Page 6 of Madden

"Hey," Madden says, pulling me against him as he pushes me against a wall, "I was serious. I'm only interested in your—" he raises his eyebrows "—assets." He nips at my neck and bites my earlobe.

I grab his face and bring it up to mine, wanting to say something. I don't get the chance because his mouth slams into mine with a force that takes my breath away. His kiss is intense and demanding, leaving me feeling both exhilarated and overwhelmed. Gasping for breath, I break the kiss. "We need to get this over with so we can go. I want you naked so I can put my hands and mouth all over you."

Madden's eyes darken at my words. He rubs against me, his erection straining behind the zipper of his jeans. "I won't be able to walk."

"You'll be fine." I pat his erection and slip out of his grasp, while he mutters about having blue balls.

My giggling stops the moment I enter the back of the house and remember what Dad had said about Ralph still being here. I grab Madden's hand and stop in the doorway. "We're leaving as soon as I'm packed," I announce.

"Really, Tessa. We raised you with better manners." Mom nods at Ralph.

I sigh. "Ralph, you know we weren't going anywhere?—"

"Did I?" he interrupts.

Madden bristles beside me. I squeeze his hand. "Honestly, Ralph, you insult me every chance you get. What did you expect?"

"That you would do something about it."

Madden approaches Ralph. "You bast—" I quickly put my hand over Madden's mouth.

"Ralph, you need to leave." I pause. "Mom, I'll let you know when we get to our destination." There's no way I'm going to say where I'm going with Ralph in the room. The man is struggling to control his temper, which I can see simmering just below the surface. Madden notices, and keeps his eyes on him.

Sensing trouble on the horizon, I grab Madden's arm and gently pull him along with me, whispering under my breath, "He's not worth it."

7

MADDEN

The closer weget to the city, the quieter Tessa becomes. I'm not one for small talk either, but this time I'm more nervous than anything else. I haven't had anyone but friends in my apartment here in the city. My space has been my own, and I'm protective of it. Tessa doesn't know what a possessive asshole I can be, and I intend to keep it that way. At least for now.

I let out a loud sigh of relief as I pull into my spot under the building. Tessa turns and gives me a tentative smile. The need to touch her quickly grows as I lean closer and cradle her beautiful face in my hands. "So soft," I murmur, stroking her rosy cheeks with my thumbs. My eyes drift to her lips as I lean down and briefly capture them in a sweet kiss. "I don't remember the condition of my apartment," I tell her. "I left pretty quickly, so it could be a mess." I wince.

"Will I be able to tell another woman was in there?" she asks, her voice soft as her eyes search mine.

I brush my lips over hers again, holding her gaze. "No one but friends have been in my apartment, Tessa." I pause. "And just so there is no misunderstanding, I’m the only one who has used my bed in any way."

Tessa rolls her eyes and chuckles as she unbuckles her seat belt and slides out of the truck. "Then I guess we should remedy that, huh?" is her cheeky comeback.

I scramble out of the truck, meet her around the back and grab her bags. I pause mid-stride, waiting for her to turn and face me. When she does, a frown creases her brow.

"I want you to know that whatever this is between us is real and not a temporary distraction for me. I want you here with me. In my life. In my space. I want you to be mine."

Tessa tilts her head to the side, her eyes shining. "You don't scare me, Madden."

I drop the bags, take three steps, and pull her into my arms, my mouth taking hers hungrily. Our kiss deepens, the world around us disappearing. Tessa's arms wrap around me, pulling me closer. My cock throbs hard and insistently behind my zipper. "Too many clothes," I mutter.

The sudden flash of bright light snaps our heads to the right. My stomach drops. A fucking photographer. Before I can wrap my brain around going after him, he scurries away like a fucking cockroach.

"Was that a reporter?” Tessa asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

I quickly grab the bags, take Tessa's hand, and rush us to the elevator, my heart pounding. That bastard got a damn good shot of me and Tessa. I hate that. I want to keep her to myself for a while. I close my eyes for a moment, and when I open them, I see Tessa's worried look. "He’s a blogger." I wince. "I'm sorry. The last thing I want is for both of us to be plastered all over social media."

With a heavy exhale, Tessa shakes her head. "It wasn't your fault, so don't apologize." She leans over and rests her head on my shoulder. "Let's forget about him."

I agree, but worry is eating at me. I know how this guy is. He can be ruthless, and I can't shake the feeling that this won't be the end of it.

Inside my apartment,I quickly lock and chain the door. "Let me put these in the bedroom and I'll give you a quick tour." I open the bedroom door and sigh in relief at how tidy it is. I don't remember leaving it like this. Oh well. I toss the bags in and quickly close the door, thinking we can deal with this later. My cell phone buzzes in my pocket. Bradford.

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