by Rose Wulf
“I wish,” Nate replied, still laughing. “It used to be Dean who kicked all our butts, but then Angie wanted to learn, so she suckered Dean into teaching her, and he’s regretted it ever since.”
“So is pool not your thing?” Madison teased, now idly drawing circles over his bicep.
Nate’s laugh turned into a grin and he said, “Nope. I’m more of a Frisbee-throwing, kite-flying, kind of guy.”
Madison laughed, her hand stilling, and her eyes twinkled as she said, “Wow; you really missed your calling. You should’ve been a babysitter.”
“Maybe I’m just a lot of fun at picnics,” Nate defended with a chuckle.
“You’re probably still a bigger hit with the prepubescents,” Madison insisted teasingly.
“Oh yeah?” Nate challenged, blue eyes dancing with laughter even as they narrowed in mock anger.
“Yeah,” Madison asserted confidently.
Nate shook his head as if disappointed with her answer, and then he turned, tackling her to the mattress as his fingers danced over her sides and abdomen. “Then I’ll just have to resort to torture!”
Madison half-shrieked with startled laughter the moment he started tickling her. She attempted to gasp in much-needed air between bouts of laughter, but she couldn’t get enough to form any actual words.
“Surrender yet?” Nate asked, once again slipping free of her poor grasp on his wrist. She was quick, but he was slippery.
She gasped again, squirming as much as she could, and finally managed, “N-never!”
“What was that?” Nate teased, leaning a bit closer as if he hadn’t been able to hear her.
Madison grinned and repeated, “Never.” Then she tightened her leg against the back of his knee, throwing off his balance, and flipped them over. She caught his wrists again and pinned them over his head as their eyes met. She was still gasping for breath, straddling him now, and he was still grinning broadly. “You can’t beat me that easily,” she declared.
“Duly noted,” Nate assured her, barely muffling his laughter. He was both amused and turned on, which was a confusing combination.
Satisfied with his answer, Madison loosened her hold on his wrists and let herself slump against him as she regulated her breathing. “You cheat,” she scolded tiredly without lifting her head from his chest.
“I do not,” Nate defended as he let one arm wrap around her back. His fingers slipped beneath her pajama top, this time in order to massage the skin he’d been tickling. “I’m just opportunistic,” he added as he molded his fingers into her back.
Madison pulled in an uneven breath. “Same thing,” she said before releasing a soft moan and curling her hands into his bare chest.
“Not quite,” Nate argued quietly. His hands settled over her hips and he added, “I may be out of condoms, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get naked. I still have a favor to return.”
Madison moaned again, longer this time, when Nate slipped his hands into her tiny shorts and squeezed her ass. The motion rocked her hips forward and ground her pelvis into his and he wasn’t entirely sure which of them was more tortured by the layers.
Angling her head to catch his earlobe in her teeth lightly, Madison whispered, “I bought us more. In the nightstand drawer.”
Heat flashed into Nate’s veins at the very thought and he flipped them over. Grinning into her startled green eyes, he brushed a kiss over the tip of her nose and said, “Strip for me, sexy. It’s my turn to play with you tonight.”
Madison pulled her lip between her teeth as Nate rose off her and he watched as she obediently shed her pajamas one layer at a time. First the tank top, then the short shorts, and finally the panties beneath, until she was sprawled gloriously on his bed. Naked and waiting for him.
Nate extracted the new box, tearing it open and practically jumping out of his sweatpants. He hadn’t felt so eager for a woman since his first time, if even then. Something about Madison just felt … different. The best kind of different there was.
“Tell me, Maddie,” Nate said as he crawled between her legs. “Do you know why they call it flying when you orgasm?”
She started to laugh but when his fingers made contact with her wet folds her laughter turned into a throaty, sexy moan. “I bet you’re going to show me,” she finally managed to say.
Nate grinned and plunged a finger deep inside her. “You know I am.”
