by Dakota Rebel
“I’ll check,” Maddie said, pulling out her phone. She tapped the screen a few times then made a confused sound. “My last two rent checks haven’t cleared yet.”
Suddenly, everyone was on their phones, confirming the same thing.
Something about this didn’t seem right, and I made a mental note to track down the landlord and see what was going on.
“Are you having a good time?” Maddie asked, leaning against my arm.
“Not as good as you, apparently,” I teased. I took the beer bottle from her hand and took a long pull. “How many of these have you had?”
“Enough,” she said. “I think I’m going to head to bed.”
“I’ll walk you up,” I offered.
One of the guys wolf-whistled and Maddie flipped him the bird. The guys all laughed and it took everything in me not to punch them. How dare they assume anything about my girl?
“We’re just joshing you,” Craig said, clapping Maddie on the shoulder. “Y’all have a good night. We’ll make sure the courtyard gets cleaned up.”
“Thanks,” Maddie said. She held out her hand to me and I took it, letting her lead the way back into the building. We rode up to our floor in silence, her fingers still laced through mine.
When the elevator opened, I stepped into the hall, still gripping her hand and started to walk to her apartment.
“Did you have fun tonight?” she asked again, stopping in front of her door and looking up at me with wide eyes.
“I did,” I assured her. “Thank you for inviting me.”
“Do you want to come in?”
Fuck yes I wanted to go with her. But she’d been drinking, and I wouldn’t take advantage of any loose inhibitions. It wasn’t fair to her and it wasn’t how I wanted to start our relationship.
“I’d better head home,” I said, finally letting go of her hand.
“Boone?”
God, my name on her lips sounded like honey and my dick instantly got hard. I wanted to hear her scream it at me while I fucked her. Wanted her calling it out for the rest of our lives.
“Yeah?” My voice was hoarse and barely a whisper as I met her gaze.
“I’m not drunk,” she assured me. “Though, I appreciate you being a gentleman. I’ve had three beers. I’m perfectly capable of making rash decisions.”
“I believe you,” I said. “And yes, Maddie, I want to come in. But I’m not going to. Not tonight.” I leaned forward and kissed her. I’d meant for it to be a soft, gentle goodnight kiss. But her arms snaked around my neck and suddenly I had an armful of my future bride, her body molded against mine so hard I knew she could feel my erection pressed against her.
She moaned into my mouth and I found myself pushing her backward, pinning her against her door as my tongue ravished her mouth. She tasted like cheap beer and cherry chapstick. Her lips were full and soft and I couldn’t help wondering how they’d feel wrapped around my cock.
I stepped back suddenly, breaking her hold on me and panting as I stared at her. Her mouth was kiss-swollen and her eyes were like fire. Fuck, I wanted her so badly it physically hurt.
“Not tonight,” I repeated. I wanted to believe I was being noble, but honestly I just felt guilty. I knew I shouldn’t sleep with her until she knew the truth about me. And I wasn’t quite ready to give up the bet just yet.
“Okay,” she said. “But you’re going to miss out on my awesome Amazon panties.”
“Jesus,” I muttered, wiping a hand over my mouth to make sure I hadn’t actually drooled. “Maybe just a peek?”
“No sir,” she purred. “It’s an all or nothing proposition.”
“Look,” I said, stepping forward and pulling her back into my arms. “I want you, Maddie. Please, don’t think that I don’t.” Maybe a partial truth would help alleviate some of my guilt. “But there are things about me that you don’t know.”
“Like what?” she asked, her fingers toying with the hair at the nape of my neck. “Are you a serial killer?”
“No.” I laughed. “But I’ve never been with a woman before.”
“Really?” Her eyes widened as if surprised. “Well, I’ve never been with a man before.”
“What?” I stared at her. “How is that possible?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she asked, her gaze narrowing.
“I just mean, you’re amazing. You’re beautiful and smart and funny. How is it possible that no man has ever tried to snap you up before?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been busy.”
“Me, too,” I admitted.
“So, do you want to see my panties?”
“You’ve never been with anyone before, but you’re willing to show your panties to a stranger?” I teased.
“Not a stranger,” she argued. “You. Just you. I don’t know Boone, there’s something about you. I think I knew the day that I met you…”
“Knew what?” I asked her.
“Knew that you were going to be the one.” She bit her lip, lowering her gaze toward the floor as if she were ashamed to have admitted that to me.
“Hey.” I lifted her chin with my finger, making her look back up at me. “I think I knew, too. And I do want you. For way more than just sex. But, it can’t be tonight.”
“Okay,” she said again.
I dropped my arms and started walking back to my apartment.
“Hey, Boone,” she called after me.
I turned around and saw her hooking her thumb under the waistband of her jeans, pulling up a tiny strip of black fabric.
“Just a peek,” she said. “Good night.”
She walked into her apartment and I stood there staring at her door for a minute, having completely lost the ability to think as the rest of the blood in my body surged into my cock.
“I’m going to marry you,” I whispered into the empty hallway. “Right after I tell you the whole truth.”
