Page 88 of Mad As Hell

“So, how do we move on?”

Not can we; Ryan had already decided we were going to work. And honestly, I was running out of energy to fight both him and myself. I was totally going to be that girl. The one who stupidly went back to the guy who had pulverized her heart.

“I don’t know,” I replied with a tiny shake of my head. “I’m still making it up as I go along.”

“How about we start with you packing some of your stuff and coming to stay with me?” he suggested. “I don’t want you here by yourself.”

I almost agreed, but then I realized Bex would truly be alone here. “No. I can’t.”

His eyes narrowed. “Fine. I’ll grab more of my stuff and move in here.”

“You can’t!” I squeaked. “I mean, there are rules—”

“Which we’ve broken many times,” he pointed out with a chuckle. “I’ve spent the night here before.”

“If we get caught, I don’t want anyone to get in trouble.”

He shot me an amused look. “Baby, you’re aware of who we are, right? I mean, the combined power of our families means we could commit mass homicide on the quad and the alumni would pay off the president to make it go away.”

And that was why Gary got away with all the shit he did. Why my mom was locked up somewhere, strung out on who-knew-what while his staff turned a blind eye.

“I was kidding,” Ryan added when he saw my expression harden.

“I know,” I muttered, trying to shake the lingering anger. I turned over to see the clock on my nightstand, partly because I was curious about the time, but mostly to avoid looking at Ryan.

Which he must’ve known, because he hauled me across the bed until my back was flush to his chest. He buried his face in my neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Do you even know what you’re apologizing for?”

He hesitated. “Whatever made you upset?”

I snorted and rolled my eyes.

He smiled against my shoulder and cuddled me closer. “Isn’t that what our entire life together will be? Me endlessly apologizing for shit I did that pissed you off and I didn’t even know it?”

I glanced over my shoulder, my heart pounding when I saw how close his face was to mine. “I mean, am I that bad?”

“No, but I am.” His wolfish grin made me laugh. “I need to go. I have practice in a couple hours, but first we have a fucking house meeting.”

“Aren’t you the president now? Don’t you set those up?”

“I didn’t anticipate being in bed with you when I did,” he groused, nuzzling into my hair with a groan. “I’d have cleared my whole schedule, but there's still some stuff we need to handle. Everything’s a little chaotic.”

“Did you mean it?” I asked, my voice hesitant. I rolled onto my back to look at him. “About moving in here?”

He nodded slowly. “Yeah. If you’re okay with that?”

The air in my lungs rushed out as I breathed, “Yes, please.”

His gaze heated and drifted to my lips. “I really want to kiss you.”

I couldn’t help but hesitate. The only other kisses we’d had lately were for show, because I was drunk, or because my adrenaline was crashing. This would be just for us.

Ryan smiled, sadness tinging the edges of it. He leaned in and brushed a kiss against my cheek. “Don’t worry about it, Maddie.” He let me go and slid out of the bed.

Regret instantly hit. “I… I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to explain or be sorry, baby,” he told me. “I plan on kissing you for the rest of our lives, so I can wait a little while longer.”

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