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Madison
“Good morning, sleepy head,” Madison said with a smile, as Matt emerged shirtless from the hallway. Barefoot, and in only his slacks, he looked groggy and sluggish. He had bed head—as much as he could with such a close buzz cut—and his cheeks were rosy. And yet the man still looked hot.
“Hey, sugar. G’morning to you.” A half smile pulled at the side of his mouth as he pulled on his dress shirt. But he left the shirt unbuttoned, and it hung open, leaving his muscular pecs exposed.
Madison poured him a cup of coffee and sat it on the kitchen table, nodding to it. “Did you sleep okay?”
Matt sat down at the table, grasped the coffee mug in his hands, but continued watching her. “I did. Except when I woke up at one point and had no idea where I was.” He chuckled before taking a long sip of his coffee, and even though his gaze was still on her, he seemed to be enjoying the hot liquid.
Butterflies danced in her stomach, as she poured her own coffee and joined him at the table. Clearing her throat, she did her best to sound calm, cool, and collected. Because she was that girl. She was not the giggling wreck of a fangirl that she currently felt inside, as she tried hard not to stare at his hard, shapely chest. “Yeah? I assume you figured it out?”
Madison took a sip of the hot coffee while she did her best to settle the geeked-out schoolgirl that hid inside her. This was a highly unusual reaction for her, but she didn’t hate it.
Matt nodded slowly. “I did. I got up and looked around. This old melon isn’t as quick as it used to be. Once I saw a few photos of you, it all came back to me. Then I settled in for more sleep. That’s when I realized it was a good thing that we didn’t have practice today.”
“Yeah, I’d bet you’re still way too sore, and you should be icing those muscles anyway. I told you last night, I’d like to work on you again this morning. I think once I loosen you up, you’ll feel much better.”
“Here?” Matt looked around the room from over his mug.
Madison shrugged. “Yeah, why not?”
“I thought you worked today. You wanted me to go in to the office this morning.”
“I was supposed to. But you were my only morning appointment, and since you’re here, I can do that, well... here.” Madison nervously tossed her long, wavy hair over her shoulder.
“Okay, I guess. As long as it’s not messing up your day.” Matt winced as he stretched his neck.
“There’re two other therapists in the office. Believe me, they’ll be fine.”
Matt smirked. “Just remember that I was coerced into staying the night.”
“Please. You didn’t put up much of a fight. You were already half asleep.” Madison pushed her chair back and drank the last sip of her coffee before she stood up behind Matt’s chair. “Now hush and just relax. This won’t be as efficient as having you lie down on the massage table, but it’ll loosen these shoulders up a little for now.”
Madison slid her hands under his collar and started to rub his bad shoulder. When she dug in with her thumbs, she felt him cringe, but she only let up a bit on the pressure, while continuing to knead the sore spot. His shoulder was so tight.
He had a few knots that needed her attention, but this was an odd angle to be working from. Madison leaned against Matt’s chair, the weight of her body pressing against his warm back as she did her best to really dig in and work on his shoulder. She bent forward, putting pressure on a few of those knots.
Her hair had fallen over her shoulder and down against Matt’s neck. He moved to brush her hair out of his way, and his rough hand brushed against hers.
Matt tried to slide her falling locks behind her ear, and in the same movement, he took her jaw in his palm and pulled his lips to hers.
Before she could even register surprise at his actions, the warmth of his mouth moving against hers sent shockwaves of heat surging through her body. His large hand helped aid an otherwise uncomfortable position, as their tongues twisted and danced together.
When she finally pulled away to come up for a breath, reality hit her.
She took a hasty step back. “Um, Matt, I’m not sure...” She shook her head as if it would help to convince her of her own words. “We shouldn’t.”
“It wasn’t so good, huh?” Matt joked, helping to lighten the mood.
Madison slapped him lightly on the arm. “You know that’s not true.”
“Right. But why, then?” Matt looked down at the table as she paused, not answering.
“Because... I don’t know. It just... We’re friends.” She took another step backwards and put her finger up. “Excuse me, for just a minute. I’ll be right back.” Madison noted the confused look on Matt’s face, as she quickly left the kitchen, and locked herself in the bathroom. She had to think. And she couldn’t do that with Matt staring at her for an answer. An answer that she didn’t know herself.
Looking in the mirror, she questioned everything. Matt made her happy. She was always smiling when she was with him. She wanted to help him and be there for him, which meant she cared for him. Looking at his body caused amazing things to happen inside her. And she had wanted that kiss, no doubt about it.
That was why they couldn’t do this. She wanted something to happen so bad, but if he didn’t see this as anything more than a roll in the hay, it would crush her. Then where would their friendship be?
Madison knew in her heart how she felt about Matt. She’d never want to ruin their friendship, but that kiss... Her heart was still racing because of it. She’d been waiting for that since they’d met. She touched her fingers to her lips, thinking of his lips moving against hers.