Chapter Four
~Boone~
I left early Sunday morning, sliding a note under Maddie’s door telling her I’d be away most of the day, and giving her my cell number in case she wanted to talk.
I didn’t want her to think I was avoiding her, but I could barely sleep all night thinking about the state of the apartment complex. I felt bad for all of the tenants but knowing that Maddie couldn’t take a hot shower anytime she wanted really got under my skin. She deserved the best, and if I was going to be a jerk and lie to her, the least I could do was make sure her home was the best it could be.
Hoping that the mailing address in West Branch, Michigan was actually where the landlord lived, I’d hopped in my car at six in the morning and headed north.
I spent the entire drive thinking about Maddie. She was way too good for me. The woman had four dollars left to her name at the end of the month, and she’d given it to me to cover my dinner. I didn’t deserve her.
It had taken everything in me not to go into her apartment with her. She was literally offering me the world, and I’d thought I was doing the right thing by waiting. But as I lay in bed with aching balls, I just felt like an idiot.
Three hours later, I pulled into the driveway of a modest home. There was an old, Ford pickup in the driveway, and the lawn needed to be mowed. My Audi stuck out like a sore thumb, and I hoped that the landlord didn’t think I was an asshole for coming up here.
I knocked on the front door then clasped my hands in front of me, waiting for someone to answer. No one did. I knocked again, a little harder.
Finally, I heard movement inside, and the door opened. A frail woman, probably in her seventies opened the door.
“Can I help you?” she asked, peering past me toward my car in her driveway.
“Ma’am, my name is Boone Davis, I live in the apartment complex your husband owns in Detroit.”
“Oh,” she said. “Come on in.”
I followed her inside, looking around. It certainly didn’t seem like the home of a slumlord. There were knick-knacks on the shelves, and it smelled li
ke fresh baked bread. The couch had a slipcover on it, for God’s sake.
She motioned toward the sofa and I sat down as she took a seat in the rocking chair facing me.
“Ma’am, is your husband home? I’d like to talk to him about some issues we’re having with the building.”
“My husband passed away last December,” she said.
“I’m so sorry.” I slid forward. “I didn’t know.”
“I didn’t tell the tenants,” she said. “Davis…you’re the fella that wanted a one-month lease?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I confirmed. “And you still haven’t cashed my check.”
“Please, call me Doris. And no, I haven’t been able to get to the bank.” She sighed. “It’s been hard, with Henry gone. My kids help, but I don’t want to bother them with too much. They lost their dad. It’s a lot to take.”
“I would assume a bunch of strangers in Detroit aren’t exactly at the top of your priority list right now.”
“No, to be honest, it’s just too much for me. My daughter wants me to sell and move to Florida to live with her and her husband. But the market in Detroit isn’t exactly booming. No one is falling over themselves to buy that building.”
“Would you be willing to sell?” I asked. “I can offer a fair price.”
“You want to buy the building?” She looked at me, surprise clear on her face. “Whatever for?”
“I have the means to take care of it,” I explained. “And I live there, so it would be convenient for getting the place fixed up. Then I can either keep it as an investment or flip it when the market turns around.”
“You only wanted to stay for a month,” she said. “Now you want to buy it? I don’t understand.”
“It’s complicated,” I said with a small chuckle.
“Would you like some coffee?” she asked, getting to her feet. “You can tell me all about her.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, standing up to help her in the kitchen.
“I’ve seen plenty of young men fall in love in my time,” she said, smiling at me. “I know the look.”
****
“So, the bet’s off?” Brock asked.
I was driving back to Detroit, and I’d called him to tell him about buying the building.
“No,” I insisted. Not yet, anyway. “It was a business purchase, not a personal one.”
“Technicality,” he spat. “That’s cheating.”
“Hey, I still have my job. And my job is to make money. I just can’t spend it for another week. The company bought the building. And the company is going to fix it up.”
“And you haven’t told anyone anything?” he asked.
“Nope.” Not yet, anyway. “You’re not getting that house.”
“We’ll see,” he said. “Why did you even want this building? You don’t deal in real estate.”
I thought back to the conversation I’d had with Doris. When I’d told her about Maddie, she’d smiled at me, patted my hand, and told me I was being an idiot.
“If you love her, and I think you do, you have to tell her the truth, Boone,” Doris had said. “Relationships can’t stand on a foundation of lies. So, you can win or you can be happy.”
Ugh. She may as well have been sitting on a porch whittling wood. The advice was sage, and correct. But it was just one more week. And I wasn’t lying to her. Not really. I was just…not being honest.
Fuck.
“Look, I’m almost back to the apartment. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“Okay,” he said. “Hey, can you have a cleaning service go to the house and make sure it’s set up? I want to fly out as soon as you lose.”
“Piss off.” I disconnected. What a prick.
I pulled into the parking garage and cut the engine. It was dark inside, the lights having finally burnt out. Damnit, one more thing for the list of shit I needed to get fixed in this place.
It was almost nine o’clock by time I walked into my apartment. And I had to be up early Monday morning to make sure everything got taken care of for Doris. She’d given me a box of paperwork so I could get started on the arrangements, and I’d promised to send my assistant and my broker out to see her to finalize everything.