Madison gasped and her hips bucked in time to his movement as he thrust one finger into her, then two, over and over again. He found her clit with his thumb and kept his gaze on her expressive face as he flicked it. The way her mouth fell open in a silent gasp of pleasure assured him it was time and he lowered himself as he withdrew his hand.
The heady scent of her sex encompassed him and he wasted no time lapping at her folds with his tongue. Madison took hold of his hair the moment his tongue made contact, arching beneath him as it slid inside. She gasped his name and he caught her hips, helping to guide her movement as he made love to her with his mouth.
When she was writhing and moaning his name repeatedly Nate slid his tongue up until he’d found her clit again, and this time he sucked it into his mouth.
She exploded for him, arching and crying out as her hips bucked sharply.
Nate gave a final, leisurely lick before retreating and tearing into a condom. He wanted to bury himself inside her tight body before her orgasm was done with her.
So he did.
Madison gasped again, wrapping her arms properly around him, and Nate slid into her until he was buried to the hilt. Her inner walls were still pulsing and the sensation drew a long groan from his throat.
“More!” Madison pleaded breathlessly. She tangled a hand in his hair and pulled his lips to hers, undoubtedly tasting herself on him.
Nate rumbled, wedged an arm around her waist, and let go. His hips snapped forward in rapid succession, driving himself into her repeatedly. She was so tight and slick, so ready to come for him again. It didn’t take him long to work them both up to that precipice. He broke from her kiss, latched his lips to her throat, and sank his throbbing cock deep into her one more time.
His vision went white as she gasped his name breathlessly, arching beneath him.
Their bodies continued to rock together for a long minute as their breathing evened out. Only once they were both breathing properly did Nate withdraw, dispose of the condom, and roll them over until Madison was sprawled on top of him.
He pulled her legs between his, one arm around her waist, and used his free hand to tug up the comforter. They were silent for a long minute before Nate whispered, “Maddie?”
She hummed an inquiry, her fingers drawing small patterns on his chest.
“I’m sorry for dragging you into all this,” Nate said, his voice quiet.
Madison reached up and danced her fingers over his jaw and cheek soothingly as she murmured, “I forgive you.”
Nate shifted, managing to angle himself enough to press his lips to the crown of her head, before he said, “Good night.” Madison’s hand remained over his jaw, her breathing perfectly even from sleep, and he let his head fall back against the pillow as his eyes settled on the ceiling.
He focused on the sound and feel of her steady breath until it finally lulled him into a calm, dreamless sleep.
Chapter Twelve
The BMW was gone when Nate turned his father’s Lincoln Navigator into his driveway a short while later. There was a new scorch mark in the vicinity of where the destroyed car had been, but otherwise there was no sign of it having been there. And he couldn’t quite decide if the BMW’s absence relieved or concerned him.
“Do you suppose it’d be stupid if we checked the garage?” Madison asked quietly, her gaze lingering on the newly vacated spot as well.
Glad to know he wasn’t the only one with mixed feelings, Nate eased the SUV to a stop beside his house as he said, “I think it’d be stupid if we didn’t.”
Still, they sat in silence for a long
minute as they swept their eyes over what they could see of the property. Though Madison had been back the day before, and no one had been lying in wait, neither was willing to assume that hadn’t changed. There was an intangible air of nervous energy surrounding them, even as their gazes finally met and Nate tugged the keys from the ignition. His voice was quiet and calm as he asked, “You ready?”
Madison inclined her head, humming her agreement, and released her seatbelt. She pushed her door open at the same time as Nate, and together they climbed out of the vehicle before gently clicking their doors shut. She walked around the front of the SUV, then, and met up with Nate on the other side.
Nate reached over and wrapped his hand around hers, offering her a hopefully reassuring smile, and started forward. He bypassed his own home without a sideways glance, but he paused when they reached the backyard and asked, “Garage first? Or house?”
“Garage,” Madison replied. Her voice was soft, but there was no trace of fear hidden beneath the stability. Nate inclined his head, leading the way toward the garage and giving her hand a light squeeze. It wasn’t long before he saw what she’d told him about before. The garage door was completely destroyed. The sight of it made him want to cringe. And a few more feet, angled around to the front of the building, allowed him to see past the awkwardly hanging door. He released a sigh as his eyes landed on his ill-fated Ducati. “You know,” he declared, his free hand landing on his hip, “it’s not fair. I only got the bike back from my mechanic in April.”
