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  “I’ve been thinking about this all day,” she murmured, and pulled him toward the stairs.

  He didn’t argue, and followed, his hands shaking. He understood it was false bravado on her part, but he planned to take full advantage.

  She stopped at the edge of his bed, turned to him, and stripped off her top. Lust punched him hard as he took in all that bronze skin, the toned body, the small breasts that filled the lace cups. He wanted to touch her, but some instinct told him to let her make the first move. She loosened her ponytail and her hair fell around her shoulders. He got even harder, just imagining the ends of it brushing his skin.

  Then she took a shy step toward him. He angled his head to kiss her, but she didn’t raise her face, instead reaching for the buttons of his shirt. Her breath gusted against his skin as she parted the fabric, and damn, his erection bordered on painful. She hadn’t even touched him yet.

  Once she pushed the shirt from his shoulders, she leaned into him, skin to skin, and lifted her face. He slipped his fingers under her hair and cupped the back of her head as he claimed her mouth.

  God, he loved the taste of her, warm and sweet, as her tongue lifted to glide along his. Her kisses had always been playful, and that playfulness had always got him going. So many nights when they were kids, he had to take matters into his own hands. But tonight—

  As if she read his mind, she slid her hands down his stomach, rubbing her palms over the hair there before she loosened the button and zipper and reached inside.

  He couldn’t stop the groan of pleasure as she curled her fingers around him, firm but gentle, stroking until he had to grab her wrist to stop her. He broke the kiss and looked down at her with what had to be a grimace.

  “You don’t want it over that fast.”

  She tossed her hair over her shoulder, not releasing him, gifting him instead with an evil grin. “I do want to get home tonight.”

  He pressed his hand against the small of her back so that her hips angled into his. He trailed his fingers up her naked spine to her bra, unhooked it with a practiced snap, lowering her to the bed. He levered himself over her, looking down at her for a moment before he kissed her again, moving against her, parting her legs, wishing she was naked, that he was naked.

  “I want to be inside you,” he said against her ear. “Now. Jesus. Why don’t you ever wear skirts?”

  “Why don’t you?” she retorted.

  “Take off your jeans.” Reluctant to leave the warmth of her arms, he knelt and shoved his jeans down, watching as she struggled out of hers, her knee coming perilously close to his erection.

  “Condom,” she urged, naked before he was because of his damned boots.

  He threw one boot against the rail of the loft, then the other before he flipped over her. He reached past her for the nightstand drawer, but once he had the packet in his hand, she pressed her hands against his chest, pushing him onto his back before taking the packet from him.

  Holy God. The sight of her over him, naked and gorgeous, knowing she was going to ride him—he had to close his eyes for a minute and figure out song tabs in his head so he didn’t blow right then. Just when he thought he was under control, she rolled the condom onto him.

  “A minute,” he rasped, but she didn’t listen, rising over him, guiding him to her entrance, and with a false start, sliding down the length of him and taking him deep inside. The look on her face—eyes drifting closed, lips parting on a sigh—was almost his undoing, and only supreme control kept him from exploding inside her.

  Hot and tight. She felt so good, and the primitive part of his brain was overjoyed that she hadn’t had many lovers. His. He closed his hands over her hips and guided her movements. He wanted to surge up into her, but he was giving over control, though it meant his own was on a tight leash.

  She looked like a goddess, her back arched, her eyes closed, her hair swaying with her movements that gained more finesse with each stroke. He wanted to raise himself up and take her breast in his mouth, but resisted. This was her seduction. He allowed himself to caress the soft skin of her hips, to rest his palm on her thigh to feel the flex of muscles.

  “Beth. Look at me,” he urged, his voice rough.

  She opened her eyes, but then her skin flushed and she slammed them shut again. “I can’t. You’re watching me.”

  “Because you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve seen. Look at me, sweetheart.”

  She did, though he could tell she was having trouble. He trailed his fingertips up her sides and she bent over to kiss him, her strokes becoming awkward with the angle. But her hair drifted over his skin, just as he imagined, so sexy. He wanted to let go, wanted to pulse inside her, but then it would be over too soon for her.

  He spread his palm over the small of her back and held her still, just for a moment, as he calmed his raging libido. She lifted her head to look into his eyes.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Really good,” he said, and kissed her again.

  She squirmed on top of him and he understood she was close. Thank God. When she rose over him again to slam her body against his, he added his touch to the equation, feeling her swell and slicken against his thumb before—oh, man. Nothing could be as beautiful as Beth coming, her whole body going tight, then loose as shudders of pleasure ran through her.

  And that was all he was able to register before he finally let go and followed her, his orgasm coming from every atom of his body, and pouring into her heat.

  Sunlight warmed the foot of the bed and Beth stretched toward it with a yawn, jolting awake when her toe caught a bare, hairy leg beneath the sheets. Her eyes popped open to the unfamiliar room with the two overhead skylights, the wooden walls, and Maddox naked in the bed with her. Panicked, she twisted toward the nightstand to see what time it was, but he didn’t have a clock. It didn’t matter—it was clearly morning. In her haste to get out of bed, she tangled the sheets tighter around herself before kicking free.

