by Melody Anne
“Or he’s a man who knows how to get what he wants,” she pointed out.
“Is there anything wrong with that?”
The waiter was gone but came back again with a selection of appetizers before he disappeared once more. She took her time to think about his last statement.
“No. I guess not. I’ve always been around confident men,” she began and his eyes narrowed.
“I don’t like thinking of you with other men.” The instant possessiveness he felt belied his goal of setting her free.
“I was talking about my brothers, actually,” she said with a chuckle before picking up a shrimp, dipping it in cocktail sauce, and then delicately taking a bite.
“Well, I guess that’s okay, then,” he told her. “Your brothers are certainly protective of you.”
“Yes, they always have been. That’s what happens when you’re the only girl out of six children. My poor mother said I was her last chance to get a girl. She loves each of us so much, but she’d wanted a girl for so long. She’d threatened my father that if I was another boy, she was moving away,” Lindsey told him.
“I can imagine it would feel slightly overwhelming to be in a home with nothing but testosterone all day,” Mav said.
“Yeah. She said she’d always wanted a large family, but she’d planned on only four children. Then when Erik came out, another boy, she got pregnant again hoping for a girl. Of course, she had Seth next, and she told my father her family was full. I was actually an accident. She got pregnant before my father was able to go in and take care of permanent birth control. He did it, though, while she was pregnant with me. She didn’t get an ultrasound, saying it would be bad luck. Dad said she cried tears of joy for three days straight when I came out with the right parts.”
Mav smiled at her impish look. “It looks like you saved your mother’s sanity,” he told her. He didn’t comment on the fact that she had indeed come out with all the right parts.
“She might have regretted her desire to have a girl, though, because I was a terror child. I started walking at eight months, running at a year old, and I didn’t slow down until I hit twenty-one. I got in more trouble than all of my brothers combined,” she said.
“Why is that?” he asked.
“I felt I had to prove myself, I guess,” she said with another chuckle. “My brothers were huge and everyone loved them. They played sports, had all the girls drooling over them, and were the teachers’ pets. I wanted to stand out, and I was never as good as them, so I found other ways to do it.”
He was shocked by her statement. Reaching across the table, he took her hand and tugged, getting her to look at him.
“Never say you aren’t as good as anyone,” he commanded. “You’re beautiful, intelligent, and have a huge heart. We all make our own way in life any way we can. Don’t doubt for a moment that you are special.”
Her eyes shone as she met his gaze. “You’ve done wonders for my ego, Maverick Armstrong. I’m so glad you decided to make me your mission, even if I was ready to throttle you for it at first.”
“This has been more than a mission to me, you know that, right?” he said as his thumb caressed the back of her hand.
“We’re friends,” she said. He wanted to deny her words. “Friends that have found a pretty smoking hot chemistry in the bedroom,” she added.
“There’s more to us than that,” he said, feeling agitated.
“Let’s not focus on that, Mav. Didn’t you tell me that tonight is about romance?” she pointed out.
He wanted to argue more with her, but wasn’t she right? This night—this entire week, actually—was about him giving her a wonderful time before their time ended. Why was he mad when she was saying the exact same thing?
Maybe because he was having such a difficult time letting her go.
He needed her to walk away from him feeling stronger, more beautiful, and ready to face the world. How was she going to do that if he refused to let her go? She couldn’t.
She tugged on his fingers and there was worry in her eyes.
“Are you okay, Mav? Something feels a little off tonight.”
He needed to add to her list of qualities that she was incredibly observant.
“Of course,” he said, before shooting her the smile she’d told him made her knees go a little weak. “I’m with you, so the night couldn’t be more perfect.”
He pushed down his odd emotions. They weren’t necessary. What she needed from him tonight was his full attention, to be left with only good memories from their time together.
“You’re such a smooth talker,” she said as the waiter approached.
“I didn’t order the main course. Think I can guess what you’d prefer?” he asked, making sure his voice was light.
“So far, you’ve been spot on, Mr. Armstrong. Let’s see if you can keep it up.”
She pulled her fingers back as she sipped on her wine and had another piece of shrimp. Mav spoke to the waiter. He was so unfocused right now, it was hard to be away from her touch. It was almost as if she were grounding him to the Earth.
That was a ridiculous notion.
For one thing, he didn’t want to be grounded. He was happiest when he was high in the sky, flying at top speeds, only a contrail behind him to show the path he’d just taken. For another, they were good together but didn’t need each other to survive.
He would have to remind himself of that a lot tonight.
They continued their meal, eating asparagus ravioli, and orzo with roasted carrots and dill, along with another bottle of excellent wine. Maverick could feel the buzz from the liquor, but it was nothing compared to the buzz he felt from simply being in Lindsey’s presence as she nibbled and sipped.
“This is so good. You need to have a taste,” she told him as she scooped a portion of artichoke cheese dip onto a piece of crusty bread and held it out to him.
Taking a bite from the bread, his tongue swirled across her fingers. He was at the end of what he could handle.
