"Happy Birthday to you," my mom sang, barging into my room before the sun was up, "Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Emma! Happy Birthday to you!"
August twelfth. My birthday. I was shaking with excitement—not.
I threw a pillow over my face and groaned, "Thanks, mom."
My bed dipped when she sat on the end. She pried the pillow from my face. "I was thinking we could go to Marigold's for breakfast. Get some egg sandwiches."
"That sounds good, mom," I yawned. I'd come home late last night from Maddox's. We'd ended up having an all day Lord of the Rings movie marathon in the basement. Even Ezra, Mathias, and Hayes had joined us. I knew from some hints he dropped last night that he had something planned for my birthday, but I didn't know what. I only prayed it wasn't a party. I didn't do parties. Ever.
"Should we invite Sadie?" She asked.
I brightened at that. "Yeah, I'd like that."
"Alright, get out of bed, shower, and get ready." She tapped my foot before standing.
"Is that your way of telling me I stink?" I frowned.
"No," she laughed, "that's my way of telling you your hair looks like a rat's nest."
"Thanks, mom," I groaned, rolling out of bed. "Mornings suck," I grumbled, heading to the bathroom.
"Oh, Emma, don't be dramatic," she sighed, going to the kitchen—probably to make tea.
I showered, making sure to use half a bottle of conditioner on my hair to work out the knots and tangles.
I blow-dried my hair, trying to make it look halfway decent. Most days I just didn't care. But for my mom to comment on it, it had to be looking pretty bad.
I perused my closet for something to wear and ended up settling on my go to of shorts and a tank, but I opted to wear a loose one-shoulder sweater on top. It was cream colored and made my blue eyes appear even bluer.
I grabbed my phone off the night table and sent Sadie a quick text about breakfast. She was quick to reply that she'd go.
"Are you ready?" My mom asked, sitting at the table with her cup of tea.
"Yep," I nodded.
"Your hair looks better," she smiled. "You didn't happen to pull any furry creatures out of there, did you? Or maybe a hedgehog?"
I blushed, remembering the day I thought I'd lost Sonic. "No furry creatures here." I bent over, shaking my hair around.
She laughed at me, grabbing her keys off the kitchen counter. "Oh, Emmie," she sighed. "Are we supposed to pick Sadie up?" She asked, setting her mug in the sink.
I straightened. "Yeah."
She put her keys back down and said, "Oh, I want to give this to you first."
Before I could ask what it was she headed back to her room and returned with a carefully wrapped package.
I sat down on the floor—chairs were for the weak—and started ripping the paper off.
I lifted the lid of the box off and gasped. A pretty floral dress sat on the bottom, but it was the gold watch on top that had my mouth falling open.
"Mom," I choked. I knew, without even picking it up, that it was expensive. "It's so pretty. You didn't need to spend so much."
"I know," she smiled down at me, "but it's your eighteenth birthday and I wanted to do something special. I even had the back engraved."
I picked it up and flipped it over so I could read the tiny letters inscribed on the back.
Emmie,
I believe in you. Always.
Love, Mom.
I stood up, the watch clasped in my hand as the box fell to the side, and hugged my mom. "Thank you so much. I love it and I love you."
She hugged me back fiercely, like she never wanted to let go.
I'd never thought about it before, but it was probably scary for my mom knowing that this was my last year of high school.
It was scary for me too, in the sense that I had no idea what I wanted to do, and I wasn't sure if I was ready to leave my mom. It was terrifying thinking about going out on my own, but it would have to happen one day.
She let me go and I stepped back to snap the watch on my wrist. I was already thinking about wearing my new dress later for Maddox's mysterious plans. I carried the box with my dress back to my room and set it on the bed.
"I'll be in the car!" My mom called, and I scurried out of my room.
When we got to Sadie's house she already sat outside on the front porch steps, her eyes glued to her phone's screen. She looked up at the sound of the car and smiled. She stood, grabbing up a gift bag.
I already sat in the back and I reached over to push the door open so she could join me.
"Happy Birthday, bitch," she said, laughter twinkling in her voice as she handed me the bag and closed the door. I started to grab the tissue paper, but she stopped me. "You might want to wait." Her eyes flickered to my mom.
I paled. "What did you do?"
"Nothing bad," she assured me, reaching for the seatbelt.
"I don't believe you," I hissed, holding the bag out like it was grenade.
