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He slid into bed beside her and took her in his arms. Automatically, she rolled into him and laid her head on his chest.
“You smell clean,” she murmured.
“You smell like sex, and it’s making me hard again.” Something that shouldn’t be physically possible.
“Sorry not sorry.”
He laughed and closed his eyes, trying not to think about the fact she was naked. That was fucking difficult with her soft satin skin brushing over every hypersensitive inch of him with every breath. “Sleep, honey.”
“I’d rather have you.”
He burned for her, too, but… “Without rest, you’ll be exhausted.”
As he flipped off the bedside light, she sighed and cuddled closer. “But you want more. You’re putting me first?”
“I always will.”
She softened against him. “I believe that. And if you knew me, you’d understand that’s a miracle.”
“What do you mean?”
“My relationship with my dad is great, so I don’t have daddy issues or anything. But every other man in my life…” She shook her head. “Liars, players, users. Before you, I’d given up on finding anyone.”
Matt’s throat tightened. He’d never taken any woman seriously because he’d refused to run the risk of one leaving him, like his mother left his father. And he’d been secure in the knowledge that he wasn’t a controlling bastard, like his father—until now. Where the fuck did that leave him? He didn’t want to ruin Madison’s psyche. She was fragile. But she scared him on every level.
He had to tread carefully.
“You’re beautiful, sweet, and special. Never let anyone make you feel like less.”
Against his chest, he felt her smile. “It’s at least a little bit my fault. I trust too much. I get attached too fast. I lose myself, and I don’t see the pitfalls until it’s too late.”
Her admission drove home the fact that he was all wrong for her. Dangerous. Toxic. Bad. He should back off.
Matt wasn’t sure he could.
She sighed. “And we’ve gone about everything backward. Sex before talking. Tell me how you are in relationships?”
“I can’t say. I’ve never really been attached.”
“Seriously? Why not? You’re amazing.”
How did he explain this without opening up about the subject he never discussed? “It’s complicated.”
She brushed a hand down his chest before settling it over his heart. “I won’t be able to sleep until you tell me. Maybe I can help.”
No one could. “It’s stuff that happened a million years ago.”
“But if it’s bothering you, it’s not a million years ago for you.”
True. Avoiding the truth had never helped much. Would unburdening?
Matt shuttled out a harsh breath and rolled to his back. “Did you notice the tattoo on my ribs?”
“And still I rise,” she quoted. “What made you choose that?”
“I got it the day after I turned eighteen. It was the ninth anniversary of my mother leaving.”
“She left you the day after you turned nine?”
