I just nodded my head because I was filled with so much excitement. Maddox took the hand that was covering my eyes away and then whispered, "Alright sweetheart, you can open your eyes now." I took a deep breath and then I opened my eyes.

I knew that whatever tattoo Maddox gave me would be extraordinary and beautiful but this took my breath away. I couldn't believe how much detail he'd put into it or how it looked so real. I couldn't believe that this piece of art was going to be on me for the rest of my life.

I didn't know where to start because the tattoo was so beautiful. There were flowers with different colors of yellow, pink, peach, and violet staring back at me. They were woven in with leaves going up from my hipbone to the bottom of my breast. I couldn't believe how beautiful they were. I was about to tell Maddox, "Thank you," but then I noticed words woven into the flowers. I couldn't figure out what it said because it was in a different language. I put my hand to the words, To pepromenon phugein adunaton, going up my side and traced them.

I looked into Maddox's eyes in the mirror and saw that he was watching my every move. "What does it mean?"

He took a deep breath and without taking his eyes off me he said, "It's in Greek and it means *It's impossible to escape from what is destined'. I should probably start from the beginning. The flowers on your side are called Ambrosia. The flower is of Greek origin and it's a term which means a returned love. You would think because of its beauty that the Ambrosia is used a lot for romantic gestures but the Ambrosia is an extremely underrated flower and should be cherished by those who have it."

By the end of his explanation I was crying because I couldn't believe that he thought that about me. To Maddox I was his Ambrosia. He saw that I was crying and he spun me around and the look in his eyes was one of distress. He walked over to his station and started cleaning up his supplies. Not looking in my direction again he said, "Sweetheart, I'm sorry. If you don't like it I can try and fix it or hide it or something. It's just that you told me to design something for you and I wanted to surprise you."

He slammed his hand against the wall and yelled, "f.u.c.k!" I jumped at the way he was reacting. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his middle while he was still turned away from me.

Maddox let out a breath and then I saw his head fall. I almost couldn't hear him because he was whispering but he said, "I'm sorry."

I didn't understand what was going on with Maddox. I walked around to stand in front of him. "Maddox, do you think I don't like the tattoo?"

He looked at me like I was dumb or something. "You were crying Isabelle. What was I supposed to think?"

I giggled and put a hand to the back of his neck and pulled his head down to mine. He closed his eyes. It was like he didn't want to see the look in my eyes when I told him that I hated it. Or so he thought.

I kissed him on his nose. "Maddox, please open your eyes." He hesitated but then did as I told him. I looked into his eyes and then smiled.

"Maddox, I cried not because I hated the tattoo but because I loved it. I feel like the word love doesn't even come close to how I feel about the tattoo you just gave me. In fact, there are no words to describe how I feel about this tattoo. Your explanation and your thought concept was just beautiful. I wasn't expecting something like this at all." He flinched when I said that but I kept going, "I thought a simple quote or image would have sufficed but you exceeded my expectations. In fact you crushed them." I wrapped both hands around his neck to pull him closer for a kiss. After my lips left his I looked straight in his eyes. "You, Maddox Mitch.e.l.l, have a true gift right here and I am incredibly proud that I was able to receive a tattoo which you designed specifically for me. I feel incredibly lucky to have it and to know that I'm the only one who will have it is...well I don't have words for it. I just want you to know that I will cherish it for the rest of my life."

The second the words left my lips Maddox pulled me to him and kissed me. I opened my greedy little mouth and sucked his lower lip into it. I heard him groan and then he lifted me up into his arms and walked me over to his table. He sat me on the table and stood in between my legs. He kissed me one more time and then put his hands on either side of my face. "You are incredible Isabelle. As much as I want you right here, right now, I have to put some wrap on your tattoo. Ok?"

As much as I wanted him right this moment as well I let out a frustrated breath and nodded. It would have been totally fine with me if he'd bent me over that tattoo chair and had his way with me because then he would remember it every time he worked. All that really mattered to me was that I cared about the person and at this moment I wanted it to be with Maddox.

After Maddox bandaged me up we left the shop and picked up some dinner from a local fast food place and went on home. We were tired from our eventful day so we just left our luggage in the car and relaxed on the couch for the rest of the night cuddled in one another's arms.

Chapter 11.

The rest of Thanksgiving break seemed to fly right by like the snap of my fingers. Although it was only a week, it was the best week of my life. Not only did Maddox take care of me every day by applying cream and lotion to my tattoo but he took care of me in other ways as well. The best part of our week was making an inside tent in the living room using the dining room table chairs and the bar stools and eating tons of junk food. We used a bunch of blankets and pillows and it looked like a cabana.