Squeezing his hand consolingly, Madison’s lips twitched and she replied, “Maybe it’s not you they’re after. Maybe they just have it out for this bike.”
Chest shaking with quiet laughter, Nate said, “Are you implying I shouldn’t just buy a brand new one?”
“I’m saying you should break the cycle,” Madison declared easily. “The world has spoken. Your motorcycle days are behind you.”
“Gah!” Nate exclaimed, his free hand lifting to his heart and clenching a fistful of his t-shirt dramatically. “Bite your tongue, woman! Driving more than two wheels implies I might be growing up!”
Madison laughed now and turned—without releasing his hand—into his line of sight. She reached up and pulled his fisted hand from his shirt, holding it between them, and said, “Or it could just imply that you’re transitioning. You could get a car that has four wheels but isn’t necessarily a grown up car.”
“Ah,” Nate began, recognizing her angle with a teasing smirk, “so you’re telling me to buy a chick magnet.”
Undaunted by his teasing, Madison replied, “Well, you do already have a ‘chick’ for the passenger seat. And that way you can make all the local single girls jealous.”
Tugging her up against his chest, Nate pulled one hand from hers and settled it over her hip. “Technically,” he said, voice low, “you’d be the one making them jealous.” And he loved that idea.
“Details, details,” Madison whispered, her eyes laughing. The humor faded after a moment and she softly added, “I am sorry about your bike, though.”
“Don’t be,” Nate assured her, his other hand pulling from hers in order to cover her opposite hip, “I think it’s time I upgraded anyway.” He held her eyes as he spoke, knowing full well he was all but saying something that he himself wasn’t sure he was ready to articulate. Fortunately, Madison seemed less than inclined to press the subject, as she lifted her hands to his neck and tugged him forward for a deep kiss. Her tongue plunged past his lips practically before he’d realized what she was doing, but he couldn’t complain. Instead, he pulled her flush against him and curved his arms around her waist, letting her control the kiss.
Somewhere in the back of his head, Nate knew he shouldn’t be making out with his girlfriend in plain sight when they still hadn’t finished exploring the area. If one of their enemies really was nearby, they’d be dead before they even realized what was happening. But he really didn’t feel like they were being watched. And, more importantly, she seemed to feel like kissing him senseless. She rolled her tongue along his and moaned a little into his mouth when one of his hands slid down and cupped her backside, pressing her firmly against his arousal.
Nate nipped her lower lip as her nails raked his scalp. She was torturing him again and he knew he needed to stop before he lost all sense of their surroundings. If for no other reason than because they had other things they needed to be doing. Though he was having a hard time remembering what those things were exactly. But he knew they were there, so he reluctantly pulled his lips from hers, slightly loosening his arms around her as his lowered hand dragged up enough to rest over the small of her back.
“Damn, woman,” Nate breathed with a lopsided grin.
Sliding her hands back down to his shoulders, Madison’s lips lifted with mischief and she said, “You’re welcome.” She took one more deep breath, stepped slightly back from him, and added, “Now come on. I want you to go through my house with me.”
“Your wish is my command,” Nate said with a laugh as he followed her toward her home. It wasn’t until she was tugging her key from her pocket that he remembered she had two broken windows. She was already unlocking the door as he said, “By the way, remind me to call Logan and see if he can’t get someone over here for your windows.”
Madison turned an arched eyebrow over her shoulder at him, asking, “Isn’t he working?”
“Yeah, but he can multitask,” Nate assured her with another grin. He stepped in behind her and calmly clicked the door shut before allowing his gaze to sweep past her. He hadn’t seen the inside of the house since the attack, and while the damage in the living room wasn’t quite as bad as he’d been picturing, it still bothered him greatly. To know that the shattered fragments of rock had been what saved her from a deadly bolt of lightning had his blood boiling.
