“Eight.”
“That’s it?”
“I know. It feels like midnight now that the sun goes down so early.”
She got onto her elbows. “I can’t believe I fell asleep.”
“Why? I’m cuddly like a bunny.”
She snorted at my reference to her high school pajamas. “You’re cuddly like a rock,” she said as she sat up and swung her legs to the floor.
“Like a rock?”
“All your muscles, they’re hard.”
I scoffed. I wasn’t that muscular. Sure, I worked out, but I wasn’t going to win any bodybuilding contests. Not that I wanted to. Sometimes, less was more.
“Yeah, well, you didn’t seem to mind on Friday. What did you say to me again?” I paused for dramatic effect and snapped my fingers. “That’s right. You told me you wanted to lick me all over.”
Madeline jumped up from the bed and peeked over her shoulder at me. “It’s not the same thing.”
I sat up and tried to look at her face, but it was too dark. The only light coming into the room was from the stairs.
“Are you embarrassed?”
“No,” she said too quickly as she yanked on the hem of her shirt.
I threw my head back and laughed. “You totally are.”
I snagged her hand and pulled her back down to the bed. She yelped as she fell into my arms.
I ran my nose along her jaw. “It’s okay to think I’m sexy, Mads. Most women do.”
She slapped her hands down on my shoulders. “That’s what you think.”
“Hmm,” I murmured and trailed my mouth down to the spot between her shoulder and her neck.
I brushed my lips over her skin, and she drew in a breath.
I licked her once and then quickly sucked on her there.
God, she tastes good.
Friday night memories came to the forefront of my brain, and I began to grow hard against her leg.
But if she knew I was turned on, it would defeat the purpose of my little move.
Madeline dug her nails into my shoulders, and I lifted my head.
“See? Women want me.” I slapped her ass and jumped off the bed. Discreetly, I adjusted my dick in my jeans.
“You’re the worst,” she said and rolled off the bed.
Sighing dramatically, I put my hands on my hips. “Again, you told me I was the best on Friday. Why do you keep lying?” I bit my lip to keep from smiling.
“I did not say you were the best.”
“That’s right. I think it went something like, ‘So good, so good, soooo—’ ”
She socked me in the gut. “I’m going downstairs,” she muttered and left the room.
I sprinted after her and stopped her at the bottom of the stairs. “Hey, Mads.”
She turned around. “What?”
I reached the same stair. I could hear the TV in the living room, so there was a strong chance that no one could hear us talking, but I leaned close and lowered my voice just in case. “I’m only teasing you, I hope you know. I’m not trying to upset you.”
I leaned back, so I could see her eyes.
She smiled. “I know.”
“Good.” I put my mouth near her ear again. “Because you’re beautiful, and the way you fuck…” I sucked in a breath through my teeth. “I’m surprised you don’t have guys knocking down your door.” I kissed her on the temple and continued down the stairs.
Madeline followed me into the living room, where her parents and grandmother were sitting around the television.
“Good morning, you two,” Nora said jokingly.
“Sorry about falling asleep. I’m not a great dinner guest.”
She waved her hand at me. “It’s the weekend. Weekends are for naps. The two of you looked so peaceful, and I figured you needed your sleep.”
“I was wondering who had turned the lamp off,” Madeline said.
“Yeah, I lost quite a bit of sleep on Friday night for Madeline’s birthday. She kept me up all night.”
Nora looked at her daughter. “Madeline, I thought your partying days were over.”
Madeline turned red and shot me a look. “Griff is exaggerating. But I did need sleep because you’re right, Mom; my partying days are over.”
“That’s too bad,” Grandma Dotty said. “I thought, with that bedhead, you two were doing something more fun than sleeping.”
“Mom,” Nora said.
“I’m out of here,” George said and pushed himself off his recliner.
Madeline put her hand on his arm. “Have a good night, Dad.”
He hugged her. “Good night, peanut. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks.”
“Are you really leaving?” her mom asked as George walked away.
“Yeah. I have to go to work tomorrow.”
“Same for me,” I said.
Nora frowned. “I understand.” She stood and gave Madeline a hug. “Happy birthday.”
“Thanks, Mom. Thanks for dinner and the birthday money.”
“You’re welcome.”
As Madeline went to hug her grandma, Nora put her arms around me. “Thanks for coming, Griffin.”
“My pleasure. You know I love your food.”
She chuckled as she stepped away from me. “You know you’re always welcome. With or without Madeline.”
The two of us said good-bye, grabbed our stuff, and walked out the front door.
“Hey. Come over to my car real quick.”
“Okay,” Madeline said and walked over to my vehicle with me.
I unlocked the passenger door and pulled out a small present. “It’s late, but here is your birthday present.”
Her mouth popped open, and her eyes widened in surprise.
“You didn’t think I forgot, did you?”
She took the box. “No…”
I laughed. “Making you come was not a birthday present, Mads. Even if it was something you’d asked me for.” I nodded toward the gift. “Open it.”
“Okay.” She picked at a corner until she slowly pulled away the wrapping.
She was killing me with how slow she was going.
“Just rip it.”
“It’s too pretty.”
I didn’t understand women sometimes. It was wrapping paper that she was only going to throw away later.
Finally, she pulled all the wrapping away and opened the box.
She gasped.
Fifteen
Madeline
I had no idea what Griffin had decided to get me since I’d never given him any ideas. And it turned out that he hadn’t needed my help at all because he had just gifted me the best present I’d ever received.
“I can’t believe you did this,” I said.
“The way you say it, it sounds like I did a bad thing.”
I shook my head. “No. You did a great thing. It’s just that my gift sucks compared to yours,” I said.
“Nah.”
“Griffin, I got you a neon sign for your bar. You bought me two plane tickets to Europe.”
He shrugged as if it were no big deal. “You always said you wanted to go before you turned thirty.”