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Leaning down, he whispered, "Dancing." I sucked in a harsh breath as the heat of his breath fanned across my cheek, making me forget millions of people were watching us. His fingertips curled tighter into the bare flesh of my hips as he pulled me flush against him.
"Maddox," I whispered.
"Just move with me, Addy," he breathed against my throat as his hips swayed and his hands guided mine to follow his movements. We moved together, finding our own rhythm to the beat of the music. I let the heat of his body consume me as I melted into him. My eyes closed as my stomach fluttered, but when he pressed his lips to the nape of my neck, I jolted back to reality.
"Omigod," I whisper-breathed, pushing him back as my gaze snapped back to the iPad still rolling. Shit!
And then, as if my prayers were answered, the power flicked off, and we lost internet connection.
"What the hell was that?" I hissed, twisting around to see him standing right where I left him, masked in darkness. "Everyone saw that."
"I just asked you to dance." He shrugged. "There's no hiding the chemistry we have, Addison. I don't know why you're trying."
"This is work for me, Maddox," I muttered. "And it looks unprofessional. Everyone is going to think I sleep with everyone I interview now."
"Do you?" he asked.
"Fuck you," I growled, rearing my hand back to slap him, but I wasn't fast enough and he caught my wrist, jerking me into him.
"Then who fucking cares?" he growled against my lips as he pressed his face into mine.
My head felt heavy as his hot breath brushed across my lips as he held me in place. The room was thick with anticipation as the only sound was our labored breathing echoing through the silent house in the darkness.
"I want to kiss you," he purred.
"But you won't," I said.
"No," he said as his heavy breathing evened out. "Because I can't kiss you and not keep you."
"Maddox," I said as his grip loosened and he backed away.
"I'm going to bed," he said, cutting me off and twisting away from me.
Lightening flashed, and thunder shook the house.
"Maddox," I cried out. I hated storms. I hated being alone during them, but was it fair for me to ask him to come back?
"It's just a storm, Addy," he said from the doorway, a slight edge to his tone. "It will pass soon. Do you want a flashlight?"
"Uh," I stammered—another flash, this one closer, followed by floor-shaking thunder.
"Addy," Maddox said, his tone completely shifted. I could hear his concern laced in his words.
"I'm—" I started, but another flash and another loud boom made me choke on my words.
"You're scared of storms," he said more as a statement than a question. Swallowing hard, I shook my head, trying to hide it. Blowing out a heavy sigh, he strolled back to me. "Yes, you are. How did I not know this?" My gaze met his as I shrugged my shoulders.
"I'll be okay," I said.
"Come on." He smirked. "I'll protect you from the big bad thunder."
He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and led me into the living room before the sky parted and the rain fell. Maddox lit the candle on the coffee table in front of us.
"Are you cold?" he asked, sinking onto the couch beside me, but he didn't wait for me to answer as he ripped the grey throw blanket off the back of the couch and threw it over us.
"How long have you been scared of storms?" he asked after several minutes of silence. I shrugged. "Tell me."
Sucking in a deep breath, I blew it out slowly. "Since I was a little girl. My dad would tell me stories to distract me, and eventually, I would fall asleep. He would sleep on my bedroom floor if it stormed all night just in case I got scared again." I smiled at the memories. "The night he died, it was storming really bad, and I guess I blamed the storm for taking him from me."