You can't have a tent without s'mores and we decided to go MacGyver and make them on the kitchen stove. I think making the s'mores was the best part. At some point after taking a bite of the mixture of crumbly graham cracker, gooey chocolate, and burnt marshmallow I got some on the side of my lip. Not only did Maddox swipe it off with his tongue but he made me scream his name over and over again on the kitchen counter.

We also watched any movie that we could think of like Horrible Bosses, The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Pitch Perfect. We listened to music like Mumford and Sons and The Lumineers. I also showed him a couple of books of mine that I thought he should read. He said he would read anything but, "I will not read about whips and chains and billionaires. I am not a middle-aged housewife. I just laughed and then told him that I wasn't a middle-aged housewife and had practically creamed my panties reading those books.

The first day back from Thanksgiving break had to be a Monday. I managed to go to my first cla.s.s with Maddox and then Sarah, Jade, Ashlynn, and I had our lunch date at the cafe. After we all got our lunches and sat down we all discussed our Thanksgiving breaks.

I told them about meeting Maddox's family and the tattoo he gave me. Jade informed us that she and Jason had an okay break and left it at that, which made Sarah, Ashlynn and myself a bit curious. I could tell that we all wanted to ask her what happened because we could tell from her demeanor that it was bad but we didn't want to intrude. Ashlynn told us how she had a quiet break with her family. She hung out with her friends from school and got caught up on some books that she has been dying to read. She told me that she definitely recommended The Sea of Tranquility and that the ending was the best part. She also mentioned a book called Easy and promised that I would love both Lucas and Landon.

Then it was Sarah's turn. We all turned to her and waited for her to tell us all about her break. That's when she shoved her left hand in our direction and screamed, "I'M GOING TO BE MRS. GABE PRESCOTT!" We all started shouting and screaming and it was an afterthought that we were all in the cafe. We were probably getting stares and comments said about us. But who gave a s.h.i.t? Our best friend was engaged!

We all started screaming out our questions. When did he ask? How did he ask? Did he ask for permission?

Sarah just started laughing and said, "Alright b.i.t.c.hes, sit down and let me talk and I'll tell you." We followed her instructions and she started by explaining that Gabe did ask for permission. Since her dad pa.s.sed away Gabe asked for her mom Jill and her little brother Mikey's permission. He thought it was important to ask the both of them because he didn't just want Jill's blessing but also Mikey's. After all if everyone said, "Yes," then he would be in their family for a long time.

The ring Gabe picked out was absolutely gorgeous; it was a two-carat white princess cut diamond with three little pink diamonds on either side. Sarah told us that the way he proposed was so romantic. He took her to the baseball field at the high school he, Sarah, and Maddox had attended. They were sitting on the bleachers looking out at the baseball diamond just talking and joking around eating ice cream. Gabe turned to her and asked, "Do you remember the first words I said to you?"

Sarah started chuckling at the memory. "Yeah I do. It went something like, *I'm jealous Maddox has a beautiful girl cheering him on. Do you want to change that for me beautiful'?" Gabe started chuckling at her impression of him because it was nowhere near how he actually sounded. Then completely serious he'd said, "Do you want to cheer each other on for the rest of our lives?" She said that she was so taken aback and asked, "Gabe, what are you talking about?" And Gabe had turned to her and said, "Sarah Thompson, I have wanted to marry you for as long as I can remember. I will forever cheer you on whether you want to become a clown or a politician. I just ask you to promise me something. Promise me that you will make the happiest man by marrying me. Sarah Thompson, will you marry me?"

She said that she didn't say the traditional, "Yes Gabe, I will marry you." Instead, she jumped up and straddled him and said, "h.e.l.l yeah, I'll marry you Gabe Prescott!"

My eyes welled up with tears because of how Gabe proposed. Still, I couldn't help but laugh because Sarah's answer was definitely a very Sarah way of doing things.

We each congratulated her in our own unique ways: Ashlynn with, "Congratulations Sarah," Jade by saying, "You and Gabe are going to make fine a.s.s babies," and myself by saying, "You are going to have a beautiful wedding and a beautiful life together." Sarah then informed us that we were each going to be in her wedding.

Once lunch was over Sarah and I started walking to our next cla.s.ses together and Sarah asked, "Can I ask you something Isabelle?"

"Sarah, you can ask me anything. What's up?"

I turned to Sarah and it looked like she was really nervous. She was playing with a strand of her hair and biting on her lower lip. I stopped her in her tracks and walked in front of her and started shaking her shoulders. "Sarah, what's going on? Talk to me!" Sarah looked at me and said, "Alright I'm just going to come out with it. Iz, will you be my Maid of Honor? I know we haven't known each other for a long time but I feel like you and I really get each other. I promise I won't be one of those Bridezillas and if I do go down that path I know you will be there to whip my a.s.s and slap me across the face and bring me back to reality. So please?"

