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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

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Matt

After a delicious meal of burgers and fries, Matt was ready to down a few beers, like always. But more than that, he wanted to get out of the public eye. He had water at the restaurant, because when he was with Maddy, beer never seemed to cross his mind anymore. The game sucked, being a last minute healthy scratch took him off guard. If Maddy hadn’t been there with him, he would’ve stormed out of the arena and been passed out drunk already.

Matt pulled up to Maddy’s house. “Home, sweet home. Thanks for making a night that could’ve been really shitty, bearable.” He slid his hand into hers. “I hope you had a nice time anyway.”

“You wanna come in? It’s still early. C’mon.” Without giving him a minute to think, she opened the car door and stepped out. Then she waited for him.

This girl. She certainly kept him amused. He turned off the engine, hopped out of the driver’s seat, and met her on the other side of the truck. There was only one place he wanted to be: at her side.

Maddy led him into her house, and Mr. Whiskers greeted them at the door. The orange cat scrunched up his back and rubbed against Matt’s legs, welcoming them home, and purring the whole time.

“Hey there, little man,” Maddy cooed at the cat. Walking into the kitchen, she called over her shoulder, “Come get some treats.”

“I assume you mean Mr. Whiskers. But I like treats, too.” Matt said, with a chuckle and a wink. He followed the cat, which was already following Maddy. While Maddy gave the orange cat treats, and then filled his bowl with dry cat food, Matt leaned back against the cupboards, folded his arms across his chest, and watched her. She was beautiful. Even doing the simplest, most normal activity, she was a sight to behold.

“You want a treat, too? There’re brownies in the fridge with your name on them. Help yourself.”

“Brownies.” Matt let out a heavy sigh. “After tonight, I could sure use a beer.”

“I wish I could offer you one, but I don’t like beer in my house. Sorry.” Maddy’s attention was on Mr. Whiskers. She hesitated before offering up her next suggestion. “I think there’s still a bottle of wine in the refrigerator that one of my clients gave me for Christmas. You can help yourself to that. You can even crash in the spare room again, if you want.”

Maddy’s focus was on him, as if she were waiting for him to make his decision. Her expression was difficult to read, but it definitely made him uncomfortable. “Like I said, help yourself. I’m not going to drink it. Just, if you’re going to drink, then I’d prefer that you stay. I can’t have you drinking and driving.”

Maddy reached into his front pocket, with the intention of grabbing his keys. She did that, but she also managed to give him a hard-on. Damn. She’d taken him off guard.

Without a word, she went and hung his key ring next to hers on the hooks beside the front door.

After returning to the kitchen, she rummaged through the cupboard and pulled out a box of cookies. She tilted the box towards Matt. “Cookie?”

“No, thanks.” Matt was still weighing his decision. As much as he could use alcohol after tonight, he’d prefer to have Maddy at his side. And she was awesome to offer him that wine, with the way she felt about alcohol, but he’d rather respect her feelings than numb his pain. “And I think I’ll pass on that wine.”

He grabbed a bottle of water out of the refrigerator. It was no cold bottle of beer, but it would have to do. He took a sip, watching her as she hopped up on the counter top. Once sitting comfortably, she started to nibble on her sweets.

“What’s going on over there?” Maddy gestured to his face. “You suddenly look like someone ran over your puppy.”

“Wow. That was a depressing comparison. Shit, Maddy.”

“Well, what’s going on in that brain of yours?”

“Sugar, this melon is a scary place for even me to explore. It’s no place for a sweet thing like you.” Matt chuckled, but his mood was dark.

“Pretty sure I can handle it, tough guy.”

“Why would you offer me that wine?”

“Because you had a shitty night, and I don’t have any beer. I’m not going to drink it, and I thought you might want some.”

“Yes, tonight at the arena sucked. I won’t lie, it did. And a beer might be just what the doctor ordered, but not if it means upsetting you.”

“But that’s not what’s eating at you, is it?” Maddy asked, holding a half-eaten cookie in her hand.

“Maddy, look at me. I’m a has-been, a washed-up loser. I hurt my fucking back trying to tie my shoe laces some days. Don’t tell me that’s not pathetic.”

Maddy shook her head. “Matt, you still don’t get it.”

“What’s to get, sugar? You don’t need an old man—and that’s all I am. I’ve fallen hard for you, there’s no denying that. But, you’re young. You deserve more. You deserve someone who doesn’t run to the bottle every time they’re hurting.” Tonight had really messed with his head. And for some reason he couldn’t get over being scratched tonight in front of her. It made him feel like less of a man. He should’ve been focusing on what went on in the restaurant, but he couldn’t get his head right.

