My gryphon imagined batting Terry around the way a cat plays with a ball of yarn.
"That's very kind of you to offer," I said with a smile. "In that case, how about we compromise with dinner? You can meet me at the Gryphon's Nest restaurant around seven this evening."
The pink flush across Leo's cheeks was adorable. "Dinner sounds nice."
"And it's my treat, so leave your wallet here," I said before he could argue with me again, although I loved bantering with him.
Leo smiled. "All right, fine. I'll see you at seven, Mr. G—I mean..." His cheeks flushed deeper. "Maverick."
The sound of my name on his tongue made my gryphon want to purr.
3
Leo
Holy.Freaking. Shit.
In the immortal words of Freddie Mercury, was this real life or just fantasy? Had the emotional fallout of getting dumped caused me to start imagining things?
Maybe I was dreaming. I pinched myself.
Ow.
Nope. I was definitely wide awake, and this was really happening.
Maverick left a few moments earlier and I'd been standing stupidly in the middle of the room ever since. This was the most gorgeous hotel room I'd everseen,let alone actually been inside. The decor, the view of the ocean... it was all so beautiful.
And then there was Maverick himself...
A chill ran through me. I rubbed my arms, feeling goosebumps. I'd known he was handsome on the outside, obviously, but to actually speak to him and spend time with him showed me a side I hadn't expected. His offer waswaytoo generous and kind. Who treated a total stranger with that much compassion, especially a pathetic one on the verge of an emotional breakdown?
A little doubtful voice in the back of my mind reminded me that I'd fallen for someone shitty once before, one whose name started with T and ended in -erry. Who was to say Maverick wasn't the same?
But as soon as I thought that, it felt utterly silly. Maverick was different. Even in the few moments I'd spent with him, I knew that with certainty in my soul.
I walked to the balcony. Gulls cried overhead, floating on the breeze, and beneath that was the sound of the waves lapping at the shore. I inhaled a deep breath of fresh ocean air.
Everything about being here relaxed me. My anxieties about Terry and our botched vacation drifted away and vanished. I couldn't believe how much I didn't give a shit about it. It was all thanks to Maverick. Without his help, I'd be alone and panicking.
I got a tingle in my chest every time I thought about him. But that was to be expected. He was so handsome and sexy andnice.Now that Terry was gone from my life—good fucking riddance to that scumbag—I let myself fantasize about Maverick.
And it was just that. A fantasy. Because he wassoout of my league it wasn't even funny.
Then why had he invited me to dinner? Was it out sympathy? I doubted it. There was no pity in his eyes when he looked at me. Just intrigue and curiosity, like he genuinely wanted to have dinner together. The idea made me blush.
Besides, Maverick was the one who suggested dinner, not me. He could've turned down my offer to repay him, even though I would've insisted until the cows came home. It was almost like hewantedto meet me halfway.
"Ugh, I'm being stupid," I mumbled.
I went back inside the room, then picked up my bag and dumped the contents on the bed. Rose petals scattered. They smelled amazing and were clearly fresh. I smiled as I imagined myself sprawled out on the bed sheets, rose petals all around me, a handsome man on top of me... one who looked very much like Maverick—
"Nope," I said out loud as I felt the heat in my cheeks blasting up. "Not gonna go there."
I refused to get a boner about the guy I planned on having dinner with tonight, thank you very much, brain.
I focused on my stuff laying across the foot of the bed. Aside from the clothes on my back, I had—embarrassingly—a bottle of lube, a couple paperback books I'd already read on the plane, my wallet, and miscellaneous crap.
Most importantly, I had no clothes.
