Chapter 26

twenty-six

ISLA

I'm living in a fairy tale. Maddox guides me to a large field lit up by hundreds of twinkle lights. They illuminate a massive basket attached to a balloon in the colors of the sunset. It glows against the darkening evening sky. A kind-looking older man with gray hair and thick-rimmed glasses waits for us with a welcoming smile.

"Good evening," the pilot says, offering us a handshake. "My name is Tim, and I'll be your pilot tonight."

"Hey, Tim, good to meet you," Maddox says easily. "I'm Maddox, and this is Isla."

If Tim recognizes my hockey player date, he doesn't show it. It helps squash some of the self-conscious awkwardness filling me since we arrived. I couldn't help wondering if anyone who saw us together would wonder what a guy like Maddox was doing with a woman like me. Now, I breathe deeply and relax my spine .

"Have either of you been up in a balloon before?" Tim asks.

Maddox and I both answer that we haven't, and Tim nods. He runs through a list of facts and precautions before telling us there are drinks and pastries in the basket.

And then Maddox helps me climb into the basket. Tim talks us through what he's doing as he prepares to launch the balloon, giving us some last-minute safety tips and pointing out the parts and mechanisms. Our ascent is smooth, but my heart beats a heavy rhythm in my chest and I clutch the side of the basket with white knuckles.

"Hey," Maddox says in my ear. He presses close to me, the weight of his body grounding and keeps me from panicking. "It's okay. We're safe. Just breathe, beautiful."

I try to suck in a deep breath, but this is so much more nerve-wracking than I thought it would be. I'm not afraid of heights, but floating off the ground beneath a giant balloon while we're braced in an open basket is freaky as hell. It's exhilarating, but it's freaky. And much warmer than I thought it would be. The burner throws off enough heat to remind me of summer evenings spent lounging beside bonfires and roasting marshmallows as a kid. Wind buffets us, twisting my ponytail in an erratic dance as the ground gets further and further away.

It's a symphony of sensation, and I couldn't be more grateful for Maddox's oversized presence at my back.

"This is both amazing and terrifying," I tell him. I have to raise my voice to be heard over the bursts of flame and the hum of the wind.

Maddox wraps one arm around my waist as he grips the basket with the other. "It really is. The view's stunning, though."

We're so high, everything beneath us looks surreal and miniature. He's right. It's beautiful. I twist around and look at him to agree, but Maddox isn't looking at the shrinking world beneath us. He's not looking at the sky, which is a riot of pinks and oranges. No, Maddox is looking at me. Me .

He smiles at my wide-eyed realization. Then he leans down and presses his soft lips to mine in a kiss. It's so reverently gentle I forget all about my fear or the fact that we're floating a thousand feet above the earth. Floating feels natural when Maddox kisses me.

Lips parting, I release my hold on the basket to tangle my fingers in his sweatshirt. He's all the tether and safety I need. The thought should terrify me, and it probably will when I get home and over-analyze every moment of this date, but for now, it feels right. Maddox is right. We're safe. I'm safe. Because he's here.

Our tongues dance, and our lips move together. I'm hyper-aware of every hard inch of him pressed along the length of my body. He's all corded muscles and strength. Maddox Graves is power personified, which makes the gentleness of his kiss such a heady experience. He's the most beautiful contradiction, and I have the passing thought that the women who hurt him are idiots. Who could be with a man like this and not see how lucky they were? Not because of his money or his fame or any of the materialistic things he could give them, but because he is so good.

We're both breathing hard when we break apart. And even though we should be drawn to the stunning sunset unfolding before us in vivid hues, our eyes remain glued together. Maddox breaks the spell when his lips twitch into a smile that soon overtakes his face. He's so freaking handsome.

"I can't decide if I'm light-headed because we're so high in the air or if it's because you just kissed all the sense out of me," I blurt.

His eyes crinkle in the corners as he laughs. "Both?"

"Both," I agree. I turn in his arms so my back is pressed to his front because if I don't, we'll spend the whole ride making out and poor Tim will feel awkward. I glance at the pilot, but he's a professional. If he noticed our mid-air make out, he doesn't show it. Soon I'm relaxing into Maddox again. Any awkwardness about Tim is wiped from my brain as the scene around us registers fully for the first time.

