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17

Blaise

He said I made him come so hard as I sucked him off that he forgot his name. Welcome to my world, buddy.

After I went down on him and he came in my mouth, I dressed from head to toe in satin and put back on my satin gloves. We fall asleep. Or at least he did, his breathing rhythmic near my ear.

I’m cocooned to him, his arm across my waist comforting. He is strong, his body solid and lined with muscles. His warm breath coasts over my hair and caresses my forehead as this puff of air when I tip my face up to him.

Is he asleep or, like me, awake, his heart thumping against his ribcage like mine is doing?

What is Maddox thinking?

What is he feeling?

I set my gloved hand on his chest.

Will he spend more nights with me? Or will he decide I’m too much of an oddity to waste his time on? I’m a spectacle. A woman with no meaningful skills. I bring nothing to a relationship.

“You’re thinking awful hard, Blaise.”

I sigh. “Called out.”

“Damn right. Why the sadness in your voice, baby? If you don’t want to talk, feel free to tell me to mind my own business.”

“I don’t want to burden you.”

“You won’t. You’re my wife.”

“I’m a business deal.”

“We can be more. You wanted a do-over. Let’s give it a try. I share something and you reciprocate. Does that work?”

“Sure.” I stretch out the word, wondering how personal this reciprocating will get.

“Spiders scare me.”

“Really?”

He chuckles. “That surprises you?”

“It does. Whose bigger, you or the spider?”

“Who has more legs, me or the damn things?”

“Answering a question with another. Not cool,” I say.

“Speaking of cool, are you warm enough?”

“Perfect, thank you.” For good measure, I burrow into his warmth.

With my head already tipped back, my mouth coasts over soft and warm flesh. What would Maddox taste like were I to flick my tongue over his skin? I long to know the answer, except it’s my turn to share something of myself.

“I’ve never been in love and have no idea what it would feel like.”

I expect him to laugh or make fun of me. What I’m not expecting is for him to share the opposite of falling for someone—heartbreak.

“Falling in love is exactly how they describe it to be. It’s like walking on clouds. Feeling like you can conquer the world.”