Page 109 of Obsessed with the Heartbreaker

Who would have known that the infamous Heartbreaker could be so clingy? Not me, that was for sure, but now that I knew, I couldn’t help the delight that kept my lips in a perpetual grin. My cheeks hurt at this point.

If I had to use twice as much time to make breakfast just so Henry could keep on holding me like I was his plushie, then so be it, I’d suffer it willingly. No hardship at all.

And if I got to annoy Maddox in the process, then all the better for it.

“First of all, this isn’tevery morning,” Henry started, holding on tighter to me but turning his head towards the intruder.

Which was true. Usually, we left our morning cuddling to the bed, where more often than not, it became a very sweaty, very hot, veryenthusiasticsort of cuddling.

Today was different, though. Today, Henry had his first interview for an internship he was very excited about, and since it was something he actuallycaredabout, he was feeling uncharacteristically nervous.

Thankfully, Henry wasn’t even half the worrywart I was, though, and I was pretty sure that after some more clinging and some breakfast, all his courage and arrogance would be back with a vengeance.

“Andsecond of all,” Henry followed as I shifted and tried to move around with the spider monkey on my back. “You’re the one who pushed me to confess my feelings and get myself together. So you’ll now have to deal with the consequences.”

Maddox stared at us as I tried to finish cooking. His face looked halfway between pained and horrified. I had to say that, as much as he might look all tough and emotionless sometimes, after hearing about the pep talk he’d given Henry before he came to get me, the way he’d let Henrycryon his shoulder, I didn’t fall for it anymore. I was utterly convinced he had a soft-as-melting-butter center, which was unfortunate, since I kind of liked hating him a little bit.

With a dry tone, the Hellhound said, “I’m regretting my life decisions right about now.”

“Are you?” I asked. The coffee maker beeped and I gathered our mugs. “Because I think you’d be sad without my waffles.”

“Did someone say waffles?” Adam asked, popping his head into the kitchen and coming up to the counter, where I offered him some of the extra mixture I’d made.

This was becoming a new tradition of sorts. Not too long ago, I found out that these guys had a poor waffle maker gathering dust in their kitchen, so I’d taken it upon myself to remedy it. I’d started making waffles almost every time I stayed over, which obviously made everyone very eager for me to be here, and no one more so than Maddox.

He’d never said so explicitly of course, but he was always the first to peek into the kitchen. Not to mention he always ended up with a waiting plate right by my side, glaring at me so I wouldn’t make him ask for them.

I wouldn’t let him get away with it today, though. I was feeling a little evil.

And he obviously saw that on my face, given the icy blue glare that was trying to bore holes into my skull.

Holding a plate up toward him, I said, “Will you sing my praises today, Hellhound? Or should I give these to the poor souls waiting outside?”

No one was really waiting, not yet. But soon, there would be a swarm of hungry frat bros coming into this kitchen, and the waffle mixture would disappear in a matter of minutes.

Maddox’s hard jaw ticked. “What do you want?”

“A compliment would be nice.”

The torture that it would be for him to admit it would be its own reward, too.

Henry and Adam both cackled like hyenas at the show. My boyfriend let go of me and sat opposite Adam at the kitchen table, so it was just me and Maddox tied in a battle of wills.

“Are you looking for validation? I would think Henry railing you into the mattress would be indication enough of your good looks.”

My cheeks tried to heat, but I fought away my embarrassment by instead focusing on theindirectcompliment he’d given me.

“Try harder.”

Not everything was truly horrible about him. I had to admit that in different circumstances, I might have liked him as a friend quite a bit. I definitely thought that joining him and Eliot in the same room would be quite an explosive combination.

But that wasn’t here nor there.

The Hellhound eyed the waffles I was currently holding. They already had all the syrupy goodness dripping off them, along with some butter and berries, which I knew he liked.

“You’re…not a terrible cook?”

“Was that a question, Maddie?” Adam’s eyes were twinkling in Maddox’s direction. There was a fondness there that I definitely hadn’t missed.

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