Chapter Two

Maddox couldn’t stop his gaze from straying to Cadence and if he didn’t stop, everyone would know what they’d kept secret for so long. It didn’t help that she blushed profusely when their eyes locked, or that he had to ask nearly everyone at the table to repeat themselves when they talked directly to him.

It was his fault, of course. He’d been the one to convince her to keep their relationship a secret, and not because he was ashamed of her. On the contrary, he wanted to beat his chest and shout that Cadence belonged to him.

I love you.

A braver woman he’d never met. She’d looked at him, her pretty eyes clear and bold. He knew she meant it, but... she was young, barely twenty-three, while he was very nearly kissing thirty. He also had her family to contend with. Okay, so he had her father to contend with, and Christian Romanov with his world-famous smile and friendly demeanor did not suffer fools.

No greater fool could fall for one of his daughters, but that was exactly what Maddox had done.

“We need to talk,” Jude said, his voice low. “Outside.”

“After I finish eating.” Actually, he didn’t want to talk to his best friend at all. Mostly because it was becoming harder and harder to keep his relationship with Cadence a secret from Jude.

“If you don’t, I’ll tell my parents you’re corrupting their baby.”

Maddox all but jumped to his feet, bumping the table so hard that it shook. All conversation stopped... except Jude—the bastard had the nerve to snicker.

Maddox stepped on his foot. Best friend or no, Jude was annoying as shit when he chose to be.

Jude punched him in the thigh and he fell into the table, shaking it even harder.

“Everything okay?” Zoe, Cadence’s mother, asked, small lines of worry around her mouth and eyes.

“I, um... I need to...” Maddox looked around; even Cadence was staring at him like he’d gone mad.

“Take it outside, boys,” Christian said.

Thankful for the chance to escape, Maddox grabbed Jude and hauled him out of his chair. “We’ll be right back.”

“Take your time,” Christian muttered. Thankfully, he turned his attention back to his wife, leaning over to whisper in her ear. Her cheeks turned pink, and she smiled shyly while replying so low Maddox couldn’t hear her answer.

Not that it was his business, but their dynamic—the mega-Hollywood star with the sweet girl-next-door intrigued him as soon as he had been old enough to understand it.

“Stop mooning over my mother and get your arse outside,” Jude growled.

Great. Bloody great. “I wasn’t mooning.” But he started for the back door anyway. The porch that it led to would give them privacy to talk.

Would Jude kill him? Or would he give him at least a five-second start before he attempted bodily harm?

As soon as the door shut behind them, Maddox turned to face the music, but he couldn’t quite get out the words that would damn him in his best friend’s eyes.

Jude eyed him. He was very nearly an exact replica of his father except for his dark hair. “Should I start beating the shit out of you before you explain why you were feeling my sister up in the kitchen, or should I hold my temper?”

“It’s not what you think.”

“My eyesight is perfect, just like the rest of me. Try again.”

That damn Romanov smugness. It set his teeth on edge. “I’m not messing around with her. She’s not a hookup.”

Jude cocked a dark brow. “What is she then?”

“A woman.” See, he could be just as much a dick.

“Try again.”

Maddox sat in the nearest chair, running his hand through his hair. “I didn’t mean for it to happen.”

“You didn’t mean to sleep with my sister?”

“No!” At Jude’s hard jaw, Maddox held up his hands to ward him off. “I haven’t... we haven’t taken things that far.”

“Is my sister not good enough for you?”

What kind of bullshit question...? “I’ve been waiting on her. Making sure I’m her choice. That she knows there is no other woman for me but her.”

Jude’s brows shot to his hairline. “Are you saying she’s the reason for your celibacy?”

Maddox nodded tightly. “No reason for me to be with other women when the one I wanted was finally old enough to pursue.”

“Dude, if you were lusting after her—”

“No, she was eighteen when I finally noticed her. Before then, she was just a kid to me. A pretty girl, but just a kid.” He swallowed. “After, I waited and waited some more until I couldn’t take it and asked her out.”

“When was that?”

“Six months ago.”

“You’ve waited five years for her?”

“Three, actually. I was in denial for two years first. How could I, at only twenty-three and at the start of my career, have found the woman I want to marry? The woman who made me see only her?” It was stupid of him to deny it for so long, but cautious by nature, he wanted to be sure. Then he wanted to give her time to be sure as well.

“You haven’t slept with anyone in three fucking years?” The look on Jude’s face said it all. He thought Maddox was mad. Insane. Certifiable.

In a sense he was, but he wouldn’t change a damn thing.

Maddox shrugged. “Didn’t see the point after I got my head on straight. I knew what I wanted, knew what I had to do to be worthy of her, and...” His best friend had started laughing. At him. “It’s not funny, mate.”

Jude laughed harder. “The hell it isn’t.”

“Did you ask me out here to fuck with me, or have a serious conversation?”

He stopped laughing altogether. “Depends if you’re fucking with my sister’s feelings.”

“I believe I’ve explained myself to you once already. I want to marry Cadence. As soon as possible. Next month, if she’ll have me.” Based on her kisses in the kitchen, he didn’t think it would take much to convince her.

Yet another thing he loved.

Jude eyed him. “And if groupies or whatever they’re called come sniffing?”

He couldn’t say he wouldn’t put himself in that position because women showed up everywhere the team went. “I’d never betray your sister. I know how to say no.”

“As long as you mean it.” Jude gave him an appraising look. “And I get to be the best man at the wedding.”

“Who else would stand beside me?”

Jude shrugged. “A teammate?”