“Delicious,” he told her, their eyes locking, hers dilating as his groin flexed.
She leaned toward him, and he pushed the food aside as he took a taste of her lips, her own flavor mixed with those of the food and drink they’d been devouring. Leaning back, the desire was clear in her dark eyes.
“Are you going to be okay, sugar?” he asked as he looked deeply into her gaze.
She was as startled by the question as he was by asking it. They both felt the slight hint of sadness in the air. He had been trying to hide it from her, just like she was doing an unsuccessful job at keeping her emotions from him.
“What do you mean?” she asked, stalling for time.
“I just need to know that you’ll be okay,” he said. This was by far the most important thing to him, he realized.
She analyzed the question, which he was grateful for. He wanted to make sure she was taking it seriously.
“Yes, I think I will be,” she told him and then she smiled.
“Good. I want all your dreams to come true. I want to make sure you don’t live in the past and you don’t let fears haunt you,” he told her.
“You’ve helped me more than any other person in my life, Mav. There aren’t words I could properly say that could ever express how grateful I am to you. And honestly, I’m going to be okay.”
“Then why the sadness?” he asked as he gripped her fingers. There would never be a time when the feel of her would get old. Why he was pushing her, he didn’t know. They both were feeling a slight edge of urgency and sadness.
Did he want her to say it? Did he want her to tell him that their parting wasn’t what she wanted? What would he do if she did say that? Would he stay? He didn’t know.
She knew that their time was coming to a close, and she was just as reluctant to see that happen. So why wasn’t one of them trying to stop it, he wondered. It didn’t make sense. But nothing about their relationship made sense if he were being honest with himself.
“I’m not sad. I’ve enjoyed our time together,” she replied, before looking down, breaking the intense connection between them.
“Life has a way of getting in the way, doesn’t it?” he said, attempting a chuckle.
“Why don’t we just not think about any of that tonight?” she suggested. She looked back up and gazed at him with a boldness in her eyes he hadn’t seen before.
He thought over her words, and didn’t see a flaw in them. She was ready for him to let her go, but not tonight. No, tonight was about pleasure, love, and romance.
Tomorrow they could both think about the decisions they’d made in life.
“Dessert?” he asked.
“I’m more than ready for that,” she told him, fire burning in her gaze.
They were both on the same slate as to what dessert was going to be.
He didn’t say another word, just threw down a wad of money for their meal and then stood up. He needed to get her back to her place. He wasn’t letting her out of bed the rest of the night.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
In some ways, Lindsey’s heart was shattering, but in other ways it was healing. She knew this was her last night with Maverick.
This wouldn’t be the final time she saw him, but it would be the last time they were together in a romantic way. Instead of dwelling on that fact, she would embrace it as she embraced him and end their time together on a memorable note.
She’d fought being with the man—hadn’t thought she needed him, but now she realized he’d been her savior. He’d helped her conquer her fears. And she’d discovered that she hadn’t had to lose a piece of herself if she were with a man.
She would be able to love herself and somebody else. Her forever person just wouldn’t be Maverick Armstrong.
But for tonight, he was hers—and she was his.
The moment they stepped back into her cottage, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her with both tenderness and passion. Her body rose in temperature as he slowly walked them to her bedroom, not bothering to shut the door. It was only the two of them in the place—in what felt like the entire universe.
Holding her the entire way, the kiss grew more intense as they gravitated toward the bed, neither of them willing to let go of the other. Their lips and tongues mated in possession and need.
Their fingers clutched at the other’s clothes as they fought to get rid of anything keeping them from being one. In almost a blur, their clothing was ripped away. Maverick lifted her with his muscled arms before gently laying her on the bed, not breaking their connection for even a moment as he climbed on top of her.
She sighed and panted into his mouth as his beautiful fingers skirted across her skin, touching every single place on her body before delving down to her core. He slipped inside, finding her hot and wet—ready for him.
He groaned against her lips before his mouth trailed down between her breasts, one hand pinching her nipple and making her whimper in total abandon. She squirmed beneath his expert touch.
“You taste so good,” he murmured as he licked his way down to her center. Spreading her legs wide, he ran his tongue along her pulsing pleasure. She arched off the bed as he tasted her, teased her, and intensified the flames that were already out of control.
As she reached higher and higher toward her climax, he seemed to know the moment she was about to set sail, because he would move his luscious mouth and temper the flames before going back and doing it all over again.
He seemed to want this to never end, which was just exactly how she felt. Though the build-up was nearly destroying her. She reached into his thick dark strands of hair and tugged on him, all to no avail. He was on a mission and nothing was going to detour him from it.
Whimpering and begging did her no good. He continued devouring her body in endless delight, his groans of pleasure making hers that much better. She needed to touch him, though, and he was denying her that. She was growing more insistent in her tugs on his hair.
Finally, he climbed back up her body, his cheeks flushed, his skin hot and damp to the touch, his beautiful green eyes dark with desire.
