Despite the glassof wine I had, I wasn't drunk when I texted Terry. More like, lightly buzzed and feeling petty as fuck.
"Mav, could you hand me my phone, please?" I asked.
"Of course, my little mouse."
I loved when he called me that. It was a stupidly cute nickname. I was his mouse and he was my big strong gryphon.
As he handed me the phone, he let his fingertips linger on my palm. I shuddered.
Yep, I was definitely feelingsomethingin my lower half.
"Thank you," I said, smiling.
Maverick sat back down at the balcony table and watched me as I swiped my screen open and tapped away furiously.
"Trouble?" he asked.
"Not at all," I said. "Just writing a strongly worded message to somebody who's never gonna be in my life again."
A smug smile appeared on Maverick's lips. "Ah. In that case, I'm cheering you on."
Encouraged, I typed faster. I wrote from the heart, letting my true feelings flow onto the screen. When I was done, I didn't bother double-checking it. I slid it across the table to Maverick. I had nothing to hide from him.
"Here," I said. "You can read it."
Maverick picked up the phone curiously and read the message out loud. "'Dear' Terry (that's sarcasm by the way), hope you're enjoying your life without me. I know I am. You dumping me was the BEST thing that's ever happened to me. Now that you're gone, I have a new, rich boyfriend who is sweet, kind and generous. And sexy. Did I mention sexy? So, THANK YOU. No love, Leo."
I nodded along as Maverick read out the message.
And then, when I realized just what I'd written, my face turned hot.
Maverick put the phone down and grinned at me. "Boyfriend?"
"I—I didn't know what else to write. He wouldn't know what a fated mate is, and besides, he doesn't deserve to know how special our bond is. Er, is that okay?"
Maverick leaned across the table to kiss me. "Leo, my love, that is more than okay."
My heart flipped with joy.
One of my other body parts was flipping out, too.
I put my phone ondo not disturb, as I didn't give a fuck about Terry's reply. Then, throwing caution to the wind, I gripped Maverick's shirt collar and pulled him in for a deeper kiss. Making out with him on the balcony above the ocean was picture perfect. I felt like I was in a dream, but as Maverick took me by the wrist and led me back into the room, I knew it was very real.
8
Maverick
I could not wait a second longer.I craved Leo, inside and out, and I was finally going to worship his body like I needed to. I sat him down on the edge of the bed.
"Strip, please," I said, my voice thick with arousal.
Leo fumbled with his clothes, throwing them haphazardly away from himself like they were bombs about to go off. I was halfway in the process of becoming nude, but when I saw Leo's naked form, I forgot about my own clothes. With my shirt unbuttoned and my pants pooling around my ankles, I lunged for Leo. He made a small adorable noise as I pinned him on the bed and kissed him.
My hands roamed. I traced down his chest and the soft curves of his body, touching the fine hairs across his belly. I growled lovingly, possessively. I could only imagine how stunning he would look with a baby in him.
"Leo," I murmured. "How badly do you want a child?"
His brown eyes flashed with emotion. "With you, Mav? Badly."
