I freeze, Maverick’s phone forgotten in my hands. “Let’s just say he was a worse boyfriend than I was willing to admit for a long time. His main focus was his work, and I’m beginning to realize I had just become a means to an end.”
Maverick’s jaw clenches. “He didn’t deserve you.”
I swallow.
After a beat of silence, I say quietly, “Thank you for saying that. And for defending me against him. I’m not…used to anyone having my back.”
* * *
Maverick
I don’t answer her.
For the entire drive along the Strip, while we find a store to get Hannah a new phone and turn in her old one, and then when we pull up to the hotel we decided on, I don’t respond to Hannah’s thank you.
I hand the concierge the keys to my truck, and Hannah and I grab our bags and head for check-in.
As we wait in line, both of us quiet, I finally shift to face Hannah directly.
“You’re welcome,” I say to her. “But I don’t want you to feel like you have to thank me for doing something you’ve always deserved.”
Her pretty pink lips part in a surprised “O.” God, the things her expression makes me think of should not be crossing my dirty mind right now.
I tug at the purse strap slung over her shoulder playfully. “Are you planning on risking a lot at the casinos tonight?”
She laughs. “Not a chance. Being unemployed can make a person go conservative real quick.” She sucks in a breath. “Maverick.”
I tilt my head. “Yeah?”
“What do you think about sharing a room again?”
I blink. “Um…”
“Not in a romantic way,” she goes on hurriedly. “But Craig said he was staying here for the night. Knowing my luck, I’m going to bounce right into him somewhere. I’d rather keep up the charade of us being on a date. So on the off-chance that he sees us here, it makes sense…”
“To share a room.” I finish her sentence smoothly and not like my throat is thick with discomfort. “No problem. I’ll ask for two beds.”
“Great.” She smiles at me brightly like this will be no big deal. “Good idea.”
Good idea, my ass.
This entire trip was a terrible idea, and the deeper in I get with Hannah Walsh, the worse it becomes. She’s going through an even worse breakup than I imagined, and yet my attraction to her hasn’t diminished.
Focus on what she needs, you dick.
Hannah needs a friend, not a lover.
Nota lover, I repeat to myself.
She had one of those, and look how it turned out for her.
And I’m most certainly not boyfriend material. Maybe one day, when I’ve paid off my dad’s medical bills and have established myself professionally. Maybe then, I could commit to a woman and make her happy. But right now, I’m not in that place. So I need to make sure I keep Hannah in the friend zone. Ignore my dick and use my brain. Shouldn’t be that hard.
Chapter Seventeen
Hannah
“Choose whichever you prefer.” Maverick gestures to the two beds from where he’s standing way back at the door.
