“You never once made a move on me,” she said back.
I chuckled. “God, we’re so stupid. I guess I just didn’t think you liked me in that way.”
“And I never thought you liked me. We’re hopeless. I don’t know why we weren’t just honest with each other from the start,” she said, and I could see that she was finally starting to forgive me.
“Yeah, that could’ve made things a lot easier. Maybe neither of us wanted to ruin the friendship. And working together probably didn’t make it any easier. But we should’ve just been honest.”
“So, what does this mean? What happens now?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I have no idea. All I know is that I’ve had the worst time without you and I made a huge mess of it all. I’ve never been great with showing my emotions. Clearly.”
She laughed. “Neither have I. And I’m glad you are apologizing. You know, for two people that get along so well I’m surprised it was so difficult for us to tell each other how we felt. I wanted to talk to you about it the entire time in the safe house, but I was sort of scared for the conversation. After years of just being your partner and nothing else, it was nerve-wracking to take that step. I still don’t really know what I want from this.”
Relief washed over me. “Neither do I. All I know is that I don’t want us to stop being friends. I’ve hated not talking to you, Madi. This week has been torture. It’s been one of the worst weeks of my life. Everyone at work has noticed too. I heard some guy calling me mopey when he thought I couldn’t hear him. I didn’t even go up and confront him because I knew it was true. I was moping around. I kept thinking how much I hated working with these new guys, but they must’ve been thinking the same thing about me.”
“Oh yeah?” she said. “It’s been a breeze for me. One of the easiest weeks of my life.”
I laughed. “You cut me deep, Madi. You cut me deep.”
After that, things between us were easy. Conversation flowed, and we laughed so much that the people at the table next to us kept looking at us strangely. We ignored them, though. We had a lot to catch up on, and we had never really cared about what other people thought of us in the first place. It felt so good to have her back in my life again. I silently thanked Xavier for pushing me to talk things through with her and reminded myself to tell him as soon as I could. Life just didn’t seem the same without her there. I was surprised again at how comfortable I felt around Madison. Even after everything we had been through, we still managed to get along better than we did with anyone else. It was fun. And after everything that had happened, we both needed a bit of fun in our lives.
After the meal, we ordered a cup of coffee.
“Think the coffee is good here?” I asked.
Madison shrugged. “I don’t know. The food was amazing, but I’ve never tried their coffee. Let’s give it a go. It can’t be that bad.”
We ordered a cup each, but the moment we took a sip, we both grimaced.
“Could it be? Is this stuff perhaps worse than the coffee at the office?” I said.
She chuckled. “It might be worse. I never thought that even possible. That was revolting. It’s like dirty water; what the hell did they just give us? I’m not sure I can even have another sip.”
I pushed my cup away. “Same here. I think it’s going to make us sick. They make such great food here, you’d think their coffee would at least be drinkable. I guess they’re not exactly known for their coffee here. Which is a pity because I could’ve really used a decent cup right now.” I didn’t actually care all that much for coffee. I just wasn’t prepared for the evening to be over. I wanted to squeeze in as much time as I could with Madison.
“Well,” she said coyly. “We could, uh, you know, have a cup at my house? I mean, if you want to of course.”
I grinned. “Best idea you’ve had all day, Madi.”
“Oh, I’m full of good ideas.”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Madison
I had prepared myself for a night of Max trying to explain himself to me while I got increasingly upset at him. I had pictured myself storming out before the night was over and coming home still starving because we hadn’t even gotten around to eating yet. I had expected things to go badly and for the upcoming days at work to be even more awkward than they were now. The last thing I had expected was for Max to be with me when I got home. I drove home with him behind me the whole way, and I couldn’t help but smile. Max had actually apologized, something I never once expected him to do. I wasn’t sure what was going to happen between us, but I was just so glad that we were finally talking again. Talking, laughing, and teasing each other like the old days.
“Welcome back,” I said as we walked towards the house. I wasn’t sure that Max was ever going to see the inside of my house again.
I opened the door and let him in. When I finished locking the door, I was surprised to see Max still standing right there. I looked up at him, and before I had the chance to say anything, he pushed me against the door and started to kiss me. My mouth opened and a soft moan the moment his lips touched mine, and I felt my knees begin to buckle. I had missed this more than I had thought, mostly because I had tried not to think about it lately at all.
“I’ve missed you,” he said as if reading my mind.
The kiss was hot and heavy, fueled by a passion that went above and beyond any of the other times that we had been together. It was clear that we both had a lot of pent-up sexual frustration after being apart, and I was glad to see how much he wanted me. After thinking that he wasn’t interested in me at all, this made for a nice change. There was nothing better than knowing that you were wanted, especially when it was from the person that you wanted too.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s go to the bedroom.” As hot as it was getting kissed against the door, I was desperate to be in bed with him. Desperate to take things further. There was no way I was going to stop now that we had started this.