I've always been a dusk kind of girl. I love watching the sky paint itself in shades of pink and purple as the day gives way to night. But watching it from the ground has nothing on experiencing it from the sky. This high in the air, we're a part of the sunset. It washes over us, suffusing Maddox's face in warmth. The world is awash in soft pinks and oranges, and my breath catches.

It's breathtaking. I've never seen anything like it.

"This is…" My words trail off. Nothing I could say seems adequate.

"Yeah," Maddox says. "I know exactly what you're feeling."

We fall silent after that, both of us lost in the views and each other as the sun descends sleepily beneath the horizon. We take a few photos of the spectacular view with our phones, more than a few selfies—including some of us kissing, or Maddox kissing my cheek—and the pilot offers to take a nice one of us together. Then Tim lets us know we have another thirty minutes before we'll land. He also reminds us that there's champagne and treats in the picnic basket at our feet. Maddox pours us each a glass, and we munch on cookies and brownies that melt in our mouths as we soak up each other and the impending night.

As the balloon begins its descent, I wonder if the magic we found two thousand feet in the air will last once we're firmly back on the ground. Could we just live up here together? There are no exes, no pressures, no curious reporters and fans, and no worried best friends to drag me back to reality at two thousand feet.

But if Maddox and I are only good in a romantic little bubble, is this worth protecting? Alex and I were great when it was just us. He was funny and sweet, and I felt like I mattered to him. It was once we stepped out of our little college ecosystem and into the real world that we fell apart.

I don't want that again. I want something real. Something that's magical when we're cloistered away from the world, but is also magical when we're moving through the mundanity of daily life.

Our landing is a bit bumpy, but reality always is, right? We thank Tim profusely for the amazing night. When the pilot tells us to come back again, Maddox shoots me a smile and says he's sure we will.

Maddox is already planning dates for us well into the future, and my heart does a little leap.

"That was amazing," I gush once we're back in his car and heading home toward the city. "I've never done anything like that before. "

"Me neither." He intertwines our fingers. "That was the best first date I've ever been on."

I giggle at that. It certainly was a better first date than our practice dinner. Hell, if Maddox had been this sweet and attentive that night, we could be on our fifth or sixth date by now. But I can't regret how things happened.

"I'm not ready for it to end," I confess. I roll my bottom lip between my teeth. "Do you want to come back to my place? We could grab some takeout or something and hang out."

Maddox's fingers squeeze mine. "Yeah. I'd like that."

My cheeks hurt from smiling when we pull up to my apartment building. Maddox had been telling me stories about all the trouble he and his sister got into as kids. It makes me want to meet her. It also makes me fall a little harder for the tall, tough hockey player. With every new story, it becomes clear that Maddox isn't as tough and grumpy as he pretends. He's kind and loyal and he loves his mom and sister.

We pass one of my neighbors on the way into the building and she gives him an appraising look. She recognizes him but can't place why or where she's seen him before. Other than that, we don't encounter another soul. No one pulls us out of our little bubble and we spill into my apartment in a cloud of laughter and casual touches.

Touches that become less casual once the door clicks shut and I engage the lock. It's a force of habit as a single woman living in the city, but with Maddox here, the sharp click seems to hold a new weight. It's a reminder that we're alone—really alone—for the first time.

I'm not sure who takes the first step to close the distance between us, but in moments we're colliding in a tangle of lips and limbs. His hands skim along my spine, and mine grip his shoulders, leaving trails of heat wherever we touch. His tongue skates along the seam of my lips before delving inside my mouth. Each stroke and movement is precise and skillful, and I know his talents with that tongue extend far beyond kissing me better than anyone else ever has. It makes my core clench, and I reach up to tangle one hand in his hair, deepening the kiss.

"God, you feel so good," he groans as one hand sneaks under the hem of my sweatshirt and the tee beneath to span the bare skin of my side. "You're so fucking beautiful."

He swallows my moan as I press against him. His touch short-circuits my brain, and all I can think about is feeling more of his warmth against my bare flesh. I let go of his shoulder to wrap my free arm around his neck, and then Maddox lifts me up as though I weigh nothing. My legs go around his waist, and fire flares in my center when it rubs against the hard length of him straining against his jeans.

