AllFreeNovel
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“I’ll help you hide your involvement with the hotline if that’s what you want. But we need to find a different way for you to help these girls out to their cars.”
“Okay. I will try to think of something. I’ll also talk to my family so I can give you bits and pieces, but there is a limit as to what I’m willing to share, Penelope. And I have my reasons for that.”
“I understand. Just let me know when we get close to crossing that limit, and we can discuss how to move forward. Everyone has things they don’t want to share and talk about.”
“Like you?”
“What?”
He closes the distance between us again, and I stay firmly planted where I am as I wait to hear what he says next. “There’s something you’re not telling me, too.”
“I-I’m not ready, Maddox. Please...” I don’t want to get into this right now. This conversation is not appropriate to have where anyone could walk in at any moment. And after we just argued like that? The last thing I want to do is bring up my past and make this entire situation worse.
His brow furrows as he stares down at me, clearly frustrated but still showing me compassion. “Okay, but tell me this: Whenareyou going to tell me, Penelope? Because I feel like what you’re holding back is big... and I just need to know if it’s so big that you’re not willing to move past it.”
It suddenly feels hard to breathe. “It’s... complicated, Maddox. But I am trying to work past it.”
No, you’re not. Why haven’t you called the grief counselor then, Penelope?
“I hope so. I don’t want there to be things between us, sweetheart.” He takes another step toward me, reaching out to cup my face. “Like secrets... or clothes.”
My body is primed just from his touch. “Clothes?”
Leaning forward, he runs his nose along my jaw, making my breath hitch. “Yeah, Pen. Clothes. Did you wear this dress on purpose today, to make me crazy?”
His hands encircle my hips, which are covered by the teal dress I chose this morning, before he pulls me into his chest. And the rational concern I had before about someone walking in on us goes out the window in a flash. “Maybe...”
“And was your intention to walk in on me naked?”
“No, it just ended up being an added bonus.”
“You weren’t looking at any other dicks as you walked through the locker room, were you, Penelope?”
I bite my lip. “Two months ago, I would have been all over that. But now...”
“Now what?”
I lean back and stare into his eyes. “Now the only dick I care to see is yours, Maddox. And believe me, you should definitely take that as a compliment.”
“I could take that comment one of two ways, but I’m going to choose to focus on the fact that my dick is your favorite one now.”
“Good choice. Now, if you’ll allow me to get back to doing my job, I would appreciate it.”
“Great. But first, you need to stop talking and kiss me.”
“Maddox, we can’t.”
“I’m not taking no for an answer, Penelope. I feel like we just had our first big fight, and now I need to remind you that you’re the only woman I want, the only one who makes me irrational and so fucking needy that I can’t wait to remind you of why I couldn’t let you go when I saw you again.”
I roll my eyes playfully even though I’m only a few seconds away from pushing him down on the chair behind me and straddling him like one of those mechanical bull rides.
And just so you know, I never get bucked off of those.
I reach down and cup him through his shorts, suddenly throwing all of my caution to the wind. “Why do we have to wait? You could come over tonight, you know.”
“Jesus, woman. If you don’t stop, I’m gonna take you over this table right now. Just give me your lips.”
I laugh and move my hand away from his junk. “Fine, but make it—” I don’t even get to finish my sentence before Maddox’s lips are on mine and we’re both moaning out loud.