"Why do you have such little faith in me?" She sighed. "It's an awesome gift. I just want you to wait to open it."
"Okay," I said slowly, sitting the bag on the floor.
"How are things with lover boy?" Sadie asked.
"Great," I smiled.
She grinned evilly. "Then I got the perfect gift."
Screw waiting. I grabbed the bag, ripping away the tissue paper.
"What the hell?" I held the tiny lacy black bra and panty set in my hands. "No way." I shook my head, shoving it back into the bag. "You are the worst best friend in the history of best friends."
"Hey, just trying to help you out here." She raised her hands in defense. "That bra is a miracle worker. It makes your boobs look twice as big."
I crossed my arms over my chest. "I don't think I need any help in that department, thank you very much," I grumbled.
She laughed, grabbing her breasts. "Well I do."
"Then you can have it." I handed her the bag.
"Don't be absurd," she shoved it back in my hands. "You need some sexy lingerie. There you go."
I glared at the offending bag.
"There's also a gift card in there so you can go back and get more." She waggled her brows. "Because I know you'll want more."
"Stop it," I hissed, my whole face flaming. This would've been mortifying at any time, but having my mom driving the car made it a hundred times worse.
"And," she whispered, "condoms too."
"I need air!" I gasped, reaching to push the automatic button but apparently my mom had the child's lock on. "Air, please," I begged, trying to roll down the window with my bare hands. I wasn't opposed to jumping out of the moving vehicle to escape this conversation.
My mom obliged and as soon as the window was down I stuck my head out of it like I was a dog.
Sadie giggled. "Stop acting like you're five."
I wished I could, but I wasn't like her. I couldn't talk about sex as easily. It made me uncomfortable and squeamish.
"I was only kidding, Emma," she groaned, tugging on my shoulder to pull me back inside the vehicle. "You don't need to freak out. It was a joke."
When I managed to compose myself I slipped my head back into the vehicle and my mom rolled up the window. "I'm sorry," I mumbled, glancing at Sadie sheepishly.
"It's okay," she laughed it off, "but you've got to get over it eventually. You're not going to be a virgin forever."
I squirmed restlessly in my seat and whispered under my breath so my mom couldn't hear. "It's not the idea of sex that scares me, it's just talking about it. I feel like it should be a private thing."
"Oh. My. God." Sadie's mouth popped open. "You've already slept with him, haven't you? And you didn't tell me!"
My mom's eyes flicked up to look at me in the rearview mirror.
"No," I sputtered, "of course not." I scoffed at the idea that she'd suggest such a thing. Had I thought about it? Yes. I knew I was ready. I knew he was it for me.
She smiled slowly—like the cat that ate the canary. "But you want to, don't you? That's why you got so embarrassed."
"Shut up," I mumbled, looking away.
"Aw, my best friend is officially all grown up."
I whipped my head in her direction. "And your best friend is really beginning to question this friendship."
"Okay, shutting up now." She mimed zipping her lips and throwing away the key—but the effect was kind of lost when she smiled through the whole process.
"We're here," my mom announced.
I had never been so excited to get out of the car before.
I basically tumbled outside, catching myself before I could scrape my knees on the sidewalk. I straightened, pretending that hadn't happened—but Sadie's snicker let me know she saw.
"Don't say a thing," I growled.
"I wasn't going to." She hid a giggle behind her hand.
I hurried into Marigold's before I could make an even bigger fool of myself.
Two of the three tables were already taken, so Sadie and I snagged the last one, leaving my mom to place our order with Betty.
My mom joined us a few minutes later and crossed her fingers together, leveling me with the look. I was a second away from asking her what I did when she spoke. "Since you haven't let me throw a birthday party for you since you were in elementary school, I'm telling you right now that I will be throwing you a graduation party next summer. We have to at least celebrate that."
"Sure, mom," I agreed. I didn't need, nor want, a party but it was clear to me that she wanted one, so I'd suffer through.
"We should do a joint one," Sadie chimed in. "We could do something bigger and nicer than two separate parties."
"That's an excellent idea," my mom smiled. They launched into a conversation about all party related things, while I wanted to hide beneath the table to avoid a party that wouldn't be taking place for nearly a year. Actually, the thought of a graduation party didn't give me hives the way a birthday party would. What really scared me was the fact that I was going to be graduating and thrust into the real world. I wasn't ready. Not. At. All. Couldn't I stay a kid forever? That would be great.
