Page 49 of You Saw the Best In Me

She trails her lips down my throat, sucking each spot gently, and I might just explode right now.

“No marks, kitten,” I whisper, as she considers that a challenge.

“No promises,” she teases, but I remind her I have an appointment at Harper’s school tomorrow.

She stops, running her hands through her hair and climbing off me.

Mentioning my little sister was an immediate mood killer, but I didn’t care.

That was everything I wanted and so much more.

“Sorry, I shouldn’t have —” I try to say, but she cuts me off.

“No, it’s okay. I don’t know if I could’ve stopped myself, honestly. I’d rather take things slow if that’s okay?” she says, smiling sweetly as she lays back on my chest.

“Anything you want, Karina. I mean that,” I tell her, rubbing her back and listening to her breathing.

“You’re not the big ole grump I first met. There’s so much more to you than what you let the world see,” she traces her fingers across my chest, and I close my eyes, loving the feeling of having her in my arms.

“I don’t want the world to see me. All I want is for you to know, deep down, who I am. That’s all that matters to me,” I tell her, reaching for the water I brought in earlier.

I hand it to her, and she takes a sip before saying anything.

“I do,” she says, and my heart feels like it skipped a beat.

We lay together for a long time, trading sweet nothings and keeping the conversation casual versus all the heavy shit we’ve dumped tonight.

“Wait, you’re kidding. You actually enjoy watching sports?” I ask, and she nods.

“I can watch anything, really, but I’m a football girl,” she smiles, and I shake my head.

“Where did you come from?” I kiss her forehead, wondering how she ended up here.

Everything that happened in our lives could’ve led us in different places and directions, but the stars and planets aligned to bring us together.

She was my annoying, loud neighbor, but now, she’s the light in my darkness.

“You’re my dream girl, Karina.”

I’ll never stop telling her that, no matter how long it takes her to believe me.

She doesn’t say anything, but I’m comfortable with the silence. Neither of us move for the rest of the night, and I fall asleep with so much more than I had when I started this day.

KARINA

The sunlight breaks into the room, waking me up, and I realize I’m still lying on Maverick’s chest. It wasn’t a dream. Last night was so much better than a dream; it was the beginning.

I watch him sleep, his hair messy and in his face.

I’m dreading the day ahead, knowing Maverick will drag me to the police station and make me give a statement about Asher.

I don’t know what to tell them. Do I go back through my entire history? Listing every address in the towns I’ve lived in?

My mother filed charges when I was in a coma, but I never asked what happened, and back then, I was too busy telling her she was right and running away.

My head is filled with questions, and the nerves are making my entire body tremble. I thought I could be strong, stay, and fight back for once, but I’m terrified of even admitting the words out loud.

“Good morning, gorgeous,” Maverick whispers, his eyes groggy from sleep.