MADISON

“Your family is your own business.”

“I get asked about them all the time.”

“Which is why I don’t want to bother you.”

His thick eyelashes narrow. Taking my elbow he guides me away from the throng. We’re further from speakers, too, so the music quiets slightly, but enough to feel more intimate. “I don’t mind when it’s you asking,” he confesses.

It takes me aback. “Why?”

“Because you’re not curious for the wrong reasons.”

“What does that mean…wrong reasons?”

Nicholas takes a sip of his drink. “You’re not trying to get something out of me.”

“Of course I’m not!”

He laughs through his nose, brown eyes sparkling. “You’re still interesting, aren’t you, Maddie? What’s your last name?”

“Greeley-Smith.”

“Both of your parents’ last names?”

“Yes.”

“They still together?”

“Yes, but no.”

He nods, and we stare at each other until my throat starts closing up. He’s so close to me, way too good-looking for my comfort level. I’m so attracted to him and nothing permanently good can come from that.

Desiring a man like him is a bad plan.

It’s like walking into a lion’s den and saying, “You’re beautiful. I just want to pet you. Don’t eat me.”

It’s going to eat you.

But my feet don’t want to move.

Neither does my body.

Unless it means moving closer.

He senses my discomfort, misunderstands it completely, backs up a step, straightening his spine. “What were you going to ask me?”

Struggling to remember how to form actual sentences, I take a sip of liquid courage. “I was going to ask how many brothers your dad has? You mentioned one. I know you have a lot of cousins, but I’ve never stalked your family or anything past reading up on Gabriel when he got married. A lot of people were talking about it—I wasn’t interested in him, personally or anything,” I hurriedly reassure Nicholas, as if that’s even necessary. I’m sure he’s just talking to me as a friend, because we went through that fire and have Bucky in common.

With little effort, as casual and confident as he always is, Nicholas explains, “There are six total. Five plus my father, who’s the youngest.”

“Any sisters?”

“All boys. But Grandma Nance got her girls in the grandchildren.” He pauses and adds for clarity, “My cousins. There are seventeen all told. Sixteen plus me.”

“I can do math,” I tease him on a smile. It fades as he stares at it.

Am I imagining this chemistry we have?

Nicholas drags a hand through his soft hair. It falls into place as if he never touched it.

I’m staring at the perfect waves as he says, “I’m closest to my siblings, even though our family is close. The older cousins are really tight, and their younger siblings got wrapped into that package. Our immediate household had four already tied in, so we stuck together, and then my friend Matthew came along for the ride—that makes five. Not that you can’t add.” I laugh and he continues, “It’s me, Zoe, Wyatt then Nathan. Matt’s my age.”

“I like Matt, he seems like a good guy.”

“The best.” His eyes flicker, and he takes my chin, murmurs, “Madison…”

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss you?”

I whisper, “Oh God…yes,” right before his lips brush mine.

We’re in a corner, the place so packed that if sardines walked in they’d say we were cramped. Nobody can see his left hand, by the wall, sliding down the side of my body, slipping around the front and hesitating above my zipper as his body blocks the other side from sight.

He starts to kiss me and it’s everything I thought it would be. Nicholas moans as our tongues meet, and he begins teasing me, biting my bottom lip and holding it a second, then pulling away to lock eyes with me, smiling and coming back in for more.

I wanted this to be me.

All those other times.

And now here I am.

“Madison,” he rasps, barely audible. “What if I just…” Those fingers dip over the belt line of my pants and brazenly slide under.

My breath hitches, “Someone will see!”

“No one can see my hand. They just think we’re kissing.”

He licks my tongue and then sucks on it a little as his fingers slip inside my panties. “Fuck, you feel good.”

The kiss intensifies as his fingers rub in slow circles above my cleft.

He can’t yet tell how wet I am.

How fast my heart pounds for more.

“This is not real,” I breathe as he continues massaging me into a daze. “Not real,” I repeat against the dream I’m swimming in.

“How about this?” he whispers, “This real, Madison?” sliding his fingers a little lower. Then lower still.

God help me, I crane my hips toward him, aching with need and he moans into my mouth. His tongue licks mine, plays with it while talented fingers slide into my folds and pause there.

Thickly he murmurs, “You’re wet. That’s real, too.”

He tucks us closer against the wall, his busy hand hidden and stroking me, tickling my shocked and greedy clit, circling it with the sweetest slowness, barely touching me and then getting firm, and then lightening the stroke again.

Fucking.

Torture.

He’s aiming to make me cum right next to the coolest people in Atlanta. I’m gripping his bicep, nearly cutting through his tense flesh with nails I’ve finally let grow.

His bulge is exactly as I expected.

Huge.

Hard.

Hot.

Only this time it’s pulsing for me.

I whimper in his panting lips, “Stop, oh my God, I can’t stop.”

We lock eyes for a second. He rasps, “You really want me to? Because it feels like you’re about to burst?” He lunges in for my mouth, kisses me with abandon, and slides his finger inside me.

That’s it.

