The long sequence of curse words woke me up. Blinking the sleep out of my eyes, I watched as Maddox attempted to get on a button up shirt.

Mentally, I face palmed. Then I glared at the struggling Maddox. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

A seething Maddox paused in his attempts to get his sleeve on to glare right back, before continuing the fruitless struggle.

God, the man was a stubborn idiot.

Maybe it was the fact that after last night, I felt a real connection with Maddox, and was no longer afraid of him, that I did what I did.

Throwing the blankets off, I stepped around the bed and swatted Maddox's hands away from the buttons. Undoing the one button Maddox had accomplished, I gently pulled the garment off.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Maddox snapped.

Ignoring him, I hung up the shirt in the closet. Giving the pristine white bandage a cursory glance to check for blood, I nodded in satisfaction.

Grabbing Maddox's good arm, I tried to pull him back to the bed, but he dug in his heels. Rooting his feet to the ground like a nightly oak.

Dropping the beautiful muscled masterpiece in my hands I gave Maddox the stink eye. "You're injured."

"Don't you think I know that?!"

I rolled my eyes. This was like trying to make conversation with a rabid bull. "You're going to pull your stitches, you know. Then you'll be stuck in bed for even longer."

"I'm fine." Geez, if the man clenched his jaw anymore, it might snap in half.

A beat passed. Then I smiled innocently. "We'll if you're fine....." I poked his injured shoulder and he hissed in pain.

Dropping the smile, I grabbed a robe hanging on his bathroom door and came back over. "Are you going to let me help? Or are you going to be an ass?"

A vein throbbed in his temple. Honestly, if he had been able to lift his arm, Maddox might have tried to strangle me. But he wasn't able to lift his arm. Which gave me a boost of confidence in my bossy behaviour.

I don't think anyone had ever spoken to Maddox Stone like this before, and it definitely threw him a curveball. But right now, all I was concerned about was making sure he recovered. And if talking back meant he would recover faster, so be it. Besides, it was kinda fun. But I'd leave that last part to myself if anyone asked.

The stubborn posture of his body hadn't changed, but he turned around and held out his good arm. I helped him shrug into the robe, making sure to not damage his shoulder. But once the navy, fluffy bathrobe was tied around his waist, awkward silence settled around us.

Last night, the atmosphere had been charged with unspoken words and unnamed feelings. Even the little touches and cuddling had created a fog of contentment. Once we'd woken up, the battle of wills had filled the silence.

Now, I seemed to be unable to find the words. I fidgeted, my eyes never landing on anything as they jumped around the room. Should I leave..? Do I stay..? I'd felt so in charge, but now...

Maddox unabashedly stared at my naked chest and torso. Which made me even more nervous and fidgety. Especialy my cock, which was definitely fidgety. Especially when the memories of yesterday's office make out session came to mind. I was sorry Maddox had a bullet wound in his shoulder for a whole different reason now. Damn it! Think with the right head Austin! And now I was sporting a hard on, so clearly visible in my sweatpants. Great.

I had made up my mind to just turn and leave when Maddox spoke.

"You listened."

Huh? Maddox still stared at my midsection, with a few appreciative glances a little lower. A note that could almost be described as...happiness suffused those two words.

Like a switch being flicked, it dawned on me what Maddox had been referring to. "Oh, you mean the shirt. Or the not having of shirt. The shirt from yesterday. That you took off. Of me. My shirt."

And I was babbling. The strange look Maddox gave me was proof of that. But I did so to cover the tide of warmth blanketing my heart. To cover the happy dance it did in my chest. Maddox had noticed what I had done for him, and he appreciated it.

I expected to feel dread or fear that I was falling harder and harder. But all I felt was giddy, senseless joy.