My shift ends a few hours before Nancy’s does so I take the courage I have worked up through the day and I find myself looking for Rocco’s name on the list of buttons on his apartment building. I push the buzzer next to his name and I have to fight myself to stay put long enough to justify why I’m there.
“Hello?” I hear his voice over the speaker.
I open my mouth to talk, but nothing comes out. This is wrong. What am I doing? I back away from the speaker and scurry down the stairs to the street.
“Maddie?” His voice is much clearer.
I freeze and close my eyes. My heart pounds through my chest and my mouth dries up. When I turn around, Rocco is standing in the doorway, his face smiling at me. I slowly walk back to him with my hands balled up together.
Chapter 10
ROCCO
When I open the main door and see Maddie there, my heart speeds up. I never imagined I’d get a chance with her.
“Maddie, come in. Please.”
I hold the door open for her until she brushes against me as she walks into the building. I walk her up to the second floor and invite her into my apartment. When she hesitates before entering, I know why she is here. I smile again as I try to play it cool.
“Would you like a drink?”
“No, thank you. Actually, yes. Wine or beer would be great.”
She follows me to the kitchen and I hand her a cold bottle of beer. I watch her as she struggles to open it then tip it back, drinking about half the bottle.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. I am, I just…”
“Come here. Sit with me.” I cover her hands with mine and I can feel her tremble. “We don’t have to talk.” I lean to her and I kiss her forehead. My lips linger on her skin as I pick up the familiar scent of her shampoo. I close my eyes and inhale deeply. “God, you smell good,” I whisper. I kiss the side of her face, inhaling deeply again. I hear her breath catch when I slide my fingers up her arm. I kiss her cheek as I raise her face to mine. I watch her open her gorgeous brown eyes and they penetrate me to my soul.
It’s hard to tear away from them, but I do, only to look at her lips, so full and luscious. She parts them slightly and they beg me to kiss them. I cup my hands around her face, giving her a moment to pull away, but she doesn’t. Her breathing is shorter and faster. Her eyes don’t leave my face.
I savor the moment before my lips touch hers. That moment of angst knowing I will finally get what I want. Knowing I will feel her lips touch mine. I will taste her tongue on mine. I will feel her close to me again. I pray she doesn’t pull away from me this time.
“Maddie,” I whisper. The feel of her lip brushes against mine and she leans in, pressing her mouth into me. I lose the ability to breathe for a moment, realizing I finally have her here with me, the way I need her to be. I wrap my arms around her and deepen the kiss. The sweetest gasp escapes her and it penetrates me to my core. My mouth opens and is greeted with the tip of her tongue as it glides along my top lip. My cock jumps to attention and wants to take control but I subdue it with a deep breath before I allow myself to go further.
She slides her hands around my body, collecting my energy as if feeding her own arousal with it. She pulls me to her as her mouth gets greedy for more of my tongue. The heat between us rises quickly. She lets go and I open my eyes, immediately searching for more. She leans back pulling up her top over her head and looking at me for approval. I barely blink as my eyes cascade over her sweet, milky white skin. Her small breasts are cradled behind delicate material I want to rip off with my teeth.
She is the most exquisite creature I had ever seen, so why do I hesitate to touch her? She isn’t bold and crass. She isn’t pushy and needy. She doesn’t force herself on me. Her eyes stay with mine. I feel differently with her. I want to protect her, love her and yet keep her pure. I raise my hand to her face, my fingers sliding along her jawline, following her neck down to her breast and I circle the roundness behind that delicate material. I hook my fingers around each of the straps that hold tight to her shoulders, pulling them down her arms slowly. I watch her face as they inch down, threatening to expose her to my eyes for the first time. I see the insecurity in her eyes, clouded with arousal and an awakening I have never experienced seeing in a woman’s eyes before this moment. I pause, the top of her bra dangling on the hardness of her nipples. She tries so hard to control her breathing and I love that.
“Maddie.” I say her name with a soft delicateness. She looks down to my chest, but she isn’t focused. What is she thinking? I need her soul to be here as well as her body. This can’t be just sex. Not with Maddie. “Talk to me.”