In no time Betty was bringing drinks and our breakfast sandwiches to the table. "Happy Birthday, sweetie," she told me with a bright smile.
"Thanks." I smiled back.
My stomach rumbled at the sight of the food. I hadn't realized how hungry I was, but now I was starving.
I devoured my sandwich like I was never going to see food again, but I didn't really care.
"I'm stuffed," I declared, shoving my empty plate away from me.
As if conjured by my words Betty breezed over to our table again, this time with an elegant cake on a platter.
"Your favorite," she declared, "lavender cake with lemon icing."
Tears pricked my eyes at the kind gesture. "Thank you so much," I told her honestly. "And thank you." I turned to address my mom and Sadie. "I don't know what I'd do without the two of you."
"Don't make me cry!" Sadie pointed a finger at me, waving her free hand at her face as if the motion alone would dry the tears in her eyes.
I ignored her dramatics and turned to my mom. "Seriously, thank you for putting up with me for the last eighteen years. I know things haven't always been easy, but no matter what you've always been there for me, and I can't thank you enough for that."
My mom clambered out of her seat and wrapped her arms around me. "I love you so much, Emmie. You're the greatest thing to ever happen to me. Never forget that."
I hugged her back just as fiercely. I knew I was lucky to have a mom as amazing as mine.
When we broke apart I saw that Betty had returned with candles. "Shall we light them now?" She asked with a kind smile.
"Absolutely," I nodded.
She stuck eighteen candles into the top of the cake and lit them. The three of them began to sing and then it was time for me to make a wish and blow out the candles.
Only I didn't make a wish, because I had everything I could possibly ever want.
***
My phone rang and I hurried to answer it when I saw Maddox's name flashing on the screen. He still avoided texting me if he didn't have to. It was one of his quirks I'd grown to love.
"Hey," I answered the phone, sounding rather breathless.
"I'll pick you up at seven. Wear something nice."
I wrinkled my nose. "Are we going out?"
He chuckled. "I'm not answering any of your questions, but dress nice, and I'll be there at seven," he repeated.
"I have a car, you know." I put a hand on my hip, getting into a defensive stance even though he wasn't here.
"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure that thing needs to be driven to the nearest junkyard. It has rust all over it."
I gasped. "How dare you mock my car? Daisy has been a faithful companion."
He grew quiet and then his warm laugh sounded over the line. "You named your car Daisy?"
"Well you named your hedgehog Sonic," I countered, then wanted to smack myself in the forehead for such a silly comeback.
"And it's a damn good name—Mathias stop that! You're going to eat it all before we're done!"
"Uh...what's going on?" I asked.
"Nothing," he mumbled. "I've gotta go."
Before I could respond the line clicked dead. I stared down at the screen, shaking my head. What the hell just happened?
Since I still had a few hours before I needed to get ready I played the piano for a while and then read for a bit.
I decided to put a little bit more effort into my appearance than I normally did. My hair was already curly, but I did my best to tame the tendrils so I didn't look like Medusa. I even took the time to put on more makeup. When I finished I swore a different person stared back at me in the mirror.
I checked the time and saw that I had thirty minutes until Maddox was supposed to arrive—which meant he'd probably be here in fifteen.
I put on the new flower print dress my mom bought me. It was navy with large pink and orange flowers. The straps were thicker and thankfully it didn't dip low in the front. A thin brown belt cinched it in at the waist. I twirled in front of the mirror. The smile on my face was one I hadn't seen in a long time—and I knew I owed my newfound happiness to Maddox.
Turning away from my reflection I grabbed a cream colored cardigan, just in case I needed the extra warmth, and slipped on a pair of flats.
My phone rang and before I could say hello, Maddox said, "I'll be there in five."
I shook my head, and hung up, before heading outside to wait on the front porch.
I heard the low rumble of the car's engine before it appeared on the street.
I started towards the car, but he jumped out and held up a hand, "No."
Well then.
He ducked back inside the car and reappeared with a vase full of flowers.
"Those are beautiful," I gasped as he neared me. I grabbed my key and unlocked the door so he could set them inside. "Orchids, right?"
He nodded, grinning. "One for each day we've known each other."
