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Maddox and I worked quietly. He didn’t try to speak to me again, and I wasn’t interested in holding a conversation either. The silence was tense and heavy, like an impending thunderstorm looming over our heads, dark and cloudy. An hour later, the storage room was somewhat organized, and all the boxes, old and new, had been put away on their designated shelves.
Lifting one last box, my arms trembled under the weight, but I still pushed it above my head, reaching for the rack. Except, the box was too heavy, the shelf was too high, and I was too short to reach it even with me balancing on my toes.
Damn it.
I cursed under my breath when the box started to wobble in my hands and a surprised shriek came from me when I could feel it tilting back over my head. The box was going to fall, and I didn’t have the strength to keep hold of it.
But before it could slip through my fingers, another pair of hands grabbed the box.
“I got it.” His whisper crept along my neck. “You can let go.”
I did, and he pushed the box onto the shelf with ease. Maddox was too close, and I didn’t like it. Maddox obviously didn’t understand the meaning of personal space. His mere presence annoyed me, and having him this close, had me on edge. I wasn’t sure why, but everything about Maddox just made me feel… irritated.
I was still thankful he saved the box, though, so I uttered a quick thank you as my arms fell down to my sides.
His breath was hot on my skin as he pressed closer, barely touching me. I slid away from under his arms before turning to face him. His gaze moved up and down my body, and the burning intensity of his eyes urged me to cross my arms over my chest.
“You’re tiny,” he grunted.
I hissed under my breath. He insulted my boobs the first time we met and now he had to make me feel small. “I’m not. I’m five foot two.”
He let out a scoff. “And I’m six foot three. A whole head taller than you. You’re literally bite-sized.”
“You’re just a giant, not average.”
His crooked smile should have warned me of what was coming. “You’re right. I’m far from average, Sweet Cheeks.”
Yep, I walked right into that one.
“Wanna see for yourself?” he asked with no shame.
“Keep your dick in your pants and keep your hands to yourself,” I warned. Stalking past him, I took the broom and started sweeping the storage room. I expected him to leave now that we were done putting away all the inventory but that wasn’t the case.
He leaned against the wall opposite to me, making himself comfortable. Maddox took a small box of cigarettes from his pocket.
My voice was sharp when I spoke, “You’re not allowed to smoke in here.”
Maddox made a derisive sound in the back of his throat as he flipped the tiny box over his fingers and around in his hand. “I won’t disrespect your grandparents like that. I’m just checking how many I have left.”
I could almost hear his unsaid words. Stop assuming the worst of me, Lila.
Ignoring the silent jab, I continued with my sweeping. Even with me not looking at him, I could feel his stare burning into the back of my head. He was staring hard.
Maddox stalked me with his eyes, and I didn’t like how he could make me feel… small.
“So, are we not going to talk about the elephant in the room?
“What elephant?” I grumbled, distracted.
“The hard-on you gave me two days ago.”
Oh. I had been trying to forget all about that night, but he had to bring it up. Of course, since I left him dumbfounded. Not a lot of people has the chance to push back on Maddox. I gave him a taste of his own medicine, and he obviously didn’t like it.
I stopped sweeping and held the broom up, leaning my arm on it. “Oh that. Did the cold shower help?”
“It didn’t. I had to use my hand.” If I didn’t know better, I’d say there was a note of petulance in his voice.
“I didn’t need to know that.”
He shrugged, quite nonchalantly. “You asked, I answered. Can I borrow your hand next time though?”
Oh, for fuck’s sake. “That’s going to be a no, Coulter.”
His lips twitched, and I almost rolled my eyes. “You’re boring, Garcia,” he taunted once again.
“I’d rather be boring than be your next hookup.”
Anything was better than being his next meal. To put it simply, Maddox was a lion – it was quite easy to see the resemblance. When given meat, lions pounce without a second thought. They devour their meal, messy and savagely. Once they’re done, they spit out the bones, belly full, and walk away.
That was Maddox.