  Beside her, Maddox drew in a deep breath on a yawn and stretched before opening his eyes. “What’s going on?”

  “It’s morning. We fell asleep.”

  He grunted and reached to loop an arm over her hips, but she shoved it away. “You don’t understand. Linda will be awake. Trinity will be there. They’ll know I didn’t come home last night.”

  “How? Aren’t you usually asleep when Linda leaves anyway?”

  “My car isn’t there,” she said, speaking slowly before diving beneath the bed for her panties.

  He swore and sat up, the significance finally sinking in. “Okay. So just stay here. Don’t go home.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  “Why not?”

  “It will just postpone the inevitable. God, what kind of example am I setting for Linda? What if they think something’s happened to me? What if they called the police?”

  “Calm down.” He turned toward the other nightstand and looked at his watch. “It’s not much after seven. I don’t think they’ve called in the cavalry yet. Want me to go with you?”

  She made a strangled sound as she yanked up her jeans. “That would only make it worse. Fourteen years. Fourteen years I avoided this, and now, when I’m having the most trouble with Linda, I give in. I’m sorry, Maddox. I’ve got to go.”

  She couldn’t get to the car fast enough, but once she turned onto her street she slowed. She had no idea what she’d say to her sister, or to Trinity. While Trinity was dealing with her own scandal-inducing pregnancy—her wedding was next month—just one misspoken word would turn gossip in Beth’s direction.

  Adam’s car was in front of the house, behind Trinity’s. Great. Just great. They’d called in reinforcements. She dragged her hand through her hair, tied it back in a ponytail so it didn’t quite resemble the rats’ nest it usually did when she woke, and got out of the car.

  The front door opened before she got halfway up the sidewalk and Adam charged out. He gripped her arms and looked her up and down, and all she could thin
k was that she smelled like Maddox.

  “You’re okay?”

  “I’m fine.”

  He looked past her to her car. “You weren’t in an accident?”

  “No. The car’s fine. Can we go inside?” But even as she said it, she saw Trinity and Linda standing in the doorway, looking out.

  “Where the hell were you?”

  “I’m sorry they called you. I’m sorry you were worried.” She edged past him to ease up the sidewalk so she could address all of them. “I just want to go inside.” Before all the neighbors heard as well. She grabbed her brother’s sleeve and pulled him with her, managing to step inside and close the door before he opened his mouth again. “I was at Maddox’s,” she said on a breath. “We fell asleep. I’m sorry.”

  Silence hung in the room and she chanced a look at the three of them. Surprise froze their faces in comical expressions. Linda’s melted first, into smugness.

  “I knew it. I knew you weren’t that goody-goody.”

  Trinity turned a scolding expression on the girl. “It’s different when you’re in love. And your sister has sacrificed a lot of her personal life for you and your brothers. I think you can cut her some slack here.”

  Beth wanted to protest the “in love” part of that speech, but didn’t think it was wise just now, though lying to her brother and sister didn’t sit well. Adam seemed embarrassed by the information—clearly he hadn’t even considered that she’d be out with someone, and he headed for the door.

  “Well,” he said. “I’m just glad you’re all right.”

  “Hang on a second. Drop Linda off at school on your way,” Beth said.

  “What? No. I’m not going to school today.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’m already late, for one.”

  “I’m sure Adam can let the teachers know it was a family emergency.”

  Linda’s eyes narrowed. “Do you really want them asking questions about this family emergency?”

  Beth swallowed. She didn’t doubt that Linda would announce to everyone that her sister had spent the night with Maddox Bradley. But at the same time, she wasn’t going to let her sister dictate the terms of her education.

  “I always told you that for every action there was a consequence. If you feel you have to explain why you’re late, well, that’s a consequence I’ll have to face.” She wanted to plead with her sister not to be vindictive, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

  Trinity, however, had no qualms. She stepped in front of Linda.

  “I know you think it would be funny to humiliate and embarrass your sister to your friends and your teachers, but I think you need to consider how it will backfire.”

  “How?” Linda asked with a stubborn jut of her chin.

  “Well, people might think it’s all exciting and scandalous now. But they’ll think about you having a baby and your sister being involved with Maddox, and you really don’t want to try to recover from that reputation. And then since Maddox is a celebrity, it might get blown out of proportion, and all your dirty laundry will be all over the tabloids. You don’t really want that.”

  Linda’s stubborn chin persisted, but Beth could see her deflate a little. “It’d be better than being a nobody.”

  “I think you’ve seen enough tabloid TV to know that isn’t true. Now. Get ready for school,” Trinity said.

  Linda relented, jerked her backpack up from its place by the door, and followed Adam outside.

  Beth dropped to the couch and let her head fall back. “I don’t know how it is you manage her better than I do.”

  Trinity sat beside her. “I don’t let her get away with nearly as much garbage. You feel guilty about the way you raised her, so you coddle. I don’t have to worry about that.”

  “Do I? Coddle?”

