Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Brandon sighed. "Because you're the only person who can make me abandon all my principles."

His sweet-talking was impressive and effortless. He even sounded like he was commenting on the weather while he was at it. He was telling me he loved me without actually using the word "love". My eyes stung. Chewing on my flatbread, I said incoherently, "Come here, Brandon."

"Why?" Brandon asked, giving me a baffled look.

"Stop asking questions and do as you're told," I said stubbornly without explaining.

He rose to his feet and came over. He had just sat down when I leaned forward and put my head on his shoulder. He stiffened under me, and I said, "Food tastes better when I'm leaning on you." Brandon chuckled lightly, and my lips curled with a covert smile as well.

After dinner, we left the hospital and went home. When Brandon had tucked me into bed, I asked, "Will you be sleeping here or in your room tonight?"

"Here," he answered without hesitation.

Images of him doing push-ups and taking cold showers at midnight flashed through my mind. Wincing, I pressed my lips into a hard line and warned, "Fine, but you can't do push-ups in the middle of the night."

His cheeks flushed when he heard this, and he bit out, "Don't bring that up again."

I burrowed into his embrace and wrapped my arms around his waist. "I won't if you don't do it."

Brandon swallowed. "Mae, stop it."

hard time controlling yourself?" I teased boldly,

grip tighten on

had turned low and hoarse

Brandon?" I asked. I didn't bother with decency at this

"Mae..."

snaked the other under it, my fingers grazing

dangerously gravelly as he

into his ear, all the while pressing myself against the hard

skeptical, and that kept him from responding

advances.

a thing possessed, my excitement at his restraint turning into feral delight

just wait a bit, all right? You might not be

a while longer." Brandon reasoned with me, though I knew

shook my head. "No, I

"Mae..."

say no, the more I want it,"

stare. My

later, my body was a weightless thing as