I spread my arms out, an easy smile on my face. “Make me,” I taunt.
Am I intentionally pushing her buttons?Yes. Did I think she would actually attack me?No. I should have known, though. She’s been full of surprises since the first day she breezed into my life, never one to turn down a challenge.
She charges me, throwing her hands out to push my chest. “GET!”Shove. “OUT!”Shove. “OF!”Shove. “MY!”Shove. “WAY!” The last shove, she decides to mount me like a koala. I’m not ready for it and lose my balance, twisting at the last moment so I take the brunt of the impact when we collide with the floor.
Maisie ends up on top, straddling my hips. Her long locks fan around us, creating a shield from the outside world. I look up at her and take in her heaving breaths. My dick also notices the way it’s being squeezed painfully under her, but I pay it no mind.
“Feel better,” I whisper up to her, stroking her cheek with my thumb. It doesn’t count if my hand does it without my permission.
“No,” she mumbles under her breath. She turns her head away from me, and I curse internally. I did that to her. I put that pain there.
Once Maisie realizes she's straddling me, she hops up, patting her jeans off. I follow right behind her, leaving the dirt on mine. Let it be a reminder of her.
I rock back on my heels. “How’s, uhh, writing going?”
“Fine.”
Justfine. One word is all she has the energy for me now. It’s what I deserve, but it still hurts all the same. I realize I don’t even know what type of writing Maisie does. I don’t know much about her, honestly. Maybe the younger version of her, but not the version sitting in front of me now. The one with goals and aspirations. Who has been through hell and came out the other side. I want to know it all down to the last detail. Friends can be allowed that…right?
“I’m watching Nova tonight.” Why did I feel the need to tell her that? She doesn’t care, and I certainly don’t need her back inmy house. I might not be able to hold myself back this time. Maybe it’s because I loved having her under the same roof as me, even if I made her think the opposite. I imagined her sitting on the kitchen counter next to me while I cooked dinner for us, a quiet, peaceful life content with one’s company.
Maisie’s “I know”snaps me out of my daydreaming.
“You do?” I press.
Maisie goes back to grabbing hay, giving me the cold shoulder. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
I follow closely behind her. “I do.”
She huffs under her breath, throwing the new bale into the following stall. “Girls’ night. Hunter invited me and Laine over, hence babysitting duty.”
Well, that’s news to me. Laine asked if I could watch Nova, and I said yes, no questions asked. Am I happy about this? On one hand, this is good for both Maisie and Laine. I know after the year Laine’s had, she could use some girl time. And Maisie, I haven’t seen her call or text a single person since coming here. I’m starting to wonder if she has any friends back home. On the other hand, I don’t need Maisie injecting herself deeper into my life, getting tangled so far that she can’t be easily removed.
She’s leaving soon, which means one morning, she’s going to wake up and leave us here, and we can’t do a damn thing about it. I don’t want her having any reservations of leaving here and chasing her dreams, or any danger following her out.
I clear my throat, letting her get back to her work. “Well, have a fun time. You deserve it.”
Maisie’s distorted face, laced with confusion by my words, follows me out the barn and haunts me the rest of the day. She’s not used to me being nice to her after two weeks of being met with a brick wall.
I hate myself for it.
maisie
. . .
EIGHTEEN
“One margarita,hold the salt, but not the tequila!” Hunter shouts, bringing three glasses over to the couch. The glasses are larger than my head.
I take mine off the tray, bring it to my lips, and give it a taste. I sputter, coughing half of it back into my cup. “Jesus, Hunt, are you trying to put me on my ass?”
Her responding toothy grin as she plops onto the couch next to me is answer enough. “Duh, it’s girls’ night.”
Laine giggles along to that, tipping her glass up to her lips before doing the same thing as me. “Holy fuck, sister. That’s got more punch than the last dick I rode.”
“You’re welcome.” Hunter winks, clinking her glass with ours. “To girls’ night!” she chants, and we all cheer.
I was a little surprised when Hunter invited me. I’ve never been to one before, so I was a little nervous. As soon as she mentioned Laine would be joining, excitement sprouted in my tummy. I’ve yet to meet her, and I knew if she raised an adorable little gremlin, she would be no different. Maybe I was a little curious if I could pick her brain about Grayson under the radar too.
