He grins over his shoulder. “Even better, I’ll teach you. We’ll be together for a while, no?” I nod and smile, feeling warm all over. “Then I’ll have plenty of time to teach you all I know.”
I’m really lucky that Maverick is taking all this in stride. He could have easily kicked me out on my ass since I’m a random guy he doesn’t know, but he offered me a place to stay until we figure out our future. Though I’d rather not leave him at all. This is where I belong…with him.
I take the pants from Maverick’s hands and slide them on. They fit well, if a little snug. But being from the seventies, I’m used to my pants being on the tighter side.
I tug the shirt he hands me over my head, thankful that it’s a little loose around my shoulders. Maverick isn’t a big man, so it’s a wonder he has anything that fits me at all.
“Maverick?” He hums as his eyes trail over my body. I grin at him and flex my pecs, watching his eyes blow wide. I chuckle but put distance between us. I would love to lie around with him all day, learning what makes him tick, what makes him come, but I really want to breathe fresh air.
He meets my eyes and grins, his cheeks pink. “Yeah?”
“I don’t have money, but I would like clothes. If you can purchase some for me, I can pay you back as soon as I find a job. There has to be?—”
He holds his hands up. “It’s okay. You’ve been a recliner for decades. I can spring for some clothes for you, it’s no big deal. Let’s get you acclimated to walking on two legs before I pushyou into getting a job, okay?” His face softens as he takes a few steps closer to me. “Besides, things might be overwhelming for you right now. It’s okay to figure out the world around you first.”
Sighing, I lean down and kiss him softly. “Thank you, Maverick. I’m glad you’re my mate.”
“Me too,” he whispers against my lips, then kisses me once more. “Now let’s go. Clothes, coffee, then we can walk downtown.”
We leave the house and I stop just past the threshold, closing my eyes and tipping my head back to breathe in the fresh air. Gods, it feels so much better to draw air into my lungs as a human than as a fucking chair. It smells differently in my nose, feels differently on my skin.
The smell of exhaust, dirt, trees, and flowers makes a smile spread across my face. I will never take my ability to shift for granted again. The smells alone are worth living for.
My hair sways gently in the breeze, lifting off my neck and swirling in my face. I let it be, just feeling, just absorbing.
When I open my eyes, I find Maverick looking at me, a soft smile on his face. “How does it feel?” he asks in a gentle voice.
“Amazing. It comes second to your hole around my cock, though.”
He makes a strangled noise in the back of his throat, his eyes wide with surprise. “Jesus, Cade.” He runs a shaky hand through his hair. “You said you wanted to get out of the house. Keep talking like that and we’ll have to take a rain check on coffee and clothes.”
I bark a laugh, then throw my arm around his shoulders. “I’ll be good, I promise.”
The area where Maverick lives is just beside a shopping center, so we stop there first to get clothes.
I spend way too much time trying clothes on, but I like the way they feel against my skin. Maverick seems to be having funas well, handing me shirts and pants to try on, making me do a fashion show for him. I gladly oblige, loving how he looks at me.
Gone are the bright, vibrant colors, and flowers and other bold patterns on clothing. Now, the designs are more toned down, more solid colors. The pants are still a little snug, but the bottoms aren’t as flared, and they hang lower on my hips.
By the time we’re done, my arms are loaded down with clothes and shoes. It was odd watching Maverick pay for things with a card, saying that the funds would be removed from his bank account.
Before I was cursed, I had a bank card, but I could only use it at an ATM to withdraw money. It has to be convenient not to carry around hundreds of dollars anytime you want to have a shopping spree, but it’s just one more thing that makes me feel like I’ll never catch up.
Maverick picks up on my mood and takes a few of my bags, bumping his shoulder in my bicep. “Don’t rush things, Cade. We have time to figure it all out. Think of how much you’ll know a year from now.”
I smile and wrap my arm around him. “A year with you sounds great.”
He giggles sweetly, ducking his head so I can’t see his face. “You say that now, but I might turn out to be a handful. My ex?—”
I stop walking and turn Maverick so he can look at me. “I’m not your ex. He wasn’t meant for you the way I am. You will never be a handful. Even on what you think is your worst day, I’ll always think you’re just enough. He couldn’t handle you and all that may come with you, but I am. I’ll prove it to you.”
His eyes are misty as he meets my gaze, a shaky smile on his face. “How do you know the perfect things to say?”
“I don’t know about perfect. I speak from my heart, Maverick. You will always be safe with me to be as much or as little as you want.”
He folds his lips in and blinks rapidly. “You sure we just met last night? You’re becoming too perfect, too fast.”
My fingers caress his cheeks, and I watch his eyes flutter. “It’s my magic. Don’t think about it too much, just let it be what it is.”
