by Melody Anne
Peeling the rest of his clothes off, he stood there, not even trying to hide the fullness of his arousal that was reaching for her. She stared at him and he moved with purpose to the tub.
Lindsey shifted over as he stepped inside and sank down so he was facing her.
“I have to say I’m enjoying your plans a hell of a lot more than going out to play baseball or watch a race,” he told her, surprised at how thick his voice was.
“You told me to tell you when I wanted to have . . . to, you know . . . to have sex,” she said, the last word barely a whisper.
“I want you so badly, Lindsey. So while this is killing me to say, I want to make sure you’re ready,” he groaned as he leaned back, feeling her legs rubbing alongside his beneath the layers of bubbles.
“I’m sure—that is, if you want to.”
And right there he saw her insecurity and all of his hesitation vanished.
There was no more wavering as he reached across the tub and lifted her up. A squeak escaped her moist lips as she landed in his lap. He wrapped both arms around her, letting her feel the power of his desire pushing against her skin.
He was careful not to sink inside her, although that’s all he wanted to do. He wasn’t going to take her like that, though. No, he would get her nice and hot first.
“I’m . . . uh . . . I’m on birth control. I have been for a long time because of my periods,” she said as she nervously shifted on his lap.
“That’s a definite plus,” he groaned before needing to feast on her mouth.
The talking stopped as he pressed his lips to hers and ravaged her mouth like he’d been wanting to do from the moment she’d opened the front door. There was a new franticness to his touch, knowing he was going to get to slide inside her.
It took everything in him not to do it right away. The sudsy water, the candlelight, and her moans were all too much for his senses to bear. He had to have this woman—and soon.
Trailing his lips down her neck, he nibbled and tasted where her pulse was pounding before going lower and lavishing attention on her breasts, which were floating just above the water line. They had been beautiful before, but with water and bubbles glistening on them, they were marvelous and tasted so ripe.
She ran her hands through his hair and tugged before trailing her nails across his shoulders and part way down his back. Each touch from her heightened his pleasure as he continued to devour her body.
Reaching between them, he glided his finger across her opening and rubbed against her nob, making her groan as she leaned against his neck and bit down. The pain was pleasure and torment at the same time. He returned the favor by making her groan again as he sank a finger inside her. She squirmed on top of him, and he was the one groaning next.
“I need you, Lins,” he said as he shifted, feeling the head of his arousal slip an inch inside her delicate folds. He was trying to hold back. He knew he should take her to the bed, but he didn’t think he could wait even that long.
“I need you too,” she told him and then she shifted, pushing down on him, and connecting their bodies together. His heart thundered at the pure ecstasy on her face, at the joy and beauty radiating from her eyes.
He kissed her again as he gripped her hips and began moving her up and down on top of him. She was so tight, so achingly tight as he moved within her hot folds.
“Oh, Mav, I . . . I . . .” She threw back her head and cried out, and then gripped his thickness as she shook on top of him. Maverick followed right behind her, shooting his pleasure deep inside her heat.
They both panted hard as they came down off the amazing high, and then he pulled back, looking into her mesmerizing brown eyes. Her skin was flushed and he needed more. Now maybe they could take their time and truly enjoy each other’s bodies.
Still holding her on his lap, he stood up, water and bubbles dripping off them. He grabbed a rag and cleaned them both before pulling her from the tub and drying them off. She tried shielding herself this time, but he didn’t allow it.
She had trusted him to make love to her, and now she was going to trust him to admire her beauty. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her to the bed and laid her down. She reached for the blankets.
“Don’t,” he said. Her eyes widened, but she left the blankets alone and looked at him with both fear and trust.
“You are so beautiful, Lins. Everything about you is beautiful. Don’t hide from me, please.”
He crawled over her body and kissed his way down her stomach, running his lips across the scar she was so ashamed of. At the same time, he slipped his finger inside her and began building up her pleasure again, so she would never think of the scar as ugly, only think of her body as passionate and desirable.
Soon she was moaning beneath him. He had never lost his erection. He wanted to be buried inside her for the rest of the night. But he also wanted to taste her.
Moving down her hips, he kissed her thighs, then moved up to her sweet center and devoured her until she was crying out in pleasure. Her taste on his tongue, he kissed his way back up her body because he needed to sink inside her again.
Pushing her thighs wide apart, he looked into her eyes as he slammed inside with one deep thrust, making her back arch off the bed to meet him. He moved in and out of her slick folds, her tightness gripping him, making them one flesh as they moved in sync.
When Maverick came again, she was right there with him, their cries echoing off the walls. But still it wasn’t enough. He was starving for her. He couldn’t stop. Looking deep in her eyes, he kept thrusting in and out of her body, and she wiggled beneath him as her shocked eyes connected with his.
He knew this was an experience neither of them had ever had before. He kissed her lips, her neck, and the sweet buds of her breasts, all without stopping. He thrust deep in and out of her tight body.
When he came again, he shook within her arms before he collapsed, both of them panting from the pleasure and exhaustion of endless lovemaking.
