Search Me(72)

I giggled and pushed his hands away. “It’s too cold for a bikini, silly.”

“Then you could be wearing nothing at all, and I could be keeping you very, very warm out on the water.” His mouth hovered over my ear. “I promise to use my hands, my mouth, my tongue, and my dick to get you very hot.”

At the mental picture his words invoked, I fought to catch my breath. Finally, when I could form words again, I replied, “Tempting, but no.”

Maddox’s one and only impulse buy with his share of the gold had been a boat. Me? I had yet to make an impulse purchase, but I was leaning towards a car. Luckily, I had all the time in the world to decide and a pretty hefty amount to work with.

Once Pretty Fawn’s gold had been appraised, it came to one and a half million dollars after taxes. You could say we were more than a little surprised—flabbergasted was more like it. Maudie insisted on dividing it three ways, although Maddox and I argued it was rightfully hers for buying the painting. But she wouldn’t have it. From the moment she saw the gold in the hospital, she made it clear we’d certainly earned our shares after all we’d been through. So we decided to humor her and accept it.

Maddox started to fidget with his tie again. “I haven’t had to wear one of these since my Army dress green uniform.”

I wrapped my arms around his waist and cocked my head at him. “If I promised to rip that tie off of you later when we’re alone, will you stop whining?”

A slow grin slunk across his face. “Are you serious?”

“Maybe. But only if you’re a good boy.”

“You’re such a tease.”

“Hmm, you have no idea just what kind of tease I’m going to be.”

“Oh really?”

Tugging the end of his tie, I replied, “After I tear this off of you, I plan to use it to bind your hands to where you’re my total and complete prisoner.”

Maddox’s dark eyes bulged. “Fuck me.”

“Yes, that’s what I plan on doing after you’ve begged and pleaded with me enough.”

His hand smacked against my backside. “Who knew I had such a naughty girl?”

“So you like what I have in store for you?”

“Oh yes, very much.” He then leaned over and brought his lips to mine.

Just as he deepened the kiss, someone cleared her throat behind me. I whirled around to find Maudie grinning at us. “Okay lovebirds, can you manage to tear yourselves away from each other for a few minutes for the check presentation?”

“Sorry. I was fixing Maddox’s tie,” I replied.

A mischievous glint flickered in Maudie’s eyes. “Oh, is that what you were doing?”

I giggled. “Yes, it was.”

“Well, now it appears that you’re finished, so come on outside. Your father needs rescuing in the worst way. He’s been ambushed by reporters and Dr. Bretsky most of the night.”

“Lead away,” Maddox said.

Maudie’s cane clunked along the floorboards—her slight limp was a daily reminder of her personal ordeal with Jensen. She had spent the past three months in extensive therapy, learning how to walk again. She’d made great strides, but she still wasn’t a hundred percent back to her old self, which is one reason why she’d waited to go back to work.

We were all riding on an emotional high when Jensen and his merry band of henchmen were put behind bars for a long, long time. I was equally thrilled to learn that West was also going to be doing some time for attempted robbery. With all the bad guys out of sight and out of mind, we were able to truly move forward and start the healing process.

As we passed the study, Maddox abruptly stopped. “Did you get a new desk?”

I followed his gaze to a mahogany monstrosity taking up the study’s back wall. It looked like a politician’s desk or some VIP. I couldn’t imagine why Maudie would want it.

Maudie’s eyes lit up. “Oh, yes, it’s my latest auction treasure. It’s over two hundred years old. The hand carving is gorgeous, not to mention some of the bells and whistles with interlocking drawers. I swear, it’s just like Queen Victoria’s desk in the second National Treasure movie!”

“That’s cool,” Maddox said, ambling over to it. He fiddled with some of the handles, causing a hidden side drawer to pop out. A yellowed piece of paper fluttered to the floor. “Hey, what’s this?” he asked picking it up.

Maudie gasped. “Don’t tell me it could be another treasure map?”

I shook my head wildly. “Oh no. Put it right back where you found it! I don’t want to ever see another treasure map again in my life.”

Maddox laughed. “Why not?”

“Don’t tell me you’d want a repeat of what we went through?”

He shrugged. “Some parts weren’t bad.”

“No, but at the same time, I just want to graduate college and live a normal life. I don’t want some evil twin of Jensen’s after me and reporters hounding me night and day.”

“I think we’re safe for now,” he replied, flipping the paper over to reveal an old newspaper clipping.

I swept my hand to my heart and sighed with relief. “Thank goodness.”

Maddox chuckled. He appeared at my side and took my hand in his. “You’re way too gullible.”