My eyes widened in surprise and my mouth fell open slightly. "Maddox." His name was no more than a gasp on my lips. I was touched beyond words.
He headed straight back into my room with the flowers, sitting them on the nightstand. He appraised them for a moment and nodded in approval.
He whipped back around and his smile nearly blinded me. "Happy Birthday, Em." He said softly, taking my face in his large hands. Before I could respond he angled my head back, lowering his lips to mine in a soft kiss that still managed to flood my insides with butterflies. When he pulled away he placed a tender kiss on the end of my nose. A breathy sigh escaped my lips at the sweet gesture.
He reached down and clasped my hand in his. "I really hope I can make this birthday special for you." With his free hand he glided his fingers along my cheek. "I want you to love your birthday again, instead of dreading it."
"You're one of a kind," I whispered. Most people wouldn't care the way Maddox did. His heart was so kind and pure, that at times I felt undeserving of his affections.
He shook his head, a small smile playing on his lips. "No, that's you, Em." He kissed my forehead and guided me out of my room and outside. He opened the passenger door for me and before I lowered into the car, he caught me by the arm and pulled me against his chest. "You look beautiful." His breath caressed the skin of my cheek and my body shook from the intensity of my feelings. I felt weak in the knees—and that was something I thought only existed in books and movies.
I swallowed thickly—trying to dam back the flood of emotions I felt—and looked him up and down the way he had me. I don't know how I'd missed it earlier, but he was dressed nicely in a pair of dark gray dress pants, with a crisp white button down shirt tucked into them, topped off with a black belt. He looked absolutely lickable. Yes, lickable.
When I didn't say anything, but continued to peruse his body with my eyes, he grinned wickedly. "Like what you see?" He leaned in, sweeping my hair over my shoulder so his lips could touch my ear. "Because I promise you'll love it even more when all my clothes are off."
I gasped and my arm whipped out to smack him in the shoulder. "Maddox," I scolded, but he simply laughed at me as I slipped inside the car.
I was pretty sure he only liked to say things like that to see what kind of reaction he could get out of me. Next time I was going to call his bluff and tell him to strip.
Oh God.
What if he wasn't bluffing and he actually started to take off his clothes?
I might die.
Of either embarrassment or the sight of his too perfect body.
My cheeks heated at the visual that began to play out in my head.
Stop it! I scolded myself, hoping the flush left my cheeks by the time Maddox jogged around the car and slipped in the driver's side. I did not need him asking questions, because when he did I usually ended up spilling the truth.
I buckled my seatbelt and didn't bother asking him where we were headed. It would've been a waste of my breath, because there was no way Maddox would tell me anything.
Since he told me to dress up I figured he was taking me to a fancy restaurant. Not really my scene, but it was the thought that counted.
However, I was surprised when he ended up driving to his house.
"Did you forget something?" I asked, my brows furrowing.
"Nope. This is our destination." He grinned, slipping out of the vehicle.
I scurried out and to his side—terrified that he'd thrown me a surprise party. I prayed to whichever god would listen that there was no party.
He wrapped an arm around my waist and guided my shaking body forward.
Please, no party. Please. I'm begging you.
My eyes had squished shut and when he swung the door open and I heard no shrieks of 'surprise!' I figured it was safe to open my eyes.
The guesthouse was surprisingly empty.
I stepped inside, half expecting someone to jump out at me.
Finally I turned to Maddox, my hands clasped together. "I'm so confused."
He smiled, crossed his arms over his broad chest and leaned against the wall. "Did you really think I'd throw you a party after you told me you didn't like that sort of thing?"
I shrugged. "Maybe."
He shook his head, his lips upturned slightly. He stepped forward slowly, like a lion stalking its prey. He took my cheeks between his hands and stared into my eyes. "That would not be the way to get you to love your birthday again. We're keeping things simple."
"Simple?" I repeated.
"Yes," he whispered, brushing his lips lightly against mine. It wasn't even a kiss, just a simple caress, but I still felt it all the way down to my toes.
He stepped back and I looked around, noting that the lights were dimmed and candles were scattered all over the place—already lit. It created a warm glow throughout the space.
"I gave the guys a heads up that we were almost here and they lit them. I don't want you to think I almost burned the house down," he chuckled.
"It's beautiful," I whispered in awe.
"This isn't even the best part." His voice lowered and his hand found my waist, pulling me against his body.
