B R E N

I was more than aware that football boy wasn't my biggest fan.

I suppose it was because I'd pushed his buttons one too many times, but it had been necessary. Well, at first. Not so much the last few times, but I'll admit I got a bit of a kick out of it.

I was leery of anyone who spent a lot of time with Quinton Reid, and that included pretty much the entire OSU football team. And while I never once got the same vibes from Everett here as I did from Madie's ex, I was still cautious.

Some men were better at hiding how much of an asshole they were, and my philosophy was that you couldn't be too careful.

Nessa was one of my best friends. She was one of the people I trusted most in the world, and I knew she felt the same about me. I would hate to betray that trust by not looking out for her like I'd look out for Madie or Caroline. She might not be my girl in the way Grayson clearly meant it, but she was still one of the girls I considered mine to look out for, to watch over.

I knew Grayson didn't want to share Nessa, not any part of her, just like I didn't want to share Madie. But at the same time, I'd trust Beau with Madie's life in a heartbeat. One day Grayson would realize that he could trust me, too.

"Are you glad you took those summer credits?" Madie asked Nessa, tipping her head to the side in a way I knew meant Nessa had her full attention. I loved when she did that.

Nessa's eyes landed briefly on Grayson, and I could tell there was something more to that look than we'd ever know.

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm..." She paused and cleared her throat. "I'm thinking about taking more music courses this year. I really liked it."

Madie's entire expression brightened. "That's amazing."

While Madie was busy giving Nessa all her attention, I watched Grayson. Pride had washed over his expression at the mention of Nessa's music aspirations, which reassured me.

I was pretty positive he was a good one.

"I have to go to the bathroom," Madie muttered a few minutes later, nudging me so I'd let her slide out of the booth.

But we were in a crowded college bar on a Saturday night. Like hell was I going to let Madie walk to the bathroom by herself. Not after what had happened in LA.

I stood, gave Madie my hand to help her out, and then held onto it as she led the way to the back of the bar. When she realized I was following, she scowled over her shoulder.

"You don't have to come with me," she chided.

"Yes, I do," I insisted, wondering how she could even argue. How was she not as traumatized as I was?

Madie stopped just outside the bathroom, turning to face me with tenderness in her eyes.

"At some point, we have to let go of the idea that danger is around every corner, Bren." She put a hand to my face, cupping my cheek softly. I damn near melted at the simple touch. "They're in prison. They both are."

"It doesn't mean there aren't more guys like them out there."

"I know." She grimaced at the thought. "But we have to find a balance. Between caution and obsession."

I lowered my voice. "Are you telling me I can't be obsessed with you anymore? Because that's not going to happen."

That pulled a wispy laugh out of Madie. God, I loved that sound.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it."

"I know," I sighed. "I'm working on it," I added more solemnly.

I was. Madie and I had been in therapy for several months, and I was trying. Trying really hard to let go of certain things, especially for her.

But I wasn't sure if this—this situation right here where she went to the bathroom in crowded bars—would ever be something I could let go of.

I kept my mouth shut for now, not wanting to get that far into it. And after giving Madie a little pat on the behind, I watched her walk into the single-stall bathroom before kicking back against the wall to wait.

I checked over at Nessa and Grayson while the seconds ticked by, noting how they were practically on top of each other in the booth. Grayson's eyes remained glued to her face, watching every little movement and reaction while they talked. I smiled to myself. He was turning out alright. And I was happy for Nessa.

After a few minutes, Madie poked her head out of the bathroom. She looked both ways in the hallway, making me frown with confusion. But then she waved me inside, muttering about needing help with her dress.

All too happy to get my girlfriend alone, I followed her into the bathroom, which was bright and tiled, cleaner than I had expected.

"I was able to unzip it, but I can't reach high enough to get it zipped back up again," Madie said, exasperated while holding onto her dress with one hand and trying to zip it with the other, spinning around in a circle like a dog chasing their tail.

"I don't think that's going to help, baby," I said with a chuckle. "Come here."

Giving up, Madie stopped spinning and stood in front of the mirror, facing it while I grabbed the back of her dress. I began tugging the zipper up but then felt Madie's eyes on me in the reflection. It made me pause. The room was hazy. It reverberated with a thumping bass from the bar that I felt in my chest. A headiness lingered in the air.