As we got to the bedroom, we took off our clothes and threw them to the side. Neither one of us was in the mood to take things slow this time. We wanted each other too badly to waste our time with foreplay. We fell on to bed, and within seconds Max’s mouth and hands were all over my body, caressing, exploring.
“Holy shit, Madi. I’ve missed you so much,” he said as he put my breasts into his mouth, teasing my nipples with his tongue. He explored my body as if he were seeing it for the first time, and each time he kissed me or licked me, I would moan out loud.
I once had sex with a guy in my bedroom and had been so embarrassed by how loud he was. I knew that the neighbors were close enough for them to probably hear us, and I had been mortified the entire time. But it was different with Max. With Max, I didn’t care what anyone thought. In fact, I was too lost in the moment to even worry about someone overhearing us. I wanted more and more and more of him, and the only thing I could think about was the way he made me feel. Max turned me over so that I was now astride him.
“I like this view,” he said as I sat on top of him. He slid easily inside me, and I smiled down at him.
“I like this view too,” I said.
I rocked over him while he touched my breasts and trailed his fingers over my body. I liked that we had the lights on, and we were so fully on display to one another. I wanted to see all of him, and I wanted him to see all of me too. I pushed harder so that he could get even deeper inside of me.
“Oh my god, that’s so good,” he said.
I rocked again, and he squeezed my nipples a little harder than usual. I cried out as the pain mixed with pleasure and told him to do it again. We continued to touch, to squeeze, to rub, to kiss, until I could feel him about to release. I leaned down and kissed him on the mouth. I took his hands and put them on my waist. He held onto me as I moved over him, and our lips released the moment we both lost control. As he came inside me, I came too, and the feeling of complete ecstasy lasted longer than it ever had. We’d both been waiting for this moment.
He grinned. “Only if you serve it to me naked,” he said.
“I’ll think about it,” I said. “Wait here. I’ll bring it for us,” I said and walked out.
I made the coffee and took it back upstairs, but the moment I got to the door, I shrugged off the robe and walked in without anything on.
He grinned. “You know, I always knew the coffee was good around here, but I had no idea the service was this great too.”
“I hope you know I’m expecting a tip,” I said and handed him a cup.
“Oh, you’re definitely getting one. Thanks, Madi, this is great. I’m annoyed that we spent so long without doing this. We could’ve been doing this every night this week.”
“You have nobody to blame but yourself,” I said, and he laughed.
“That’s true. Hey, Team Maverick are back together again.”
I smiled. “, speaking of teams, what do you think about me heading up the narcotics department? Were you surprised? I had no idea it was going to happen. The chief called me into his office that morning.”
“I’m not surprised at all. I can think of nobody better for the job. I’m so proud of you. And you chose a great team. You did well at that meeting. I overheard people talking about you afterward and everyone agreed that it was the best thing that the chief could’ve done. People really respect you at that place. I think they respect you even more after you stood up to me and told me what a coward I was.”
I chuckled. “Sorry about that.”
“Don’t be. I deserved it.”
“Yeah, I think people were very surprised. It’s not like you and I to fight like that. I mean, we always fought, but only in a joking-around way. That was serious, and everyone knew it. I felt bad afterward,” I said.
“No, you didn’t.”
“Okay, I didn’t. But like you said, you deserved it.”
“Yeah. Yeah. I did.”
“So, you like the team I put together, huh?”
He frowned. “I mean, I do. But obviously, it could be better.”
“You know, I was thinking the same thing. There seems to be just one guy missing from the team.”
“Does that guy happen to be the most handsome man in the world?”
“Uh, no. George Clooney is unfortunately not interested in joining our narcotics team.”
“Such a tease.”
“But seriously, Max. I’d love you on the team.”
“Seriously?”
“Of course. I never wanted to break us up. I hate working without you, and you know we work better together than we do with anyone else. I know you’ve joined another team now, so it’s completely up to you. Just think about it, okay?”
He nodded. “I’ll think about it. Although, I must say, I really don’t deserve you taking me back like this.”
“Yeah, you don’t,” I teased. “The things I’ll do for sex, huh?”
He chuckled. “I’m certainly not complaining.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
Max
A week had passed since that night with Madison, and things had been great. We’d had several meetings over coffee to discuss how things should go moving forward, and we’d met up twice for a bit of ‘after-work activity’ as Madison liked to call it. Everyone at work seemed relieved that the two of were getting along again. Thomas had walked up to me to shake my hand and to tell me that he couldn’t imagine a better team than us.
“It just didn’t make sense that the two of you were apart,” he said. “Do you have any idea how jealous we all were of how good you guys were? Everyone wanted to be in a team like that.”
Thomas had been right. It just didn’t feel right working with anyone else. I woke up that morning to a message from Madison to say that there was a big meeting happening at nine-thirty and that I mustn’t be late.
I’m not on your team, I had replied.
Everyone is required to be there.
