Chapter 63

Valerie

When Maddox and I reached his house, I blinked at how spotless it was. Men I’d known could turn a place into a war zone—but Maddox was different. A nice change.

“I thought dinner at the Alpha’s sounded great,” he said, opening his fridge with an easy smile, “but I figured we could get to know each other here.”

I sank onto his couch, watching him move—confident, calm. “I’m fine with that. What’s on the menu?”

“Chicken Parmesan. You good with pasta?”

“I love it,” I grinned, then lowered my gaze. “I’d show off my bubble butt for you, but I think it’s gone.”

He glanced over, amused. “Your ass still looks bubbly to me.”

“It used to be like J-Lo’s. But eating one meal a day for months—my body ate every ounce.”

He laughed as he set a pot of water to boil. Steam curled from the handle. “Good thing I’m not an ass-kind-of-guy.”

I stared. “Really? I thought all guys loved—”

“Consider me the minority.” He beat chicken cu