“Which brother?” He curled his hand around her waist, sliding his lips along the curve of her shoulder.
“Tanner. He’s picking up Logan and Cameron, remember?”
He grinned against her skin. “I remember. I was just wondering which one of them would think to call. I should’ve known it was Tanner.”
In the past few months, Maddie had gotten to know Gray’s brothers better. They’d taken her under their wings, teased her the same way they teased Becca when they video-called. Challenged her to fist fights when they met up in real life. It was hard to not fall for all the Heartbreak Brothers. They were strong and warm, and if you were family, they protected you to the death. She liked them being part of her life.
Even Ashleigh had grudgingly admitted they were okay. Which was high praise from her.
“So, family here tonight, and then a big party tomorrow,” Gray said, sliding his hands down her hips. She loved the way he always had to touch her when they were close. As though he was half-afraid she wasn’t real. “And after that, we get the place to ourselves again.”
“Until you start recording in two weeks,” she reminded him. “And then the band is staying with us.”
He looked up, wrinkling his nose. “Do you think I could postpone it? I want to spend some time with my girl.”
“You’ve spent nothing but time with me.” But she grinned anyway because she knew how he felt. “I came with you to L.A. for the album, then you stayed here with me so I could work with my students. And then we both went to Mexico because you needed the break.”
“Maybe I should rethink this producing thing,” he murmured. “Become a house husband instead.”
“You’d get bored in a minute,” she said, raising an eyebrow.
“No I wouldn’t.”
She grinned. “Yeah, you would. You couldn’t even sit still for five minutes in Mexico. You ended up writing four songs. And when this place was being built, you kept insisting on helping the contractors. Let’s face it, Gray, you’re a guy who doesn’t like sitting around doing nothing.”
“I’d do it with you,” he told her, his lips curling into a smile. That smile. The one that always made her body shiver.
She slid her hand into his. “Then come and sit with me now. Tell me about your day. Then we can go and get ready for our families. You know Aunt Gina is always early.”
“And your mom and Ashleigh are always late.”
She grinned. “And your brothers usually get the wrong day completely.” It was amazing how easily he’d slotted into her world, the same way she’d fit perfectly into his. As though there was a Maddie and Gray shaped space in each of their lives, just waiting to be filled. Some weekends they really did go to church and then on to see Murphy – who’d finally come to terms with her quitting her job. And others were in L.A., spending time with Gray’s music friends and talking with his record label. She’d even managed to sell a few of her songs to them directly. It was a source of pride that it wasn’t only his money that had gone into building the home they were sharing together.
“You know, I’ve got a better idea,” Gray said, pulling her up the steps to the house before swinging her into his arms. “We’ve got an hour before anybody arrives, and a huge bed that’s missing us. We should go check on it.”
“Yeah, we should.” Maddie nodded. “I’d hate for an inanimate piece of furniture to feel lonely.”
He slid his hands down her back, his palms warming her through her thin sundress. “There’s only one way to make it feel better.”
“Sleep in it?”
He pulled her against him tight, until she was in no doubt about the way she affected him. “What I had in mind doesn’t include sleeping.”
She arched an eyebrow, loving every minute. “What does it include?”
“Let me show you.” He backed her up until she was through the door and in the kitchen, his arms still holding her hips. “It won’t take long.”
“Famous last words.” But she loved it anyway. Loved being in his arms. Loved being kissed by him. Loved the way he always wanted to be with her, on her, inside her.
Because that’s what she wanted, too.
* * *
Okay, so it had taken a little longer than he’d planned. But i
t had been worth every minute of worshipping her body. Gray let his head fall back on his pillow as Maddie curled her body into his, her head nestled into his crook.
Even after all these months he couldn’t get enough of her. He honestly thought he never would. They’d be old and decrepit and he’d still slowly shuffle her up to bed so he could take her all over again.