But when he tries to go all the way…
“Maxton. I want to talk about this. There’s something I need to tell you before we… Well, before we do anything. But I can’t tell you here. I know it’s silly.”
“You always said it was easier in the game.” He sighs.
He’s standing right behind me now, his hard body pressing into my back. He wraps his arm around me, leans down, and kisses my cheek with surprising tenderness.
“But you don’t have to be shy with me. You don’t have to be ashamed. Whatever it is, we’ll face it together.”
Has he guessed it’s more than the dad issue?
The blanket grazing against my skin makes me want to drop it, to spin around and leap on him. Wrap my legs around his waist as he grabs onto my ass, holding me steadily as he drives up inside of me.
I wish it was that easy.
“Let’s just speak in the game,” I murmur. “Maybe it’s pathetic. But I really don’t think I can talk about this in person.”
“It’s not pathetic,” he says, his breath whispering over my skin. “If it’s what you want, Maddie, we’ll do it. I understand. But you’re living in a goddamn dreamworld if you think I can stay away for long.”
He holds me for a moment longer and then takes a step back. I turn as he strides across the room, to the kitchen divider. Reaching over, he grabs a pen and a notepad and scrawls something on it.
“This is my private cell number. Text me your username. I’m going home right now and I’m going to make a new account.”
“Yes, yes,” I say, way too eagerly. “Okay, I can work with that. Thank you, Max.”
He stares at me, looking like he could combust, every part of him taut and ready. “I’ll never pressure you into doing something you’re not ready for. But at the same time, there isn’t a world where I don’t claim you, Maddie. Where I don’t claim every curvy perfect fucking inch of you.”
Spinning, he stalks for the door, closing it loudly. I close my eyes and picture his face just now. It’s the same way he looked when I first opened the door.
It was like he didn’t trust himself to stay for a second longer, otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to resist me.
I drop onto the couch, breathing shakily.
The clock tells me it’s only been thirty minutes since Maxton arrived. It’s difficult to accept.
Only thirty minutes ago I didn’t know who Smolder was and the idea of Maxton ever being attracted to me was laughable.
Now I know that Maxton and Smolder are the same person. I don’t have to feel guilty for wanting Maxton.
My online crush is the same as my real world one.
But what’s going to happen when I tell Maxton the truth?
And what will dad say if – no, when – he finds out?
With a sigh, I grab Maxton’s phone number from the kitchen divider. I’ll have to leave the dad issue alone for now.
I need all my resolve for what comes next.
Chapter Ten
Maxton
I didn’t believe it was possible to be this hard, the bulge in my pants threatening to tear through my pants. The drive home is torture, my heartbeat sending frenetic messages, commands in my bloodstreams.
Go back. Fuck her. Claim her. Impregnant her.
She’s yours.
Where. The fuck. Are you. Going?
But my woman clearly needs time to process this.
The further I get from her apartment – slowly calming my heart rate – the more I see she’s probably right.
I was going to fuck her like a beast back there. I was going to tear off my belt and fall on her like an animal, finding her sweet soaked hole as quickly as possible. Grinding into her young tight sex until she strangled my cock.
We can’t do that until she understands how badly I need her, how deep my desire goes. And she clearly has something she wants to talk about too. Part of me wonders if she wants to start with the Steve issues, but I’m not sure.
When I reached for my belt, there was this look in her eyes.
Hell, that just about drove me even to the edge. It was like I was a predator and she knew I was going to claim her, my prey… leaving me to be certain enough for both of us.
I drive as quickly as I can without breaking the law, already thinking about my woman in the stars. Only this time, I don’t have to guess who she is.
I remember how worried I was about Gen viewing me differently once she knew who I was. But now that I know it’s Maddie, those concerns seep away, seem meaningless when we’ve got so much else to talk about.
Maybe it’s because I know Maddie would never use me for my money. I’ve spoken to her about it several times, in the game, and she’s always made it clear she wants to make it on her own… with as little help as possible. But at the same time, she’s not a fool and she’s not going to outright refuse her dad’s assistance.