Saving Maverick

by Debra Elise

  “Kelsey, you with me? I said okay to seeing this shrink,” Maverick said.

  Get it together, Kelsey. She needed to get this meeting over with and get away from his tempting presence. She recovered as best she could and answered him. “Great, I really hope you don’t plan on addressing her by any name other than Doctor Sloane,” Kelsey cautioned.

  “All right, it’s a deal. How does this work, should I call her or what?” he asked.

  “We’ll work up a spreadsheet laying out your schedule between now and opening day so I know what you’re committed to and where I can make the appointments for you as well as any other appearances I arrange. Since you don’t have an assistant right now, I don’t mind adding it to my duties. You’re my only client right now, so I’ll have plenty of time to work on your schedule when you’re not practicing or playing.”

  “Kelsey, what do you see when you look at me?” He switched gears on her, again. “I want to know. Do you see an attractive eligible bachelor or is it the media persona?”

  He’d thrown her off balance—again, and again he didn’t give her a chance to answer.

  “Because when I think back on our conversation, I think I’ve given you a look into who I really am. Not some two-dimensional, pro athlete that the public sees.” He uncrossed his arms, and reached for her hand; holding it lightly, he stroked his thumb back and forth. Goosebumps appeared all over her body and when she tried to pull away, he held firm.

  “I know we’re here today because of the PR thing, but I’ve been trying my damnedest to show you what a desirable woman I think you are.”

  “That’s what I’m afraid of,” Kelsey whispered.

  “What, Kelsey? What are you afraid of?”

  “No, not afraid of you exactly.” She groaned. She was so out of practice when it came to dealing with men, and his touch was sending tiny, delicious pulses up and down her arm. “What I mean is, I’m of course attracted, I won’t deny that, but our relationship can be nothing but a professional one.” There. Out in the open. Now they could deal with it, put it in a box, and move forward.

  Maverick gave her a slow, wolfish smile, which intensified her awareness of him tenfold and reminded her of all the things she didn’t, couldn’t deal with right now.

  “I think it best if we table this . . . discussion for a while, and I need to go and get started on some appointments for you.” Flustered, she pulled her hand away from him and took one of the papers she had brought with her and handed it to him. “Here’s a statement you need to put out on your Twitter account, the sooner the better.”

  Maverick took the piece of paper and frowned. “What the hell, Kelsey. I can handle my own tweets.” His frown did little to affect his attractiveness, darn it at all.

  “I’ll be in touch.” She needed to leave before she said or did something inappropriate.

  “When?”

  “Soon.”

  “What the hell, Kelsey, wait.”

  She ignored him and stepped right into the path of a passing waitress, apologized for bumping into her, and sprinted toward the exit. She stepped outside into the gorgeous north Idaho sun and made for the corner down the tree-lined sidewalk. She was about to cross over to Fifth Street when a hand grabbed her elbow and halted her progress. So much for a clean getaway.

  Maverick stepped into her and pressed her back against the cool brick building. Her pulse thudded in her throat and her eyes widened as the man she’d left sitting alone in the restaurant became an alpha hunter, passionate intent bouncing off him.

  His eyes dared her, warned her of his intent. Maverick paused long enough so she could say no, if she wanted to. But she didn’t. She gave a quick nod and let out a sigh. She wanted this walk on the wild side. Tomorrow would be soon enough to second-guess herself.

  He raised his hand and cupped the back of her head. Another shiver slammed into her and she felt moisture between her thighs. He rubbed his thumb in slow circles and tipped her head. There was no going back.

  Any awareness that they were in public, up against the side of a building about to engage in some serious PDA was trumped by the anticipation of his kiss, and she wished he’d hurry the hell up.

  Swooping down, he placed his full, firm lips against hers and drew her bottom lip into his mouth, sucking and nibbling until she groaned. She couldn’t breathe. She didn’t care. She wanted more of what this man was doing to her. She wound her arms up over his muscled arms and clasped them behind his head, pulling him closer. Demanding more.