"I-It's not?" I stuttered.
He grinned, nuzzling my neck. "It's only beginning."
With those words he guided me into the small kitchen and motioned for me to sit on one of the stools.
"Birthday surprise number one...you get to watch me make you dinner." He smiled boyishly, backing towards the sink.
"And what will you be making Chef Wade?"
He washed his hands and swiveled to face me. "Your favorite."
"And what's my favorite?" I asked, raising a brow.
"Pizza." He answered with confidence.
I grinned. "I guess I've made no secret of that."
He grabbed a canister of dough from the refrigerator and before he could pop it, I asked, "Can I do it?"
"It's your birthday," he frowned, "you're supposed to sit there and watch me work."
I laughed. "But I want to help."
He grinned, his silver eyes flashing with my words. "Okay," he agreed, "only because it will be more fun."
I hopped up from the barstool and took the canister from his hands. "This is my favorite part," I told him, defending my actions.
He chuckled in response, opening a cabinet and grabbing a pizza stone. "Have at it, Em."
I smacked the canister against the counter and it popped open. I took out the dough, smoothing it onto the stone in a perfect circle.
Maddox grabbed the sauce and toppings from the refrigerator while I worked.
"This was a great idea." I smiled up at him, unable to hide my joy.
He dumped some sauce in the middle of the pizza and grabbed a spoon from a drawer to spread it around. Unable to control myself I stood on my tiptoes, kissing his stubbled jaw.
He smiled down at me. "What was that for?"
I shrugged. "It was because I wanted to."
He chuckled, lowering his head. "And maybe I want to do this." He pressed a light kiss to my lips. Even though it was only a quick touch of our lips it left my whole body tingling...and thinking about the fact that I'd put Sadie's gift to use. Yep. I was wearing the lingerie. But I was never telling her that. She'd be too satisfied with being right.
To distract myself from any possible naughty thoughts I grabbed the bag of cheese and began sprinkling it on the pizza.
I usually only ate cheese pizza, but we ended up adding green peppers, onion, pepperoni, and sausage, before sticking it in the oven.
Maddox set the timer and turned towards me. "How's your birthday so far?"
"Pretty perfect," I confessed.
His grin was infectious. "Good." He reached for his phone and pressed a button. Music began to play from a speaker and he grabbed me around the waist. "Dance with me," he whispered in my ear.
I nodded, lacing my fingers with his as we slow danced through the kitchen.
He lifted my arm spinning me around and into his chest. I let out a giggle, clinging to his neck. I was so full of happiness that I was ready to burst.
He began to sing the lyrics of the song softly under his breath.
He twirled me again, this time dipping me down and kissing my neck. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face, and I didn't want to.
When he stood up straight I tightened my arms around his neck, my fingers delving into the short strands of his hair.
"I love you." I stared into his eyes as I said the words, refusing to back down. Even if it was nerve-wracking laying my feelings out for him, I wasn't going to be ashamed.
His smile was blindingly bright. One hand stayed on the curve of my hip while his other found the nape of my neck. "Say it again." He pleaded with a look of awe on his face.
I leaned closer. "I love you." I swept my lips lightly over his as I said the words. "I love you." I brushed my lips against his jaw. "I love you." This time I stood on my tiptoes so my lips met his ear.
He lowered his head to the crook of my neck and my eyes fluttered closed. "I love you too," he breathed, then placed his lips lightly against the spot where my pulse raced. I shivered at the words. I hadn't expected them to sound that good rolling off his tongue.
For a moment we simply clung to each other, our words lingering in the air.
I loved him.
And he loved me.
I felt complete with that knowledge.
He brushed my hair away from my face, staring into my eyes. He opened his mouth, as if to speak, but silenced himself. With a low growl he dove for my lips. We crashed together, clinging to one another like we were the only thing holding each other up. He fisted the fabric of my dress in his hand, raising it dangerously high. One of my legs wrapped around his waist and before I could move any further he grasped my hips and lifted me onto the counter—all without breaking our kiss. With me sitting on the counter we were now at the same height. He stepped between my legs, grasping my thighs.
"I love you," he murmured against my lips.
I smiled at his words, loving the sound of them.
He placed light kisses along my jaw and down my neck. His lips headed even lower, towards my breasts, but then the timer went off and he jumped away from me like he'd been burned. He smiled sheepishly, running his fingers through his brown hair. He turned away from me to grab the pizza and while he wasn't looking I fanned my hands around my face. Holy Hell that had been hot—in both senses of the word.
