“What did the senator ask you to do?” Carly asked.
“Spy on his opponent.” Just thinking about that conversation made his blood pressure skyrocket. “He’s running for governor and has no intention of losing.”
A growl shot out of her, the sultry sound landing between his legs. “What is wrong with that man?”
“That’s what happens when people go unchecked. He thinks he’s above the law.”
Shifting his attention to her, he drank in her beauty. With her hair up, he had a clear view of her profile. Big, expressive eyes, an adorable button nose, and heart-shaped lips he’d finally kissed. She glanced over and the worry lines between her brows deepened.
“How are you holding up? You know, regarding Enrique.” She slowed in heavy traffic.
“I wish he would have told me he’d been struggling. I would have flown back early to help him.”
She squeezed his hand. “I know you would have. Tell me about him.”
Maverick talked about their friendship and how Enrique’s strong faith had filled him with hope, especially during missions. The miles passed while Maverick shared stories of a man dedicated to his children, deeply in love with his wife, and proud to be a sailor. “I talked to him when I was in the hospital. After twenty years in the military, he was adjusting to civilian life, but he downplayed it and I didn’t press him. I regret that now.”
“Maybe there’s more to the story, you know? Could he have been involved in something illegal? Was he carrying a huge debt? Was there a cheating spouse? Could he have been murdered? My job is like putting together a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle, but the pieces aren’t in the same box.”
“I appreciate your efforts, but the answer to those questions is ‘No’. You’re here as my friend, not my PI.”
“Right, sorry.”
“Thanks for wanting to help.” He gave her shoulder a tender squeeze. “You know, I’ve never seen you in action.” He paused. “Correction. I did see you in action. I’ve never seen you working.”
She glared at him. “Never gonna let me forget that, are you?”
“I’m never going to forget that.”
“Ashton, we have got to move past it.”
Silence.
The congestion cleared and she sped up. “I don’t want my sex life to interfere with our friendship. But, I have to admit, I’m frustrated by your behavior.”
“What did I do?”
“You have sex. It’s none of my business. Same goes for me. My fetish has nothing to do with you.”
Maverick sighed. His honesty might trigger a completely different set of problems. “We know so much about each other. I made assumptions. They were wrong.”
“Such as?”
“You have sex with men you’re seeing. I was surprised you never talked to me about it. And envious that Sinclair knew. I thought I knew all your secrets.”
“You two are still so competitive.” Their gazes met in the darkening car. “Thank you for being honest.”
Tell her more. “Seeing you like that was very erotic. I can’t get that image of you out of my head.”
Hoping she’d share this intimate part of her life, Maverick waited. In truth, he didn’t just want to know. He wanted in. Something changed in him when he saw other men taking care of her needs. Those dudes shouldn’t have been touching my Carly.
Years ago, when Maverick had wanted to make her his, she’d kept him squarely in the friend zone. Then, he’d been too wracked with grief to fight her. He needed someone to lean on and she’d been there for him, despite trying to push her away. She held all the power then and she held it now, too.
The air crackled with mounting tension. She’d gone silent on him. And he wanted her to spill every dirty little detail. “Well, woman, are you going to tell me or what?”
She veered onto the ramp for I-64 toward the beach. “I will, but you have to swear to me this isn’t going to affect our friendship. When I visited you in Germany, I was terrified you were going to die. I can’t lose you, Ashton, ever.”
“I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