“Not a chance.” Maddox rubbed his beard-covered jaw. “Do you think I should tell your parents?”

“Not a chance,” Jude replied, mimicking him. “I’d wait until after the wedding.”

***

Maddox had never been one to demand perfection. He was too content with his life in general, and his mother’s influence tempered the parts that were given to the generations of Stewart irascible behavior for when they needed something done.

But tonight was special.

Tonight, he was taking Cadence to Serenity... and proposing. The restaurant was situated on the Mediterranean, in cliffs that had been carved out by the sea and man. It was where they had their first real date. To ensure nothing got in their way, he’d rented the entire venue for the evening.

Jude promised to deliver Cadence on time, but in their family, on time meant no later than thirty minutes. Which mean he had planned accordingly and told Jude to arrive thirty minutes earlier than the real time.

A bit devious. To be sure, if he did it more often, Jude would catch on, so he would use it wisely and sparingly.

“I can’t see a thing, Jude,” Cadence said, her voice music to his ears as they walked inside the restaurant.

“That means the blindfold is doing its job,” Jude replied in an exasperated tone.

He’d blindfolded his sister? What the hell? Maddox moved away from the bright sunlight to get a better look. Sure enough, a dark piece of cloth was covering her eyes and pressing her hair against her head. Meanwhile, the rest of her looked so damn hot that he was sure to combust before the night was over.

“Are you at least going to share where we’re going?” she asked. “We’ve been walking for days.”

“I’m leaning more and more toward dumping you on the side of the road somewhere to fend for yourself, but I’m quite sure either our parents or Maddox wouldn’t approve. You know how I crave approval.”

“I think you mean adoration.”

Maddox stifled a laugh.

“In the business, one can hardly—”

“Shut up about the business. You get to pretend to be different people all the time, critics say you’re brilliant, and the kicker... you get paid for it.”

“That’s one way to describe an actor,” Jude muttered.

Maddox held up his hands, and Jude grabbed Cadence.

“Ready for your surprise?” Jude asked.

With a smile, she nodded. “Whatever Maddox has planned, I’m game.”

Maddox groaned. “How did you know?”

Jude rolled his eyes as he untied the blindfold. “Do you think this is normally what we get up to? Hullo, sister dear, might I blindfold you for a trip to Greece?”

“Plus, Waverly helped me pick out the dress. She never does that, so I knew something was up.” Cadence spun around and headed straight for him. “Wow. You look amazing.”

“So do you,” Maddox said, pulling her into his arms. He kissed the top of her head, and his best friend nodded and left. He couldn’t have asked for better support from Jude and Waverly, his twin.

“Do you recognize where you are, my love?” he asked.

Slowly, Cadence looked around, her eyes widening with recognition. “Oh my goodness! We’re at Serenity.”

“Aye.” He took her by the hand and led her to the table that was set for them. On her plate was a black box. He wasn’t one to hide it. “This is our table.”

“I love it.” But she wasn’t’ looking at the damned table; she was looking at him. “By the way, now that my brother is gone, I can say what I really think of you in this tux.” She fingered his tie. “I think you look so hot that I need to undress you and lick you all over to help cool you off.”

His dick sprang to life at that. “Do you now?”

“Absolutely.” She smiled flirtatiously. “Don’t you want to do the same thing to me?”

She wasn’t going to do this to him. He closed his eyes and willed his erection to go down... without success because her soft hands were on him. “No.”

“What?”

His eyes popped open. “I mean I do, but not now. Now I have something very romantic for you.”

“I think orgasms can be super romantic,” she said earnestly. “The one you gave me two days ago... mind blowing.”

“You’re not helping.” And he couldn’t stop his mind from going to that exact moment. His fingers had been slick with her, one pumping inside as he kissed her until she was a writhing mess beside him. He’d had to keep kissing her so she wouldn’t scream his name and wake the entire household.

Should he have left her alone at his parents’ house? Absolutely.

Could he leave her alone? Absolutely not.

After he proposed and she said yes, he would never leave her alone again... especially in bed.

“I know what you’re thinking, Maddox-mine.” She nipped at his bottom lip. “But because I know you went to a lot of trouble to be so romantic, I’ll be a good girl and do whatever you want me to.”

“Still not helping.”

She fisted her hands on her hips. “Then tell me what would help.”

“Fair enough.” He guided her to the table and pulled out her chair. “Sit please.”

She did as he asked, her gaze going to the azure sea for a long second or two before returning to his face. “Now what?”

He got down on one knee and grabbed the box from her plate. Her rosy lips made a perfect O.

“Cadence Romanov, I am yours, body, soul, and heart. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

Tears shone in her eyes, and her lips trembled even as she said, “Yes. I adore you. I love you. You have my heart, body, and soul, too.”

Hands trembling, he opened the box and slipped the diamond on her finger. “You’re very nearly mine, my love.”

“Please say we don’t have to wait six months to get married.”

“We can marry whenever you like. I’ve already gotten the proper documents prepared.”

“Tomorrow.”

“How about the day after so I can find a place for us to spend the honeymoon?” He already had a particular island in mind, one that had been given to him by his godfather Sebastian when he was born. As stingy as they were in their acceptance of strangers or men who had designs upon their daughters, they were among the most generous men who lived when they considered someone family.

“Yes. Yes. Yes!” She threw her arms around him, falling from the chair and straight on to him as she covered his face with kisses.

This was why he’d booked the entire place. This wild, beautiful woman in his arms knew no shame when they were together.

And he wouldn’t change a bloody thing about her.