I got to work early and spent some time at my desk, going through paperwork. Paperwork had always been the part that I despised the most. I liked to be out on the field, actually doing something. But the paperwork was necessary; I knew that as much as I hated to admit it. My problem was that I put it off for so long and then when it came time to doing it I always had so much to do. Madison was the opposite of me. She got through a little bit of paperwork every day, so she never felt overwhelmed by it. I chuckled as I thought of her now. She was right, and we both knew it, and yet I still continued to the do the same. I was so engrossed in the work that when I looked up, I noticed that there was hardly anybody around me. I looked at my watch and saw that it was quarter past nine. That was strange. The place was usually packed by this time.
“Marty,” I called out to one of the only guys I could see. “Where is everyone?”
“They’re in the big meeting. Aren’t you supposed to be there too?”
“Yes, but it’s at nine-thirty.”
“No, according to the email, it’s at nine.”
I groaned. I hadn’t bothered to look at the email because Madison had told me nine-thirty over the phone. Had she screwed me up on purpose?
I hurried over to the conference room. As I walked in all heads turned to look at me, and Madison called out, “You’re late!”
“You told me nine-thirty,” I said and took a seat.
“No, the email said nine, didn’t it?” she said to the rest of the room. Everyone agreed.
I groaned. “You’re impossible,” I said, and everyone laughed.
I watched as Madison ran the meeting with great ease. She told everyone what her new team was up to and how much they had accomplished over the week. It was a lot for people that had only just started working together, and I saw that the chief was grinning at her. I was proud of how far she had come. Madison had worked her way up the ladder at work and deserved this title more than anyone here. She was born to do this job.
“Now, as you all know, Max and I had been a team for a very long time. Of course, that was before he ran off to work by himself. The idiot,” she said. This elicited even more laughter from the crowd, and I couldn’t help but laugh with her.
“Silliest decision of my life,” I agreed.
“But let’s be honest, I’m not as good without him. And I’d like to hope that he’s not as good without me,” she said.
“He’s not!” someone screamed out. More laughter.
“I need one more person on the team. I’ve already spoken to the chief, and he thinks it’s a good idea for Max to become our final member. Max, we’d love to have you on board,” she said and grinned at me.
“Hmm,” I said. “I’ll have to think about it. Just kidding. I’d be honored.”
“Wonderful. Okay, thanks for coming, everyone. Could my team members stay behind so we can have another meeting, please?” she said.
I looked around the table at my new team. I was so much happier here than I had been on patrol and I was sure that everyone could sense it. It was hard to hide the fact, and I eventually burst out, “Man, it’s good to back here.”
“Good to have you, man,” Thomas said.
We sat around making plans for the upcoming weeks and discussing urgent matters that needed sorting out. Madison created teams within the team and naturally put me alongside with her. Then she looked at me.
“Are you ready for your first big job?”
“Always.”
“Well, we have some urgent things to do today. I need a few people to stay behind at the station, but I’d like Thomas and Mac to get strategizing on their undercover work, and Max you and I will be out on the field today. You ready?”
“Ready!”
I notice that Madison had been assigned a new car to use, and when I questioned her, I wasn’t ready for the answer that she gave me.
“The van . . . uh . . .”
“What’s wrong? What happened
?”
“That’s where I was on the night that of the big drug bust. They came in and dragged me out of the van. I said I didn’t mind driving it again, but the chief seemed adamant that I use something else. The van has been assigned to another team. They’re getting a new one for me to use. And, to be honest Max, I’m glad. I felt myself getting panic attacks every night I got into that thing. It’s so stupid.”
“It’s not stupid at all. Hell, Madison, that must’ve been so scary for you. You know, everyone has been going on about how brave I was and how much I have been through. But they keep forgetting that you went through the same thing. In fact, you went through more. I might’ve been shot, but I also had no memories of that day for a long time. It was easier for me to deal with. But you remembered everything. Every last detail. I can’t imagine how difficult this must’ve been for you. Are you sure you’re ready to be back out there?” I asked. I didn’t want Madison to do anything she wasn’t ready for yet.
“I’m ready,” she said. “After all, this is what we signed up for when we decided to go into a career like this. So, I’m fine. I’m better knowing that we’re a team again. I’d rather be out here with you than out here alone.”
“Well naturally. I mean, let’s face it, you get the good cop and the bad cop, and I’m obviously the good one.”
“Oh yeah, and what makes you so sure about that?”
“I was just born this way,” I said.
Madison giggled. “You’re so annoying.”
“You know, it’s a pity we don’t have the van anymore,” I said.
“Oh yeah? Why’s that?”
“It was so spacious.”
“Spacious? What’s that got to do with anything?” she said. Then she took one look at my face and laughed. “Oh.”
“Madison Hayes, are you blushing?”
“I do not blush. I’m simply not a blusher.”
“That’s strange. Because your face has gone a shade of pink,” I said. I put out my hand against her cheek and nodded. “And it’s very warm.”
“It’s just a hot day today, that’s all.”
Dirty Maverick (The Maxwell Family) Page 20