  In response he pressed his rock-hard body against hers, thank god, and she combusted. His sinful kisses fed her. She rubbed her lower body against his erection. The thrill of creating such a response from this sexy man had her moaning in agreement as his hands glided up along her sensitive sides, stopping under her aching breasts.

  Who was this new Kelsey? Lost in her newly found wanton side, she held on and seized the moment.

  He tore his lips away breathing just as hard as she was.

  “I dreamed of your sweet lips all night, Doll Face.” He placed his forehead on hers before he trailed open mouth kisses to her ear. “Only one more kiss though. Otherwise this town is going to see a show they don’t have to buy tickets for.”

  His dimples were the last thing she saw before he claimed her lips again. She responded lick for lick, ran her hands up into his hair and sighed. He continued his sensual onslaught while she opened her legs slightly to rub against him again, hoping to find relief. The move wrung a groan out of him and she smiled. Nothing felt more erotic than knowing your partner was just as turned on as you were.

  A horn blared somewhere down the street and within her sexual fog she thought she heard someone call Maverick’s name, but he didn’t seem to notice and there was no way she was going to interrupt the hottest moment of her life.

  Maverick thought he’d heard someone say his name, but now that he had heaven in his arms, he wasn’t letting her go. He couldn’t get enough of the bewitching beauty, but he also knew it was not smart to put on such a display on the sidewalk of downtown Pineville.

  He reluctantly tore his mouth away from her lips and trailed kisses down her jaw and her neck and would have gone lower if she hadn’t whispered his name.

  “Maverick. We . . . we need to stop.” Out of breath, Kelsey spoke with a new huskiness he could easily become addicted to. She cupped his face and smiled.

  What he saw in her eyes, the raw desire that matched his own, nearly made him kiss her again.

  “Maverick?”

  “Yeah?” he rasped. He knew what she was going to say, but he didn’t want the moment to end. It felt—right. And he wanted more. Like a switch was flipped and a sense of contentment settled over him. Before he took the final step to separate them and break the spell of the moment, he placed his head on her shoulder and gulped in fresh air that was laced with her wild scent.

  “We’re on a public street. And as much as I liked what happened here, we need to be smart about this.”

  “You don’t sound too sure about that, baby. I mean, I aim to please. We could go back to my place and finish what we started.” But Kelsey was right. They didn’t need, he didn’t need, any more publicity. Good or bad. Besides he wanted to recapture some of his sanity and calm himself a bit before he could walk down the street to his car.

  Still flushed from his kisses, she straightened her skirt and adjusted her blouse. “I ah, I don’t know what to say, Maverick. This whole thing is so unlike me, and we would have to deal with T.S. if he found out about this. I’m not sure we should pursue anything physical until later. Much later.”

  “Two minutes ago you were grinding against me and now you want to put the brakes on? I gave you a chance to say no before I kissed you, Kelsey. It was your decision,” Maverick said.

  “I know, but you have to understand, I’ve got a lot at stake here and so do you. T.S. is like a brother. He’s counting on me and I don’t want to disappoint him. Or myself. There is no way this could wor
k between us when I’m the one who needs to fi . . . to help you restore your reputation. In this case, business and pleasure can’t mix,” Kelsey pleaded.

  Maverick wouldn’t give up that easily. “So you want me to set aside any feelings I have for you and be what, a good little boy and take orders from you.”

  “Whatever this is between us, we need to ignore it for now. I can’t promise anything, but maybe after . . . well, let’s just wait until all of this blows over, okay?”

  He gave her a quick nod and ran his hands down his face. Damn, he was going to need a long, cold shower.

  “I’ll call you in the morning about that appointment with Dr. Sloane and we’ll talk more about the other ideas I have. Oh, and don’t forget to send that tweet.” She picked up the strap of her briefcase and placed it over her shoulder and turned and walked down the street toward the parking garage like nothing had happened.

