men-making-a-home-together-while-also-madly-in-love-also-we-definitely-make-love-in-this-bed. Or at least, I hope we will!

”What’s the problem?” Maddox appears beside me, wiping sweat off his upper lip. For a second, I’m transfixed looking at him. Fudge, he’s glistening with sweat, standing beside me, his veins popping from the work, and holy schnikey, I want him to jump my bones right now.

He smirks, catching me watching him. He’s loosened up a lot, even since getting in the house. I can see it in the relaxed set of his shoulders, and the smiles that look less guarded.

I shake my head. “The bed. It looks too…I don’t know, cheerful?” There’s just something off.

Maddox arches an eyebrow.

As I say it, I realize how stupid it sounds. I really need to work on the head-to-mouth filter, and suddenly it hits me–I miss the ugly hotel duvet he took my ass on.

My face flames.

“What?” Maddox doesn’t miss my mood shift, and now he’s fully facing me.

“Nothing,” I squeak. Although maybe he won’t notice if I go back and steal the duvet? He definitely won’t, right?

“Bullshit.” Maddox is right in front of me, examining my eyes like they hold the secret to how many licks it takes to get to the center of a lollipop. “What don’t you want to tell me?”

Because telling him would be admitting to the most disgusting love-sick stupidity ever, and Maddox doesn’t do disgusting love-sick stuff. “I uh…I thought I had more pillows,” I say, avoiding his gaze. “Must have been wrong.”

“Bullshit again.” Maddox grabs my chin, angling it up to his face. I avoid his eyes, looking at his lips. His soft lips. His kissable lips. The lips I want to bite.

My mouth starts watering.

Oh no! Eyes are a better option.

I glance up, and Maddox’s green eyes scan mine. For a second, I see just a hint of that old fear, and my stomach twists. Holy freak, he thinks it’s something bad.

“Iwanttostealthehotelduvet.” All my words rush out in a tumble, and I hold my breath, staring at him. His gaze darts between mine quickly, then he blinks.

“Sorry, once a life of crime, always a life of crime.” Fudge, his hand is so warm on my chin, and I wish he’d pull me in closer.

“Why?” Maddox asks slowly, not releasing me.

Ah, there’s the burning again, and there’s no hiding it this time; he probably sees and feels it. “I ahhh…it feels like home?”

“Is that a question you’re asking me or your final answer?” His fingers tighten just slightly.

The burning is so intense I may as well embarrass myself for life, and I close my eyes and blurt, “We had sex on it for the first time.”

For a second, there’s a pause, and in that pause, I squeeze my eyes shut. I wait and wait for him to laugh, but he doesn’t. Why isn’t he laughing? Oh crap, is it worse? Is he mad?

I peek my eyes open, and instead of anger, I see softness in his eyes. He looks between my eyes, down to my lips, then back up at my eyes. All the fear is gone, and his mouth tilts up in a smirk. “That’s the problem, huh?”

“I uh…yeah?” He’s okay with this? I know I’m being disgusting, and sappy crap isn’t for everyone.

Maddox releases me. “Get on the bed.”

I stare at him for a second. He just raises an eyebrow. “If that’s the problem, I have a solution. Now, are you going to obey?”

I’m on that bed at the speed of light. Call me Bolt with how fast I’m moving. I turn to face him, and Maddox is on top of me, pressing me back into the bed and kissing me. His lips are warm and soft, and his weight pins me to the bed. I part my lips on a groan, pleasure tingling up my body like fireworks. We kiss until I’m out of breath, and for a slight second, I pull back to suck in air. Maddox follows me, pressing his face to mine and kissing me like he can’t get enough.