Page 261 of Bossy Hero

“Squee!” he crows annoyingly.

Silly asshole.

I shoot down the hall, heading right for my woman. As cliché as it sounds, a part of me is on the other side of the door. Not sure how I lasted fifty years without her by my side.

Without hesitating, I fling open the door.

“I’m indecent!” she yelps, darting behind the closet door. All I see is a flash of peach skin and chestnut hair.

Oops. Didn’t knock.

No regrets.

Closing the door, I twist the lock behind me. “It’s just me, Maddie baby.”

She pokes her head out, her bare shoulder visible beyond the edge of the wooden door. “Alan?”

Until this second, I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear her say my name.

Anyone else saying it triggers an avalanche of grief and remorse. But when Maddie says it, I feel peace and comfort.

Because I’mherAlan.

I eat up the few feet between us. She slinks from her hiding place, covering her chest with a nightgown.

As soon as I can reach it, I tug the wispy fabric out of her hands and throw it over my shoulder. Sadly, her bra’s on, but I’ll remedy that shortly. Same with the panties. Those have to go.

Her lips part, shiny ruby pillows begging for a kiss. I waste no time granting the unspoken wish.

Never needed a kiss the way I need this one.

As our mouths converge, the ever-present ache I’ve felt for the last several days without her evaporates. It’s rapidly replaced with a savage need to devour her.

Her silky hands skim my shoulders until she’s gripping me roughly and tugging me closer. I fucking love her tight hold on me. Knowing she missed me is repairing parts of me I didn’t know were broken.

The familiar minty flavor of her toothpaste explodes on my tongue, making me long to taste other parts of her. I break the kiss, letting my hands journey from her face toward her upper back, seeking the clasp of her bra. “I fucking missed you, Maddie.”

Rubbing her nose against mine, she pants across my lips. “Me too.” She scratches her fingernails up my nape into my hairline, toying and teasing me with her seductive touch. “I didn’t know you were coming tonight. I was planning to have Sawyer drive me to you first thing in the morning. You look exhausted.”

“I passed exhausted about forty-eight hours ago. But I couldn’t wait to see you. Is that a problem?”

“Aside from being less than thrilled that you drove while this tired, I have no problems. None at all.”

The smile she flashes draws my lips back to hers. After I unsnap her bra, she helps me slip her arms out of the straps.

Suddenly, she takes a half step backward and glances down her body. Her hands fall from my shoulders. “Wait. What’s happening here? Why are you taking off my bra?”

I shrug and remove the space she put between us. “Helping you get ready for bed.”

She clicks her tongue at me, pretending to disapprove. “Once a cad, always a cad.”

Unable to resist, I cup her breasts in my palms.Fuck. I missed those too. “Call me whatever you want, as long as you call me yours.”

“Smooth talker.”

Wearing a sexy grin, she raises her arms to hold me close. The movement gives me a glimpse of the healing skin on her upper shoulder. My heart pinches. I hate seeing her skin marred, but I’m so fucking glad the people responsible have finally gotten what they deserve.

Leaning forward, I gingerly kiss the raised pink flesh of her scar. My gaze lingers there for a moment.

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