Latte Darling: Book Two of The Darling Series
Latte Darling: Chapter 36

That last hour of Maddie’s shift nearly fucking killed me. Seeing her trot around, nearly drowned by my hoodie, without getting to touch her… it was sweet agony.

But the rest of the night, getting to sit in her shop, her space, it felt like home. But maybe that’s just her, because everything she touches feels like comfort to me.

I don’t know what the coffee shop was like before she took over, but Maddie has turned BeanBag into an extension of herself. And it didn’t escape my notice that every person who came in, left smiling. For someone who seems shy, and hates any sort of confrontation, she’s fantastic at her job. And I wasn’t lying when I told her I was proud of her. I was. I am. And maybe that’s weird, but it’s true.

Then when she kissed me after making me that latte… Hell, I was done. I’d been reading a book on my phone, but after that I couldn’t concentrate on a single sentence.

Now, with her chattering away beside me, as we drive back to her place, I can’t keep my mind on anything other than what she’s hiding under that dress.

And not those damn never-ending shorts. Those have to go.

“What are you thinking about?” Maddie’s voice breaks into my thoughts. “Axel?”

I tighten my grip on the steering wheel. “I’m trying to decide if I want you in only the dress. Or only the sweatshirt.”

There’s a beat of silence before Maddie replies with a breathy, “Oh.”

I speed up to close the distance between us and her street.

She goes quiet for the next few moments and in the corner of my eye I can see her fidgeting in her seat.

Pulling into her driveway, I hit the brake a little hard and am climbing out as I turn off the ignition.

Maddie’s light laugh follows me as I slam the door behind me, but I don’t care how eager I’m coming off. I am eager. I need her.

Now.

“Come on,” I hold out my hand, opening and closing my fist in a hurry gesture.

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” she chuckles, putting her hand in mine.

“Not yet you’re not.” I tug her out of the car. “But you will be soon.”

My hand moves to her lower back and I press her forward, around the edge of the garage and towards her front door.

“Hey, Mads!” a male voice breaks the quiet night air, and my hackles rise. “Hey, Axel.” The greeting he gives me is less exuberant.

“Hi, Dean,” I can hear the smile in Maddie’s voice, and jealousy mixes with the lust coursing through my veins.

I spare Dean a brief head nod, but I’m not here for him. I’m here for my girl. And if I make her scream loud enough for her punk neighbor to hear… so be it.

Her steps slow, like she might try to stop and talk to this joker, but I increase the pressure on her back to keep her walking.

Maddie sighs and calls out a goodnight to Dean, before extracting her key from her bag and unlocking her front door.

The second the door clicks shut behind us, I move my hand down and grip one of Maddie’s ass cheeks. “Dress, and nothing else.”

She glances at me over her shoulder, looking like she might say something. But I’m not opening the floor for questions.

“Now.”