I lose control, even though my body doesn’t give it away to any curious voyeurs. Even as I’m frozen here in this corner, there are flames licking my pussy as tiny earthquakes clamp around his finger, my moans muffled by the steady dance beat as I turn my head to the wall so nobody can see my face.

“That’s it, Madison, that’s it. Give it to me.”

“What have you done,” I moan, gripping his arms as he kisses my neck.

“Nicholas! Hey, buddy, you seen my sister?”

We go rigid. Ever so slowly Nicholas removes his hand as he smiles over his shoulder. “Caden! The fuck are you doing here?” His manner is perfect, detached, casual, and he blocks my body while I discreetly adjust my pants. His hand slides into his pocket. “This is my cousin, who apparently can’t see that I was busy.”

Running his hand through his hair, Caden chuckles, “Sorry man, the question popped out as soon as I recognized you. I just left my shift at the hospital and I’m fuckin’ beat, but I’m searching for Lexi. Got a tip she was here with her mystery man, Brad. You seen her?”

“No, but I did ask about that guy a few months ago when I ran into her. Haven’t seen her since. You look worried.”

There’s not much family resemblance except swagger. Nicholas is exotic, his facial structure angular. Caden is more All-American with a square chin.

Hospital?

Yes, he looks like a doctor.

Nicholas looks more playboy.

Oh hell.

What have I gotten myself into?

Glancing around the strobe-lit gathering, Caden explains, “Max is editing his film and he had Natalie call me after Mom said she hasn’t heard from Lexi in over a week. My sister, I swear to God, someone needs to put a chip in her. She’s harder to find than my brother, Hunter, these days. Between her and Janet, I’m tearing my hair out.”

Nicholas asks, “Who’s Janet?”

“Another resident at the hospital. She’s got my balls in a sling. They love her over there and I want to stay in Atlanta when this is all over. It’s either me or her, so the rumor goes. I’m doing every trick in the playbook to get ahead of her. I’m telling you, the girl is raising the bar!” His eyes flicker to me. “Who’s this? I apologize for interrupting.”

Nicholas grins, “You fucker. You should know better. You don’t break up something like that.”

“Well, I’ve seen you kissing so many girls…” He sees the look on my face and immediately turns bright red. “Oh shit, I’m sorry. Wow, I’m a dick. I’m so sorry.”

Pretending not to care, I shrug, “It’s okay. I know his reputation. I didn’t mean to kiss him. It just happened.”

Nicholas and I exchange a look.

Caden’s eyes crinkle. “Thank God you’re cool, because that could have been disastrous. But hey, if you’re going to kiss a Cocker, be prepared for the tongues of past kisses to wag like fucking crazy.”

Nicholas punches him. “What is wrong with you?”

“Probably shouldn’t talk about tongues right now,” Caden laughs, grabbing his chest. “So, no Lexi?”

“Call Sam.”

“She won’t answer her phone!” To me, Caden explains, “My sisters guard each other better than the Secret Service covers the President.”

Since I’m included in the conversation I have to comment, “You don’t look much alike.”

They both drag amused fingers through their hair on a low chuckle, the family resemblance showing far more in mannerisms than facial features.

With easy-going charm Caden smiles, “The bloodline gets mixed up with our dads. Mine is a towhead, blonde as you can get. Both he and his identical twin.”

“But you don’t have blonde hair.”

“Yeah, I know. Samantha, she’s the only one who got the blonde hair in our family, it’s weird.”

Nicholas smirks, “You’re going to rattle it all off, aren’t you?”

“My mom is a redhead, and two of us got that. Not me. My little brother Hunter is a ginger, and then Lexi is bright red.”

“—Stop.”

“Max and I, we’re the oldest. Just eleven months apart. We got the brown hair passed down from our grandma, just like this guy right here.” He points to Nicholas who is rubbing his face. “But I got the square jaw of my dad. And Nicholas’s dad, Uncle Jeremy, he’s got a longer face, these high cheekbones, olive skin.”

Nicholas shouts, “For the love of God, shut it!”

Caden busts up. “I was wondering how long it would take for you to blow.”

“You’re as bad as my brothers.”

“Well, you used to be more fun.” He makes a dramatic face. “Come back to us!”

Nicholas cocks an eyebrow, “I grew up. You apparently didn’t.”

“I’ll be the doctor who makes your pain vanish with a smile.” He gives us a winning one and shakes my hand. “You’re a good sport. What was your name?”

“Madison.”

“I like it.” He winks then slaps Nicholas on the arm. “I’ll catch ya later. Going to see if I can find someone to kiss, too, before the night is up.”

“What about Lexi?”

“If she ain’t here then I don’t know where else to look. Already went by her apartment. Saw your sister and she had no clue. I thought about grilling the cats, but figured it was a lost cause. But you know what Nicholas?”

“What?”

“When I meet Brad, he’s gonna get this.” He holds up his fist. Waving over his broad shoulder, “Talk to you later, cuz. Bye Madison,” Caden is engulfed by the crowd.

We are alone again.

I bite my lip, eyes darting over to the gorgeous man who just made me cum.

Nicholas says, “Hey.”

A smile pulls my lip free. “Hi.”