B R E N

I groaned.

It was immediate and deep, exposing what she did to me with words alone. 

"Madie..." I groaned again, this time with her name attached.

I wanted to protest, but my hand had already begun to skim upwards, catching on my shirt, feeling her body beneath it. Touching her, just like she wanted. It was impossible to move my eyes, though. Madie had seized them in the reflection, and she wasn't letting go.

"Don't run away," she whispered. "You said you wouldn't."

"This is different, and you know it." My words were admittedly weak. I stopped the movement of my hand by fisting my shirt, that thin piece of fabric between my fingers and her skin.

I ran away from Oakland because I was scared. But I wasn't afraid now; that wasn't why I'd been keeping her at arm's length this week. Madie deserved to have the space to breathe. I wanted to give it to her, and I knew I had to do better than that day in the ocean. I didn't want her to confuse why I'd brought her here.

But when she'd asked me earlier what I was passionate about, all I wanted to scream was you. You, Madeline Rose Lenertz. I didn't know how to care about school or a career or any of that shit. I never have.

All I knew was her.

Goddamn, I wanted her. I wanted her so bad that my good intentions and my dick were giving mixed signals as she arched her back, pushing her ass into the erection that had popped up as soon as I saw her sitting in bed, wearing my shirt. This girl drove me wild.

Confirming that thought, Madie reached up, tangling her fingers into my hair so she could hold me close. The action pulled my v-neck tight across her chest. I could see it even in the reflection—how the curve of her tits was suddenly outlined. Her lips parted, and I waited for her words. As usual, they destroyed me. "All I know is that I don't want you to let go, Bren."

My chest pounded against the curve of her back, my breath hot and heavy on her neck. To hell with space. She didn't want it—at least not tonight. I knew what she wanted. And fuck, I was going to enjoy every second of giving it to her.

"I'm not going to let you go, Madie. Just..." A ragged sigh blew out between my lips. "For the love of god, don't turn around."

The heat in her eyes, the trembling of her body beneath my fingers, my aching erection, and our racing hearts—all of those things told me that if she turned around, there'd be no going back.

And I didn't want to take that freedom from her right now.

Madie didn't say anything in reply. But I watched her through the reflection, and the anticipation I saw nearly killed me. I lifted my hand to her cheek, wanting to feel that hot flush and the soft curve of her jaw. Her lips were parted in a silent exhale, and I swiped my thumb across them slowly.

Her bottom lip caught on my finger, pulling downward in a gentle, sensual slide. I let go, and it popped back into place. Lingering, I felt moist breath hitting my thumb. I longed to push into her hot, wet mouth, to feel her tongue on my skin if only for a moment.

With a moan, I dropped my hand back to her waist, too anxious to finger other parts of her.

Madie still had my hair in a vice grip, and I wondered if she was afraid that I would pull away. Wanting to reassure her, I nuzzled my mouth next to her ear. "Where should I touch you, Madie?"

Her head tilted back, pushing into the curve of my neck and the pillows behind it. "Everywhere," she breathed.

Trying to hide my grin, I dragged my lips down her exposed skin until I reached my shirt's collar. I didn't let myself taste her, though. I just touched her, mouth to neck. Then I lifted my head and to murmur in her ear. "Okay, baby."

She released my hair with a little pleasure-filled sound. Her arm fell down to her side, fingers dangling off the edge of the bed.

I gave her side a little squeeze before sliding my hand over those hips, pushing the comforter aside as I did. Glancing down, I studied my fingers as they molded to her shape, which still hid beneath black cotton. When my fingers reached the hem of the fabric, I paused at the feeling of bare skin.

"You're not wearing pants," I said bluntly.

Madie laughed, and it was throatier than usual.

"Bren, I'm not wearing anything but your shirt."

The words sent a jolt of desire straight to my groin. I'd just assumed she was wearing sweatpants, like usual.

"Have I mentioned that you drive me crazy?" I muttered, slipping my hand beneath the shirt.

When I didn't hear a reply, I glanced back at our reflection to see her—lips parted, hooded gaze. Madie's eyes were pinned to my moving hand. Reveling in the feel of her bare skin, I trailed my fingers back up her curves and enjoyed the goose flesh that raised in my wake.

Each of Madie's quick breaths urged me onward. My own breathing was ragged, my mind drowning in the feel of her. My touch skirted along the underside of her breast, hesitating despite wanting desperately to palm it.

"Bren," she moaned, and in an instant, I was cupping her in my hand, the tips of my fingers digging into the softest flesh I'd ever felt. It was terrifying how perfectly she fit in my grasp. I rubbed my thumb across her nipple and groaned because it was already peaked and ready for me to pinch. So I did, just light enough to make her gasp.

"I need to see," Madie murmured suddenly. I wasn't sure what she meant at first, but then she whipped my shirt over her head, baring everything. Madie was naked in my arms.

