Page 62 of Just Bromantically Invested

Chapter 22

Penn

My whole body is wrung out. The sex last night was nonstop, and after being with Madden for the last twelve hours, I understand what it means to be insatiable. Somehow, the more we did, the worse this burning need for him got.

And we did a lot.

Madden couldn’t keep his hands off me, and I wasn’t any better.

He’s spread out across the bed, and for someone who likes to be naked, he’s a goddamn sheet stealer. His big arms are wrapped around his pillow, and his blond hair is spread recklessly over the dark cotton.

I roll onto my side to admire him, determined not to get hard and start anything. We have work we need to do today and probably a lot of talking to do as well. I’m not sure how things are supposed to change now, or if they change at all, but I don’t want to go back to being best friends. I want to try forsomething real with him, and if what he said last night was true, it should be an actual possibility.

Which is my first roadblock.

I’m still processing that I’m not straight. Am I ready for a relationship with a man? I don’t know how it differs or if it differs at all. I still need to work out what my comfort levels will be in public, how much affection I’ll want, how I’m supposed to tell people …

Fuck.

I don’t think I’ve ever had to think this much about a relationship before. Normally, it’s whether I want to commit to someone, and usually, that answer is no.

With Madden, that’s already the biggest difference because I could easily commit to him.

I want something with him. I just don’t know how to make that work.

“Stop thinking so hard,” he grumbles sleepily.

“Like you could know what I’m doing.”

Madden peeks one eye open. “Lucky guess.” He yawns and stretches out all of those glorious muscles. “You’re always overthinking.”

I watch as he fights off the tiredness and rolls onto his side to face me. His smile is relaxed; the way he casually rests his hand on my hip and then leans in for a quick, sleepy kiss is so him. I shouldn’t be surprised. Madden makes everything look easy.

“How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Tired.” I soak up the happiness surrounding me this morning. “Someone wore me out last night.”

“Penn, and I say this with love, I never pictured you to be such a freak in the sheets. If anyone wore anyone out here, it’s you.”

I duck my head, cheeks burning, but Madden only pulls me in to hug me tighter.

“I want to be very clear that wasn’t a complaint. You can pull my hair and scratch up my back anytime.”

Well, that’s a relief. I’ve never felt that I can properly let go during sex before, but with Madden, it’s like I don’t need to be careful.

“Besides, maybe if I’m covered in your claw marks, you won’t care if I give you a hickey. Umm, again.”

“Again?” I turn to find him holding back a laugh.

“Just a, uh, little one.”

I hurry to unlock my phone, and he takes it, opens the camera, and angles it so I can see the two small darkened marks under my jaw.

“Motherfucker.”

“You don’t have any meetings today, right?” he asks.

“No. I’m in the office, and you know Dryden will immediately want the gossip.”

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