Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“We should probably get going.”
“No. Stay. Please.” Hannah did the same wail and puppy dog face I knew well from Willow. “I want Willow to sleep over.”
“Yeah, can I?” Willow popped up behind Hannah in what was clearly a carefully orchestrated dual attack.
“I shouldn’t leave you here.” I gave Willow a stern look. “What if Maverick needs to go back to the hospital in a hurry?”
“You could stay too.” Hannah was the one to speak, but Willow nodded along with each word.
“That’s not a terrible idea.” Maverick shrugged, voice deceptively casual. “You should stay too.”
“Yeah, let’s make it a sleepover party.” Adler’s eyes sparkled with all the enthusiasm Maverick was working to hide. At least one of us was enjoying himself. “I might even bake cookies.”
“We can watch the next episodes of that show.” Willow’s tone was not unlike the one I might use to coax a stray dog. “And make popcorn.”
“Please.” Hannah was actually more persuasive than Willow because she was the one who needed all the distraction, and if it meant a chance to get more food into her, so much the better.
“Okay.” I gave in, which wasn’t particularly difficult since I also liked the idea of sticking around for Maverick. “Let me tell my mom where we are so she doesn’t worry that our lights are off.”
Her reply to my message resulted in a promise to look at her sprinkler system for the garden tomorrow. But that was a problem for tomorrow me. In the short term, I had a night with Maverick on the horizon, and I wasn’t going to waste it. We sat through several episodes of the high school band show the girls were obsessed with, Maverick and I discreetly holding hands like a pair of high schoolers ourselves. Adler, of course, knew all the gossip on the show’s young stars, which he shared while making oatmeal cookies. The hours quickly passed until the girls went to Hannah’s room to find pajamas for Willow to borrow.
Maverick fetched a camping cot and sleeping bag so Willow could sleep in Hannah’s room. Once the girls were settled, we said goodnight to them and Adler before retiring to Maverick’s room.
“Are we sure this isn’t weird?” I asked as Maverick shut his door behind us. No one had asked where I was sleeping, and part of me felt like I should make an awkward bed on the couch rather than share Maverick’s.
“It’s weird, but good weird.” He laced his arms around my neck. “The girls are okay with it. Heck, it was their idea for you to stay. And Adler thinks it’s hilarious that they essentially orchestrated a date night for us.”
“Adler is a decent guy,” I allowed.
“I knew he’d grow on you.” Maverick beamed before tugging at my shirt. “Come on, you’re not going to sleep in your clothes.”
“I suppose not.” I flicked the lock on the doorknob. “What’d you have in mind, cowboy?”
Neither of us had mentioned our earlier talk from before Maverick’s nap, but there’d been a new energy between us ever since, like a boat finding its anchor or a house sealed against a coming storm. Solid. Settled in a way things hadn’t been before. Maverick sincerely wanted to make a go of ranching, and I was done standing in the way of what we both wanted—a chance at long-term for us as well. My brain continued to glitch on the word forever, but a future was the one thing Maverick and I had never had before.
“Locked door. Girls on the other side of the house.” Maverick stepped back to start stripping his own shirt and shorts off. “If you’re taking requests, I want you in me, but I’m open to other ideas.”
“That one’s not bad.” I faked indifference in part so he wouldn’t feel pressured to expend too much energy. He still looked plenty exhausted, with deep lines around his eyes and mouth. “You sure you’re up for sex?”
“I’m sure.” He gave me a quick kiss while resuming undressing me. “After the past few days of rollercoaster emotions, I need the escape, honestly.”
“Then let me give it to you.” Once we were both naked, I pushed him gently onto the queen-sized bed in the center of the room. The white bedding and walls gave the space an almost beachy vibe. I loomed over Maverick, grinning down at him.
“Sure you don’t want me on top?” He stroked my biceps.
“Nope.” As fun as his little show had been last time, I was driven by a deeper need to take care of Maverick tonight. I winked at him. “I think I’ve got this.”
“Good.” He stretched in a clear bid to earn a kiss, which I happily provided. One kiss slid into ten, a slow and leisurely making out. I personally could have kissed hours longer, but Maverick rocked against me with each kiss until, finally, he pulled away to rummage in his nightstand for a box of condoms and some lube. “Since I’m staying, I want to get updated test results so we can skip the condoms. Want all of you in me.”