“When he told me to get my shit out of his garage, though, it started a huge fight. I think he wanted me to see how my dream of being a drummer, of taking the band to the next level, was a pipe dream. Those were the words he used. No one believed in us.”
He leans against the island across from me.
“No one but us and my sister.”
“I know the feeling,” I murmur, setting my cup down, and take a step toward him. “I’m glad you didn’t give up, though. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be here.”
He lifts my chin and kisses me. Meanwhile, my mind races with how I open up and give him the answers he no doubt wants.
“I haven’t told my father about my job,” I say quickly before I overthink it.
Madden’s brows deepen in question.
“As far as he knows, I’m doing freelance writing and still living off my savings. He doesn’t know about my job writing for Limelight.”
“He doesn’t?”
I shake my head.
“I’m sure there will come a day when I tell him. It’s partially why I write under the name Brielle Silvers. I wanted some separation between my personal life and my career.”
Madden shared in his interview how their rise to fame, being in the public eye, and the media have made it hard for him, so I know he understands when I say I wanted to keep my job and life separate from each other.
“I’m sure you picked up on my name when my father introduced himself and put two and two together, but my family owns Granite hotels.”
My father and brothers have been working on an expansion project too. In a few years, it’s projected to be worth over a billion dollars.
I run my hand up Madden’s forearms, staring at his chest not ready to meet his eyes, afraid of what I’ll find looking back at me.
“I think it says a lot about you,” Madden says, breaking the silence. “You could’ve taken the quote-unquote easy way out, right? You could’ve followed the path they laid out with the career and married the man they chose for you, but you didn’t. You stuck to who you are and what you want, and you’re creating your own way.”
I tilt my head back to meet Madden’s gaze and smile. He gets it.
“I have to tell you, baby, it’s sexy as hell.”
He lifts me in his arms, turning to set me on the edge of the counter. I grip his shoulders, and he buries his face into my neck. He inhales deeply, his fingers digging into my hips.
“I’m not ready to let you go yet,” he murmurs.
“Who said you have to?”
It made it more difficult not knowing when I’d see him again. We both have busy jobs, and there’s no telling when we’ll have time to get together.
His lips seared a line along my neck until he captured mine. It’s slow and sensual, and I reach my hand out to grip the front of his shirt to hold onto him, not wanting to let him go.
When he pulls back, he leans his forehead against mine and whispers, “I’m glad you went against your parents and carved your own way. If you hadn’t, I never would’ve met you.” He sighs. “I would’ve never had the chance to kiss you like this either,” he breathes out, just before he crashes his mouth on mine again.