Taking a deep breath, she shook off her raw emotions. She walked, tall and confident, into the kitchen. “I think we should get you on the massage table and work out those muscles.”
“What?” Matt asked, obviously confused. “Don’t you think we should talk about what just happened?”
She wanted nothing more than to talk about it. But knowing where they stood might hurt her more than not talking about it at all. “I’d like to do your hour massage. C’mon.” Madison turned around and waved him into the den, hoping he’d follow. She felt like she was barking out orders, but she was lacking control of her emotions at that moment. “Get comfy. Take off your shirt and lie face down.”
Turning around to see if he was listening, she was suddenly face to face with Matt and his amazing, shirtless body. She swallowed hard and tried to keep hold of her composure, as her gaze wandered over the planes of his chest. His devilish grin wasn’t helping matters, and it was apparent that he knew that. But once he lay face down on the massage table, she closed her eyes for a second to catch her breath. That grin of his always made her knees weak.
She went to work on his shoulder, her hands gliding over his skin. As she used her thumbs to work out various knots, she couldn’t help but admire his physique. Her brain wandered, as she put pressure on a trigger point. His body clenched, then slowly relaxed as she worked out the tension.
She’d had these feelings for him for a long time, but spending half her time with him professionally, while he lay face down, allowed her to have those feelings and not act on them. Also, when she was working on him, he wasn’t able to see her reactions to him, so nothing ever came of it. But since she’d been seeing him more outside of work, all that had changed, and in a good way.
Their first, brief kiss, she’d explained away as between friends. Their almost kiss made her believe he was attracted to her as more than a friend, and opened the door a crack, to the possibility of something more. But this kiss wasn’t friendly. It was hot and had her pulse racing. That door was flung wide open. Yet, now that unspoken line between them had been crossed, she didn’t know how to act.
Over an hour later, normally her hands were screaming at her, but not this time. Maybe getting to stare at his rippling muscles was consolation for the long workout for her fingers.
Checking the timer, she said, “Well, that’s an hour.”
Madison grabbed a towel and wiped the massage gel off his back and then off her hands. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Matt swing his legs over the side of the table. As she looked up, still trying to get all the gel off of her hands, Matt gently took her face in his hands and pressed his lips against hers again.
His scent of soap and something else masculine infiltrated her senses. It was almost intoxicating. Madison struggled to catch her breath. Her brain cautioned her against taking the risk, that this might be nothing more than the meaningless fun he has with all the bunnies. But she wasn’t a bunny, and Matt knew that.
She reached up to brace herself against his chest as he deepened the kiss, and she couldn’t help but return it just as fiercely. She didn’t try to pull away or fight it. In her heart, she knew that this was right.
Coming up for air, Matt whispered against her lips. “I thought you said this couldn’t happen.”
“I did,” Madison said, as Matt’s mouth covered hers again, taking her breath away.
His lips were hot, as they moved against hers. His rough hand caressed her cheek. It was as if, when he was kissing her, she had no barriers and no worries. Everything just fell into place. Every feeling that ran through her body told her this was perfect, that he was perfect.
Madison finally pulled away, breaking their warm kiss. Her lips were immediately hit with a cold, lonely sensation. She couldn’t look him in the eyes, because she was the one who had condemned this exact thing earlier, so her eyes darted around, looking for something to focus on. The cream she got all over his shoulder when she touched him caught her eye.
Still not ready to face the reality of their second kiss, she diligently wiped his shoulder with the towel she had been using to wipe off her hands. Matt softly wrapped his fingers around her wrist, stopping her actions.
“Maddy, sugar, look at me,” he coaxed, his voice warm and smooth.
Madison turned to face him but focused on his shoulder. “I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what, Maddy?” He let out a nervous chuckle. “I’m really confused here. But I do know that wasn’t a mistake.”
“This.” Madison huffed. “Matt, we’re friends. I don’t know how to transition that into this. I don’t even know if it will work.”
Her head was spinning, and she couldn’t figure this out while she was standing so close to him, inhaling his masculine scent. She pulled out of Matt’s grasp and moved to the other side of the massage table. Turning her back to him, she pretended to put away the massage cream. She needed the space to breathe.
“Maddy, look at me.” Matt’s tone was direct.
Madison turned on her heel to face him. He was now standing on the same side of the table as she was. His shoulder muscles tensed, and his washboard stomach teased her. His blue eyes were focused only on her, and as worried as she was, she liked being the center of his attention.
Matt looked at her stone faced. “What do we do now? Do we go back to the way things were? Is that what you want?”
“No.” She couldn’t pretend that this hadn’t happened, because she wanted it as much as he did.
“No? It wasn’t a mistake? Or no to going back to the way things were before?”
“I don’t know. Both? I just mean...” She tried to take a step back so she could think, but her legs wouldn’t move. Staring into his eyes, she knew what she wanted—him. “I told you, I just don’t know how to transition what we are into this. Are we even compatible? Would we actually work like that?” Her concerns weighed so heavily on her, that at that moment, she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. As she gasped for air, Matt seemed amused by it all.