Knowing he was crushing her, he finally gained enough energy to turn over, but he couldn’t stand not to have her in his arms, and he quickly pulled her close, their sweat-slickened bodies sliding against each other.
They lay in silence. He tried to figure out what exactly had just happened between them. Never had he experienced lovemaking like that. Never had he not wanted to stop. Normally, he came, the woman came, and he was done. It was pleasurable but it wasn’t all-consuming.
When he heard the steady breathing of Lindsey in his ear and felt her chest brushing his in sleep he knew he should get up and leave, but he couldn’t release her, couldn’t let her go. He was sure the sensation would pass, but at this moment, he wasn’t going anywhere. Grabbing the blanket, he covered them both and slowly began to drift off.
His last thought, though, was that his brother was going to most likely murder him. Both Benji and Princess were at Coop’s house. It was going to be obvious Maverick had stayed the night with Lindsey. There might just be the demand for a shotgun wedding since his brother and sister-in-law were so protective of Lins. That thought should terrify him to his very bones.
It didn’t.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Mmm.”
Sensations rushed through Lindsey as she slowly began to wake. So good. Something was so good.
“I need you.”
And then Maverick was buried deep inside her and her body responded quickly as she grabbed him. They’d made love so many times the night before. She could feel aches in muscles she hadn’t ever used.
No, she wasn’t exactly a virgin, but she’d also never had a night like the one she’d just experienced with Maverick. That hadn’t been sex. That had been a marathon, and she’d come so many times she’d lost count.
It didn’t take long for them both to cry out in pleasure again.
“Good morning, sugar.”
“Morning,” she mumbled, feeling a bit shy as he held her tight. He’d stayed the entire night with her.
“Are you having regrets?” he asked.
“No!” she nearly shouted, then lowered her voice. “No. Not at all. That was . . . I can’t even describe what that was,” she told him with a laugh.
“That was heaven,” he said. Their bodies were pressed against each other, their hands still caressing skin, neither wanting to break the connection. “It was certainly something that doesn’t happen very often, that’s for sure.”
“Really? You aren’t just saying that?” she asked, hating the insecurity she was feeling.
His eyes were bright as he forced her to look at him. “I promise you, I’ve never had an experience like last night—not ever. It was even better than the first time we were together because now we know each other. It’s not just a one-night stand.”
She was suddenly soaring. It had been as great for him as it had been for her. And then, even though she was completely satisfied, she found herself pressing up close to him, wanting to feel him inside her again even though she ached and would most likely have a hard time walking.
His thickness began growing against her leg.
“You are the devil, woman,” he said with a laugh before he kissed her long and hard. “And I’m insisting on feeding you before I take you again.”
She would have felt rejected if it weren’t for the evidence that he was indeed in pain as he crawled out of the bed. His incredibly thick, hard manhood was standing at attention, and she couldn’t help but lick her lips as she gazed at it.
“If you do that again, I’m going to forget about being honorable,” he warned.
Her eyes snapped up to his, and then she couldn’t keep the goofy grin off her face. This man—this incredible, sexy, funny, sweet man desired her. She didn’t feel quite so broken anymore.
He’d even looked at her scars, and he still wasn’t turned off. She wanted to test her power. She let the sheet drop down, showing her breasts, her nipples already hard and aching.
His eyes dilated as he gazed down at them. Then, with a growl, he dove back onto the bed, his body atop the blanket as he latched his lips onto her nipple and sucked hard. She was instantly soaked, wanting him.
He pulled the cover aside and slipped a finger into her, feeling that she was wet and ready for him. Always. She had a feeling that any time she was around this man she would be wet and ready.
And though she did hurt, when he slid back inside her again, she sighed with pleasure. The pain was worth it because unfathomable pleasure was her reward.
This time when they finished, he jumped from the bed, pulling her with him. He took her to the bathroom, where they shared a long, hot shower. The feel of his soapy hands lathering her entire body had her ready to make love again, and he didn’t disappoint her. With her hands braced against the cool tiles, he easily slid in and out of her soaked folds until she was falling down the wall.
When they dressed and moved out to the kitchen, she was walking a bit stiffly. Wow, a sex marathon was such a better workout than doing cardio in a gym. Lifting weights had never reached the muscles that were sore right now.
“Sit at the island. I’m going to show off my amazing cooking abilities,” he told her.
She gladly did what he asked, though sitting wasn’t comfortable at all, especially on a hard stool. She went and got a pillow and sat on that. He laughed knowingly.
They were halfway finished making breakfast when there was scratching at her front door. Maverick went over and opened it. Benji and Princess ran in, giving them both an evil eye.
“Oh, Princess, I’m so sorry,” she cried, shifting her pillow to the floor so she could sit down and give her baby love. She’d been so enthralled with Maverick the night before, she’d forgotten about her dog. What kind of horrible person was she?
“They were both with Coop and Stormy,” Maverick said as if he could hear her thoughts once again.
Lindsey’s cheeks instantly heated. “Oh. That means they’re both going to know you stayed over,” she said, her eyes widening.
“Yeah, I would say that cat’s out of the bag,” came Stormy’s voice from the doorway where she was standing with a big grin on her face and Aaron in her arms.