And so instead of zipping the rest of Madie's dress, I traced a finger along the thin strap holding it up. She watched, looking up at me beneath her lashes in the mirror.

"Are you thinking about the hotel?" I asked.

My voice was husky and thick, making it obvious that our night at the Cardairel Hotel was exactly what I was thinking about.

Madie didn't say anything, but her gaze grew bright and hot.

I doubted she needed a reminder based on how she looked at me, but I figured I'd give her one anyway. Because, as I told her earlier, I was obsessed with her and memories like the ones we made that night.

"Don't you remember?" I breathed, letting my fingers fall down her front, brushing her hand away so it was no longer holding her little black dress up. It sagged now, not nearly as low as I'd like it to, but it was an improvement. "You said you wanted to rinse off, so I carried you into the shower, washed your hair, scrubbed every inch of your body until you were squeaky clean...."

Madie's breath hitched, but she spoke for the first time since I walked up behind her.

"And then you decided you like me better dirty," she whispered, a smirk rolling onto her lips.

"I love it when you're a dirty girl for me, Madeline."

She raised a brow. "You were the one who bent me over the bathroom sink."

I gripped her hips with both hands just like I had that night, putting her in the perfect position. "Because I knew you could take it, baby."

"Bren..." Madie said my name in a desperate moan that traveled straight to my dick. The sounds she was making, the way she looked, combined with the memories racing through my head...it was all about to do me in.

"We should probably get back." I pushed the words out of my mouth, hating them. I knew I'd have Madie all to myself as soon as we got home from dinner, but right now, that seemed so far away.

A flash of disappointment crossed Madie's face, making me bite back a smile.

"You have to actually zip up my dress then," she said.

"But it looks so much better like this," I muttered, looking over her shoulder to enjoy the perfect fucking view of her tits that I had.

A breathless laugh filled the already heavy air. "I wonder what everyone else will think of it."

That sobered me right up. "No one else gets to see this."

"Then zip me up, Bren," she said, but there was such a teasing quality to her voice that I squeezed her hips without thinking about how much we would both love it.

"I really prefer unzipping."

"Then do that," she said, her voice so low that I almost didn't catch the words.

"Gladly."

Forgetting that we were in the bathroom at a college bar and that there could be people waiting outside, I unzipped Madie's dress and let the bodice of it fall, gathering around her waist.

"Fuck, Madeline."

My eyes traced her curves. And even though I saw her topless all the time, it was different in forbidden moments like this.

Without taking her eyes off me in the mirror, Madie started to lean forward, her hands flattening on the counter as she used the position to push her tits together. Meanwhile, she backed her ass into me, and God, was I about ready to lose it.

"You showing me what you want, baby?"

"Maybe," she replied coyly.

Gripping her hips, I rocked against her, letting her feel me. "In case there were any questions about what I want," I breathed in her ear.

A low groan lingered in the air as Madie's eyes rolled up. I loved feeling her this way but watching every little reaction in her reflection? There would always be something about it. After all, the first time I ever made Madie fall apart, it was like this. Except that time, I saw her reflection in the window with the waves crashing in the background.

And ever since then, I felt her body beneath mine as though it was the pulse of the ocean. The rise and fall of her chest, the rolling of her curves against me...it reminded me of the waves.

Madie pushed her ass into me harder, whining. "Please, Bren."

A few shouts echoed down the hall outside the bathroom, reminding me we didn't have all the time in the world.

"Here's what's going to happen," I murmured while inching my foot between hers, scooting them further apart, so her stance was wider for me. "I'm going to fuck you hard and fast like I know you want, and then we'll go home and repeat it properly."

Madie nodded, breathless as she kept her eyes on me in the mirror. I stared back at her, willing her to say the word aloud.

"Yes," she breathed, satisfying me enough to bunch her dress up and drag a finger between her legs, tucking it beneath her underwear to feel how fucking wet she was.

She was ready for it, alright. And just to test that theory, I thrust a finger inside her, watching as Madie's mouth opened soundlessly in response.

I smirked, working my finger out again and enjoying how her expression fell in frustration.

