Chapter 16—Madison

I’d been stealing looks at Steven’s closed office door all night. He hadn’t come out once. Had he snuck out when I wasn’t looking? Was he okay? Was his heart breaking as much as mine? For six months Steven had been all I’d wanted. Tonight, he’d offered that to me. Correction: Steven had offered a second chance at sex, not a relationship. That’s why I’d told him no.

“Barb just left,” Craig said from beside me.

I nodded and remained silent. We’d closed almost an hour ago. Steven always came down to help with the clean-up and to chat. Tonight, he hadn’t.

“Go talk to him, Madison.”

“There’s nothing left to say.”

“That’s why you’ve been muttering to yourself all night and burning holes through his door with your eyes, right?” He nudged me and flashed a knowing, sympathetic smile.

“I don’t know what to say to him.”

“You can start by telling him that you’re sorry, you made a mistake, and you’re scared of getting hurt…”

“Why would he believe me?”

“Madison, I’d like nothing more than to leave this club with you right now, take you back to my place and help you forget all about Steven Lane, but what you want is hiding behind that door up there. Now go get him,” Craig said, giving me a hug and leaving.

I took a shaky breath. Craig was right. I climbed the stairs to Steven’s office and stood outside the door, my hand poised to knock. I was terrified. Gently, my knuckles tapped on the door.

“What?” Steven barked.

I slowly opened the door and stepped inside. He looked up at me, and our gazes locked. His dark eyes lit up for a brief moment, then darkened again. I didn’t know if he was surprised, happy, or angry to see me.

“I thought you would’ve left by now,” he said, returning his focus to the papers in front of him.

The memory of last time I’d been in his office flashed in my mind. A rush of heat warmed my face. “I lied to you,” I said.

“About what?”

He still wasn’t looking at me. “About not wanting to give you a second chance.” I watched him freeze, his pen stopped mid-stroke, and I could feel the tension radiating from his body. It seemed like forever had passed without either of us speaking. I walked farther into his office. “Steven, I’m—”

“Shut up, Madison.”

My jaw snapped closed, and my eyes widened. He wasn’t even going to give me a chance to speak? At least I’d done that for him. Shock and hurt turned to boiling hot anger. “No, I will not shut up. I listened to what you had to say earlier. Now it’s your turn to hear what I have to say.”

Steven slowly stood to his full height, walked around to the front of his desk, leaned his butt on the edge of it, and folded his arms over his chest. “Okay, I’m listening,” he said in that husky, cocky tone of voice that made my insides melt.

I took a calming breath that did nothing to calm me. “What we had going on was more than just sex.”

“Is that a question?”

It hadn’t been, but maybe it should be. “Yes.”

“It was more than just sex,” he agreed.

Okay, that was progress. Now I just had to keep going. “You said you didn’t sleep with that woman, and I believe you. But have you slept with anyone else?”

“No.”

No? Steven had gone an entire week without sex? That was not the answer I’d anticipated.

“Why’d you come up here, Madison?”

Panic built inside of me. Why had I come up here? To tell him I was sorry. To say I wanted that second chance. To confess that… I licked my dry lips, and his eyes narrowed in on my mouth. “I’m not willing to give you a second chance to hurt me.”

His gaze drifted from my mouth to my eyes, then down my body and up again. It was unsettling the way he did that. It made me feel as if he were mentally undressing me and exploring my naked body. Steven’s mental caress empowered me.

I stepped closer to him. “Do you have any idea what it’s like? To have you hold me and make love to me at night, then be afraid to open your eyes in the morning because you don’t know if that had been it? To constantly wonder and worry if tonight is going to be the night that you decide you’ve had enough of me?”

He continued to stare at me, his eyes darker than I’d ever seen them before, brooding and tired.

“That’s why I don’t want to give you a second chance.”

“I didn’t lie to you or mislead you in anyway about what was between us.”

“I know,” I said, trying to keep the hurt from showing. “And I really do appreciate your honesty, but that alone is not enough. Neither is casual sex.”

“So, what will be enough?” He was too calm, and that unsettled me.

“Nothing you’d be willing to give me.”

“Try me,” he said, his voice challenging.

Didn’t he realize this wasn’t a game? I’d already lost him. It’s not like I could lose him again. “I want to know that I’m the only person you’re going to be sleeping with.”

“You were, still are, and will continue to be the only person I am or want to be sleeping with.”

He’d said it so matter of fact it took me a moment for it to sink in. It was too easy. “I want a real relationship, Steven. No more of this casual sex bullshit.”

“What kind of a relationship?”

I listened to his voice carefully, waiting for it to waver, a slight change in octave, something, anything to give me a clue that he might decide to tell me to get the hell out of his life. But there was nothing. He was firm, confident, steady as he’d always been.

“The kind where you take me out on dates so we can talk and really get to know each other. Outside of the bedroom,” I added with a smile. The right corner of his mouth twitched, and I knew he was holding back a smile of his own. “I want to do things as a couple with our friends. I want something normal.”

