Chapter 27

Chapter 27 Maddox “It’s freezing in here!” Michelle rubs her goosebump arms up and down with her hands. She sits on the couch, nostrils flaring in irritation at the cold. I’ve never seen her this angry.

“There is something wrong with the heating. Bleeding the radiators should be done twice a year, but I haven’t done that. That might be the problem. I don’t know. I’m too tired to do it now, though.”

Trust me. I didn’t purposely invite Michelle to a cold house. I’m the only one using the summerhouse, and since I usually sleep in the frathouse, I had no idea the temperature had gotten this bad.

Michelle lifts her chin, finding my eyes. “What are we going to do?”

“Well, for starters, put the hoodie back on.” She chews on her bottom lip, whispering. “Should we head to the frathouse instead?” “No, just relax,” I’m tempted to call her babe. “I will call someone to fix the heat in the morning.”

Her eyes grow wide. “But it’s cold right now, Maddox!”

“But it won’t be in the morning after I’ve called someone.”

“I get that, I do, but…” Michelle’s heavy sigh conveys her inner skepticism. “Do you even think we will be able to sleep when it’s this cold inside?”

I shrug. “I’m not freezing.”

Her eyes narrow into slits, and she crosses her arms over her chest. She is mimicking my usual threatening pose and it’s hilarious. I have to fight every instinct to pick her up.

She even speaks in a grumpy tone. “Of course, you don’t…”

I fight a laugh. “Why the sudden grumpiness?”

“Because I’m the only one struggling,” she pouts, nodding at me. “While you, over there, probably have some hyper circulation since you’re an athlete in your prime.” “Probably.” I toss my jacket on the armchair. I’m not cold at all, and Michelle glares at me in response. I snort. “Do you want to borrow some of my heat while we watch N*****x?”

der, grumpier, cuter.

I haven’t seen Michelle pissed off very often. She is super crabby and reminds me of a hedgehog. All tiny and adorable, but with spikes to hurt you if you touch her.

Vicious.

Dangerous – at least according to herself.

And cute.

So darn cute.

“I’m too…” Michelle wet her lips, still glaring at me. “I’m too proud to borrow heat from the enemy.” “The enemy?” I lift an eyebrow. What is she talking about now? Since when did I become the enemy?

Her cheeks burn brighter, and her nose wrinkles. “You’re the enemy. The guy who brought me to Antarctica.”

Snorting, I sit down on the couch next to her. It gives under my weight, but Michelle prevents herself from falling into my waiting lap by leaning the other way.

What a bummer.

1 tap my thigh, beaming at her when she glares at me.

“Don’t be like that. Come over here,” I tap my lap again, grinning at Michelle. It feels like we have traded personalities. “I will warm you up and cover us in a blanket.”

Michelle huffs in irritation, mumbling. “Fine! But I’m still going to be super dramatic about this for like an hour or something…”

I laugh at her. “That’s such a woman thing to do, and it’s not even that cold in here. You will survive the night.”

Michelle doesn’t comment.

Her hands find my shoulders as she climbs into my lap. Half a second later, she plops down on my thighs and gets comfortable. I like feeling her weight in my lap.

Smiling, I take the blanket hanging on the backrest behind us and wrap us both in it.

Michelle seems grateful. Shivers make the little thing shake in my lap, and she settles close to my chest, chattering her teeth.

I bite back a grin. “You’re being ridiculous right now…”

“N-no, it’s cold inside your house, and you don’t get to speak because you’re b-basically bigfoot! I bet that beard you’re sporting keeps you warm at night.”

Fuck, she is sweet. The teeth chattering worries me, but she is already getting warmer.

“Bigfoot, huh?”

Michelle nods. “That’s you.”

I scratch my chin. “Do I need to shave that badly?”

“You do. It itches when you get affectionate.”

“It does?”

“Yup.”

“Huh. Never knew.”

Michelle is obviously still upset about the heat but is taking it out over my scruff, even daring to sound like a brat. “But it’s how it is.”

It is how it is.

So grumpy.

I’m smiling so hard that it hurts. “I guess you have to live with that for now, though. I can’t go even one day without affection.”

To prove my point, I drag my scruffy chin against Michelle’s soft cheek until she tries to escape. Too bad for her, 1 easily hold her in place, forcing giggles up her throat. 1 “No! Stop! Maddox!”

Michelle is squirming and trying to move away. All it does is tease my cock when she lifts herself up and down from my lap. I desperately try to fight my urges.

Think about love and affection, Maddox. Not sex.

Rub your face against Michelle’s cheek, not your cock against her sweet, tight pussy.

“Get your beard off my face, Maddox! Stop trying to kill me!”

Laughing, I continue to stroke my face against her soft skin. “It can’t be that bad… Just shut up and love me.” 1 “Oh-my-god…” Michelle gives up on trying to fight me. She slumps against me, all grumpy and defeated. “At least I’m warm now… From panicking in your lap.”

“You clearly have poor blood circulation.”

“No, I’m pretty sure you have hyper circulation…”

I snort. “Nah, man, you need a clinic. I’m taking you to a doctor first thing in the morning.”

I love hearing her laugh. I love how her feet are tucked in the middle of my legs, body slumped against mine, our size difference noticeable. But nice at moments like these.

I might be a goddamn giant compared to my girlfriend, but hell if I don’t feel more protective because of it.

We stay cuddling throughout the movie, chatting and laughing at the plot until we barely can keep our eyes open.

“I think I’m just going to-” she yawns and gets more comfortable. She is even using my thigh as her pillow. “Rest my eyes for a bit.”

“Oh no, you won’t. That’s the oldest trick in the book. You’re just going to fall asleep.” “I promise I won’t.” Her eyes are already closed, and there is a tiny, content smile on her lips.

Precious.

I adınire her cute face and try not to laugh at her messed-up hair sticking out in every direction. She looks wild, Cute, But we can’t stay on the couch all night.

I gather her in my arms, but her eyes don’t shoot open like they usually would if I picked her up. She lets me pick her up, and I look down into her tired eyes.

“Are you fine sharing the same bed?”

Her lips form a smile. “I would be furious if we didn’t… It’s fucking cold in here, Maddox.”

I snort in amusement. “You’ve spent too much time with me if you’re suddenly swearing like a sailor.”

She yawns. “Or it means my period is coming in.” Ah, I had completely forgotten about that. “Should i be worried?” “No, I’m wearing protection.”

I lift an eyebrow, laughing, “Not what I meant, but okay.”

1 stroll away with Michelle in my arms. Up the stairs. She slumps against my chest, so trusting and comfortable she doesn’t care to keep her eyes open.

I like that.

I like that trust a lot. By the time I reach my bedroom, she is fast asleep. I carefully slide her down on the bed, watching her. Some stray hairs are on her face, and I pluck at them. Michelle’s eyes are half-

open. She is watching me with a half-smile, but for whatever reason, she doesn’t ask what the hell I’m doing. I think she knows as well as me that I turn sappy around her.

“Good night, Maddie…”

Maddie?!

What.

The.

Actual.

Fuck.

I glare down at her. “What kind of nickname is that?! I sound like a goddamn woman!”

Michelle doesn’t reply. Her eyes are closed again, eyelashes fanned out over her cheeks. A tiny smile is tingling on her lips.

My heart squeezes. Man, my girlfriend is pretty.