Free Bracing the Blue Line by Lindsay Paige Page A

wanted to do, watch TV, so it's okay, I guess.
    Without the light, though, my eyes are getting heavier and heavier.
     
     
    MMM. I INHALE a coconut, beach-y smell as I bury my nose in her hair. She makes my senses go on full alert. Fuck. Again? I open my eyes to see Maddie laying next to me on her stomach. My arm wrapped tightly around her waist while I lay on my side, enjoying the scent of her hair. My other arm is underneath her neck and I swear it's about to fall off, it's so numb. We used to lay like this all the time. Why does she have to turn me on? What is it about her that still does?
    The smell of her shampoo? How her small, short self almost gets lost next to me now? How good and easy this is? How familiar she feels?
    With that thought, I move my hips away from her a bit, so she won't feel my erection. The slight motion wakes Maddie up. She stretches her legs out and lifts her head to look at me with a small smile, which makes my own lips lift in return. Maybe it's that small action, that simple smile first thing this morning.
    In that moment, she's not thinking about anything other than waking up securely in someone's arms, leaving sweet dreams behind, and seeing a familiar face next to her. Her eyes seem to be darker or browner than usual. Stray strands of her blonde hair stick out around her face and the wrinkles from my pillowcase are imprinted on her cheek. Her lips are the perfect shade of pink, drawing my eyes down to them. An insane, ridiculous, raging need to kiss her is nearly uncontrollable. Just as I go to lean forward, Maddie laughs softly.
    “I'm becoming a pain in the ass, aren't I?” she whispers.
    Her words jar me from the stupid act I was about to commit, leaving me temporarily dumbfounded by her words. “What?”
    “You're always so nice to me, letting me hang out with you, and I repay you by sleeping over in your bed. Again.”
    “Uh, yeah,” I mumble, distracted by my thoughts. “Real pain in the ass.” I lay my head back on the pillow, but Maddie doesn't attempt to move, so I don't remove myself from her. She's watching me though. I look up at the ceiling, anywhere away from those eyes and that pretty face. “I was about to kiss you,” I breathe in honest disbelief. What in the hell is wrong with me?
    “You were?” Maddie's eyebrows are perched high. “Why?” She sounds more curious than asking as if that was the most confusing thing ever. And the fact that she doesn't sound upset or disgusted that I would go there, but instead slightly surprised with wonder, makes me want to kiss her that much more.
    “Fuck if I know,” I grumble. She frowns, and I quickly add, “Not that kissing you would be terrible. You're in my damn bed, Maddie. Look at us.” As if that explains it all. “You're fucking gorgeous too. That doesn't help,” I confide.
    She props herself up on her elbows with a smile like she's remembering something. “You used to kiss me all the time. I could be in the middle of telling you what happened that day and you'd interrupt me with a quick kiss, saying that you loved listening to me.” Her eyes lock onto my own. “Do you still like me, Winston?” There's almost a light, teasing tone in her voice.
    Turning my head to look at her, I set her straight. “No, I do not. That's come and gone, Maddie. I wanted to kiss you for a moment. That's all.”
    “Then do it.”
    “What?” She can't be serious.
    “Do it,” Maddie repeats. “Kiss me.” It's a softly ordered demand. A demand . Oh, fuck.
    Without another thought, I cup her cheeks as she moves to lay on me, eliminating all space between us. I stare into her eyes, searching for some sort of sign to stop and not to go a step further. All I see is a familiar desire. I move forward until only a breath separates us, our noses brushing against each other slightly.
    Our breathing intermingles, and I'm sure I can feel Maddie's heart beating against her chest. Her tongue slips out of her mouth to run over her lower