He stood right in front of her, smirking. “If that kiss was any indication, I’d say yes.” He skimmed his knuckle along her jaw. “Sugar, it’s okay. Breathe.”
Madison took a shallow breath, then a little longer one, until she was breathing normally again. She was scared of this. She hadn’t told Matt everything that Kat and Gia had said to her during the hockey game, but Gia’s words had played over and over in her brain.
His face dropped, as if her non-response was all the answer he needed, and that it wasn’t a positive one. His expression caused her stomach to flop. Madison wasn’t looking for a reason why they wouldn’t work. She was secretly hoping he would calm her fears about why they would be good together, and why they should make this leap.
“Maddy, is it me?” Matt took a heavy breath. “I know that I’m no spring chicken. And you’re beautiful. God, you’re so goddamn beautiful. You could get any guy you want. Maybe one less beat up, and who has all his own teeth.” He smiled at his own joke, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “You’re young, and you have options. Maybe you don’t want to settle for me. And quite honestly, I wouldn’t blame you.” A sad look crossed Matt’s face.
Not one bit of what he said was true. Even if they didn’t work as a couple, she’d still want to spend time with him. He was in her life, and that would never change. “Matt, you can’t really believe any of that. I shouldn’t have to tell you, but you’re the kindest, sweetest, funniest man that I’ve ever met. Your body may be beat up, but it’s gorgeous. Every scar has a story, and I want to hear about each one. And that’s my professional opinion. You’re intelligent, smart and one of a kind. I don’t question any of those qualities. Any girl would be lucky to have you. I’m the luckiest girl.”
“Ha. You’re amusing. The ladies seem to run as fast as they can the other way. Except you.” He joked, but the humor didn’t reflect in his face.
“Except me. Do I look like I’m running? I just don’t want to ruin what we have. We have something special. It’s fun. I look forward to spending time with you. And when I have news, you’re the first person I think of telling.”
“So why are you pulling away?” Matt ran his warm hand down her arm.
Madison shook her head. “I’m not. I just... I want to take this slow and do it right. Because, well...” She hesitated, because how could she bring this up? But then, if she didn’t say anything, she’d only keep on fearing the worst. “Well... Gia may have said something about your womanizing ways. And... I don’t want to be one of your women that you use for just a roll in the hay.”
She didn’t mean for it to sound the way it did, but there really wasn’t any other way to say it. And honestly, there were worse ways of saying it. Because since his ex had left him, that was exactly what he’d been doing.
“Maddy...” Matt reached out, and his strong hands pulled her into his chest. He cuddled her into him, running his hand down her hair. “Those women... They weren’t even in the same class as you. They were something to pass the time, something to dull the pain. Half the time I was drunk, and I know alcohol is no excuse, but... I wouldn’t do that to you.”
He gently held her away from him so that he could look into her eyes. “Sugar, you are the one light in my life. I haven’t felt this way about anyone in a very long time. I’m not sure that I ever felt this way, and to be honest with you, it terrifies me.”
Madison couldn’t help herself. As if by instinct, she wrapped her arms around his warm, bare torso. The fear slipped to the back of her mind, because this felt so right. “Why?” she mumbled into his shoulder. She fought back the urge to drop a light kiss on his skin.
“Because I’ve always been really good at screwing things up. And if I screw this up, I not only lose your love, but I lose you as a friend, too. And I can’t imagine my life without you in it. All that stuff you said about thinking about me and wanting to spend time with me, that all goes for me, too. I’m terrible at trying to express myself.” He softly stroked her hair. “I just... I’ve fallen for you, Maddy.”
Madison looked up at Matt. A soft smile sat on his lips as he stared back. He placed a soft kiss on her lips, then he rested his forehead on hers.
“I’ve wanted to kiss you again ever since that night in Wilkes-Barre,” he said. “I tried to put our friendship first, because I can’t lose you as a friend.” Matt tilted his head to the side and stared at her with such love in his eyes.
Nerves danced through Madison like butterflies. She had the same worries as Matt, but right now, in this moment, in his arms, she only knew one thing. “Just kiss me.”
Matt didn’t need much more coaxing. His warm lips brushed against hers. His hand slid against her low back and pulled her into his chest. Their hips fit together perfectly, and she felt him hard through his slacks.
Matt pulled back. “And on that note”—she smiled to hide the fact that she really wanted to feel his lips on hers again— “I think it’d be a good idea if I went home.”
He took her face in his hands. “Sugar, I would do anything for you. I need you to know that. So, for now, I’m going to go, because we’re going to take this slowly and do it right. I’ll call you later. I promise.”
“I’ll wait for your call. And don’t forget to ice that shoulder.”
She knew she wouldn’t regret a thing. Her concerns had been squashed.