Teasing?What? Nothing this man did suggested he had a teasing bone in his body, let alone the capacity for more than one-word answers. But here we were, having a normal conversation like two civilized people, even if one was only wearing a soggy, silk bathrobe and the other took up the entire door frame with his bulk.
“Well, if that was a scream from a single-handed moment of passion, I’d humbly suggest you were doing something wrong in there.” Maverick winked, and I scrunched my eyebrows before feeling my cheeks redden further—the feeling having nothing to do with the rising temperature in the small room.
“I’m perfectly aware of how to do that, thank you very much.” I huffed, crossing my arms and wiggling my toes on the fluffy mat.
“You know, if your douche of an ex couldn’t get the job done, I’ll be glad to lend my expertise.” Maverick crossed his arms and leaned closer, arching one eyebrow like he spent his thirties studying theKama Sutraand was eager to spread his knowledge to the hapless female standing practically naked in the bathroom.
“I’m sorry. What now?” I asked, taking a step closer to him, somehow managing to drag the soaking wet robe off me while keeping the towel—and my modesty—firmly in place. “You barge into my bathroom. Dry me off. Tell me I’m no good at fixing things. Make nice with my dad. Insult my relationship choices. Then…flirt? My brain was already at its maximum capacity for the day, and now you’re trying to push me over my limit.” I rubbed my left temple, willing the ache to disappear.
“I wasn’t trying to push you. Just trying to diffuse the tension. You’re sopping wet in a towel and I’m, well, not. I wasn’t tryingto insult your intelligence or your ex.” Maverick rubbed the back of his neck and stepped back until he got to the doorway. The cool breeze from the hallway had me shivering as I grabbed another towel from the rack and twisted it into my hair.
“Oh, insult that idiot all you want. He’s the primary source of my heartburn these days. But maybe another time. Right now, I’d like to get by you and go to bed. I’ll leave you to your chess game,” I said, moving to stand in front of him.
He stepped back—not enough for me to pass beside him, but far enough away that only our shoulders touched. I leaned into him again, this time realizing how much I missed basic human touch.
Maverick turned, leaning on the frame as I stood in the hallway, making sure the towel was secured.
“I don’t want to talk about my ex, other than stating if given the choice, I’d unplug his life support to make a cup of coffee.”
“Damn. Remind me not to get on your bad side.”
“Yes, well. I’ve reached the age where my brain goes from‘Wow, you shouldn’t have said that’to‘What the hell? Let’s see what happens.’”
His laughter filled the small space, and I quickly looked away after catching myself glancing between his blue eyes and watching the way his broad shoulders shook as he laughed.
Get a grip on your hormones, woman.
“Right. Off to bed. Thanks again for saving me from the threat of cold water.” I lifted my hand in a halfhearted wave and turned, barely hearing his next words.
“I’ll take care of everything, Summer. You just sleep, pretty girl.”
Chapter 10
Luscious, bare curves.Glistening, wet skin. Wide, innocent eyes…
My cock throbbed, painfully pressing against the zipper of my jeans as I made pathetic excuses and fled the townhouse. Noteven the possibility of beating Cam at chess could take my mind off what I saw. There was no way I could focus after keeping my cool for so long in the presence of a naked woman.Who could?
Barely able to contain my lust, I sped across town and back to my secluded house on the outskirts of Mount Pleasant. This was what I needed—the muffled sounds of the air conditioning in my quiet space mixed with the gentle yips from Malibu demanding pets and treats.
Here, there was no guilt for openly ogling Summer before checking to make sure she wasn’t hurt. I could remember the way she dragged her plump bottom lip between her teeth. Focus on how her eyes had widened when she realized I’d seen every inch of her delectable body.
I slumped into my navy-blue lounge chair, barely taking the time to toe off my work boots before I scrubbed my hand down my face and leaned my head back.
My eyes closed as the reality of my situation slammed into me like a Mack truck. I held no annoyance or animosity toward Summer. Instead, a part of my mind I’d repressed—the need for human intimacy and connection—desired to tease apart the secrets I saw hidden behind her eyes. The larger part of my brain knew this was a stupid idea that had no happy ending, but as I closed my eyes and felt Malibu rest her head on my thigh, I couldn’t bring myself to care.
Featherlight touches against my lips brought me back from a restless sleep. The fingertips were gentle, and I took a moment, allowing my brain to catch up to my newly awakened body before opening my eyes. The moonlight crept in from my half open curtains, and I squinted in the low light before realizing that the fingers tracing my lips were connected to the very real and very naked body of Summer Winston.
I jerked away from her, fully awake and very aware of how close she was. Her breath ghosted across my face as shemoved closer, widening her legs and stepping forward until she straddled my thighs. She followed the movement of her fingers with her eyes, pulling that plump bottom lip between her teeth.
“How are you here? Why are you here?” I asked, desperately trying to control my heart rate. My voice cracked as I spoke, grabbing both of her shoulders to push her away from me.
“It doesn’t matter how I got here, Maverick. What matters is that I’m here to finish what we started.”
She pushed my arms away and gripped the back of the recliner before climbing onto my lap and brushing her lips against mine. A puff of air escaped her mouth as she moved, and I groaned, taking in the sweet scent of mint andher.
My cock strained within the confines of my jeans as she rubbed her center over my erection. Meeting her hips with every thrust, I threw my head back and moaned at the sensations the friction created.
“I felt your eyes on me earlier. Watched as you slowly perused my naked body. You liked what you saw, right? Why wouldn’t I be here, ready for you to fulfill your promise of lending a hand? But honestly, going by that bulge in your jeans, I’d much rather you use that.”