“Done. Anything else you feel like demanding from me?” He cocked a brow and grinned.

My heart lurched to a halt. Done? Had Steven just agreed to be my boyfriend? “I want forever,” I whispered. His face went stoic, and I held my breath. Too far. I’d gone too far.

“Have you been fucking Craig?” he asked.

Unbelievable. I tell him I want forever and that’s how he responds. I was clearly wasting my time. “Go to hell, Steven,” I said, turning and heading for the door. As I reached for the door handle, I felt Steven’s arms circle my waist, lift me off my feet, and my ass land on his desk. He stood between my legs, his hands on either side of my thighs, and his face inches from me. I was holding my breath again.

“I’m only going to ask you this one more time. Have you been fucking Craig?”

The coldness of his voice made me shiver. “Does it matter?”

“Yes, Madison, it matters. It matters a whole hell of a lot.”

“Why?” I should’ve known by now not to antagonize him.

“Because if you have been, then we’re done here.” He stared into my eyes so intensely it felt like he was poking at my soul with a pitchfork. “Are we done or are we just getting started?”

“That depends,” I said slowly.

“On?”

Guess it was time to throw myself off the edge of this cliff I’d been walking the past few weeks. “I love you, Steven.”

His mouth crushed my lips, and his tongue devoured my mouth as he kissed me hard, until my back was flat against the desk. I’d expected him to walk out after that confession. I bunched my fingers in his hair, holding onto his kiss, holding on to him so that I knew I wasn’t dreaming. I knew it’d only been a week, but to feel his body on mine, his hands and fingers caressing me, ripping my clothes… Back up. Steven had literally torn my shirt down the front, exposing my breasts and stomach for him to touch and kiss—which is exactly what he was doing.

He looked at me with lust filled eyes. “Swear to me he never touched you.”

“Never.”

“Not even a kiss?” he asked, bringing his lips to mine.

“No.” God my heart was racing. I wanted Steven so bad. I wanted him in me and on me, touching me, kissing me, filling me, loving me. I needed him.

He lifted me from the desk and carried me to the oversized, leather sofa on the opposite side of the room. He removed all my clothes without speaking, taking care to touch every inch of my skin as if he were trying to memorize me. Then he stripped himself. Damn he was sexy. My hand was shaking as I reached up and touched his chest. He took my hand and pressed my palm to his lips. “Lay down,” he ordered.

I did, and he settled between my legs like he had on the desk. “Steven.”

“Shh,” he said, silencing me with a slow, sultry kiss. “I’m about to do something I’ve never done before, Madison. I need to know you’re with me.”

“Yes.” I had no idea what he meant by ‘with me,’ but I didn’t care.

He adjusted slightly, and then I felt his cock prodding me. I spread my legs the best I could and welcomed him, nipping at his shoulder and digging at his back as he entered me fully. I locked my gaze with his, and then it hit me. He wasn’t wearing a condom.

“I’ve missed you so damn much, baby.”

He moved inside of me. All I could do was mutter his name repeatedly. The sensations alone were enough, but when combined with what was really happening, it was too much. I felt a hot tear blaze a trail down the side of my face.

Steven stilled. “Do you want me to stop?”

I shook my head.

He started to move again. “I’m in love with you, Madison.”

“Oh God,” I sobbed in response to his words and the building orgasm. The room was spinning; my vision was blurry, clouded by bright dots and flashes of light. My mind wanted to concentrate on what he was saying. My body wanted to give in to the orgasm that I could no longer hold back.

Steven held me tightly to him. His thrusts were coming harder and faster. I screamed as he dragged me to the highest peak of any orgasm I’d ever experienced. “That’s it, baby. Fuck. Yes,” he groaned, spilling his seed deep inside of me.

I felt like I had that first night. I wanted to pass out from the pleasure of it all, but I refused to let the moment slip through my fingers.

“You’re mine, Madison,” he said, kissing my neck. “You’ve always been mine.” A few moments later, he put his weight into his arms and peered down at me. “Can I ask you something?”

I nodded.

“Am I marriage material?”

“Yes, and your ex is a total bitch for having said otherwise.”

“I want to give you forever.”

For the second time that night, my heart stopped beating. “Are you saying…? I mean, are you asking…?”

“Yes,” he said, nodding his head. “This past week has made me realize just how much you mean to me. I love you, and I can’t imagine a life worth living if you’re not in it. Will you marry me, Madison?”

I choked out a strangled sounding yes and threw my arms around his neck. “Yes,” I repeated once the tears subsided. “I love you, Steven. I love you so much.”

He smiled that rare smile that lit up his entire face. “I’m going to make love to you all night tonight,” he said with a soft kiss to my chin. “I just need to know one more thing.”

“What?”

“Your place or mine?”

I laughed. “What if we pick one and make it our place?”

“I love the way you think.” He winked, and my heart soared. I finally had everything I wanted.