Hang on, baby. I'll make it better soon.

Less than ten seconds later, I had my belt unbuckled and my jeans hanging loosely around my hips as I brought my aching cock between Madie's legs. She adjusted her stance, clearly impatient as she waited for me to thrust inside her.

But I loved to draw out the suspense, just a little bit. It was exhilarating, sifting through the tension and studying the quick draws of breath that Madie kept taking as she anticipated my next move. Her eyes glazed over with desire, hooded and beautiful.

"Hard and fast, remember?" I groaned. "Are you going to take it like a good girl?"

At that, Madie's mouth curved in a wicked grin that I knew all too well. "Always."

Always. She always did. And I'd always love her for it.

I pressed my erection between her legs, dragging it through her wet folds until I found the place where I could just sink in, deeper and deeper, until I reached home.

Fuck, what an angel. She felt like fucking heaven, just like always.

Madie gasped my name, her eyes growing wide, her lips parting as she adjusted to the feeling. I gave her a moment, but only one. And then I was fulfilling my promise—fast and hard.

I wanted to bend her over further, but that would have meant losing the hot eye contact between us while I fucked her, so instead, I slid my hand up her front, cupping her breasts before wrapping my fingers around her throat.

"I like the necklace you're wearing, but I think my hand looks even better there," I rasped, using my hold to straighten her up, slamming her against my front as I thrust inside her again. And again. And again until I could feel her legs quivering from holding herself up without anything to hold onto.

Giving in, I let Madie drop again, bending her over the counter so she could prop herself on it as I fucked her beautifully tight pussy into oblivion.

The sounds she was making were beyond hot. They were muffled and muted as she swallowed them down, trying not to let people outside the door hear. There was something about that—something about having to keep quiet so as not to get caught that stoked the fire hotter as it grew between us. Until finally, it became unbearable.

"God, Madie," I growled, hoping to hell that she was almost there because I couldn't hold out much longer.

And thankfully, I started to feel that familiar tightening around my cock that meant she was close, and I knew it was time to let my control vanish and give her everything.

And as soon as I did that, driving wildly into her from behind, Madie's ability to stay quiet vanished. Her cries echoed around the bathroom, bouncing between the tiled walls, and then I followed her, sinking as deep as I could before allowing my release to tear me apart.

I tucked my head into Madie's shoulder while we both took shallow breaths, pressing kisses into her flushed skin. But I knew we couldn't linger too long, so after another few seconds of breathing her in, I pulled her underwear back into place. I rubbed the lace between two fingers before letting it snap against her skin.

"This fabric probably isn't going to keep my cum from dripping down your thighs, baby."

"Probably should have thought of that earlier," Madie mumbled as I zipped her dress up—finally.

"Don't tell me you have regrets," I said, bracketing her chin in my hand so I could turn her around. I needed to kiss those lips at least once before we went back to meet Nessa and Grayson. If they were still there, that was.

I had a feeling they might not be.

"Never," Madie breathed before brushing her lips over mine.

As much as I wanted to turn that light kiss into something more, I knew we couldn't. Not when we'd already occupied this bathroom for far too long. So instead, I led Madie back into the hallway, slightly relieved when no one was lingering in it. Although the other single-stall bathroom was occupied, and the person in there might have gotten an earful. Not that I really cared.

"Now, be nice to Grayson, okay?" Madie murmured over her shoulder.

"What do you mean?" I tried to look clueless, but I failed a bit. "I've been perfectly nice."

"You're purposefully pushing his buttons, and you know it."

"I just don't want to see Nessa get hurt again."

"He didn't leave on purpose, Bren," Madie argued. "I trust him and like him a lot."

"A lot, huh?" I questioned, rubbing my jaw. As she walked, I raised a brow at the back of her head, but there was no real fire in my words. I knew better.

"Cut it out." Madie rolled her eyes at me over her shoulder. "Yes, I like him. And I love you."

"I love you too, Madeline."

I was so engrossed in our conversation that I didn't even realize until we were right in front of the booth we'd been sitting at that I was right.

Nessa and Grayson, of course, had already made their escape.

Figured.

Now it was time for Madie and me to make ours.