Page 148 of Mad Love

Maddie’s gaze flicked to me before responding. “Good, I think. Is everything okay?”

He patted her hand with a reassuring smile. “Everything is just fine.”

Maddie gasped and started to sit up. “Cori—was her school hit by the earthquake?”

Fuck me, how had I forgotten about my sister? Then again, if something had been wrong, Grandpa would’ve told me immediately.

“She’s just fine,” he told us both. “Barely felt a thing. When I spoke to her, all she could talk about was coming here next week for the holidays.”

Maddie blanched. “I forgot the holidays were so close.”

“It’s no wonder,” Grandpa said with a rattling wheeze that turned into a bone-wracking cough.

Maddie swung out of bed and grabbed the box of tissues on the dresser even as the door opened and Eloise strode in. I sat up, watching as Maddie passed him a handful of tissues, and we exchanged glances as the coughs subsided and he lowered the tissues, now speckled with blood.

Eloise flashed us a tight smile that didn’t meet her eyes. “I think it’s time for you to rest, sir.”

He nodded, looking more pale than when he’d come in. “I think you’re right.” He tried to force his lips into a grin for Maddie and me. “I’ll see you both at breakfast in the morning, yes?”

I nodded, answering for us both. “Of course.”

Grandpa’s smile slipped as Eloise wheeled him out of the room. Maddie watched them go, looking like she wanted to help but didn’t know how. Instead, she settled for closing the door and crawling back into bed with me, an unhappy frown pulling at her mouth.

Immediately I opened my arms and pulled her against my chest, then rolled onto my back so she was sprawled over me.

“He’s worse.” She sounded close to tears, and my heart constricted as I felt the same pain.

“Yeah,” I admitted, my tone rough. “The doctors said he likely wouldn’t make it to next year…”

Her lower lip trembled. “It’s not fair.”

I smoothed a lock of hair over her shoulder. “No, it isn’t.” I searched her eyes. “Hungry?”

“Sorta,” she mumbled, ducking her head to lie on my bare chest as I traced lazy circles over her back.

I lost track of time, letting my thoughts wander to what lay ahead and relishing this moment of quiet with the woman I loved safe and sound.

Until she sat up and straddled my waist. I shot her a questioning look even as my cock woke up at the feel of her rubbing against me.

A small frown pulled at her brow as her lips twisted into a determined line. “Still mad at me?”

Honestly, I was too relieved to be mad at her, but another sort of fire burned in my gut as her warm center pressed against my abs. My hands went to her hips as I just barely resisted the urge to push her lower and grind my dick against her pussy.

She leaned over me, her golden hair falling like a silky curtain around her shoulders. I ached to wrap it in my fist. “I think I owe you an apology.” The husky pitch of her voice had my cock twitching in my boxers.

A smirk pulled at my mouth, loving where her brain was going until I remembered that she’d been through hell the last few hours and I should really be thinking with a different head.

Fucking conscience.

I touched her jaw as her fingers curled into the waistband of my boxers. “Mads, hold up.”

She paused, the uncertain look in her eyes breaking my heart a little. “You don’t… want me?” The nervous way she bit her lower lip almost made me come in my boxers like a preteen.

With a low rumble, I pushed her down to feel how hard I was for her. Always for her. “Does this seem like I don’t want you?”

The prettiest blush turned her cheeks pink. “Then what’s the problem?”

I feathered my touch across the bandage on her forehead. “I just don’t want you to push yourself.”

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