Annoyance bristled in my chest. “No, goddamn it! Stop.” His brow rose before I continued. “Stop justifyin’ my actions. You were right, I wasn’t payin’ attention. I wasn’t in a good mindset, and if you hadn’t noticed yet, I don’t do well with people tellin’ me what I can and can’t do.” I inhaled deeply and blew out my breath. “I shouldn’t have stormed off like that. I just—when I get upset, I run away.”
Maverick brushed his fingers against the back of my hand before grabbing it and pulling me closer. “Can I talk now?” he asked, thebarest whisper of a teasing smirk tugging on the corner of his lips, even though his words were innocent and earnest.
I rolled my eyes, biting back a grin as I pressed my hands to his chest, reveling in the feel of his strong, steady heartbeat. “Yes, go ahead and say what you gotta say.”
“Truth is, I coulda handled things a bit better myself as well. I got scared the minute I saw that filly charge you and I just…reacted. I’m sorry for talkin’ to you like that.”
I offered him a soft, reassuring smile. “All’s forgiven, cowboy.”
“I’m even more sorry for what happened after. The Ashleigh situation, sendin’ you away like that. All of it.” His hold on me tightened—almost like he was afraid to let me go.
“You meant everythin’ you said to her earlier? You’re sure this is what you want?”
As much as I wanted him and as happy as I was that he chose me over that bitch, a part of me was terrified he’d change his mind. And what was worse was I wouldn’t really blame him. I couldn’t even imagine what raising someone’s baby who wasn’t mine would be like. To be honest, I couldn’t even begin to fathom how I was going to raise my own baby.
I wasn’t the motherly type.
Not like Charlie, who’d stepped into the role of mom to Cason with such ease. She wore pregnancy so well in spite of the constant sickness she still went through even though she’d entered the second trimester.
Maverick didn’t seem in the least bit worried about that though. He’d be the most amazing father, and I had no doubt he would love my baby like it was his very own.
His gaze burned with love as he tucked a stray curl behind my ear. “I’ve never been more sure of anythin’ in my life, Chey. I want you…” He settled his other hand on my stomach, his gaze flicking down to my bump and back up again. “I want this baby. I want to raise her up on this ranch with you.”
Tears pricked in my eyes even as a smile played on my lips. “I love you.”
The desire and need in his gaze sparked brighter. I shivered in anticipation. He dipped his mouth toward mine, hovering just a breath away. “I love you too,” he whispered, before kissing me. Slowly. Deeply.
My arms slid up around his neck, and I leaned into him as I rode the high of his kisses, his intoxicating touch. I’d never felt something so intense, so…raw. For someone as even-keeled and calm as Maverick was, when he loved…fuck, he loved hard.
It was nothing but fierce passion. Burning desire. Scorching touches and searing kisses.
I kissed him until my lungs screamed for air, only pulling away long enough to take a breath before pressing my lips to his once more. I wanted him. All of him. Every day for the rest of forever.
Forever.
The realization should have given me pause. I’d never wanted forever with someone. But as he kissed me breathless…as he knotted his fingers in my hair and ground his body against mine, I realized I wanted forever with him.
I broke the kiss, my chest rising and falling in fast, shallow breaths. “More,” I whispered.
It was his undoing.
It was nearly twoin the morning when we finally collapsed into our bed, curling up against one another underneath the blankets. Maverick wrapped an arm around me, and my fingers found the familiar mottled flesh of his scars, stroking them gently, lovingly.
I thought of Ashleigh’s words earlier, an ember of anger flickering to life in my chest.
How could she have said something so incredibly awful about them? How could she find them repulsive when they were a testament to his strength? A reminder that he’d danced with death and won.
His scars were beautiful, and the fact that dumb bitch made him feel like they were anything but made tears line my eyes.
Pressing my lips to the scarred flesh, I kissed him. Again, and again. Over and over. Inch by inch. I poured every bit of love in me into those soft caresses, hoping he understood what I was so desperately trying to show him.
That I loved every bit of him. Scars and all.
When I turned over to face him, intent to kiss the ones marring his chest, unshed tears shone in his eyes.
“You are beautiful, Maverick,” I whispered, continuing my trail of kisses.
He kissed me. Softly. Whisper-soft, and when he pulled away, I watched twin tears slide down his cheeks.