He turned the oven off and grabbed the pizza, setting it on a rack above the counter.
After that kiss I'd lost my appetite.
All I wanted was Maddox.
And that was saying something, because I really did love pizza.
He left the pizza to cool and closed the space between us. His palms rested on the counter beside my hips. So close, but not close enough.
He leaned in, peering into my eyes. He tilted his head slightly to the side, his tongue flicking out to wet his lips.
"So, you love me?" He smiled happily.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Yes...do you need to hear me say it again?"
His eyes darkened with warmth. "I'll always want to hear you say it."
"Forever?" I asked hesitantly.
He cupped my cheek, smoothing his thumb over my skin. His eyes flicked from my lips to my eyes and he let out a small sigh. "For as long as you'll have me."
"Forever then," I reaffirmed, kissing him.
He broke the kiss before it could get too heated. "I want to give you your present...well one of them," he shrugged. "Wait here," he held up one finger.
He jogged up the stairs and returned a minute later with a package. It wasn't the best-wrapped package, but I wasn't going to diss his wrapping skills, because frankly it was better than anything I could do.
I ripped the paper off—I wasn't one of those people who removed it neatly. I always tore it off like I was an animal.
Beneath the paper was a plain brown box with colored duct tape holding the ends together. "Do you have a knife?" I asked him.
"Oh, yeah." He opened a drawer and handed me one.
I cut into the tape and opened the flaps.
Whatever was inside was wrapped in a thick brown paper. "You really don't want me to see this present do you?" I laughed.
He chuckled, ducking his head to hide his smile. "It came like that."
I lifted the item out and pulled away the paper, smiling at the object.
"I know it's silly," he started, "but it reminded me of us, and you like to drink tea, so..." He trailed off, looking slightly embarrassed. "If you hate it, just tell me, it won't hurt my feelings."
I clutched the mug to my chest. "Are you kidding me? This is my new favorite mug, it has officially beat out Tea-Rex."
He grinned. "Good."
I held the mug out, smiling at the design.
It had two hedgehogs on it, one stuck to the other, with the apt quote of: I'm stuck on you.
"It's perfect," I whispered. To some it might've seemed like a stupid gift, but for me he couldn't have gotten anything better.
"Do you want to see your second gift?" He asked, taking the box and paper so he could throw it in the trashcan.
I nodded eagerly.
He took my hand and I hopped off the counter. He led me over to the side of the guesthouse with all the instruments and Sonic's cage...only there were two cages now.
"What did you do?" I gasped.
"Your mom said it was okay..." He scratched the back of his head nervously.
"Did you seriously get me a hedgehog?" I asked, peering into the cage.
He shrugged. "I know I joked about it, but then your mom said you liked taking care of Sonic so I thought you might want one of your own."
"Where is it?" I asked, peering into the cage. I clapped my hands together excitedly. I might not have been able to keep a fish alive, but babysitting Sonic had proved that I could take care of a hedgehog—you know, except for losing him on my bed.
"Sleeping," he replied. He opened the cage and lifted up the little igloo thing, his body blocked the hedgehog from my sight. He gently nudged it awake and scooped it into his hand, slowly turning so I could finally see it.
"It's so tiny!" I squeaked, reaching out for the baby hedgehog.
He set it into my hand and it peered at me for a moment before falling back asleep.
"Is it a boy or a girl?" I asked.
"Boy, that way if you ever want to bring him over he can play with Sonic and we don't have to worry about any babies surprising us."
I laughed at that, gently stroking my finger along the small quills. It was the cutest thing I'd ever seen. "I'm taking your throwaway name and naming him Aquilla the Hun," I declared.
Maddox laughed. "Sonic and Aquilla...that ought to be interesting."
Since Aquilla clearly wanted to sleep I put him back in his cage and fixed the igloo in place. I wrapped my arms around Maddox in a tight hug. "Thank you so much. You've definitely made this the best birthday ever."
He grinned. "It's not over yet."
"It's not?" I gasped.
He shook his head. "Nope. There's more."
"You're spoiling me," I declared.
"Only because I want to. But before I show you the rest, I think we should eat."
I'd completely forgotten about the pizza, but now that he mentioned it I was starving.
