Chapter 17

CHAPTER 17

MADDEN

Finally, I'm getting ready to record for the first time in weeks. I've set my phone up, and I'm stretching my neck from the left to the right, loosening it up. After I do that, I move one arm in front of me, and hook my other around the elbow, extending the stretch. When I'm done, I walk over and click the phone on, and begin the workout that's kept me sane for the last year.

I get in the zone, my mind blanking out as I go into the push up, and hold it, before continuing. There is sweat rolling down my body, and my muscles are aching when the alarm I've set on my phone goes off, signaling that I've been working out for over an hour. I shut the phone off and relax with my back against the wall, drinking down a bottle of water.

Donut sees me, and tippy taps over to where I'm sitting. "Hey buddy, do you wanna go out in the backyard?"

He wags his tail, a smile spreading across his face.

"Okay, let's go."

I open the back door and encourage him to run out into the yard. When he does, there's a knock at my front door. I'm not expecting anyone, but I realize I have the sleeves that I wear when I'm working out, still on. It's one thing I've done my best to keep hidden. The sleeves are the one thing I keep the same every time I make a video. The doorbell rings again. "Be right there."

I take them off and then sling them into my pantry, because I don't know where else to put them. Once I have them hidden, I head to the door. Glancing through the window, I'm surprised to see Becca and Mick. "Hey..." I greet them as I open it. "What are y'all doing here?"

Becca looks a bit embarrassed, her cheeks pink. "I should've texted you, but we were at the grocery store, and I realized how close we were to your house. You've done so much for us, I'd love to cook you dinner if that's okay with you?"

No one has ever cooked me dinner before, besides the couple of times my mom did. "Yeah, if you want to."

She smiles. "I do, and Mick mentioned he might like to see Donut, if he's here."

"Yeah." I step back, allowing them inside. "Donut's in the backyard. Feel free to go out there and hang out with him."

Mick doesn't have to be told twice, he takes off at a run, leaving the two of us staring at each other. She grins up at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I reciprocate by circling mine around her waist. "You're sweaty. Were you working out?"

"I was. I had just gotten done when you rang the bell, otherwise you would have interrupted me right in the middle."

She pouts, putting out her lower lip. "I'm jealous. I wish I would've been able to see."

It's on the tip of my tongue to tell her that she has seen it. Her and most of Laurel Springs, but I'm not ready to blow my cover yet. "Maybe one day I'll work out just for you."

Becca clears her throat. "I'm going to hold you to that. I need to go get the stuff to make dinner from my car, I didn't want to bring it in case you told me to get the hell out." She laughs.

"I never would've told you that. Let me help you."

We walk out to her car, and she opens the trunk. There are a couple of bags sitting there, nestled in with what looks out workout gear. "You work out too?"

She shakes her head. "I did until a few weeks ago, but then things got super busy. I was watching this dude work out on the internet, you caught me once. Watching him made me want to take care of my health more, but like always it's fallen to the wayside."

I want to tell her I'm the person she's been watching, the one who she's used as encouragement to take her health more seriously. I also don't want to blow my cover, and I'm worried that she will be annoyed that I haven't told her I'm the person in the thirst-trap videos. Especially now. "You and I could work out together, if you wanted to."

The side of her mouth lifts. "What kind of workout do you have planned?"

I tilt my head to the side, giving her a smile. "Well, I wasn't thinking of that, but if you are, we can work it out."

She doesn't say anything, but gives me a little grin. "C'mon, let's get this stuff inside so I can get started."

As I follow her, my gaze is attached to her ass, and all I can think about is what she looks like with no clothes on. I'd give anything to know right now.

"I can feel your gaze on me." She turns her head around, her eyes going right to my lips.

"Yeah, and the way you looked at me like that?" I crowd into her personal space. "It's how I imagine you'd look at me if I was doing you from behind, Bec. Would you let me have that knowledge?"

She stops. We're on the porch, and out of the eyesight of most of my neighbors. I set the groceries I'm carrying down, and plaster my chest to her back. Wrapping my arms around her from behind, I bury my lips in her neck, allowing my hands to spread across her stomach. "Will you let me?" I pitch my voice low. "Touch you out here where anyone could see?"

Becca doesn't say anything, but I feel the nod. It's so small I'm not sure she's actually done it, but she rests her head back against my shoulder. "Yes." The word is pushed out on a gust of air.

I slip my hands up her stomach, following the natural curve until the palms of my hands curl around her breasts. My mouth finds the flesh of her neck. I groan when she presses the globes further into my palms. The bra she's wearing does nothing to hide the nipples that are tightening and hardening against my touch. I wish we were alone, so that I could slip underneath the shirt, that I could allow my lips to wrap around and suckle those peaked tips. I'm growing hard against her back, and I know if we don't put a stop to this, we're going to do something on the porch that we don't want others to see. When I pull back, I clear my throat. "I think we should take this inside."

"Yeah." She sighs. "You're right."

I push her slightly away from me, and bend down to grab the bags that I let drop earlier. She hurries inside, and I follow behind her. When we get in, we look at each other, both grinning because we know how easy it would be for these feelings between us to explode into a full-blown bonfire.