But from the way Maddy was looking at him now, it was clear she had no idea why he was freaking out after such a nice dinner. Her head was tilted, and her lips pursed as though she had some knowledge to lay on him and was quite sure of herself.

She jumped off the counter with a light thud and slowly strutted over to him.

As down as he was about how things had happened tonight, his heart rate sped up as she stood in front of him. He wanted to reach out and pull her to him, but he didn’t. If he was any kind of man, he’d leave now and let her experience life with a young, strong, less pathetic guy.

Maddy stared into his eyes, and a smirk pulled at the corner of her beautiful mouth. “How can you say those things?”

“Sugar.” He took a deep breath. “You saw what went down tonight. My gut tells me it’s only going to get worse from here on out.”

“Matt, first of all, I’m capable of making my own decisions. I like you for the man that you are inside.” Her lips turned up into a smirk. “Your outside’s not too shabby, either. Sure, you’ve had your share of injuries, but you’re also super fit and ripped. You’re in way better shape than most men your age. And secondly, forget about that part of the night. I’d prefer to think about when I was practically undressing you in the restaurant.”

He did like that part. Matt slid his hand down her arm and folded his fingers into hers, until they were holding hands. Then with his free hand, he moved Maddy’s hair behind her ear. He skimmed his knuckle along her jaw and stared into her deep, blue eyes.

“Maddy, you mean so much to me. You’re beautiful, smart, and feisty. And for some fucked-up reason, you like me. I’d never have believed that someone like you would befriend a guy like me, much less be into me. But you’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met. And you do what every other person on this planet can’t—you make me happy. When I’m with you, I don’t need the alcohol. And when I get down, all I want is to be with you.”

Maddy’s cheeks turned dark pink. She bit at her lip as she questioned him. “Me?”

“Yes, you. Maybe alcohol numbs the loneliness and the pain, but you... You make the depression and the aches nonexistent. When I’m with you, I don’t think about when I can drink next. Instead, I’m hoping our time together won’t end.” Matt looked to the floor and shook his head. Frustration set in, because he was afraid his words weren’t cutting it. “Shit, words aren’t doing justice to how I feel.”

Instead, he did the only thing he knew to express how much she meant to him. Running his thumb along her chin, he leaned in close, until her breath fanned hot on his face, and he kissed her. The kiss started soft and slow. Maddy reached out to him and slid her free hand around his waist, then pulled herself tight against him. He took that as a green light to deepen the kiss, delicately parting her lips, and then their tongues tangled together.

She tasted so good, and her sweet perfume took over his senses. Letting go of her hand, he wound his fingers into her hair, holding her close as he kissed her fervently.

“Sugar, stop me now if this is moving too fast for you,” he said quietly, breaking the kiss for a moment. He was already sporting a hard-on, and she no doubt felt it as she pressed against him. He didn’t want to stop, knowing he’d be headed home with a case of blue balls, but he would understand if she wasn’t ready, and he wouldn’t push her. “Maddy, the only place I want to be tonight is here with you.”

Maddy didn’t speak, but instead pressed her hips into his. Her body rubbed against him, as her lips brushed his again. His senses filled with her sweet, delightful scent, but he needed an answer. He pulled away again, just enough that he could speak. His lips still brushed against hers as he spoke. “Sugar, you sure you’re okay with this?”

Instead of answering with words, Maddy kissed his lips, coaxing him to deepen the kiss. He ran his fingers through her hair, holding her tight as he kissed her as though he might never kiss those lips again.

She ran her hands up his back, her nails scraping against his dress shirt, while their tongues danced. He could feel her heartbeat against his chest, and his own was beating so hard, he knew she could feel his doing the same.

When she pulled away, Maddy took his hand in hers. Slowly leading him down the hallway towards her bedroom, she looked back a few times, her teeth pulling at her bottom lip. She paused at her bedroom door. Once they did this, there was no going back. No doubt she felt that uncertainness in the air, as she hesitated.

“Sugar.” Matt took her cheek in his hand, in an attempt to calm her fears. “You are unlike any woman I’ve ever met. You’re beautiful, patient, and you believe in me. I’ve never been so sure of anything else in my life as I am about wanting—no, needing you in my world.”

He lowered his mouth to hers and softly kissed her sweet lips. She responded warmly, and eventually wrapped her arms around his neck. A subtle moan rumbled from the back of her throat, as she melted against him. Then she slipped a finger under the waist of his pants, and as their tongues twirled together, she slowly pulled him towards her bed.

