He loved the way she said his name. He really did. Loved the way she looked at him as if he was doing it for her, as if he was the only one who could do it for her.
“What do you suppose it says about us that the only place we get along is in the sack?” she asked breathlessly.
“It says that we should stay in the sack.”
She let out a short laugh and arched into him. “Okay, but-”
“If you say you want to go fast, I’m going to hurt you…”
“You won’t. You won’t ever hurt me.”
And wasn’t that the bottom line, and his own truth. His lips a breath from hers, he shook his head, then kissed her softly. “No, I won’t. I’ll never hurt you, Maddie.”
She opened her mouth to say something to that, maybe something sharp and just a little mean as she tended to do when he got beneath her skin, but he kissed her again and began to move with a slow, achingly perfect rhythm until they were both breathless, panting for air, gazes locked on each other with a blistering intensity such as he’d never known…
“I can’t believe…” She sounded so sincerely baffled. “I don’t get it…”
Neither did he. He wasn’t a repeater, and he knew damn well she wasn’t either, and yet here they were, repeating and repeating…
One of these times, any minute maybe, they’d get it out of their system, but for now-
“God,” she breathed, her hips moving faster, then faster still. “Brody…I’m going to-”
“Do it. Come-”
Her muscles contracted before he’d finished the word, milking him as she went over, and as he’d discovered about himself, about them in general, he could do nothing else but helplessly follow.
A few minutes later, when his toes had uncurled, Brody managed to summon enough energy to nuzzle at Maddie’s neck. “Hi.”
Looking dewy and sated, she opened her eyes. “Hi.”
“So we’ve come to an understanding about the fast thing,” he said. “Slow is better.”
“Actually, I’m still not sure.”
When he opened his mouth to protest, she kissed him quiet. “We might have to keep working at it. You know, until we come to a compromise.”
Liking the sound of that, he stroked a finger along her jaw, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Compromise has never been my strong suit.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Hello, Ms. Pot, you might recognize me. I’m Mr. Kettle.”
“Hey, I compromise plenty.”
“How is vanishing a compromise?” he asked.
She rolled away to her back and stared at the ceiling. “It was never about you. It was before you, in fact.”
“It was two days ago.”
“Before this.” She gestured to their naked bodies. “Before we knew each other.”
“Well, at least you get that much about us.”
Her gaze swiveled back to his.
“I do know you,” he said quietly. “I get why you’re so tough, for instance. And resilient. And…”
Her eyes narrowed. “And…?”
“Strong. Capable.”
“I thought maybe you were going to go in another direction and say stubborn and unbending and selfish.”
“Stubborn and unbending, yes. Not selfish. Never selfish.”
She swallowed hard, as if moved by his words when she didn’t want to be. Not his stubborn-ass Maddie. She didn’t want to be moved by him at all.
Join my club, babe. He didn’t want to be moved by her either, and yet she broke his heart with every breath. “You know what I think?”
“You can think after what we just did? Because I’m pretty sure I blew most of my brain cells.”
“I think,” he said again, “that you’ve never had anyone in your corner before.”
She just looked at him.
“Am I right?”
“I’ve never needed anyone in my corner.” She rolled off the bed. “And you did not pay a fortune for this room to lie here and talk. Let’s check out that shower.”
“After you tell me your new plan. There’s a new plan, right?”
She sighed.
“Christ. What is the plan, Maddie?”
Now she tightened her mouth.
“Are you kidding me?”
“And you call me stubborn.”
“I’m still in your corner,” he said. “I’m here, and I’m sticking.”
“No one asked you to.”
“I know.” He slipped out of bed and lifted her in his arms, heading toward the thousand-dollar shower. “It’s part of your charming personality.”
She slid her arms around his neck. “What is?”
“Your undeniable inability to ask for anything.”
She stared up at him for a beat, then set her head on his shoulder. “You say the nicest things.”
Chapter 24
Leena and Ben were instructed to buckle into their seats. “This is ridiculous,” she said to Rick’s men. “You can’t take me as a prisoner to my own home.”
“Stone Cay isn’t your home anymore.” This from Ed in the shotgun seat. “Hasn’t been in years.”
Crap. In her panic, she’d nearly forgotten they thought she was Maddie. “Well, you can’t take Ben there against his will. You’re kidnapping an innocent man.”
Saul buckled himself in. “He chose to come. That’s not kidnapping.”
“He changed his mind!”
Saul looked at Ben.
Ben looked back coolly. Calmly. And with just enough attitude that Leena felt terrified for him.
“Look, he’s crazy,” she said. “Don’t listen to him. We’re not even together.” She was desperate for them to let him go. Shaking with it. But she had to be Maddie, and Maddie didn’t shake. Maddie wouldn’t show her fear. She’d kick ass. “I demand that you let us both go.”
Ed rolled his eyes in Saul’s direction before turning back to Leena. “Rick wants to see you.”
“For what?”
“He needs to talk to you. See, he thought maybe you were interfering with Leena’s interest in her job.”
“What?” Oh, God. “I’m not!”
Ed and Saul just shrugged.
“Please. Let him go.” Leena turned to Ben. “Tell them. Tell the truth, and they’ll let you go. There’s no reason for you to have to go to Stone Cay.” No reason at all…
Ben looked at her for the longest moment, into her eyes, his touching each of her features before he slowly, unbelievably shook his head. “I’m not going to lie for you, Maddie.”
Oh, my God. What the hell was he doing?
Leena and Ben were taken out of the Jeep and led through the house that for nearly all of her life, had been the only home she’d ever known. They passed through the large living room, surrounded by the wealth and elegance and sophistication that Rick’s dealings had purchased, and she wondered how she’d ever enjoyed it here. It was as if her eyes had been shut for years, but they were open now.
This wasn’t her home, and it never had been.
They were taken to Maddie’s old bedroom, and the minute they were left alone, she whirled on Ben. “Why did you do this?” She knew that all of the house was under camera surveillance except the bedrooms and bathrooms, but she didn’t trust Rick. She knew she needed to be careful what she said, but she couldn’t help herself. “They might have let you go if you’d only agreed with me.”
“You think I should have just let them take you all by yourself?”
“Yes!”
His gaze on hers, he shook his head. “Then I wouldn’t have known what happened to you.”
“What do you care? You would have been free!”
He didn’t answer that. Frustrated, petrified, she paced the floor. “It makes no sense. Taking you makes no sense.”
Ben didn’t say anything to that, either. He just looked out the window into the black night. His jeans were loose on his body and still splattered with paint. His T-shirt was vintage and fit him in a way that would have made her want to touch…if she hadn’t been preoccupied with being so absolutely terrified for him.
In some deep recess of her mind, she recognized that this man made her feel things that no other did. Not that it mattered at the moment. Not that it would ever matter if she didn’t manage to get him out of here safely. She glanced at him. “I’m sorry I got you into this mess,” she said to his strong, solid back. “So damn sorry.”