  But something did happen. Something almost as important as their out-of-this-world kisses.

  She’d called him Maverick.

  Chapter 9

  Maverick woke up the next morning thinking of Kelsey and her reaction to his kisses. He was determined to find a way to make it work with her both publicly and privately. After he’d gotten back to the hotel and taken a long, cold shower, he’d sent out the tweet.

  To my fans, teammates & new neighbors in Pineville. I’m sorry 4 my words & actions. I’m committed 2 this move. GO OUTLAWS! #USBL

  The response in a word: crazy. The retweets were in the thousands, and replies ranged from “Prove it, jerkwad” to “Maverick+Outlaws=Championship.” He had dozens of requests for interviews, which he guessed Kelsey would now handle. For once he was on the receiving end of some positive coverage. The morning news had flashed his tweet and conducted its own poll on his sincerity. He was just under fifty percent in the positive. Not bad.

  First, he needed to get packed up and over to his new condo after he texted Kelsey to find out how he should field the interview requests. She responded asking for his e-mail password, and saying that she would handle everything.

  That was it. No small talk about feelings or references to the kisses they shared. This woman was going to be a major challenge. His gut tightened in anticipation of breaking through all her defenses.

  He gazed around his temporary home. The view of the lake and snow-covered mountains was great to wake up to every morning, but he’d gotten over the five-star resort, as nice as it was. He needed a space where he could totally relax and not worry about women and paparazzi camping out in the lobby waiting for him to make an appearance.

  Management at the hotel had politely asked him yesterday if he was planning on extending his stay, and he reassured them that would not be the case. Maverick didn’t think he’d ever seen a person look as relieved as the manager.

  He called the company that had been storing his personal belongings to be sure they were on schedule to meet him in an hour. On the drive over to his new condo he began planning his strategy for the next time he saw Kelsey. His face was beginning to ache from all the smiling he did every time he pictured her coming unglued in his arms.

  His condo was in a retail-residential building in the area’s upscale planned development next to the Kokanee River. T.S. couldn’t have picked a better spot for his stadium, which was less than a mile away. It allowed his players to live close by, yet still feel like they were part of a neighborhood where they could put down some roots, especially the married players.

  Maverick spotted a woman in a miniskirt with a gold nametag on her chest holding a briefcase and standing at the main entrance to one of the clothing shops on the street level of his building.

  Interesting business attire, but he figured she must be the leasing agent since no one else was around. She hadn’t noticed him yet. He wasn’t able to get a good look at her face until he stepped up on the sidewalk and introduced himself. If he had, he would have gotten back in his car and driven away.

  When she glanced up from her phone he recognized her immediately and wished he’d paid more attention to the name on the e-mail he’d received during the leasing process.

  His rental agent turned out to be Luke’s latest ball girl, Syndi Jones. After exchanging greetings, she said in her annoying little girl voice, “Let’s go take a look at your new home sweet home, shall we?”

  He followed her up the staircase and waited patiently while she fumbled the keys in the lock. She giggled after she finally got the door open and gave him a wink and gestured toward the living room.

  “I can’t believe that I was assigned to your unit, Maverick. Isn’t this great? We already know each other, plus we now live in the same complex.”

  He ignored her statement and gave her a quick once-over as she led him to the kitchen where she leaned up against the counter. She thrust her hip out and giggled again. Damn. She was exactly what he used to go for and exactly what he didn’t need in his life right now.

  She was sending him “fuck me” vibes all over the place. He did not need this complication right now. Syndi flashed an inner thigh as she adjusted her short black skirt. If that was her idea of a power suit, Luke needed to rethink his choice in bedmates. It’s one thing to dress provocatively when you’re out partying, but a whole other problem when dressing that way at work. Shit, didn’t the woman own a pair of slacks?