She’d given me two loaves of bread and a kiss on the cheek and sent me on my way. She was a wonderful woman and my heart broke for her. I couldn’t imagine losing the love of my life.
I kicked off my shoes and walked into the bedroom, falling onto the mattress and throwing my arm over my eyes. My phone chirped with a text message and I groaned. I didn’t want to deal with any more of Brock’s shit tonight.
Pulling my cell out of my pocket, I looked at the display.
“Boone, it’s Maddie. Could you come over, please? The door is unlocked.”
That was weird. Had she heard me come in? Why didn’t she just come over here?
“You okay?” I texted back, already getting to my feet.
“Just come over.”
Chapter Five
~Maddie~
“Maddie!” Boone called out from the living room.
“Oh, thank God!” I screamed. “In here.”
I was sitting in the chair in my room in my bathrobe, my legs tucked up under my butt, practically paralyzed with fear.
“What’s going on?” he asked, rushing into the room.
“There’s a centipede on the floor,” I said, pointing toward the doorway he was standing in. “I don’t know where it went. But every time I try to stand up, it comes running out again.”
“Jesus Christ,” he said, running his fingers through his hair. “You called me over here to kill a bug?”
“Don’t fucking start,” I said. “I’ve been sitting in this chair for two hours. I’m starving and I have to pee.”
He took a step into the room, and that thousand-legged bastard came running straight at him.
“There it is!” I shrieked, trying to curl myself up tighter.
“Fuck!” Boone yelled, jumping up onto the bed. “That’s not a bug. That’s a goddamned horror movie.”
“Kill it!” I screamed.
“Where did it go?” he asked, crawling on all fours to the edge of the bed and looking around on the floor.
“Oh my God,” I cried. “I’m gonna pee in this chair.”
“Well, you could have done that before I got here,” he said.
“Not funny,” I insisted. “There!”
I pointed as the centipede made a break for the doorway. Boone grabbed a book off the nightstand and chased after it. I heard a loud thud, some cussing, another thud, a very unmanly shriek, then a final thud.
“Did you get it?” I asked, leaning over to try to see out the doorway.
“I got it,” he promised. “It’s dead. But this book lives on the floor now.”
I jumped to my feet and rushed into the bathroom, slamming the door and taking care of business quickly. When I came back out, Boone was leaning against the doorframe of my bedroom, smiling at me.
“Were you really sitting in that chair for the last two hours?” he asked.
“Okay, well that might have been an exaggeration,” I admitted. “But it was a long time.”
“Why didn’t you call anyone else?” He pushed off the door and walked over to me, his hands running up my arms.
“I don’t really have anyone to call. I don’t have anyone else’s number in the building and I wasn’t going to make friends come all the way over here.”
“What if I hadn’t come home tonight?” he asked.
My blood boiled, why the fuck wouldn’t he be home? Where else would he be? Not that it was any of my business really, but his premise was ridiculous.
Ever since I’d asked him to come in last night, I’d been having this internal war with myself about whether or not we were going to get married and ride off into the sunset together. It was too fast to be falling in love with a man I barely even knew. But it was undeniable at this point. I mean, I’d never in my entire life shown ano
ther man my panties. I’d never wanted to.
“Of course, you were coming home,” I said, looking up into his gaze.
“Yeah,” he agreed, stepping even closer. “Of course, I was coming home to you.”
Then I was in his arms and he was kissing me. His tongue touched mine, making my knees weak and only his firm embrace kept me on my feet. There was no more denying it. I was falling in love with this guy.
He scooped me up, carrying me to the mattress and laying me down gently before climbing over me and resuming the kiss. For a guy who’d never been with a woman before, he was pretty damn smooth.
“That was a boss move right there,” I whispered against his lips.
“What?” He pulled back to look down at me. “Slaying that monster for you?”
“No,” I said with a smile. “But rescuing me is always appreciated. I meant picking me up like that. Very sexy.”
“Yeah?” He leaned down and nipped my lower lip. “Did you like that?”
“Very much,” I admitted.
“Did I make your new panties wet?” His hand slid up my thigh under my robe. “I haven’t been able to get you out of my head all day. Actually, since I met you, I’ve been in a total fog. Is that crazy? That my first and last thought every day is you?” His fingers trailed up and down the inside of my thigh, the sensation making my head go fuzzy.
“It’s not crazy,” I said. “I think about you all the time, too.”
“I shouldn’t be doing this” he said, as he opened my robe. “I promised myself to tell you everything before I made love to you.”
My heart started hammering in my chest. What could he possibly be keeping from me that was so important? He obviously thought I’d freak out about it or he wouldn’t be so worried about it.
“Unless it’s something that is going to physical harm me in some way, I think we’re okay. We have a lifetime to get to know things about each other.” I bit my lip and stared into his eyes, realizing what I’d just implied.
“You’re right,” he said, smiling. “We will have a lifetime for that stuff.”
He rolled off the bed, standing at the foot and staring at me. His hands hooked behind my knees and he pulled me down, so my legs hung off the end.