Page 44 of The Billionaire's Secret Heir

Not that her relationships had been much to begin with. She’d dated a few men, mostly when she was in her twenties. None of the relationships lasted more than a few months. And no one, even after a little more time, had done anything close to what Beckett had done for her in just a few weeks’ time. Obviously, they couldn’t have afforded to do what he did, but there had never been the sense that someone cherished her the way Beckett did. She knew he wasn’t just trying to buy her or impress her with his wealth. It was more that he was constantly looking for ways to show her how he felt and simply had an unlimited budget to do so.

Already Madi had fallen way too quickly for this man, who currently had Becka giggling over his pig noises.

The depth of her feelings made it more important for her to talk to him about this. She needed to feel like she was standing on her own feet. The imbalance between them as it stood was simply too big. She didn’t want to take away the joy he took in giving, but Madi needed to find some way to feel like she wasn’t so dependent on him. If they were married, this wouldn’t be an issue. But as his girlfriend of almost two weeks, Madi felt uncomfortable seeing so much of her life relying on him.

The part of her that always looked for the worst in things couldn’t get away from thinking one day he would start to feel like she was just using him for his money. Or that she had given nothing back or contributed nothing, while he put in everything. Then where would she be? Heartbroken, and still dependent on him for everything. The thought made her feel physically ill. Though she kept trying to push back her tendency to think of the worst, she had imagined their breakup so often that it felt imminent. Not healthy. She was working on this side of herself, the side that tended to give in to worry and fear, but it was hard. Especially when she was so incredibly happy and when the status of her life felt so fragile and so tied up in Beckett.

Beckett waited on the couch while she put Becka to bed. He stood when she came back out and opened his arms. Sighing, Madi let him fold her into a hug. She had never felt so safe and so treasured in someone’s arms before.

“Pool?” he asked and Madi nodded against his chest.

This had become their routine for the last week: dinner when he got home from work, putting Becka to bed, and then hanging out by the pool at night. The weather wouldn’t last and soon even the nights would be blazing hot with one hundred percent humidity. For now, it was lovely. Beckett had even hired a service to handle the mosquitos after Madi had gotten bites.

“How about a swim tonight? I turned on the heater earlier so it won’t be freezing. Just in case you wanted to.”

Madi felt a flutter of nerves. She had seen Beckett swimming in the pool. He had the kind of body that looked like a professional athlete, all hard lines and muscles from his broad shoulders down to his tapered hips and strong legs. She had never been that caught up in physical appearances, but Beckett’s was hard to ignore. Paired with how he treated her and the way he was with Madi, and it made him even more attractive.

By comparison, the last time Madi had on a bathing suit had been … well, she didn’t even remember. It felt like baring so much. Especially in front of Beckett and his basically perfect body. But then, a dip in the pool sounded refreshing.

“Okay. I’ll change and meet you out there in a few minutes.”

Beckett gave her another squeeze and darted out the door, leaving Madi with her insecurities. Now she’d have to broach this uncomfortable subject with him while feeling uncomfortable. But did it really matter how she felt in a bathing suit? He said he had liked the way her legs looked when she had been sweaty and in ratty clothes, trying to mow the lawn. He had been undeterred seeing her moments after she’d woken up in the morning. Nothing seemed to faze him or shake him. If this was going to work between them, she had to stop feeling like she didn’t deserve him.

Giving herself a once-over in the full-length mirror, Madi had to admit she liked how the black swimsuit looked on her. It was more of a retro style, with a halter neckline and ruching around the stomach that made her waist look tiny compared to the curve of her hips. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail, grabbed a towel, and a tiny pep talk. She could walk out there confidently in her bathing suit. And she could find a way to talk with Beckett about feeling too dependent on him.

But the nerves hit her again when she opened the pool gate and saw Beckett come up out of the water, smiling and walking toward her. In the dim light, the shadows made his chest and abdominal muscles look even more sculpted. Madi swallowed and tried not to look like she had just been checking him out. But his teasing smile told her he already knew. At least he couldn’t see her blushing in the dark. Probably.

Madi dropped her towel and the baby monitor on a lounge chair. When she turned back to the pool, Beckett stood right behind her, crowding her personal space. She tried not to fixate on the way drops of water ran down his chest.

“Love the suit,” he said.

Madi resisted the urge to say anything self-deprecating. “Thank you. But I think you’re standing between me and the water.”

“I can fix that.”

Madi squealed as he swept her up in his arms and marched right into the water. She wrapped her arms around his neck and her squeals turned to giggles as the warm water enveloped her. He didn’t let her go once they were fully in, but kept her cradled to his chest.

“Hi,” he said, looking down at her.

“Hi.”

Madi felt shy suddenly, being so close. The conversation she wanted to have fled her mind. All she could think about right now was Beckett’s closeness. While her feelings had progressed at a rapid rate, nothing had changed physically. He held her hand, hugged her, and kissed her on her forehead, cheeks, or hand. But he had not yet kissed her on the lips. She had a sneaking suspicion that it was because his past relationships had been faster and more physical.

Logically, she respected his slow pace, especially with the constant battery of worries she kept trying to push away. But every time he pulled her close, her heart beat faster in anticipation. Every thought became intent on the longing to feel his lips pressed against hers. She knew that she wasn’t the only one. More than once she caught him staring at her lips with a heated gaze, the way she now stared at his lips. The lips that were now curving into a knowing smile.

“Madi? You okay?”

She dropped her gaze. “Yep.”

He chuckled, not fooled a bit. “You looked a little … distracted. I think I know what would help.”

Was this the moment? Madi couldn’t think of anything more romantic: a kiss in the pool under the moonlight. Anticipation lit a flame of desire and Madi felt her heartbeat skyrocket as she looked up at Beckett. But instead of a matching look of longing, he looked like he was about to laugh. And then she was airborne, flying toward the deep end of the pool.

She came up sputtering and laughing. “You are the worst. The absolute worst.”

“What are you going to do about it?” Beckett was already advancing quickly toward her with powerful strokes.

Madi darted underwater, knowing she couldn’t escape, but not really wanting to anyway. She was disappointed yet again that she didn’t get her kiss, but she loved this playful side of Beckett that seemed to come out more and more. It was such a far cry from how he was when she met him and even their first few conversations. She doubted many people got to see this side of him.

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