He grabbed a pizza cutter and sliced it, placing pieces on two plates.
We sat side by side at the bar and he waited for me to take the first bite.
I let out a small moan. "Oh my God, this is delicious. We should make pizza every day."
He threw his head back, letting out a throaty laugh. "That good, huh?"
"Phenomenal."
He took his first bite and nodded his head in agreement. "You're right. This is delicious. Mom would be proud."
"We should take Karen a piece."
"Tomorrow," he agreed, "tonight is about you."
My body warmed at his words. We finished eating and set about cleaning up the kitchen together. While we cleaned we both sang along to the music he was playing—a few months ago I wouldn't have been able to sing along, but since he had given me his iPod I knew a lot of the songs now. At one point we started dancing again, so it took us longer to clean up than it normally would have, but I didn't care.
Once the kitchen was clean Maddox turned to me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me against his chest. "Do you want your cake now?"
"You got me a cake too?" I asked, surprised.
He shook his head, grinning proudly. "No, I made you a cake." He paused, "Well, we all did. Mathias, Ezra, and Hayes helped too. So I can't promise it's the most delicious thing ever, but we tried."
Tears pricked my eyes. "That's the sweetest thing ever."
He chuckled, "You might not be saying that once you see it."
"Why?" My brows furrowed together with confusion.
"Well..." He started. "I'll show you."
He'd hidden the cake in a cabinet and brought it out to sit it on the counter. "It's yellow cake with chocolate icing—your mom said that was one of your favorites. We tried to make a layer cake, but it fell apart, and now it's kind of a blob."
"It's beautiful," I said.
"Beautiful?" He laughed. "Hardly. I also wrote Happy Birthday Emma on it, but you can't really tell now," he frowned.
"Maddox," I grasped his arm, "this is seriously so sweet. I don't care if the cake is a giant blob. It's the thought that counts."
"Are you sure?"
"I love it," I assured him. "Now stop frowning and let's eat some cake."
"Okay, okay," he chuckled. He stared at the mess of cake and mumbled, "I think we're going to need bowls, not plates."
"You're probably right," I agreed, lifting the glass top off.
He spooned some of the cake into a bowl and handed it to me, doing the same for himself.
"I can't believe the four of you made me a cake." I was still in a state of disbelief.
"It was fun," he shrugged. "Except Mathias kept eating the icing, so Hayes had to go buy more."
"Is that why you were yelling at him on the phone earlier when you called me?"
He chuckled. "Yeah. He wouldn't stay out of it. And then he kept telling us what to do...and laughed when the cake fell apart because we wouldn't listen to him."
"Does that mean Mathias was right?" I giggled, picturing the four guys arguing over the proper way to make a cake.
Maddox shrugged. "Probably. But I'm not telling him that."
Instead of sitting on one of the chairs I ended up cross-legged on the floor. Maddox joined me, stretching his legs out and resting his back against the cabinets.
"This is really good." I licked chocolate icing off my lip.
"Even if it's a lump and not a cake?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.
"That makes it better," I grinned.
We finished the cake and then he took my hand, guiding me to the stairs. "Your last present is up here...it's not really a present, it's..." He shrugged, looking sheepish. "You'll see."
I was very curious now.
At the top of the stairs there were two doors, one on the left and one on the right. He turned to the right one. He swung it open and motioned me into his bedroom.
I'd never seen his room before and my eyes flitted around curiously. The walls were painted a dark gray color. All his furniture was black with chrome accents. His bed was covered with a light gray comforter that was so fluffy I was pretty sure I could get lost in it.
But what took my breath away was in the corner.
He'd made a makeshift tent with twinkling lights strung around it. Blankets and pillows littered the floor and books lined the perimeter.
"You like to read so...I wanted you to have your own spot."
I threw my arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. "This is the best thing ever."
I released my chokehold on him and scurried over to the fort—I was calling it a fort anyway—and dropped to my knees on the pillows. One in particular caught my eye and I laughed. "Anatomy of a Hedgehog," I read on the pillow. Beneath the words was a picture of a hedgehog with lines jutting out. The line pointing to the hedgehog's bottom said, 'curlable posterior.'
I lifted up the pillow, quirking a brow. "Really, Maddox?"
"There had to be a hedgehog," he declared. "Hedgehogs everywhere."
