"You never gave me an answer," he said.
She’d been lying very still against him, only her breathing making her beautiful breasts rise and fall. "About what?"
"About helping me look for a place to live." He nuzzled her throat, kissing and licking the warm flesh. Damn, but she tasted as good as she smelled. He bet she tasted good everywhere. Something to try later. His cock stirred in agreement.
Maddie sat up, her back to him. "I don't think that's a good idea."
"Why not? If my mother helps me, she'll insist on something around the corner from her, and I don't think I'm ready for that so soon after my arrival back in Melbourne."
He pressed his hand to her back and rubbed her spine, following the little bumps and crevices with his fingertips. She arched into his touch and threw her head back. A mass of lustrous dark curls tumbled over his hand. He twined one around his finger and watched it spring back up when he let go. It bounced. Kind of like Maddie. She bounced in all the right places too.
He reached around and palmed one of those places. So much softness, almost too much for his big hand. He massaged, taking extra care with her nipple and was rewarded with a moan when he thrummed it. That was enough to bring him to full-blown attention.
"Come here," he growled and tugged her gently back down to the bed.
But she resisted and pulled away from him. "I think you should go."
He sat up and moved so he could see her face. "What? Why?" He brushed a knuckle across her flushed cheek. "I thought you enjoyed that. I did."
"Yes, but..." She sighed. "You have to go. I, ah, have to look after the kids tonight."
He frowned. "Pete didn't mention they were going out."
"Pete doesn't have to tell you everything any more." She sounded pissed off.
He held up his hands. "I know. Well, how about I come round, keep you company after the kids go to sleep."
"No!" She shook her head, eyes wide. "Pete and Linda are really funny about other people having sex in their house."
"I don't blame them! And Maddie," he chucked her under her chin, "I was offering to watch TV with you, have a chat or play poker, not make love to you on their kitchen table."
She turned bright red. "Oh. Right. Well, I still don't think it's a good idea."
Sam knew she was lying about the babysitting but he didn't know whether to confront her or let it slide. He wished she was a little easier to read, but she was more complex than a Rubik’s Cube. He didn't recall his ex-girlfriends ever being this complicated. But then he hadn’t cared about them as much as he cared about Maddie. Maybe that was the difference.
"Why?" he asked.
"Sam, this isn't going to work out."
Oh. So she hadn't changed her mind about their future together. Whatever the problem was, it was still a problem. She made to get off the bed, but he caught her waist and pinned her back down. He kissed her, and she responded with her tongue.
He withdrew and looked down at her. "Are you mad because I didn't give you an orgasm?"
"No!"
"Oh. Okay. But I will, if you give me another chance."
"No, Sam, no more."
Hell. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to have sex and then she would be his. Easy. No sweat. That’s how it always worked.
But now he was flailing about in the ocean without a lifeboat, and she was the one holding the rope. Only she wouldn’t throw it in. Anger bubbled inside him, but he wasn’t sure who he was angry at.
Maybe if he’d just given her the orgasm, she wouldn’t be rejecting him. Served him right for being selfish.
"I thought what we just did meant everything was okay between us," he said, hearing the hitch in his voice.
"I suppose it could be read that way, but I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression."
"Yeah." He stood. "My fault for thinking making love actually meant you liked me." He snatched up his boxers and jeans from the floor and stepped into them. "Stupid me."
"Sam, I'm sorry, I really am."
The plea in her voice made him turn round. She knelt in the middle of the big bed, her feet tucked under her. She looked angelic, beautiful and completely vulnerable. He let out a long breath and sat down on the edge of the bed. He shouldn’t be trying so hard. Trying hard never worked. But he wanted this one so bad it hurt.
"Maddie, what's wrong?"
Her eyes scanned his face and he thought he was going to get a straight answer but she shook her head and looked down, smoothing the rumpled bed covers. "We're chalk and cheese."
"So? I don't care."
"You will." She got up and searched the room for her clothes. She eventually found her thong covering the photograph of her parents on the dresser. "I have to go, Sam, so..."