She untucked his dress shirt, and her hands trembled as she slowly undid each button. She slid the shirt off his arms, leaving him in the white t-shirt she had admired in the restaurant. Her finger trailed down his cotton-covered chest, towards his pants.

“Slow down, sugar.” Matt moved her hands away from his slacks, and instead went to work, lifting her jersey off first, and carefully dropping it on a nearby chair.

He took his time peeling off the rest of her clothes, leaving her standing in front of him in only her bra and panties. And she was beautiful.

Without a word, Maddy pulled off his t-shirt and pushed down his slacks, until he was left in nothing but his boxers. She was forward with her movements, but he could see the hesitation in her eyes. He had caused that. Despite the strength of his arousal, his heart sank a little. His past was stained with bad decisions, and she needed to know that this was unlike all his other encounters. That she was special and would always be.

Matt brushed the hair out of her face, even though the wild strands made her look even sexier. He dropped a soft kiss on her cheek, then on her neck, then on her shoulder. Each time his lips touched her cool skin, she took a sharp breath.

Moving his lips to her ear, he kissed along her jaw before he whispered, “Maddy, I’ve never felt this way about any woman before you. I think I—”

Before he could confess his love to her, she kissed him. He didn’t know if her action was to stop him from saying the words—maybe out of fear—or if she simply needed to be closer to him. She pressed her body against his, reached behind to unhook her bra, then dropped it to the floor, leaving her naked torso against his.

Their lips finally separated when she pulled away, sliding her mouth down his neck. Her fingers followed, as her lips moved down his chest. Then it was his turn to suck in a gulp of air, when her lips ran over his abs, stopping at his abdomen. Matt let out a soft groan when her fingers slipped under the waistband of his boxers and caressed his skin while she slid the fabric down his legs.

Slowly, Maddy stood up in front of him, and again pressed her lips to his. Only one piece of clothing stood between them. Matt ran his fingers along her bare shoulder as their tongues twirled together. Wrapping one arm around her soft waist, he used his other hand to slip her panties over her hips and down her thighs. Maddy took her panties the rest of the way off, and they stood together in an embrace. Naked and vulnerable, Matt had never been so comfortable with a woman before.

She was warm and soft against him. Matt nibbled at her bottom lip, coaxing a moan out of her. Maddy wrapped her arms around his shoulders as his lips slid down her neck. He teased her with his teeth, scraping and nipping at her skin. Once he reached the nape of her neck, he lightly sucked at her skin, hoping to drive her wild. He was rewarded with her purring and arching her body in pleasure.

In a soft and breathless voice, Maddy said, “I want...”

“Sugar, what do you want? Tell me,” Matt coaxed.

She batted her eyes in a sexy, shy kind of way. Leaning towards him, she nibbled at his earlobe, making him squirm. This girl had him under her spell, and he wanted to be as close to her as he could. But first, he wanted her to say the words.

He went back to sucking the nape of her neck, hoping to drive her crazy and coax the words out of her.

She purred. “I want you, Matt. Make love to me.”

Walking her backwards towards her bed, he lifted her onto the mattress. Not wanting to be far apart from her for long, he followed close behind, sliding between her legs, and kissing his way up her stomach to her beautiful breasts. Taking a nipple in his mouth, he had her moaning and squirming in no time.

Maddy’s writhing against him had turned his hard-on to a stiffie. And he badly wanted inside her. He’d need a condom before that happened, and there was one in his wallet, which was in his pants pocket on the floor. But her body was so warm, and so sweet, that he didn’t want to move that far from her. Each time she bucked her hips against him, he groaned and moved his hips away to avoid his lust from taking over.

Propping herself up on her elbows, she tilted her head as she looked at him. “There are condoms in the drawer beside my bed.”

“Oh, thank God!” Matt was able to lean to the drawer without moving off her.

He quickly rolled the condom on. Then, tangling his fingers in her long, blonde tresses, he kissed her hard and long. Receiving the same passionate kiss back from her, he lined his hips up with hers, and slowly pushed inside her.

She felt so good, warm in all the right places, and her skin tasted deliciously sweet. She moaned against his lips, as he moved, deep inside her. Their bodies entwined, and they moved together in harmony until she was writhing under him with desire and coming apart.

Watching her arch in pleasure had Matt exploding inside her. Once spent, Maddy curled up in Matt’s arms, her body still burning from their lovemaking, and they enjoyed the afterglow together.