I put the pillow back and patted the empty space beside me for him to join. When he did I stretched out on my back, staring up at the top of the fort. Now that I was closer I could see that the each of the twinkling lights had a paper star attached to it.
I swallowed down the lump in my throat. "Thank you for the best birthday I could've ever asked for."
His eyes grew serious and he reached out to tuck a piece of hair behind my ear. "Does this mean you like your birthday now?"
"It means I love it," I whispered.
"More than you love me?" He joked, rolling onto his side and sitting up slightly so he looked down at me.
"Never."
He stared at me with an intensity that left me breathless. I'd never had anyone look at me like that before. Like I was everything.
He lowered his head, closing the space between us in tiny increments that drove me wild. When he was almost to my lips he stopped. I let out a small sound of protest. "I'm going to kiss you now," he growled low in his throat, "and I'm not going to stop until you forget your name."
I quirked my lips. "Promises, promises."
He chuckled and brushed his lips against my neck before gently nipping the spot with his teeth. "I always make good on my promises, Emma."
His lips sealed over mine and my back arched off the pillows. My hands sought his shoulders, needing something to hold onto, because I was pretty sure his kiss was about to make me fly away.
He pulled away enough to speak. "What's your name?"
"Emma," I rasped.
He grinned wickedly and kissed me again. Or maybe devoured was a more apt description. He nibbled lightly on my bottom lip and then his tongue smoothed over the spot, making me gasp. His hands delved into my hair, pulling slightly—enough that I felt a small sting, but not hard enough to hurt.
I was pretty confident in saying that every time we kissed it got better.
He pulled away again. "What's your name?"
My brows pulled together. "E-Emma?"
"Almost there," he growled.
This time his kiss set my whole body on fire. I felt heated all over and I clawed at him like a wild animal, trying to undo the buttons on his shirt. He broke away enough to rip the buttons off the shirt. Yeah, he ripped them. It was actually kind of hot.
He tossed the shirt over his shoulder, not caring that he'd just ruined what appeared to be a very expensive dress shirt.
When our lips collided together I stopped caring about the shirt too.
I ran my fingers along the dips of his abs, wondering how they'd feel pressed up against me with my dress gone.
He grasped my neck, tilting my head back. His hips pressed against mine. I let out a small gasp at the sensation, wrapping my legs around his waist.
His lips moved against mine slowly, leisurely, but with no less passion than he had exuded moments before. There was something infinitely better about this kiss—like we had all the time in the world.
He tore away from my lips, his chest rising and falling with every breath.
"What's your name?"
"I don't know," I panted, "and I don't care."
He grinned triumphantly, having won.
"Don't rub it in," I warned.
"Let me revel in my victory," he chuckled, all too pleased with himself.
I shook my head, my body aching to close the space between us. "Just shut up and kiss me."
Luckily he didn't argue with me.
After all, it was my birthday and he had to listen to everything I said. Right?
His fingers glided down my side, lighting me on fire. He wrapped his hand around my thigh, holding me more tightly against him. I gasped against his lips when he pressed into me.
He placed tender kisses to my neck and my body bowed off the pillows. "Maddox," I panted.
"What?" His voice was equally as breathless. "Tell me what you want," he murmured, tugging my bottom lip between his teeth and letting go.
I closed my eyes, swallowing thickly.
"Look at me," he growled, taking my chin between his fingers. "Tell me what you want."
The look of intense longing in his eyes made me shiver. I was sure the same look was reflected in my own eyes.
"You," I gasped, "I want you."
He lowered his head my chest, his ear over the spot where my heart beat madly.
"Are you sure?" He asked.
My heart sped up and he grinned.
"Positive." I assured him.
He lifted up slightly, staring down at me. I stared right back, refusing to look away.
Whatever he saw in my eyes must've been enough, because he nodded once and then he was kissing me again.
He lifted the dress from my body ever so slowly, like he was unwrapping a gift and wanted to savor every moment.
His eyes perused my body all over once it was gone—taking in the lacy bra and panty set I wore. Right now I was thanking God for Sadie.
"You're beautiful," he whispered, his eyes rising to meet mine, "and I love you."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him down so I could whisper in his ear, "Show me."
Our lips collided yet again and the rest of our clothes began to disappear.
Right there beneath the cover of the blanket fort and the glow of the starry lights he made love to me.
And it couldn't have been more perfect.