A sigh left me as I wrapped my arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. All of the tension left me then. Dear God, this felt good. Like really damn good.
A groan of approval rumbled up from his chest, making my knees week as his free hand drifted over the curve of my ass. He leaned back against the bed, dragging me down with him so thatI had to straddle him. My damp hair fell like a blanket around us, and I lost myself in the feel of his calloused hands scraping against my skin as he dipped a hand beneath my shirt.
I wanted him. Needed him. And from the way he held me, the way he kissed me, I think he needed me too.
Something cold and wet pressed against my side and I let out a yelp, nearly jumping out of my skin. I sat up, still straddling Maverick, my gaze landing on Brandy, who sat beside us, her head tilted to the side in that way of hers.
“Fuck, Brandy!” I hissed, my heart dancing in my ribcage for a completely different reason than a couple seconds ago. “Get off.”
I let out a sigh as she begrudgingly hopped off the bed and aimed for the spot by the armchair once more. Rolling my eyes, I set my sights on Maverick. “I’m sorry.”
A hunger still lingered in his gaze as he reached a hand up to pull me back down to him. I let him, pressing my mouth to his. There was something so incredibly attractive about the possessiveness in his touch. I liked this sure, assertive side of Maverick. His free hand toyed at the hem of my shirt, slipping beneath the fabric so that his fingers feathered up along the side of my ribcage.
I moaned at the touch before flicking my tongue against his as I tried to deepen the kiss… But my mind chose that particular moment to see reason.
Should we be doing this? I mean, I knew everyone dealt with trauma in different ways, but was this going too fast? Would he regret this tomorrow? Lord fucking knows I wouldn’t, but…
“Mav,” I murmured, drawing back to look down at him.
His dark brows knit together in question.
I pressed a soft hand to his chest, right over his heart. And as much as I didn’t want to say it, I managed to ask, “Should we slow down?”
Confusion rippled across his face.
“I’m not sayin’ I wanna,” I reassured, “I absolutely want you. By all means, kiss me, take me, use me, if that’ll help…but I want it to be becauseyouwant it. Not because you feel obligated.” I traced my fingers lightly down the side of his face. “I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
He sat back up, my legs still wrapped around him, and cupped my face in his hands. One of his thumbs gently stroked back and forth along my jaw as he regarded me in silence. My eyes had adjusted to the darkness, but even in the dim light I could make out the myriad of emotions swirling plainly in his eyes.
The desire still burned, hot as coals, but something akin to appreciation loomed there as well. He wanted this just as much as I did—there was no doubt now—but I think Brandy’s little cockblocking episode had stolen the moment away.
He pressed a kiss to my lips, whisper-soft, before resting his forehead against my own. We sat there like that for a long moment,our breathing aligning as we clung to one another. And then he wrapped me in his arms and drew me down to rest my head among the pillows. He held me to him, his arms cradling me after he’d pulled the blankets up around us. His warm breath tickled my neck with each inhale and exhale, but I didn’t mind. Not as a sense of calm settled around me.
So much had happened today. So many emotions still writhed and clawed for dominance in my chest. I felt the worry and panic and anxiety lingering on the outskirts, looking for the perfect moment to strike. But it never came. Not as my eyes grew heavy and began to flutter closed.
And as sleep descended on me, one thought remained—which should have scared the absolute hell out of me—I could get used to this.
Chapter fourteen
East Side Of Sorrow
Maverick
Ididn’t sleep long.Not because of nightmares or anxiety, but because of my damn internal clock that just didn’t know when to quit. I’d woken before dawn for twenty years now. You just couldn’t cut habits like that so easily, no matter the reason.
My lungs burned still from the smoke, but it didn’t send me into a panic like it had the night before—a small win.
Cheyenne slept next to me, tucked against my side like how we’d fallen asleep. She didn’t even stir as I slipped quietly from the bed. I grabbed my boots and phone that had been left in the bathroom last night. I nodded as I checked the time. 3:58 AM.
Grabbing my boots, I tiptoed back into the room. Brandy watched me from the floor. I looked between her and Cheyenne, who still slept soundly and nodded toward the door. The red heeler didn’t need words to know my request. Padding on silent steps to the door, I paused with my hand on the knob. Brandy rose and stretched before making her way to my side. My gaze flicked to Cheyenne for a moment.
Damn, she was beautiful. And kind. And she had the voice of an angel—even if she didn’t seem to think so. A part ofme, a large damn part, wanted to crawl back in bed with her and hold her until I fell back asleep.
The way she’d taken care of me last night... I wish I had the words to tell her how much it meant to me. I would. Eventually I’d tell her. But right now…I just couldn’t. There was no explaining it, really. I just…didn’t have it in me to talk. It felt like such an insurmountable task.
Speakin’ of tasks…
Those chores wouldn’t do themselves.