She started to pucker her bottom lip and she looked so pathetic that I just started laughing at her. "Yes Sarah, stop begging because I will be your Maid of Honor, but" - I then held up my pointer finger in front of her, "on one condition! I will not allow you to choose ugly bridesmaids' dresses and certainly not an ugly Maid of Honor dress. Now if you can agree with me on that, then I will be your Maid of Honor."

Sarah immediately wrapped her arms around my neck and pulled me into a hug. "Yes Isabelle! Yes!" We immediately started jumping up and down in each other's arms not giving a flying f.u.c.k who was staring at us. We were way too excited because of Sarah's engagement and me becoming her Maid of Honor to care!

After my last cla.s.s was over for the day I headed home. Home. I hadn't been able to call a place that in a long time. Maybe ever. I pulled into the apartment complex and put my car in park and just sat there in the driver's seat for a few minutes and thought back on the last couple of months.

I couldn't believe how fast my life had changed. I had left Cynthia's house in August wanting my life to change. Still, I had never planned on it changing this drastically. And by the word drastically I mean a good thing. In fact, a very good thing. I couldn't help but smile at how different everything has been.

I got out of my car, grabbed my bag and headed upstairs to Maddox's and my apartment. I found my house key on my key chain and put it in the lock and turned.

Click I opened the door and froze because what I found completely blew my mind and left me speechless.

Maddox was standing in the kitchen cooking dinner. He had on an ap.r.o.n and, good Lord, it was the s.e.xiest vision I think I had ever seen. I walked into the apartment and as quietly as I could I closed the door behind me without taking my eyes off Maddox busying himself in the kitchen. Thankfully, Maddox's back was to me so I just leaned against the front door with my arms crossed and watched him.

He had his iPod plugged into speakers while he was cooking. He was singing along to the songs. The current song playing was I'd Rather Be With You by Joshua Radin. I had always loved that song and the simplicity of it but hearing Maddox sing it was a completely different experience. He was putting so much soul into it.

You know how some singers sing the words but they don't necessarily listen to the words that are coming out of their mouths? Maddox didn't sing that way; he took it to a whole new level. It felt like he wasn't just singing to any girl but to me. I felt and heard it in the way he was singing and then with the last lyrics he sang, I need to be bold,

Need to jump in the cold water,

Need to grow older with a girl like you,

Finally see you naturally,

The one to make it so easy,

When you show me the truth,

Yeah, I'd rather be with you,

Say you want the same thing too,

Say you feel the way I do...Isabelle.

I was speechless but I didn't want Maddox catching me so I waited for him to get twenty seconds into Teach Me How to Dougie and opened the front door really quietly and closed it just loud enough for Maddox to hear me. I couldn't hold in my laughter because he spun around really fast and almost knocked over whatever he was cooking on the stove. His face turned really red. "You're home early Isabelle."

I walked over to the breakfast bar and sat down at a stool. "Yeah, I was supposed to work but Mrs. Bee said that I could just go home because Ashlynn had it covered. So here I am. Why? Do you have a date or something?" I was being a little smarta.s.s and joking around with him. Maddox put the spatula back in the pan and said, "Yeah, with this really beautiful girl. You know her? She has this chocolate brown silky hair and these amazing hazel eyes that twinkle. She's incredibly funny, extremely smart and has a fascination with reading and drinking white wine." Maddox was walking over to me and started to cage me into my seat with his arms. He bit my earlobe and whispered in my ear, "And I bet you I can make her come in less than the 7 minutes it'll take for our dinner to be ready."

Almost instantly I got goose b.u.mps, my nipples hardened, and my panties were soaked. I turned around in his arms and kept my hands in between my legs and looked up into his eyes and quirked an eyebrow. I wanted to play this scene out as long as I could manage. "You bet, huh? What exactly do you bet munchkin?" Without blinking Maddox said, "My heart," and then he picked me up, took me back to his room and had me screaming his name in less than five minutes.

After making our way from the bedroom to the dining room Maddox had me sit down and he portioned everything out on two plates. He handed me one before setting his down and getting us each a drink. He got me a gla.s.s of white wine and a beer for himself and he settled in and we both started eating.

For dinner Maddox had made a saute of vegetables that consisted of broccoli, asparagus, corn, and chopped carrots. There was also brown rice and this amazingly juicy chicken with a brown sauce. With each bite it seemed like it got better and better and I couldn't help but moan my way through dinner. Halfway through our meal, Maddox picked me up from my chair and carried me back into the bedroom saying, "The only moaning you'll be making is when I'm licking you and my fingers are inside you, sweetheart," and that's exactly what he did.

After we finally finished dinner Maddox asked if I had any room for dessert and I nodded. Before he could get up I was bent in front of him unbuckling and unzipping his jeans and taking him in my mouth. I put one hand at his base and before long I tasted his pre-c.u.m in my mouth. I played with his b.a.l.l.s and gently squished and pulled them in one hand and with the other I had him in a firm grasp and stroked him up and down.

