Now decided, he lifted his hand and knocked twice.
Not a second later, the door whisked open. The light from her living room spilled out into the night, and the remaining strands of his indecision evaporated. Tonight, she wore gray jogging pants and a purple T-shirt. Her hair was pulled back in a tight ponytail, and her face was fresh, without any makeup. When heat flooded him, swelling his cock, he knew he’d made the right decision to see her tonight. There was nowhere else he wanted to be than right there with her.
When she took him in on her porch, her eyes went huge. “What are you doing here?” she gasped, glancing behind him as if he’d brought people with pitchforks to get her.
Beginning to feel unwanted, he shoved his hands into his pockets and chuckled. “Is this usually how you greet your guests?”
She didn’t laugh with him. In fact, she looked stunned, unmoving. She blinked twice. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing’s wrong.” He frowned. “I’d like to talk to you. If that’s all right.”
She blinked again. “Why?”
He began to narrow his eyes on her. “Joss, I want to talk to you. If you’d like me to leave, tell me to go, and I’ll go.”
“No, no, it’s not that.” She opened the door a little wider, the shock lessening slightly on her face. “You have me thinking that someone saw us last night, and now I’m being slut-shamed at the station. Please tell me that’s not true.”
“Believe me,” he said seriously, giving her a measured look. “If you were being slut-shamed, I’d be dealing with that instead of standing here at your front door trying to talk to you.”
“Oh, thank God.” She sagged against the door, obviously relieved. When she straightened, her expression turned curious. “If you’re not here because we’ve been found out, then why are you here?”
He paused. Then, “I’ve come to talk about us.”
Now it was her turn to pause. “But I thought there was no ‘us?’”
“There wasn’t, but I’d like to change that.”
She stepped away from the door, folding her arms. “Color me confused, but doesn’t that go against your ‘I don’t date’ policy?”
“Which is exactly the problem, isn’t it?” He couldn’t beat around the bush. Things needed to be crystal-clear. “I’d like to propose something to you that may work for both of us. I’d prefer to do that inside your house, instead of outside on your porch. May I come in?”
She watched him a moment, nibbling on her lip before she opened the door fully, letting him inside. He entered then moved into her living room. Her home was cute and quaint—much like the woman on his mind lately. Simple, but classy. Warm, and inviting.
Once he’d reached her couch, he turned around to face her and got right to the point of his visit. “Here’s the thing. I want to explore what’s going on between us a little more, if you’re up for that.”
She leaned against the living room’s doorframe, giving him a cute, quizzical look. “I’m sorry, but I’m not exactly sure what you’re asking me here. Last night was supposed to get me out of your system. Weren’t you the one who said you don’t date?”
“You’re right, I did. I don’t,” he replied, taking a seat on the armrest of her couch and folding his arms, watching her carefully. “We wouldn’t be dating.”
“So you’re suggesting something more in the way of friends-with-benefits?”
“That’s right.” Maddox needed to be careful, more careful than he’d ever been before with any woman. No broken hearts. Get his fix, sedate his craving for her. Then they could both move on. But the past had proven that it would take more than two quick fucks to fulfill him. He needed to explore her fully, enjoy her entirely. “What do you think of that idea?”
Again she nibbled her bottom lip, considering him. “Have you had a lot of these types of relationships?”
“No,” he admitted, knowing full well what his admission implied, but there was no going back. To have her, he needed honesty and trust. And he wanted to have her again and again until he calmed this insatiable need. “I already told you, I never come back for seconds.”
She hesitated. Then shook her head. “But you want thirds with me?”
“Yes.”
Another pause. Her eyes searching his. “Why?”
He rose from the armrest and moved to her in two large strides. Her sugary scent engulfed him as he took her into his arms. He noted the sexy smile she gave him seconds before he sealed his mouth across hers to make a point. In the same manner she had before, she melted against him, going all soft and warm and meeting him with a passion that spoke to him on every level as a man.