  “Maybe that’s not the right word. It’s just that you seem to feel you have something to make up for, when you have no such worries. Your father, on the other hand…”

  “Well, he’s never going to make anything up to anyone.” No, he just made everything harder. “So if she’s ever going to catch a break, it has to come from me.”

  “Nobody promised breaks. You didn’t get one, did you?”

  “All the more reason for her to.”

  “Which is fine. As long as she appreciates it. She doesn’t seem to appreciate much right now. So I’m thinking tough love.”

  “Aren’t you going to ask me about Maddox?”

  “Did you ever ask me about Leo? No. If you feel like sharing, fine, but I’m not going to press.”

  When was the last time she had someone close to her own age to talk to? The temptation was great. “I’m not in love with him.”

  Trinity waved a dismissive hand. “Of course not. He’s only gorgeous, rich, and has returned from your past. He followed you home every night to make sure you got home all right. What’s to love?”

  Beth stared at the ceiling. Those were only the tips of the iceberg, and she had to push away the warmth flowing through her at the memory of how they’d made love. How it had felt to wake beside him. Something she couldn’t allow herself to repeat. “And he’ll be leaving in a few days. He has a concert the Fourth of July.”

  “He can come back. We don’t close the door to Bluestone.”

  “Maybe. I don’t want him to feel he has to. So we’re keeping it…casual.”

  Trinity propped her elbow on the back of the couch and rested her head against it. “And how’s that working for you?”

  Beth rolled her eyes at Trinity’s insight. “I can’t let it be anything else. Which is why I didn’t want my brother and sister knowing about it.”

  “Fate had other plans.”

  The sound of a car driving up drew their attention and Beth stood to go to the window. Maddox was getting out of his truck. Her heart gave a big thud and a tingle ran through her body, the pleasure chased away by irritation. She opened the door and headed down the sidewalk.

  “What are you doing here?” she demanded, wanting to shove him back in the truck at the same time she wanted to feel his arms around her.

  He stroked his knuckles down her cheek. “I came to see if everything’s okay.”

  She stepped back, breaking contact, which made her feel naked. “Well, they hadn’t called the cops, but it was a near thing. They called Adam. So my brother and sister both know what went on last night, and Linda’s not above using it.”

  He pursued, the instep of his boot against the outside of her shoe. “You want me to talk to her?”

  “She’s gone to school with Adam. And Trinity talked to her. But who knows if she’ll listen to Trinity any more than she listens to me. I feel helpless.”

  He reached to put his arms around her, and she wanted more than anything to lean her head against his chest, but was aware the neighbors might be watching. She stepped back and saw the flash of regret cross his face.

  “You should go. If she starts talking, it may cause trouble for you.”

  He didn’t give up, trailing his fingers down her arm. “I’ve weathered trouble before. I can handle a little gossip.”

  “You shouldn’t have to.”

  “Beth. It was worth it.”

  That surprised her enough that she lifted her gaze to his, but that half-smile, the warmth in his eyes, had her retreating again. She couldn’t let herself be charmed so easily.

  “People already think badly of me because Linda runs wild. Now if they think I am, too, they might take her and Jonas away. Don’t you see?”

  “Beth, no one in the world is going to fault you for trying to find happiness.”

  “They’ll think I’m sleeping with you for your money, and—”

  He straightened. “Are you worried about legal action here, or your reputation?”

  “One could lead to the other.”

  “And if anyone tries to take Linda away, we’ll hire a lawyer.”

  Again her gaze snapped to his, serious Maddox now, ready to ride to her rescue. It
was so tempting to let him. But she just…couldn’t. He’d left her once without looking back, and she knew how to take care of herself now.

  “It’s better if I just handle this on my own. Go home, Maddox.” He set his jaw stubbornly, but she held her ground. “It’s my problem, not yours. It’s better for me if you’re not in the picture.”

  He looked like he wanted to do something, but instead backed toward his truck. “I’m not going far. I’ll check back with you in a couple of days.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll come to you if I need you.” Which she wouldn’t, because she wouldn’t let herself.

  He lifted his eyebrows. “Will you?”

  Damn him for knowing her so well. She didn’t answer, couldn’t honestly and expect him to leave. She took a step back toward the house, hoping he would leave before she gave in to the tears that burned her throat. “Good-bye, Maddox.”

  His jaw set in a stubborn line, he climbed into the truck and closed the door. She forced herself to watch as he drove away.

  That night, the size of the crowd at Quinn’s doubled. Maddox had no idea where all these people came from, and from the look of Quinn and his staff of six waitresses who were being run off their feet, Quinn didn’t know, either. But they’d clearly come to hear him, and they were spending money. He hoped they stuck around to see the charms of the town, and he said so between songs.

  “Make sure you stick around to go out on a boat, maybe do some fishing, see the natural beauty that surrounds us here in Bluestone,” he said. He was here as a commercial, after all.

  During his break, Maddox took Linda’s arm and drew her toward Quinn’s office.

  “Did you say something at school about your sister and me?”

  She gave him an affronted look and yanked her arm free. “No. God. What makes you say that?”

  “We haven’t done a lot of publicity about me being up here, and suddenly we have all these folks. Just wondering the cause, is all.”