I Dare You (Truth And Dare Duet 2)

Riley offered me a handful of popcorn. “My pleasure, babe.”

She started episode nine of YOU, and we settled in, finishing up season one and starting season two right after.

Five hours later, although time had seemed to fly by, there was an insistent knocking on our door. Riley turned down the volume, and I walked over the door. I barely had it open before someone rammed into me.

Maddox–

My thought came to screeching halt at the raw expression on his face. Something akin to crazed desperation and…fear. His emotions wrapped around my chest and squeezed, until I couldn’t breathe.

His frantic gaze landed on mine, and they darkened almost dangerously. “You,” he accused, sounding out of breath. “You left.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “I came to see Riley.”

He prowled forward, his jaw hard and his expression tight. Maddox only had his boxer shorts on. He hadn’t even bothered to wear his clothes in his attempt to hunt me down.

“I wasn’t running away,” I whispered, pressing my palms over his chest.

His heart was racing, too fast, too hard, too wild. Oh, baby. I stood on my tiptoes, and my lips brushed against his, in my attempt to calm him down. “Take me back… home.”

Maddox let out a ragged breath, as if he could finally breathe again. His arm curled around my waist like a band of steel, and he practically dragged me back to his apartment next door.

His mouth moved with mine, and I kissed him. Taking control of the kiss, I nipped on his lips and then slid my tongue inside his mouth. He hoisted me up in his arms and closed his door, before slamming my back against it. He wasn’t careful, he wasn’t gentle, and, in this moment, I couldn’t find myself to care.

Maddox groaned into my kiss, and I could feel his thickness against my stomach. Could feel how hard…warm, how… heavy he was.

“I didn’t have a good dream,” he grunted like the words pained him.

My heart dropped, and my arms tightened around him.

“Woke up to an empty bed. It made it worse.” His confession surprised me.

Maddox had never let himself be vulnerable around me, not willingly. Sure, I had seen his bad sides, his worst sides. I had seen him at his breaking point, but he hid his pain with a perfected mask and would never admit to something like this. His tightly put together defenses were down.

Right now, Maddox Coulter was the rawest and truest version of himself.

Open to me and vulnerable in my arms.

My lungs squeezed, as I shuddered back a cry. “I’m never leaving you, Baby.” The endearment spilled from my lips before I could overthink it, but it felt… right.

“Lila.” There was so much pain contained in that single word, my name on his lips, whispered like he was a dying sailor at sea, seeking asylum from his impending demise.

“Pinky promise?” A little piece of my heart chipped off.

My Maddox: mine.

He always wanted to be my protector… and I wanted to return the favor.

Lips on lips, forehead against forehead, hearts thudding together, bodies entangled – I whispered, “Pinky promise.”

Four years ago, I met a cocky and selfish asshole. He was everything I despised and everything I thought I didn’t need in my peaceful life.

Today, I held the same man… a different version of him, in my arms.

And I kissed him.

Then, we made love.

Raw, passionate, crazy love…

It was everything I didn’t know I needed until now.

Two months later

Watching Maddox’s football games never got any less exhilarating. Every time I watched him walk through the tunnel that led to the football field with the rest of his team, heard the crowd go crazy as Maddox strutted about with his typical swagger and arrogant smirk – my chest tightened, and I could feel myself shaking with excitement.

He loved the crowd, as much as he loved playing football and being on the field. Maddox enjoyed the attention of his fans. The energy, the spectators screaming his name, as he threw a perfect spiral for a touchdown.

It was the first home game of the season, and our players were putting on one hell of a show. Harvard hadn’t lost to Brown University in three years. If they won this game, which would have been Maddox’s fourth win… It would be a record-breaking, and I wanted to be that girlfriend who praised her man for their success.

Maddox has played for the team since his freshman year, and this would be his fourth and final season.

Yeah, it was silly.

But I was so damn proud of him. Maddox Coulter was an exceptional player. Okay, yeah… I was definitely bragging – but that was my right and my duty as his girlfriend, wasn’t it?

Maddox said their coach was riding their asses about making sure to win this home game.

It was my job to motivate him…