I could hear Maddox moaning. "Ah f.u.c.k." While I loved hearing him moan I wanted to hear him yell when he came so I sucked him into my mouth and stroked him hard and fast. Within seconds he was yelling, "f.u.c.k ISABELLE!"

The last time he was getting ready to come in my mouth he had warned me and tried to get me to move away. This time he couldn't warn me and I was completely fine with it. I loved the taste of him and how he came in my mouth. He started moving his hips in my direction and I sucked him far into my mouth and sucked as hard as I could. Then he yelled, "ISABELLE!" and he came in my mouth. I took every single sweet drop he had to offer and swallowed it down.

I had always heard stories about how girls hated giving their boyfriend or f.u.c.k-buddy head. I, however, f.u.c.king loved it! I loved having his taste in my mouth and how I could make him yell my name. I licked the base and his shaft one last time and then looked up into his eyes and licked my lips.

A part of me wanted to kiss him but I didn't know if he would want to taste himself on me. As I was getting ready to wipe my hand across my face he grabbed me by my upper arms, dragged me onto his lap, and manhandled me with his lips. His tongue was in my mouth before I could even think straight and he was ravenous. This was no simple kiss, it was like he was f.u.c.king me with his mouth and it made me so hot for him.

He slowly moved one hand to wrap around my waist and then put one up my shirt and under my bra. He started pinching and pulling a nipple. I was completely caught up in the kiss and then he pinched a little harder and then moved to do the same to the other nipple. Halfway through pinching and pulling that nipple I felt myself tighten up and I immediately started to grind against him and then Maddox pinched a little harder on that same nipple and I came in his lap.

Maddox kissed my lips one last time and then kissed the side of my mouth. I couldn't think coherently. Plus I was trying to catch my breath. We hadn't even had s.e.x yet and a part of me wondered if it could get any better than this. I thought that with Maddox every single time would get better and, as amazing as this moment was, I knew that the next time would be even more amazing.

Maddox started to give slow kisses to my neck and my shoulders and then pulled back to look at me. "You know I was seriously meaning we had dessert but d.a.m.n, that was incredible. I mean, Isabelle you have me speechless right now."

I just giggled at him and said, "Well, I'm glad you liked it." He looked at me and a look of bewilderment came across his face. "Isabelle, I didn't like it."

I felt like he slapped me across the face with his words and I flinched. I wanted to get off his lap as fast as I could but he tightened his hold on me and said, "Isabelle, like doesn't even come close to how I felt in that moment. h.e.l.l, how I feel in this moment. f.u.c.k, how I feel in every moment that I spend with you."

I felt relieved and kissed him on the lips. "Come on munchkin, I'm ready for some actual dessert now." I got up off his lap and started to walk into the kitchen. I heard him b.u.t.toning and zipping up his jeans behind me and giggled. I couldn't believe the way Maddox was making me change so fast, and I liked it.

I opened the fridge to see strawberry shortcake and a wide smile spread across my face. I remembered the morning at his parents' house with the whipped cream and strawberries comment. Maddox must have known what I was thinking because he kissed me on my neck and said, "Soon. Very soon. But for the rest of the night I want to talk and cuddle with you sweetheart." And with that he reached out in front of me and grabbed the gla.s.ses. He started to make his way into the living room and after he sat down he turned on the television for some background noise. I pulled out two spoons and just looked at the view and smiled.

Blinking a few times, I made my way to the couch and cuddled up with Maddox. After taking a few bites, another thought from the short time we spent at his parents' surfaced in my mind. "Hey Maddox, I have a question for you?"

He took a huge bite of his strawberry shortcake and said, "Shoot."

"You said that the flower Ambrosia I have tattooed on my side means love requited right?"

Maddox stopped eating and put his gla.s.s down and turned to look at me. "Yeah?"

I put my gla.s.s down because I wanted to give him my undivided attention like he was giving me. "We had a discussion earlier this semester on what we each thought about love."

He gave a small smile and said, "Yeah I remember. Why do you bring it up?"

I looked down in my lap and started playing with my fingers. "I never asked you who exactly you were talking about because I didn't think it was any of my business... "

Maddox placed a hand under my chin and lifted it so I was looking at him. "But?"

"But I need to know now. Who was it you were talking about?"

He smiled and said, "I think you know who I was talking about Isabelle."

The way he said my name made me think that I was right but I still had to have an answer. "I have a theory but I'd rather you give me an answer. I won't be disappointed if I'm wrong but I have to know." I started biting the corner of my lower lip because I was so nervous. Maddox placed a hand on either side of my face and right before he kissed me he said, "You."