  He glanced around the open living room and assessed his new living space. At least it had a deck off the main room. Walls painted in earth tones and dark stained hardwood floors he remembered from the website. An unobstructed view of Lake Coeur d’Alene where it met the Kokanee River greeted him through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

  He walked toward the windows to look his fill, but Syndi had other plans. She called him into the kitchen where she stood—posing for him. Shit. She’d placed her hand on one hip and was giving him a bright smile.

  “So, what do you think?”

  The obvious innuendo was followed with a toss of her bleached hair and a thrust of her D size chest.

  She looked ridiculous. A couple of months ago he’d probably have taken her up on the invitation for quick and easy sex, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the woman who’d been starring in his dreams. There was no comparison.

  Kelsey’s long dark auburn hair had been a beacon in a sea of pale blondes even as her icy stare shouted “keep away” when he encountered her at the party. Little did she know, that made him want her all the more. She was a cool professional who begged to be shown how hot they could be together.

  He also needed more information on what made her tick and if his boss had ideas of his own where Kelsey was concerned. Right now he wasn’t above pumping Syndi for the details. It was a small town after all. Maybe they knew each other. Sure, it wasn’t the pumping she was looking for, but he could string her along for a bit without feeling too much guilt.

  Syndi stood there waiting for him to make his move. Strange, but he wasn’t feeling anything, not even a twitch from Mav Jr. Not like yesterday with Kelsey, which had been a first for Mav Jr. since the accident that took his brother.

  He knew the public saw him as a love ’em and leave ’em ballplayer. That he always took what was offered. But when he decided to bed a woman he made no promises, and most accepted it.

  The easiest ones were only looking for a night in the bed of a professional athlete so they could go back to their girlfriends and brag. Some did it multiple times, a different player each time. Playing their own bed-hopping version of player bingo. Bonus points for Cy Young or Golden Gloves winners. He was okay with that. As long as they didn’t drag his name through the tabloids or post pictures on the Internet.

  Syndi, however, was a different breed. She was playing a dangerous version of the game and going after teammates who were also friends, and he wasn’t stepping up to that plate. Luke was the only one who had stuck by him through all the crap that was his life these past few months.

  Maybe his reluctance toward taking Syndi up on her g
enerous offer was a sign he was maturing where women were concerned. Hell if he knew. One thing was certain, his sister would be happy to hear he’d actually turned down a woman. She was his biggest critic when it came to his love life. Damn, he missed her. She and their mom were the only women he trusted not to hurt or betray him.

  He should call her, but maybe he’d hold off another week or so. She was sure to ream his ass for the viral video and he didn’t need that drama right now.

  He found Syndi still staring at him like a lion eyeing a filet mignon and he knew he had to head her off. He glanced over her shoulder and made a show of checking out the high-end stainless steel appliances in the kitchen.

  “Nice stove,” he said.

  She blinked at him like he’d spoken a different language. “Stove?”

  “Yeah. I like the stain on the cabinets too. Is that cypress wood?” he asked. Hell if he knew what that was.

  She turned and her smile fell as she looked at the cabinets. “Um, yeah, I think they are. Would you like to check them out?”

  She straightened her shoulders forcing her breasts out even farther for his inspection. He had to bite his tongue from barking out a laugh.

  “No, that’s fine. I won’t really be cooking much anyway. I plan on eating out or ordering in most of the time.” He turned toward the front door, hoping she’d take the hint. “I do like the fridge though. I’ll definitely be stocking it with beer and protein shakes.”

  “Okay.” She still had a puzzled look on her face, and continued her pursuit. “Maybe I could order us something for dinner tonight? Sort of a housewarming gift.”

  She looked him up and down and ran a finger down the V of her exposed cleavage, pulling her blouse open wider. Her attempt at an appetizer?

  “Thanks, but I want to review some things and head to bed early before my first workout with the pitching staff tomorrow. I appreciate you letting me in, Syndi.” He used a firm tone to let her know that he wasn’t interested and put his arm out motioning her toward the front door.