He felt her suck in a sharp breath and snapped his eyes back to her immediately. She was barely two feet ahead of him, frozen in place with her eyes locked on something in her kitchen. Without moving he redirected his gaze past her and his eyes landed on a small piece of scratch paper dangling from a pizza-slice-shaped magnet. He didn’t have to ask to know that piece of paper hadn’t been there the day before, so he strode past her even as she seemed to gather herself. When he reached the paper he tugged it sharply from the magnet and read it over.
I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AGAIN SOON, MS. PRICE. – V.M.
“What does it say?” Madison asked carefully as Nate’s eyes narrowed and his hand clenched over the scrap of paper. His jaw was tight with tension and she could probably see it.
Silently, Nate handed over the note and let her read it. Her eyes widened almost immediately, before falling shut as she pulled in a deep breath. His eyes followed the note as her arm lowered and he found himself saying, “I guess we know the old man’s name isn’t Eric Senior, then.”
Madison opened her eyes, stared at him for a beat, before she lifted the note and looked at it again. “That’s right,” she said, thinking aloud. “I forgot we don’t actually know his name.”
“Frustrating, isn’t it?” Nate quipped humorlessly. He reached out and trailed his finger along her jaw until he had tilted her chin up, guiding her eyes to his, and he said, “Don’t worry, Maddie. One way or another, we’ll take care of this. He won’t get you.”
Her lips curved in a slow smile and she reached up, pulling his hand from her face in order to lean forward and press a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you,” she breathed as she pulled back. Holding his gaze, she added, “But I’m going to worry until this is over—if not for myself, then for you.”
He remained silent for a moment, taking in her words and pushing past his anger over the implications of the note, before finally saying, “Then I’ll see what I can do about ending this quick.”
Madison’s smile widened, giving him a flash of almost startlingly pristine teeth, and she said, “I’d appreciate that.”
He chuckled before angling around her and stepping from
the kitchen, saying, “Let’s get this investigation over with—I assume you still wanted that shower?”
Shoving the note into her pocket, Madison nodded. “I do. But, to be clear, you don’t have to wait around for me.”
“Oh?” Nate asked teasingly, one eyebrow arched as if in surprise.
Madison rolled her eyes and shoved at his nearest arm, saying, “You can get whatever you need from your house. It’ll save time that way.”
Nate laughed lightly and nodded. “I suppose that would work, too.” And it probably wasn’t the best time to be sharing a shower, anyway.
They quickly inspected the rest of her house, discovering—as they had suspected—that it was empty and untouched. Her bedroom was a mess, as that was where her other currently broken window was, but it was nothing she hadn’t expected to find. So, once the house was declared enemy free, Nate left her to pack some clothes and take a fast shower while he detoured to his own home.
While he was tugging clothes off of hangers, Nate pulled his cell phone from his pocket and called Logan. His brother promptly informed him he’d already thought to call and order new windows and someone would be over later that afternoon to board them up temporarily. Once the short call was over, Nate focused on shoving his gathered clothing into the large duffel he’d taken out, and then he was done. He took a minute going through the remainder of his house, but just as he’d noted on his way in, it didn’t seem like the house had been disturbed at all. There were no broken windows, no threatening notes—nothing. And, irrationally, he was angry about that.
They left a note on my girlfriend’s fridge. They stole my girlfriend’s car. They threw rocks through two of my girlfriend’s windows. But they can’t be bothered to leave some sort of threatening message for me?
Somehow, the fact that they’d destroyed his garage door and his motorcycle—for the second time—didn’t seem to be nearly as heavy as the things they’d done to Madison. Releasing a frustrated breath, Nate stepped outside, locked his sliding glass door, and made his way back to Madison’s. He let himself in quietly and paused until he noted he could hear the water running in the bathroom. The ground and couch were still littered with shards of glass, and he didn’t particularly feel like leaning against the wall. So he dropped his duffel by the door, lifted his feet from the floor, and allowed himself to stretch out.