Page 194 of Mad Love

But I wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Reluctantly, he pulled back. “Let me grab something to clean you up.” He rolled off the bed, and I turned my head to watch his ass as he walked into the bathroom.

I smirked as he came back out, his cock still half-hard. Unable to stop myself, I bit my lower lip. I still wanted more. I always wanted more of him.

“Stop objectifying me,” he teased even as he flexed the muscles of his chest and abs.

I propped myself up on an elbow. “No.”

He chuckled and dropped onto the bed, then wiped off my back with a damp cloth before tossing it onto the floor.

“Ryan, gross. Pick that up,” I chided.

His brows shot up. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” I replied. “I’m not picking up your crusty cum-rag in the morning.”

“I have a cleaning staff,” he reminded me even as he got up.

“That’s even worse,” I declared, sitting up and watching to make sure he put the used towel in the hamper just inside the bathroom. I made a mental note to do a load of laundry when we got up so no one else would have to deal with that.

“New rule,” I announced as he came back to bed and tugged down the sheets. “We clean up our own messes.”

He laughed as he got into bed and waited for me to do the same. I tossed the used pillow from under my hips onto the floor and cringed when I saw the wet spot on it.

Fuck it.

I’d buy a new pillow.

“Not a word,” I warned Ryan as he glanced from the pillow to me.

He smirked but stayed quiet as I slipped in beside him. He pulled me to his side, and I didn’t hesitate to use his shoulder as my new pillow. He reached over and flicked off the lights, muting the brilliant morning sunshine.

I splayed a palm over his heart, feeling it thump beneath me before he covered my hand with his own.

“We’re gonna be okay, right?” I whispered, needing to hear the words.

“Yeah,” he replied, the arm wrapped around me tightening. “We’re going to be more than okay, Mads. This is the start of our happily ever after, baby.”

I sighed and nodded before burrowing closer into his side and letting myself fall asleep.

CHAPTER 67

MADDIE

The bedroom door flew open so hard it crashed against the wall, and then something landed on Ryan, crushing the hand I had resting low on his stomach.

“Wake up!” Corinne shouted, glee in her voice for the first time in a while.

“Cori,” Ryan groaned, shifting her so she wasn’t on top of us.

“Wake up!” she insisted, looking to me for help. “Come on, Maddie. It’s Christmas.”

I poked Ryan’s side. “Yeah, Ry. It’s Christmas.”

He flinched away from me, but I could see him fighting a smile. He was just as relieved as I was to see Cori happy.

After the fire, we’d sat down with Corinne and had a long talk and asked her where she wanted to live. Telling her about Beckett’s arrest and explaining the house was completely unlivable had been hard, and we’d both watched her carefully as she struggled to accept her new reality before asking to go back to Brookfield.

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