Madeline's mood is getting better. On the way to my house, she is chatty again. My woman is back. We talk about the charity. She still won't tell me about her problem. But she knows very well I will find out. I told Jack what Rainey said. It should make Jack work faster.

"Ethan, when was the last time you've contacted Christian?"

"At the charity. Why?"

"Um. I called Meredith this morning, and I heard Christian's voice in the background."

I shrug. "They are neighbors. Christian still lives in that apartment for another 2-3 months. Maybe they were having breakfast together."

"Meredith just woke up when I called her, Ethan."

My eyes widen. "You mean Christian spent the night?"

"I guess so."

"Well, let them have their own fun." But actually I never saw Christian lose control like last night. I really have to call my cousin and check with him.

Madeline snuggles closer to me. "Can't wait to see their collaboration. I'm sure the fans will go crazy. And if they are really together.." she giggles.

"You ship them?" I ask her.

She shrugs. "I ship whoever can make Meredith happy."

***

We are having dinner with Helen. She made Swedish Meatball for us.

"When are you coming back to LA, Helen?" Madeline asks her with a smile. I can see Helen relieved when she saw Madeline smile earlier when we came back from office. I know my grandma cares so much about my girlfriend and it warms my heart.

"I'll be here for Thanksgiving. You will have Thanksgiving with us, right?" She narrows her eyes to Madeline like saying 'you must have Thanksgiving here.'

Madeline looks at me. "Is that okay?"

"You ask me whether I'm okay if you are here for Thanksgiving?" I laugh. "I'm more than okay, Sweetness. Actually, I was going to ask you to come here and stay with me for Thanksgiving." I caress her cheek.

She smiles sweetly at me. "Thank you," she whispers. Does she realize I'm the one who should say thank you for giving me happiness?

Helen smiles, looking at us. She plays with her foods and sighs. "I'm going to ask Christian what his plan is for Thanksgiving. But I'm not sure if he can join us."

"If you want, I can ask him," I offer, but Helen shakes her head. "I told you it's time for me to approach my other grandson, Ethan."

***

Madeline and I are helping Helen putting the cookies into jars. She baked a lot of it and asked us to drop it on every floor in The Hall. Actually, this is not the first time Helen did this. Everyone loves her cookies.

Grandma's phone rings. She checks on it and her eyes widen. "Oh, my..."

"Who's that grandma? Your boyfriend?" I joke.

"Hush! It's Christian!" She takes off her gloves and picks the phone "Christian..." She walks to the living room. Leaves us in the pantry with her cookies.

I come behind my girl. She is still putting the cookies in the jar. I round my arms around her waist and link my fingers in front of her tummy, kissing her neck. "Stay the night," I whisper.

She chuckles and crane her neck to give me more access. I lick her neck and suck it. "Ethan!" She whispers, but her tone is high. "Did you just leave a hickey?" I did.

I just chuckle and keep nuzzling her neck. She smells so good. She laughs and turns around.

"Stay the night, Sweetness" I kiss her forehead, nose and mouth. "Okay?" I whisper in her mouth.

She smiles and kisses me. "Okay."

I pull back and stare at her. I want her to stay the night, but honestly, I didn't expect she would say yes. She is strict with her own rules. This is not the first time I asked her to stay the night, but she always rejects me, yesterday not count. That's why I'm surprised. "Okay?" I confirm.

She raises her eyebrow. "It was just sweet words? Okay, I'll go home after I finish with the cookies." She spins around, I spin her to me again. "Temper, baby!" I kiss her. "Of course I want. Hell, I'd love for you to move in here with me."

She blinks at me.

I kiss her. "I realize you're not ready. But I do, I really do. I want you to move in with me. Live together with me." I touch my forehead with her. "I love you, Madeline Parker. And I want to spend my every day with you."

She smiles brightly and kisses me. "What did I do to deserve you, Ethan Hall?" She whispers. I shake my head. "That's my question, Sweetness." And I kiss her thoroughly.

She pulls back after a while. "We need to finish this! Behave," she hisses breathlessly.

I chuckle and kiss her one more time. "Okay, I think I can hold myself until we are in the room." She blushes, smiling shyly at me.. God, I love her blush.

We work together; I stand behind her and help her fill the jar with the cookies. She laughs all the time because this position actually makes us slower. Her head leans to my chest, and she occasionally kisses my jaw. She looks so relaxed. Thank God!

"By the way, Ethan, is it you who asked the employee in Hall Printing Julian Town to buy every left over cake and cookies at Helen's bakery there?"

I chuckle. "Ssh, don't tell Helen," I whisper.

She smiles at me. "You are so sweet to Helen. This makes me love you even more." And I feel taller. My cock goes into a more inappropriate state. Suddenly Madeline yelps, "God! Ethan!" she wriggles her back, pressing my cock with her butt, and we both burst into laughter.

