“Yeah. That’s what I thought.” He moved his hand up until it was an inch away from her core. “So your mind has willpower, but your body doesn’t.”
With the gentlest of touches, he brushed his thumb against her. Maddie gasped and tilted her head back. Her eyes softened as they met his, and he realized how much he wanted this. Wanted her.
“Maddie,” he whispered, pressing his lips against her throat. “If you don’t want me to do this I’ll stop.”
He was a gentleman. He knew right from wrong. But more than anything, he knew how important it was for her to be able to say yes or no. For her wishes to be heard. After everything she’d been through, her consent was everything.
“Just touching,” she whispered. “Nothing more.”
He grinned. “I can live with that.” He slid his fingers beneath the soft fabric of her shorts, biting down a groan as they brushed her heat. God he wanted her. Any way he could. His thumb brushed the part of her that made her back arch in response, her skin heat up, and her eyes widen.
He could never get tired of this. Never get tired of her. He loved her.
And it was the scariest, most beautiful thought in the world.
* * *
“Oh shit.” Maddie’s eyes widened as she realized it was morning, and Gray was still laying next to her in bed. Her skin was hot from being pressed against him all night, her hair a crazy mess from tossing and turning next to him. Just as he’d promised, they’d done nothing more than touching.
She never knew touching could be that hot.
“Gray,” she whispered, shaking his shoulder.
“Uh?” He opened one eye, and then closed it again. It took her thirty seconds to realize he hadn’t woken at all.
“Gray,” she said louder, her face close to his. This time both eyes opened. A slow, sexy smile formed on his lips as he pulled her against his warm, firm chest.
“Morning, beautiful.”
“We overslept. And Mom is up,” Maddie whispered. She could hear her mom wheeling herself around the kitchen. “You need to go.”
He blinked. “She knows about us, right?”
“Yeah. And she’s not happy about the arguments between me and Ashleigh because of it.”
He sat up, and she tried really hard not to look at the ridges of his chest, or the beautiful ink adorning it. “Then it sounds like a good time to lay on some charm.”
“Now?” Her mouth dropped open.
“Why not?” He tucked his finger beneath her chin and closed it again. “And then we should go over to my family’s place. Join them for breakfast.”
“After that, why don’t we take out an ad in Rock Magazine?” she teased. “Just to make sure nobody misses out on the news.”
He grinned. “That’s a good idea. I’ll call my publicist.”
“Gray!” She laughed. “Stop it.” She climbed off the bed, catching her reflection in the mirror. “Ugh, I can’t meet your family like this. I’m a mess.”
“They already know what you look like,” he pointed out. “And you look amazing as always.”
“Yeah, they know what I look like. But only as Maddie, their friend and waitress. They’ll look at me in a different way now that they know about us.” She pulled her lip between her teeth.
“Aunt Gina and Becca love you. You have no worries there.”
“But what about your father?” She gave him a worried glance.
“He’ll be too busy judging me to worry about you.”
Though he said it nonchalantly, there was a catch in his voice. And she knew that feeling all too well. The one where you didn’t feel good enough.