Even if that meant hurting himself. Even if it meant never telling her the truth—that his heart was, and always would be, hers.
She approached him then and took his hands. She kissed his cheek and the warmth of her lips made his suffering all the more poignant.
“You’re the most beautiful bride ever, Madison Hope.”
His eyes held hers for the longest time. No amount of wishing or wanting could change the heart that wasn’t his to take. She wasn’t in love with him, and Brett had to accept that.
“Hunter Thomas is the luckiest man alive, and I pray with everything in me that today he realizes it.”
Madi beamed up at him, her seafoam green eyes speaking words only his heart could hear. “Tell him I love him, and I’ll meet him at the altar,” she finally said.
His lips came to her cheek, and he savored the final moments he had with her. The final moments he had to absorb that he’d made the gravest mistake of his life by not coming clean before today.
He’d live to regret staying quiet, being the perfect gentleman, staying only her friend.
He planned to get shit-faced drunk by the time the reception started; after that, he would try to move on with his life. Somehow, he would find a way to live a life without his heart.
But for now, he had a wedding to attend… a wedding that marked the demise of true love for Brett McFadden.
Brett grinned, hearing the birds wake him before his alarm had a chance. The sun streamed through the plantation shutters and shimmered down on his sleeping queen, lighting up her blonde ringlets. The sunlight that shimmered among the golden curls made her look like she had a halo around her head, but Brett didn’t need a reminder that Madison was an angel; he’d always known. He leaned in, kissed her cheek, and laced his fingers through the hand that laid on his chest, stroking his fingers up her forearm. The sexy little moan that escaped her lips made him rock hard in seconds. He longed to pull her hand to his erection and let her torture him even more than she already had last night.
Seeing her naked in front of him, exposed to him, as vulnerable as she’d ever been to him, made something inside him finally snap; it had been his resolve. He’d always regretted not talking to her about that night in college, always regretted not coming clean about his feelings before Hunter swooped in like a hawk and carried her away from Brett, always regretted not having another chance. Last night, he’d had that chance and he’d taken it.
Now, he was so glad he did. Madi knew how he felt, she knew he loved her, and she knew he wanted to make her his. He’d finally been given the opportunity to show that to her, even if he’d not officially made love to her yet. He’d gotten to love the body that had always haunted his dreams, worship her as she always deserved, and made promises he couldn’t wait to fulfill. She’d been completely his to command last night, and he’d eaten up every sexy second of it. He felt alive for the first time in so long, feeling as if he’d truly woken up on Mt. Olympus.
Madi must have shared his thoughts because she was grinning seductively at him.
“Good morning, stud,” she cooed and pulled his stroking hand to her lips to kiss and suck his fingers, making him groan in anticipation of her mouth on his stiffening cock.
“Careful, my goddess, you’ll disturb Zeus’s slumber, and we both know he’s a very dominating god.”
Madi giggled and peeled down the sheets; Brett swore he’d never wanted anything more in his whole life. “I liked Zeus…a lot.”
“Hmm, I’ll have to summon him more often then.” Brett moved and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her and lowering his lips to hers. He kissed her soft at first then aggressively and possessively, thrusting his pelvis into her thigh to show her just how much he wanted her.
She ate it up, and when he pulled back, she was breathing hard and looking at him like he was a big piece of meat and she the dog salivating for it; it made him feel good, damn good. He stroked her cheek and watched her eyes as they moved over his face. Having her look at him like this was new, and he was going to indulge a bit.
“That was the first time I’ve ever been tied like that,” Madi confessed, and Brett saw her cheeks pinken.
“Oh? Did you feel helpless?”
Madi bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “I felt…” she searched for the right word a moment then said, “Empowered. Sexy. Aroused.”
“Mmm, you’ll be feeling that a lot, I’m afraid. Get used to it, my queen.”
Madi giggled again and took his lips. She moved her hands down his shoulders to his chest and stroked him as if she were testing his solidity. When her hands began to lower, he growled a warning. “Easy, Sunflower.”
“I wanna touch you. When do I get to touch you?”
Brett grinned deviously. “When I can fully have every inch of you. That’s when.” When she huffed, he explained. “Madison, I’ve been a patient man for a very long time, but the minute I feel your hands on me, I’m gonna claim you, and God knows when or if I’ll be able to stop. For now, Zeus is in control and he’ll stay that way.” Brett winked, and Madi pouted. He nibbled that pout away and began to stroke her body, loving the sounds that escaped her as he did. He had her melting like ice cream in his palms before he stopped and shot up off the bed.
“Brett? Where are you going?”
He smirked. Having Madison Hope Taylor aching for him might be the hottest fucking thing ever; his dick was swelled to bursting. “I gotta go to practice, baby. Remember,