Her nude back hit my chest, our skin feverish as it collided. "I know you didn't want me to take it off, but—"

"Shit, Madie," I groaned, cutting her off. My gaze roamed over the reflection of her because I didn't dare look down and see that bare skin so close to me. There was only so much goddamn control a guy could have.

But even seeing her in the window threatened to send me over the edge. She lifted her arms above her head in a lazy motion, displaying herself without care, pushing herself into my grip even further. Squeezing lightly, I watched her mold like putty in my hand. Then I moved to the pinkened tip of the other breast, teasing it.

I wasn't sure if I'd ever been so captivated by someone or something before. Madie must have felt the same; we both watched as I continued to touch her.

Her hair was strewn across us, the fiery strands messy from when she'd thrown off the shirt. Nudging a few soft curls aside with my nose, I found her ear and blew hot air across it. She shivered in my arms. "You are so fucking beautiful." I paused before adding with a low chuckle, "And I hope there's no one on the beach."

She laughed, which soon turned into a moan as I rolled the tip of her breast between two fingers. "I don't care," she managed to get out between gasping breaths. "No one is ever on this stretch of shore anyway."

With a reluctant sigh, I let my hand fall down, back over her stomach and hips.

"Good, because I want to see more." 

She sucked in at my low words, and I understood. My air was nearly gone, too, my lungs working on overdrive to keep me alive. Slipping my fingers between her thighs, I gripped the top one. I settled it over my hips with a quick tug, opening her to me before trailing fingertips down the inner seam of her leg.

My eyes had been zeroed in on her body, watching our skin fuse as I touched her. But as I continued to graze downward, I jerked my gaze to her face. I didn't think I needed any more permission than what she'd already given me, but I wanted to see her face. I needed to see her face as I touched her for the first time.

Madie curled her leg all the way around mine, winding us together. Then she arched her body against my hand, forcing me to cup her before I could do anything myself. Not that I was complaining. A few expletives rolled from my tongue; I breathed them into Madie's ear unintentionally, struggling to contain the thrill that ran through me at feeling her like this.

We were both panting when I slid my fingers down. Everything was soft, silky, and so fucking wet. God, this couldn't really be happening.

She rolled her head back, smothering me with her beachy, salty hair. But I didn't care. I could still see her expression—the way her eyes fluttered and her breath hitched. "I've thought about touching you far too many times, Madie," I muttered before lifting my head to escape her hair.

She replied with a little whimper, and I peeked down at her as my fingers continued to glide, teasing her clit in quick, measured movements. 

"Ever since I watched you touch yourself like this, I've wondered if I could make you come just as hard." 

I was exposing myself bit by bit, but every breathy confession seemed to fuel her. And all I ever wanted was for Madie to feel her fire.

With a quick slide, I eased my fingers down that slippery slope and into her tight, hot body. Crying out, Madie grabbed onto the side of the bed, gripping at the sheets before she slammed her hips up to meet the next thrust of my hand.

When her ass jerked back, it slid up my rigid dick, and I buried my face in her hair again with a groan. But I couldn't hide from her for long, because when I plunged my fingers back into her, she cried out. "God yes, Bren."

And I had to see the mouth that was moaning my name.

She was biting down on her bottom lip when I looked up, our eyes meeting again in the window. Needing to see her come undone, I repositioned my hand so my thumb could circle her clit as I dove as deep as I could with my other fingers. She continued to jerk up to meet my thrusts, stroking my cock with the curve of her ass every time she pulled back.

"Madie." I don't think her name had ever been so harsh coming from my lips, but she was killing me. "If you keep doing that, I'm going to come."

A little smirk appeared on her face, but it quickly vanished with a gasp when I pressed down on her clit, quick and hard.

Madie retaliated, backing into me with flex of her hips, shooting pleasure to every nerve ending I had. This time, though, Madie stayed there, pressed against me as I sank my fingers as far as they would go within her. I felt every small quiver of her body within my own.

My other arm, which had been trapped beneath us this entire time, was numb while the rest of my body reeled in overwhelming sensations. It tingled, the tiny needles trying to distract me but failing. There was no way in hell I was going to stop what I was doing.

Madie's panting grew erratic. "I didn't know, Bren," she gasped.

I ducked my head next to hers. "What, baby? What didn't you know?"

She twisted, glancing back at me. It was brief, but our eyes connected for the first time—not in a faded reflection, but in a searing burst of color. Her lips nearly brushed over mine when she spoke. "I didn't know it could be like this."

Hell, I didn't know either.

Madie was the light coursing in my veins, and I felt the very moment that she flared. She flung back, giving me the curve of her neck. And I couldn't help but kiss it, drinking in the vibration of her cries, knowing I'd caused them.

God, everything between us was fire. That much had been clear for a while.

I just hoped we wouldn't get burned.

🖤
Most of you wanted Bren, so here he is!
There were honestly some other things I had planned for this chapter besides this scene, but I might have gotten carried away, and 2k words later...oops...
Well, hope ya didn't mind.
xoxo amelie