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I could never see Maverick again, let alone having him in my shaky little world, but he’d given me a beautiful gift and not just in saving my life.
He’d returned a portion of my lost soul.
CHAPTER6
Maverick
Damn, the woman turned me on.
Lily also infuriated the heck out of me. She’d managed to get under my skin with her beguiling smile and her incredible scent. Then there were her plump lips made for kissing.
As soon as I walked out of the bathroom, Lily was opening the door to the bedroom where she’d stayed. Her eyes opened wide. Sam bounded out of her room as well, his tail wagging.
“I’m sorry…” she started, looking away immediately, her face flushing. She must have come out after I’d left, grabbing her jeans since she stood in the same clothes I’d found her in.
“I should have warned you. I need to get some parts to fix the shower upstairs.” I was only wearing a towel wrapped loosely around my hips, but she’d seen every inch of me only hours before. I’d noticed a several yellowed bruises, which had yanked out the protector in me.
The second I’d seen the fading marks, I’d almost grilled her until she admitted who’d been responsible. But I knew she wouldn’t tell me. Why should she? I’d just been a man who’d spanked and fucked her like she belonged to me. Even with saving her life, there was no way she could trust me. My guess was she couldn’t trust another man, period.
That’s why I’d left her room minutes after our heated round of sex. Not that I was the kind of guy to sit around and have small talk. What did the women call it, pillow talk? That wasn’t my thing, but I’d left her alone because I hadn’t known what to say to her.
She was a tourist, likely heading home in a couple of days anyway.
“We can’t save her!” Riggs’ voice powered into my eardrums, drowning out the hissing of the roaring fire.
“We are. I’m not leaving here without her!” I snapped, ready to rush through the flames.
“We’ll all die up here,” Houston said from behind me.
The memory flashed through my mind so fast I was left breathless. Why the fuck now? Because I’d managed to save Lily? That had to be the reason. I shifted the towel and her eyes slowly crawled down my chest. The way she chewed on her bottom lip was just about the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. The beast inside of me wanted to drag her into the shower, staying until we used every drop of hot water.
“It’s your house. You don’t need to apologize,” she said, the fire that I’d seen in her so many times all but disappeared. Why? Because I’d seen the bruises? Maybe I should ask about them. Hell, no. She was so damn reserved that she’d clam up even worse.
“Still shoulda told you. There’s plenty of hot water and fresh towels if you want to take a shower.”
“I’ll wait.”
“I don’t know how long it’ll be before I can get you out of here. I’ll grab you a shirt of mine to wear.”
Lily threw out her hand. “No. I don’t want to owe you. I’m not that kind of girl.” She half laughed after making the statement, but it was further affirmation she was putting a stop to our lurid interaction.
“Owe me? For wearing a damn shirt?”
“I’ll never see you again so I won’t know how to get it to you.”
I gritted my teeth. At least I knew the answer if I’d wanted to ask her out again. A big, solid no. That was just fine. I didn’t need any complications in my life. I liked being alone. “If you’re so inclined, you can leave it with Mr. Washington. How about that?”
She chewed on her lower lip, looking everywhere but at me. When I inched closer, lifting her chin with a single finger, the same desire I’d had roaring to the surface like some freight train. Then she shivered from my touch.
And not in a good way.
She placed her hand against my chest, immediately retracting it as if her fingers were burned from the touch. “Don’t, Maverick. Last night was…”
“Pretty damn amazing.” I pulled my hand away, fisting it. The scent of her had remained covering my skin long all night long.
“Yes, but… a mistake,” she finished.
I couldn’t help but growl. This wasn’t a relationship in the making but a mistake? “Okay then.”
