“Mav, I love you too.”
I pulled her close, wrapping my arms around her tight. I still felt the soft tremors of her release reminding me we’d never felt more connected.
I rocked her hips slowly while kissing her neck, taking my time loving on her, wanting to make every second count. I’d enjoyed being on the road before, but with her in my life it felt like a bittersweet penance.
She picked up the pace, taking me out of my head and dragging me fully into this moment with her. Every stroke, every kiss, every time she clenched me just a little tighter in her heavenly heat ratcheting up my need for her, reminding me that one day at a time had to be every day for the rest of my life because I couldn’t allow my addiction to tear us apart again.
“Mav…” She threw her head back as she pulsed and trembled with the force of her release.
Sexiest. Sight. Ever.
Trying to hold back was pointless, especially when her lust-filled eyes found mine and she urged me, without words, to let go. My moan was guttural as I filled her, holding her hips in place, demanding she take all of me.
When we’d both come down from the high, we shared a smile before she quipped, “Who the hell needs alcohol with sex like that, right?”
I chuckled as I watched her climb off me. “No better rush, baby.”
She shot a saucy look over her shoulder as I watched her walk down the short hallway, presumably to the bathrooms and bedrooms. She returned in less than a minute wearing a short terry bathrobe and tossing me a towel.
I grinned. “Thanks. Wouldn’t want to mess up your pretty couch.”
She stuck her tongue out at me. “You know I don’t do pretty, Maverick.”
She’d never been a flowery, girly-girl. And I loved that about her. I assumed it was because she’d been raised by a strong single mom who equated femininity with weakness. But Codie could hold her own with the boys’ club and get dressed up for a black -tie dinner without feeling intimidated. She was so comfortable in her own skin that she could fit in anywhere, with anyone, and I could only hope some of that would eventually rub off on me. No matter how many awards ceremonies I performed at, I still got imposter syndrome on the regular, and felt like I didn’t belong on the same stage with icons.
“Are you hungry?” she asked, stretching her arms above her head. “We could do omelets? Or maybe pancakes? French toast?”
“Maybe in a few.” I reached for her hand. “Come here for a minute.”
She smiled before sinking down beside me. “What’s up?” She rolled her eyes. “We’re not going to havethe talknow, are we?”
I smirked, thinking how different Codie was from every woman I’d ever been with. Most wanted to talk after sex, but she was still trying like hell to avoid it, even after the moment of intimacy we’d just shared.
“Just humor me, okay?”
She sighed heavily before bracing her hand on my shoulder. “Fine, lay it on me.”
“It’s just that my record label has lined up a lot of interviews and radio shows for me next week.” I hated to get into this now, but I didn’t want it hanging over our heads, stressing me out, for the rest of the weekend either.
“And?”
“People have already started asking questions about us. And I know tonight’s event got a lot of attention online. They’ll ask about it, for sure. Why I did it. What our connection is, how we met, whether we have history, what the future holds for us.” She was frowning, but I forced myself to add, “I just need to know what you want me to tell them.”
“That it’s none of their damn business and you’re entitled to a personal life!”
I slid my hand up her thigh, tracing the outline of her tattoo with my thumb. “Babe, this goes with the territory and we have to get used to it. I put myself out there when I chose this career—”
“But I didn’t.”
Shit.I hated dragging her into my world, especially since I knew she didn’t want the spotlight for being my girlfriend, but we couldn’t let them spin the story. We had to be proactive and get out ahead of the speculation about our relationship.
“I’m sorry, but this is what I signed on for, and if you want to be with me, you’ll be signing on for it too. I guess the only question is… do you want to be with me?”
Her eyes widened before she inched back in the sofa. “How the hell can you ask me that after what just happened between us? You think I tell every guy I love him? I’ve only said that to one other man in my life, Mav.”
Jack, no doubt. I wanted to hate him, but couldn’t. He’d actually proven himself to be a decent guy tonight, who obviously still cared about Codie, as a friend. And I’d have to be a real asshole to wish she’d spent the past fifteen years alone, miserable, and without someone who loved her the way she deserved.
“Okay, so spell it out for me. What do you want me to say about us?” When she didn’t respond, I linked her hand with mine. “I don’t want to do anything to screw this up. That’s why I’m getting all this out there now. So we can be on the same page, present a united front.”
