“No,” I state authoritatively. “Not. Here.” I kiss her again for emphasis, then move to button her pants in the dark. She frowns against my skin and opens her mouth, probably ready to unleash some of that sass I secretly love.

Before she can utter a sound, I wrap her ponytail around my hand twice, then gently pull her head back so she’s forced to look up at me. My breath hitches when she goes compliant and whimpers in my hold. God, she’s pretty.

“I need to take my time with you. And I’ll be damned if any other man gets to smell you on my hands… or my mouth.” I give her a wicked grin, followed by a lust-filled kiss.

“Soon, baby girl. Soon. Just not here.”

“Come home with me tonight,” she offers, grabbing me by the belt loops and pulling me against her with so much force the liquor cage rattles behind us.

I sigh. “I can’t tonight. Fielding has plans after work, so I have to go home.”

She schools her expression and wipes the pout from her face. I have to hand it to her—she pulls it together quickly when I mention my priorities.

“You work tomorrow, right?”

“I do.” I give her a wicked grin, knowing she’ll catch on.

“Does your brother have plans then, too?”

“He does not.”

“Come home with me tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” I agree, kissing her one more time before I carefully shift her to the side and swing open the liquor cage door to find what Teddy needs. “Now get back out there and eat your tots before the guys notice we’ve both been gone for way too long.”

“You better be worth the wait, Dempsey Haas,” she whispers in my ear before walking down the dimly lit hall.

24. Maddie

Chapter 24

Maddie

I sit in front of my vanity and add more waves to my hair with my curl wand, smiling at how silly it is to do my hair for tonight. If everything goes according to plan, this mop will look like a lion’s mane by the time Dempsey and I are done with each other.

“You’re really going all out tonight,” Paige chirps from my bed as she mindlessly flips through a magazine. “Who are you going out with again?”

We spent the day together, lounging in the pool while she licked her wounds from her latest Kyle encounter. She had sex with him at Andrew Adley’s party—and hasn’t heard from him since.

Typical.

But also convenient for me. If Kyle’s on her shit list, she’s far less likely to suggest we hang out with him and Travis anytime soon. I’d be thrilled if we didn’t see them again this summer. Especially after the way Travis ditched me at the party.