“What look?” he says, pretending innocence while his thumb presses just a little higher.
I watch him as he drives—his profile sharp in the glow of passing streetlights, his hair still damp and slightly curling at the ends. The soft curve of his mouth and the way his lashes cast shadows across his cheekbones—it’s unfair how effortlessly beautiful he is.
We pull up to the aquarium, and my brows furrow. The place is dark, with only a single security light illuminating the front entrance.
“Maverick… It’s closed,” I say, turning to him.
“Not for you, Mrs. Hayes.” His voice is low, almost smug, but there’s warmth behind it. He slips out of the car and comes around to open my door, offering his hand.
I gasp when they let us in, tears welling in my eyes as I hold back a strangled sob.
My sneakers squeak softly on the polished floor before my eyes catch an animal I’ve always dreamt of seeing.
A massive wall of rippling blue looms before me, with glass extending from floor to ceiling, as the slow, graceful shadow of a whale shark glides by like something out of a dream. My throat tightens instantly, and before I can stop it, tears stream down my cheeks.
I glance at Maverick, my voice barely above a whisper. “For me?”
His smile is gentle, boyish in a way that always disarms me. “For you, baby.”
His words wrap around me like the warmest blanket. I turn back to the tank, watching the faint light from the surface refract through the water, scattering across the gentle giant’s speckled skin. My hand drifts into Maverick’s without thinking, and he squeezes, his thumb brushing the back of my knuckles.
We walk hand in hand along the winding paths of the aquarium. Soft string lights hang along the railings, their gentle golden glow creating halos around his face. We pause in front of each tank as if it were a small world; jellyfish pulsating like floating lanterns, stingrays gliding smoothly over white sand, and a pair of sea turtles swimming together harmoniously.
Every now and then, I catch him watching me instead of the exhibits, and it makes my chest flutter.
Soon, we find ourselves back where we started, before the whale shark habitat. It’s even more stunning now, with the soft glow of string lights reflecting off the deep blue water of the tank. My nose stings as I sniffle again, trying to blink away the tears in my eyes.
A man in a navy polo and an aquarium badge comes out of a side door, smiling warmly. “Ready, Mr. and Mrs. Hayes?”
I frown, turning to Maverick. “Ready for what?”
He steps forward, offering me his hand. “Trust me.”
My heart pounds hard against my ribs. His palm is warm when I slip my hand into it, and he guides me toward the door that the man is holding open.
“Maverick…” My voice is a mix of suspicion and disbelief.
He glances over his shoulder, that slow, knowing smirk curling his mouth. “You’ll see, doll face.”
The man guides us through a quiet, dim hallway until we reach a small changing area. There’s a neat row of wetsuits hanging on a rack, each one smelling faintly of salt and neoprene.
Before I can ask, Maverick’s already unzipping one and holding it out to me. “Here. Your size.”
I raise an eyebrow. “You just happen to know my wetsuit size?”
His mouth tilts into that smug, devastating grin. “I know all your sizes, baby.”
I slip into the changing stall, pulling on the slick, cool fabric. It clings to my skin, and when I step out, Maverick is already half-zipped into his own. He’s barefoot, with his hair slightly messy from tugging the suit up, and the sleeves stretched over his shoulders. My chest tightens at the sight of him like this—big, grinning, excited, and genuinely happy.
He moves behind me as his fingers brush my spine, pulling my zipper all the way up. His warm mouth is near my ear. “Perfect fit.”
The instructor arrives, adjusting our buoyancy vest straps and handing each of us a mask. “We’ll be going up to the top of the tank. She’s in a calm mood tonight, so relax and enjoy her.”
We follow him up a narrow staircase that leads to a platform above the massive tank. The water below us is inky blue, softly lit from within by spotlights that emphasize the gentle movement of marine life. The whale shark swims just beneath the surface, its huge body gliding effortlessly, with the shadow of its tail stretching into the darkness.
Maverick moves closer, taking my hand, and intertwines our fingers.
He glances at me, eyes shining with boyish wonder. “Ready to swim with a whale shark, baby?”