***

We finished with the cookies. Actually, Helen came back when Madeline and I were tickling each other and neglecting her cookies. She called Consuela and the other maids to help her, sent us back to the room while mumbling, "go make a great grandchild for me." Madeline's face blushed violently.

So here we are in the bathtub with a bottle of wine and 2 glasses. We strip each other and get into the tub. She sits in front of me. I massage her back. Her skin is so soft, and the way she moans. I know she did that because she appreciates my massage, but her moan goes straight to my cock as well. And my cock is nestling between her ass cheeks. So I'm sure she realized it too by now.

She giggles. "What did I do that made your buddy down there up?"

I chuckle and shake my head. "I don't know. So far, he always half hard whenever he saw you, or even got a whiff of your scent. And now you are naked in front of me, moaning like that. What do you expect?" She laughs and leans back to my chest. Kissing my jaw. I pull her chin and kiss her lips. My hands creep down her body. One goes to her soft breast, the other one goes to her pussy.

She stops me and moves to sit beside me. What the...

"Let's play a game," she says, grinning at me.

"Sweetness, you want to play a game while I'm hard as fuck right now?" I sigh, frustrated. I think I can build a house with my dick right now.

She laughs. "We play first. If you're good, then I'll give you a reward later." She winks naughtily at me.

I'll give her the world if she is always happy like this. "Fine!" I steal a kiss from her and open the wine for us.

"So what's it, Ms. Parker?" I lean on the tub, studying my girlfriend. Her hair is wet, her face, neck and body are pink from the heat of the tub, her chest is glistening with the steam. She looks hot and sexy. I take a glance at the vanity table and the mirror behind me. Later, after I fuck her in the tub, I will lift her and stand her in front of the mirror—

"Stop with your inappropriate fantasy, Mr. Hall," she says with her giggle.

I blink. How's on earth she knows that? And as if she can read my mind, she splashes some water on me. "It's easy to read you, Ethan. Let's start the game."

Last time I checked, I'm an excellent poker player. I rub my face to clean my head from 'inappropriate fantasy' like she said. "Okay. What do you want to play?"

"The game is called past tense."

"Past tense?"

"Yes. We're going to talk about our past. So it's called past tense."

"I prefer we play future tense," I grumble and she laughs. "Do you need me to do the plea puppy eyes or you will agree before I do that?"

"Fine! Your wish is my command, my queen." I kiss her and give her the wine.

I sip my wine while looking at her swirling the wine. I notice this game has to do something with her mood yesterday. She needs to clear her brain from whatever shit someone told her. And if with this it can help her, I'm all in.

"Will you go back with Chelsea Dobrick if she's single and available?" And I choke on my wine. Gosh, I didn't see this one coming.

"Why are you asking about her?" I'm still coughing. Where did she get Chelsea's name?

"Um.. The rules of the game you can't ask why I ask my question," she says with a shrug. She is trying to stir the conversation light, but from her expression, it's obvious she is nervous. She keeps biting her lower lips.

"The answer to your question is no. Not because she is an evil woman or anything. But it's just nothing between us. We dated when we were young, 17 or 18. After some time, I realize I didn't feel any special sparks with her. And she too. So we separated and became good friends until now. At that time, both of us were looking for someone special, like what our parents have. And we both realized that we are not for each other. Afterwards, she met Edward Smith, her husband now, they dated for some time and are happily married now. Edward and I are friends. He knows Chelsea and I are good friends. I came to their wedding with a smiling face because Chelsea deserved a great guy and I know Edward is the best for her. But that's all Chelsea for me. She is a good friend. But if we both single, I'm sure I'll be her wingwoman, and she'll be my wingman."

She nods. I study her face. I need to make sure she knows that Chelsea and I are good friends. Nothing more. I doubt the one that gave her toxic words is Chelsea. She's not even in the charity. She is busy with her newborn right now. Who cares about anything else when you have a bundle of joy in your arms? And based on Chelsea's personality, I doubt she will be toxic to anyone. She is one of the nicest people.

"Okay." She exhales in relief, or I think she relieved with my answer. "Hmm.. you can ask me any question too, Ethan."

"You told me after your ex at school you didn't date until Hudson. But you close with someone right? Who is he?" I hate to learn about her past. I don't care about it. She is mine, will always be mine. But I need to keep this game, so she can ask me another question that will lead to last night.

"Um.. you mean, who are they?" She bites her lower lips while she's trying her nonchalant face in front of me.

Fuck! I take it back. I need to know who is... I mean, are. Who are they? Those scumbags from her celebrity life back then. Background check and make sure they are far away from Madeline. Maybe send them to Antarctica.