Page 119 of The Renegade Billionaire

“You’ve thought about it?” The question tumbles from my lips as if I don’t quite believe him.

“Fuck me, sunshine. You have no idea how much I’ve thought about this, but as I said, we are technically in public.”

Again, my body shudders, and that darkness flashes amber and gold again—he felt it.

“That excites you.”

How does he read me so completely?

“You excite me.” It’s not a lie. I’m scared he could talk me into just about anything and I’d barely put up a fight.

He slides me down his thighs, losing the friction my body is begging for.

“What are you doing?” Holy crap, was that me? I sound almost hysterical.

“We need a moment to cool down and think about this. I don’t want you making a decision you’ll regret later.”

Is this guy for real? I’m literally on top of him, ready to strip naked and give him the piece of myself I hold onto most tightly, and he stops it? He stops us?

“I’m not turning you down, Madison.” His voice cuts through whatever Cole is singing in the background. “I’m simply asking you to be sure.” His Adam’s apple bobs. Is he nervous? “I can’t handle being someone you regret.”

The tension that filled my core relaxes into something much more meaningful. His words are what make this an easy decision, one I know I’ll never regret.

“I won’t regret you, Braxton. I want this, here, with you, away from the inn and our responsibilities. I want this to be about you and me.”

He slides me forward, and I moan in relief.

“It will always be about you and me. There’s simply no other way.”

27

BRAXTON

Something snappedin me the second I had her in my lap.

It was an awakening and understanding that everything in my life has been done for the benefit of someone else. I’ve never taken something I wanted outside of my duty to my family. I’ve never even stopped to think about what I want outside of the Reyes name, the Montgomerys immoral compass, or what Grey, Sage, and I needed in the moment.

But Madison Ryan is who I want, who I need, and who I’ll uproot my entire family for.

I wait for her to give me her final consent. Her cheeks are rosy, and I loved openly following that flush as it crept down toward her breasts without restraint.

I bet her nipples are aching, and I can’t wait to give them all my attention.

“Please,” she whimpers. I press my cheek to hers, inhaling deeply before allowing my hands to roam her beautiful body.

“Madison.”

“Hmm,” she murmurs as my finger draws a circle around her nipple through the cotton of her dress.

“Will you be my girlfriend?” Fuck me. That’s not how I intended to ask her. Why the hell did I just spit it out that way,and now of all times? Jesus, I’m losing it. “Never mind. I’m pushing too fast, it’s?—”

Her silent laughter bounces her body against mine, and my cock deflates a bit. Being laughed at has that effect on a man.

How did I lose control of my mouth so stupidly?

“Why are you laughing?” I’m defensive, and my tone has her sitting up straighter and searching my face, while hers is crinkling in all the right places to tell me she’s happy.

“We’re about to have sex, and you stopped to ask if I’d be your girlfriend. It’s the very last thing I expected.” There’s honesty in her expression, but there’s still laughter in her voice.