“Oh, um . . . well, you see . . .” Lindsey trailed off, at a complete loss as to what to say to her friend. She’d never even thought about the fact that Stormy would realize Lindsey had kept a man overnight—her brother-in-law, to be exact.
“Let me guess, you were watching a PG movie and were just so exhausted you both fell asleep on the couch, right?” Stormy said with a laugh.
“Yeah, something like that,” Maverick said with a wink that had Lindsey’s cheeks going even hotter.
“Or you guys broke the bed in Lindsey’s room and Coop and I are going to have to replace everything,” Stormy said in the same teasing tone.
“I’m sorry about leaving Princess. See, this is why I shouldn’t be a pet owner,” Lindsey said as she continued petting her dog. Whether she should or not, there was no way she was ever going to be able to let go of Princess. She loved her far too much to do that now. Even if she had forgotten her the night before.
“I tend to forget anyone and everyone when I have a wild night of lovemaking, too,” Stormy said. “What’s for breakfast, Mav? I’m starving. Coop had to run off this morning for a board meeting and the baby was fussy last night so I’m crashing your breakfast party.”
She went and took a stool at the island.
“It’s always a pleasure to cook for beautiful women,” Maverick told Stormy as he pulled out another plate. “I’m making pancakes, eggs, and bacon.”
“Yum! I haven’t had pancakes since before the baby was born. It’s either quick meals or no meals. Coop keeps trying to get me to hire a cook, but I just don’t want some strange woman invading my kitchen. I did agree to the maid, though. I’m way too tired with the jewelry shop, baby, and husband to scrub toilets,” she said with a laugh.
“You could always do one of those meal plans where a chef makes all your meals for the week in one day and then all you have to do is pull them out and heat them,” Mav suggested.
Stormy looked at him like he was a pure genius. “You are my favorite brother-in-law,” she said with a sassy smile. “As soon as I have my new awesome cook, I’m inviting you over for dinner. Well, that is if I can get you out of my best friend’s bed long enough to come eat with us.”
He laughed, and Lindsey’s face turned beet red.
Maverick placed a plate of food in front of Stormy and then cradled Aaron to him with his good arm so she could eat with both hands. Then he came over and sat on the floor next to Lindsey, holding the baby with one arm and petting Benji with the other.
The scene was so domestic—so perfect.
And it scared the living hell out of Lindsey. She had dived in with both feet, and now she wasn’t sure she knew how to swim.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Maverick slammed down his phone for the tenth time as his call went right to voicemail. He’d suspected Lindsey was avoiding him the day before after not hearing from her for a couple of days, but now he knew it for a fact.
They’d gotten too close. Hell, it scared him too, but she was the one running and ducking for cover. He couldn’t allow that. It wasn’t what she needed, and whether she was willing to admit it or not, it wasn’t what she wanted either.
She was just scared. But if she truly thought she could hide from him, she hadn’t learned a single thing about him in the last month—or the last couple of years, for that matter. In addition, Maverick wasn’t a man to give up on a mission just because the going got dangerous.
It was time to give some tough love.
Grabbing his sweatshirt, he left his new house. It really was perfect. He didn’t feel like he was in a museum anymore. Maybe it was time to bring Lindsey to it. He wanted to be the one protecting her—the one to keep bad things from happening. He was more than capable of that. Though she wouldn’t admit to needing protection, she still did. She was vulnerable. However, what they’d shared was magical. It was rare, and he wasn’t going to allow her to push him away.
At the end of all of this, he wanted to be her friend, wanted to continue having her be a part of his life. That wasn’t typical for him. Sure, he didn’t make enemies of his ex-lovers, but he didn’t have a desire to stay in contact with them either.
But it was different with Lindsey. She was quickly becoming an essential part of his close-knit community. Besides, she was best friends with Stormy, which meant she wasn’t going anywhere. That thought gave him peace, though he didn’t think he needed reassurance. Maverick really wasn’t sure exactly what he did need. All of this was confusing and new to him.
The drive to his brother’s place didn’t take him long. He bypassed the main house and went straight to the guest cottage. He found it empty. Pounding on the door anyway, he was about ready to knock it down when he was interrupted.
“Problems, brother?”
Maverick turned with a dirty look toward Cooper. How much did he want to share with him? They normally didn’t talk about women—well, not in a respectful manner, at least.
It wasn’t that they were exactly crude, but they’d always looked at women as beautiful, desirable, and . . . replaceable. Just thinking that thought about Lindsey made him cringe. She wasn’t just any woman. She was special and would make a man a great wife someday. It just wouldn’t be him.
That thought sent an immediate pang through him. Picturing her with another man was enough to make him want to put his fist through the wall.
“Hello? Earth to Maverick.”
“Sorry, Coop. I have a lot on my mind,” Mav finally said, turning to see his brother grinning stupidly as he leaned against the porch rail.
“Yeah, I can see that,” Cooper said with a laugh.
“Where’s Lins? She’s avoiding me,” Mav said as he moved away from her door. She wasn’t going to just appear even if he knocked down the door. Obviously she wasn’t home.
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