Page 102 of Crack the Ice

THIRTY-FOUR

MAVERICK

I’ve been watching Cecilia have what I can only describe as a meltdown as she paces back and forth in our kitchen, trying to figure out what to make the kids for lunch tomorrow. It’s their first day of school, and though we knew this day was coming, it still seemed to sneak up on her.

“Baby,” I try again for the fifth time. Her lip is going to be bloody if she doesn’t stop chewing on it.

“Is it even cool to bring your lunch? Am I going to make these kids the social pariah because they come to school with a little brown bag full of food made with love? Are they going to get made fun of?” She freezes, eyes widening as they fill with tears.

“Will someone ask if their mom made it for them, not knowing she’s not here anymore? Will that ruin their day? Will it make them hate me?” Her chin trembles, but she stays rooted to her spot on the floor. “Mav, I can’t do this.”

My sock-covered feet slide across the floor at the speed at which I stand. My hand shoots out, steadying me on the island before I move to her. The warmth of her cheeks slides across my palms as I take her face in my hands.

She tries to pull back, but I’m not done. My lips press against hers again, and again until her hands wrap around my wrists and she relaxes a bit.

“Baby, breathe for me, okay?” I say, letting my forehead rest against hers. “It’s going to be fine. Why don’t we ask them if they want you to make them lunch? If not, I’ve already set up their school lunch account.”

She nods, body shuddering as her head comes to rest against my chest. “What else is bothering you, Cess?”

“What if I’m not good at this? I don’t want them to be disappointed that I’m part of this, too. Caroline didn’t ask for me. She asked for you.”

I brush a piece of hair out of her face, my eyes softening as I look at her. “We’re learning as we go. None of us are going to be perfect. We’re four people with four different personalities. It’s going to take some time, and you’ve lived here for almost a month, and there haven’t been any huge blow-ups. They love you, Cecy. I love you. Turn that beautiful brain of yours off for a second and let yourself be here.”

She blinks a few times, and an overwhelming sensation of impending doom settles over me when the color drains from her face.

“What happens when you go out of town, Mav? What if they don’t want me here? What if they hate being left with me? What happens if someone gets hurt while you’re gone? You can’t just come back.”

“I will always come back,” I say immediately. “Always. You call, I’ll be on the first flight back to you. It doesn’t matter if someone’s got a broken bone or you can’t get the lid off a jar in the kitchen. If you need me, I’ll be here.”

She chokes out a laugh, a tear sliding over the apple of her cheek. “You can’t say stuff like that, Mav.”

“I mean it.” I tuck my fingers underneath her chin and tilt her face to meet mine. “I’ve spent five torturous years without you. I have no intention of losing you again. So if you need me, hell, if you even “wish I was here,” I’ll be on the first flight back to you. No questions asked.”

“How did I get lucky enough to fall in love with my best friend?”

“I’m the lucky one, baby.” I take her hand, pulling her from the kitchen, hoping that maybe the change of scenery will get her out of her head. “Now let’s not spend the rest of the day freaking out, okay? We’re going to the aquarium, we’re going to have fun, and you can see all the sea turtles while Cade and I pretend we’re too macho to think they’re cute.”

I close the door to my room behind us, but immediately push her up against it. “Unless you want me to show you how serious I am about coming back to you, then I can wait a bit to wake up the kids for our impromptu family trip,” I whisper against the shell of her ear.

She hasn’t slept in her room in weeks, and I’m not ashamed to say I’ve been putting her clothes in my closet instead of hers if I’m the one doing laundry. I figured, if I moved slowly enough, it wouldn’t be such a drastic change.

“You want to prove it?” she asks. “On your knees then.”

I don’t hesitate before I drop to the floor, my hands sliding down the sides of her bare legs. She’s got on those tiny fucking shorts that drive me insane. My mouth waters as I wait for her to move. I’m man enough to admit it’s hot as hell when she takes control. She wants me to sit here in silence and stare at her like a museum painting all damn day. I will. She wants me to devour her on every surface of this room, gladly. She wants me to live on my knees, worshipping her like the goddess she is. She wouldn’t have to ask twice. She owns me.

She slowly drags her foot toward me, running her toe up my chest until she hooks it over my shoulder and pulls me closer. “Be a good boy, Mavy.” A sinister smile crosses her face. When I don’t immediately move, she flattens her hands against the door and digs her foot into my back one more time. “Drown in me.”

Fuck.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Shorts, gone. Underwear, ripped clean off. The stunning purple flowers that I now have a greater appreciation for stare back at me. My woman is a damn warrior, and I’m transfixed, held captive by her strength. I can’t look away, I don’t want to look away.

A smile of pure confidence crosses her face as she rips the hat off my head, tossing it aside before threading her fingers through my hair. Tingles race across my scalp as her nails trail across it. The sensation snakes down my spine.

Her hand tightens in my hair, and I look up just in time to see her head tilt back against the door and the sexiest sigh pass through her lips. “You going to use me to get out of your head, baby?”

The air around us crackles when she breathes out, “I would if you’d use your mouth for something other than talking.”