Page 118 of False Start

Anna smiled, marking the spot in her book with a bookmark before she uncurled her legs and stood. “Nothing to apologize for. I was just reading about a kiss like that. I’m a bit jealous.”

She reminded me of Giana — except Anna was about twenty years older than us and not quite as spunky as my agent.

“Bas is asleep,” she said, tucking her book into a large purse that she slung over one shoulder. “Has been for hours now.”

“Thank you,” I said as she passed us, and Madelyn gave her a hug before pulling a one-hundred-dollar bill out of her purse to pay. Anna assured her it was too much, but Madelyn wouldn’t accept anything less.

Once Anna was gone, Madelyn looked at me with cheeks as red as a fire engine.

“What? Embarrassed you got caught making out with your fiancé?” I teased, sweeping her into my arms once more.

She groaned and shook her head, covering it with her hands. “We probably scarred her.”

“Nah, she thought we were cute.”

“You thinkeveryonethinks we’re cute.”

“Because we are. You still tired?” I asked as I slid her ass onto the kitchen counter, wedging myself between her legs. My hands slid up the outside of her thighs to the hemline of her dress, shoving it up just a few inches before I stopped.

I wanted nothing more than to take her right now, to hear myfiancéewhimper before she came undone.

But she had been yawning all night, exhausted from the week she’d had, and if she needed sleep, I’d gladly tuck her into bed and cuddle her.

“Yes,” she answered honestly, but her arms wound around my neck, her hands sliding into my hair. “But I don’t want you to stop touching me.”

I licked my bottom lip, shoving her dress up higher until the fabric snagged where her ass was on the counter. She lifted enough for me to take it higher, over her hips, and I kissed her hard and long and with pure intention as I ran my hands up each of her ribs.

And then that whirring mind of hers took over again.

“I’m just worried he’ll take Sebastian from me,” she said with a sigh against my lips. “Marshall is—”

“Listen to me,” I said, pausing and holding her gaze with my own. “I am about to have this dress stripped over this beautiful head of yours, and once I do, you are forbidden from saying your ex-husband’s name.”

She let out a huff, but her grin told me she liked what I’d said. Her brown eyes were golden in the low light of her kitchen, her face framed by the strands of copper hair that had fallen from where she’d pinned it all back.

“I will handle him,” I promised her, noting the worry still in her eyes. “Wewill handle him. Together. Okay? I promise, I’ll try to talk him out of the whole thing. But if he’s dead set on taking us to court, then we’ll go, and we will eviscerate him.”

Madelyn’s eyebrows bent together like she still wasn’t sure.

“Trust me,” I pleaded.

At that, she nodded, leaning in to press a kiss to my lips that felt a whole lot like she was putting all her faith in me.

I wouldn’t ever take that lightly.

“But tonight,” I continued, sliding her dress up inch by inch as I peppered her with kisses. “You are not allowed to say his name again. The only name I want to hear coming from these pretty lips is your future husband’s.”

“My future husband,” she repeated, airily, like she couldn’t believe it.

It felt surreal to me, too.

“Do you remember his name?”

She smiled against my lips as her arms lifted above her head, allowing me to pull the fabric over her chest. “Kyle.”

“Damn fucking straight,” I said, and my cock jumped at how sweetly she said my name, at the tease and the promise in just those two syllables. “Say it again.”

“Kyle,” she moaned as I slid the dress up over her arms and head, letting it fall somewhere behind me.