Right now, in this frozen moment of time, they belonged to one another. There wasn’t a single other soul in the world. It was a connection that couldn’t be faked. She desperately wanted to tell him of her love, but somehow managed to keep the words locked in her throat.
Reaching beneath her, he clasped tightly to her butt as he pulled her up against his straining erection, making the heat in her core go even hotter.
“I can’t get enough of you,” he whispered as he leaned down, their mouths mating again as their bodies molded as one. He slowly slipped inside her, letting her take him inch by precious inch until the connection was solid and complete.
“Then take all you want,” she told him, giving everything she had of herself. No matter where life took them, she would always be his. No one would have this piece of her, no matter how much time passed, no matter who she met in the future.
This was beyond lovemaking. This was a merging of souls. She hoped she had changed him too, that he wouldn’t be the same ever again. Yes, they would live healthy, productive lives, but she wanted him to leave with a piece of her, just as she wanted to take a piece of him.
Her eyes closed as he began moving in and out of her body, picking up the pace as their breathing filled the air around them. Their desire grew and grew.
“So beautiful,” he groaned as he held tightly to her butt and pounded against her flesh. “So tight—hot—wet.”
He continued whispering words against her ear as they moved in perfect rhythm against each other, their bodies damp with sweat, hot with desire.
And then she couldn’t hold out any longer. In an overwhelming blindness, she exploded, her tight core closing around him as she shook in his arms.
His hot breath rushed out against her ear as he hugged her close and spilled his seed deep within her womb. They both shook as they came down from the high of such intense lovemaking.
Neither moved for what might have been hours as their hearts beat against each other in perfect rhythm. Lindsey knew that when she fell asleep, he would slip away into the night.
And she also knew that he’d made sure she would be okay.
Nothing would make her regret her time with Maverick. Not even saying good-bye.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
Tossing his flight bag on his bed, Maverick glared at the light on his answering machine, blinking over and over again, telling him he had a message—or a dozen messages.
He’d been in a bear of a mood for the past two weeks. And his damn family didn’t want to leave him alone. Mav knew the mood would pass. His behavior wasn’t dependent on if he missed a woman or not.
Time would make things better. That was, if his family would just leave him alone. He was back at work, and happy to be there. Hell, he’d just come back from a flight to Oregon where he’d done some low maneuvers that normally would put him in a great mood.
It seemed nothing was putting him in a good mood these days, though.
Mav was always the life of the party, the one to smile when everyone else was scowling. He was the one who laughed when other people were in foul moods. So why in the world couldn’t he pull himself out of this constant anger he seemed to be feeling?
It certainly wasn’t over a woman—even a woman as amazing as Lindsey.
Moving over to his liquor cabinet, he undid his shirt, letting it hang open as he poured a double shot of whiskey. He threw his head back as he let the amber liquid burn its way down his throat.
Even the fire pouring through him wasn’t enough to help. He seriously needed to pull himself together. Looking over at the phone again, the temptation to call Lindsey was almost so overwhelming he thought about tossing the phone through his window.
He hadn’t been carrying his cellphone just to avoid the temptation of shooting the woman a quick text, or simply caving in and dialing her up. He missed her—more than he’d ever
thought possible.
They’d said good-bye. Sure, it hadn’t been a long, drawn-out occasion, but that last date had been their good-bye and they both knew it. She was working full time and he was back at the base most days. They were living their lives.
After taking another double shot, Mav finally moved back over to his phone and pressed the button. He might as well find out what was happening on the home front. No one other than his family was bothering to call him these days. His mood was enough to send people fleeing in the opposite direction.
“It’s Uncle Sherman. Call me ASAP.”
No other messages followed. Mav didn’t want to call back. Didn’t want to talk to anyone right now, but he knew from personal experience that if he tried to avoid his uncle, the old man would just keep on pestering him.
The phone barely had a chance to get through one ring when his uncle picked up. Uncle Sherman skipped the usual greetings.
“I left you a message six hours ago. I see where I sit on your priorities,” Sherman said with obvious annoyance in his voice.
“I’ve been at work, Uncle. How are you doing?” Mav said as he moved over to refill his glass. He wasn’t flying tomorrow. He could drink whatever the heck he felt like drinking. This night, it might be a lot.
“I’m fine. It’s you I’ve been worried about,” Sherman responded.
His uncle had called him every possible negative name when he’d told the old man he wasn’t dating Lindsey, that he’d just been helping her out for a while, but their time was over.
Mav was doing better than his uncle over the breakup—not that it was a breakup. You couldn’t end something that had never begun in the first place. But Sherman sure was a meddler. He just didn’t know when to keep out of other people’s business. That was a fact.
“There’s nothing to worry about, Sherman. I’m busy working or I would be coming around more,” he said, feeling like a broken record.
“There’s more to life than just work, you know,” Sherman told him for the thousandth time. “I thought you were starting to learn that, had wizened up from watching the example of your older brother. Look how good Cooper is doing with a beautiful wife and son. You’re all alone in a big empty house.”