"Maddox," I groan between fevered kisses. It's just one word, just his name, but he hears the request in it.

"What do you need, baby?"

I point to my room, unable to form words. Well, I could probably form words, but if I open my mouth right now, it'll be to demand that he fuck me, and I'd like to play this a little cooler than that.

Still carrying me, Maddox crosses my apartment. He peppers my neck and lips with kisses as he pushes through my partially closed door and into my bedroom. He only takes a moment to survey the space. It's on the smaller side, but it's tidy .

A soft blue and white shibori patterned comforter covers the queen-sized bed. It contrasts with the light rattan headboard and the plush white carpet. My laptop and notebooks filled with lesson plan ideas clutter my desk, as well as photos of me, Jess, Nevaeh, and a few of my parents. It's cozy and homey and a bit on the eclectic side.

I shift my weight in his hold. He groans and brings his eyes back to me. A wicked grin tilts my lips and I roll my hips again. I want him to make that sound again. I want to feel every hard inch of him pressed against my aching center. This time, we both groan.

"Isla," he warns. "Keep that up, and I'm going to throw you down on this bed and bury myself in you."

I roll my hips again. My breathless words make his eyes flare with heat. "Is that a warning, or a promise?"

One of his hands moves to the back of my neck, squeezing lightly. His eyes don't leave mine. "Are you sure?"

God, yes. I'm very sure. And very glad Louise fit me in for a bikini wax. I'm also so turned on by his touch and his kisses and the feeling of his body against mine that I'm painfully aware of how long it's been since I've had sex. Even the slightest bit of friction has my panties flooding.

Fathomless eyes the color of earth search my face. Whatever he sees has him nodding to himself. Then he carefully lowers my back to the bed. Strong arms cage me in, and his legs force mine to spread wide so he can stand between where they're splayed over the edge of the mattress. He kisses me deeply before his lips move down the column of my neck.

With every ragged breath, my desire rises. His long fingers drag the zipper of my hoodie down so he can pull the sleeves off of my arms. Once that's off, I sit up to remove my tee, but his hands halt mine. Maddox's eyes burn as he pins me in place.

"Let me."

Wordlessly, I relent. His movements are slow and controlled as he glides the hem of my shirt higher and higher. I arch my back as his knuckles graze my lace-covered breasts. And then my shirt is gone, and Maddox stares at me like I'm the most beautiful thing he's ever seen. And for the first time, I don't feel self-conscious about having a new man see me in such a vulnerable way.

"You're stunning," he murmurs, running his large hands across my bare shoulders and down my sternum. The motions are akin to worship, and my skin pebbles with goosebumps. "The most beautiful woman I've ever seen."

"Maddox." I gasp as his fingers skim my tight nipples.

That devastatingly handsome face of his breaks into a satisfied smile at my breathy plea. I need him to touch me more. I need him to touch me everywhere.

"Patience," he whispers, before pressing open-mouthed kisses to my collarbone. I moan when his mouth moves down to the swell of my breasts and his fingers tug at the cups of my bra. He hums in satisfaction as I spill out of them. My nipples are painfully hard now, demanding his attention. It's attention he willingly gives.

My spine arches as he kisses and nips my right breast before taking the aching bud into his mouth and laving at it with his tongue. "Oh, God."

It's so good. His touch has me on fire with need. My hands snake beneath the hem of his shirt to explore the hard planes of his back. Muscles flex and ripple at my touch, and it's Maddox's turn to sigh as my fingers drag down his spine and back up again.

"Why are you still wearing a shirt?" I ask breathlessly. He chuckles, pressing a kiss to my left breast before rising and tugging off the offending garment.

Holy. Shit.

Maddox Graves is a freaking god. His shoulders are broad, his chest a smooth expanse of muscle and flesh that demands to be touched. I explore the topography of his back and chest with my fingers before they lower and chart the hills and valleys of his abs. I'm an awestruck explorer mapping out a newly discovered land. I've never been with a man who looks like this. He's strength and power personified, and it tickles the primal, lizard part of my brain that screams this man would make a good protector .

I might even drool a little.

"No one should be allowed to be this hot," I whisper. His answering laugh is deep and raspy, and I'd press my thighs together if he wasn't wedged between them.

Maddox takes advantage of my arched back and his fingers find the clasps of my bra. He undoes them and pulls the black lace from my body. Heat smolders in his expression as he takes me in. "I agree," he says as he runs his hands over the soft peaks of flesh.

When his gaze rises back to mine, I swallow hard. There's hunger in his eyes, of course, but that's not all that shines out at me. Maddox isn't just looking at me and seeing a body to use and enjoy, he's seeing me. There's genuine affection lighting those chocolate orbs, and my chest fills with warmth .

Maddox holds my eyes while his hands move to the button of my jeans. He holds my eyes as he slides the zipper down and tugs the denim from my hips. Only when I'm before him in nothing but a skimpy pair of black lace panties does his attention dip from my face.

"I'm going to make you feel so good, baby," he promises as he skims my panty-clad mound with his thumb. Even that simple touch has me sucking in a breath as my back arches off the bed. "You're going to look so pretty coming on my face."

And then he's dragging my panties down my legs, and his large hands are spreading my thighs wide so he can lean in and lick my folds with the flat of his tongue.

"Oh, God," I cry. The sudden move sends a zing of pleasure through my core, and I fist the sheets to keep from fisting his hair. He lets out a pleased hum against my pussy before licking me again.

"That's it, baby. Let me hear how much you like when I lick your pussy." He looks up at me with a wicked grin, my arousal already coating his lips and chin. I nearly come from the visuals of it alone. But then he slowly presses one long finger inside of me while he sucks on my clit and I cry out. He rubs my inner walls as he pushes into me before slowly dragging his finger out, only to repeat the movement. My hips buck, and he chuckles the dark, pleased laugh of a man who knows exactly what he's doing and how he's affecting me.

When he adds a second finger, I see sparks. His hands are so big, his fingers so long, he fills me so well. And these are just his fingers. Fuck.

I moan his name as he flicks the tip of his tongue over my clit in a steady rhythm. I'm nothing more than firing neurons and pleasure. My very existence shrinks down to where Maddox touches me and fills me. He hums wordless encouragement as I writhe on the bed, my legs spread and hanging off the edge with his broad body pressing against me between them.

The sounds that fill the room are obscene as he plunges a third finger into my channel and laps up my arousal with his tongue. And when his lips latch around my clit, I cry out. I'm so close. My body tingles and tightens, my stomach hollowing out as my hips move instinctively. Releasing my comforter, I thread one hand in his dark hair.

"That's right, baby," Maddox murmurs against my pussy. "Find your pleasure. Come apart on my face. I could drown in you and die a happy man."

Oh. My. God.

His filthy words flare like a surge of electricity in my mind, igniting a fuse that crackles down my spine, tingles through my belly, and detonates as he absolutely devours me. I try to muffle my scream with my free hand, but it's pointless. Maddox's talented tongue and long fingers make me lose control of my body as the most intense orgasm of my life sweeps through me. He fucks me through it, his fingers moving faster as he sucks hard on my clit until I'm shaking.

"It's too much," I whine when he doesn't relent. Everything is so sensitive. My whole body is flush with endorphins and buzzing with the aftershocks of pleasure. But Maddox doesn't stop. He just chuckles against my pussy before plunging his tongue into me. When I try to wiggle away from him, he loops his arms around my thighs and locks me in place against his mouth. "Oh, God. Oh, God. "

He's not going to let up. Pleasure mingles with the burn of oversensitivity until the sharp pleasure-pain gives way to another swell of sensation. Maddox's tongue and mouth bring me to the crest of another wave of bliss and my brain short-circuits.

He's going to make me come again.

I don't even have time to marvel at how that's possible because his tongue is flicking against my swollen clit with just the right amount of speed and pressure, and my soul leaves my body.

Lights dance across my vision as another orgasm rips through me. This one is sharp and forceful, and my fingers clench tightly in Maddox's hair. He grunts, but doesn't stop fucking me with his magical tongue until my pussy stops fluttering through the aftershocks of my second orgasm.

"Holy shit," I gasp as I flop in a boneless heap on my bed. I don't even have the strength to open my eyes, but I feel Maddox's smile as he presses a wet kiss to my lower belly.

"Delicious."

Fuck. Me.