Chapter 13
New Horizon
When our charter ended, we returned to Grenada and spent the weekend at Maverick’s private resort. When we got there, the girls were so excited seeing how fancy it was. The captain had joined us, as well as Paul. Maverick had reserved two of the newly built villas for us. Paul and Captain John stayed in one villa while Zofia, Kathleen, and I stayed in the other.
We brought food and drinks. We used the outdoor grill for some barbecued meats; the captain oversaw the grilling. Paul was tasked with making the drinks, and the girls were tasked with preparing the salads and the sides. I oversaw making dessert.
Maverick joined us for our barbecue party, wearing shorts and a tight white shirt. He looked dashing, with a five o’clock shadow on his face. His curly, dark-brown hair was growing long. He noticed I was looking, and he smiled at me. I invited him to join me as I made dessert.
“Thanks for inviting us here.”
“You guys are my most loyal customers. It’s the least I could do,” Maverick said.
I already had banana pudding and cheesecake bites with the crust that I had pre-made at the Sea Eagle. I just had to assemble it with whipped cream, fruits, and the cheesecake pieces, which Maverick helped me with. He stood very close to me that sometimes our arms would brush against each other. The sexual tension between us was still there.
We served dinner by the outdoor patio, where we sat on the outdoor table. The captain handed out the meat, Kathleen handed out the sides, Zofia scooped the salad onto our plates, and Paul served the drinks. Maverick lit the outdoor tiki torches. Then he played music. We kept the drinks flowing, and soon, there was dancing.
Eventually, Paul and Zofia paired up. The captain and Kathleen paired up for a friendly dance. Maverick had been dancing with the girls but somehow made his way to me and danced with me. We drank a lot of wine and other alcoholic drinks so it might be why I started touching Maverick’s shoulder, and he touched my waist. And before we knew it, we were almost kissing. I was already tipsy, and he was too. It took every ounce of my willpower not to allow myself to be kissed by him.
I wasn’t ready yet. I was still thinking about the text messages that Julian had sent me. It still pained me to receive them, and especially to read them.
After dancing, we all went to the swimming pool and swam into the lukewarm water. The girls started chasing each other. I was laughing with them as they splashed each other. Everyone was in a jovial mood.
Maverick was swimming close to me. At times, he was pressed against my back, and I wanted to touch him. A part of me was curious what it would feel like to be intimate with him, but I tried to shake the feeling off. I reminded myself that Maverick and I were better off as friends. I didn’t want to lose his friendship and complicate things.
It was past midnight when we all decided to go to sleep. Maverick bid me goodnight. The girls and I stayed in the same bedroom with two twin beds. Zofia and Kathleen slept on the same bed and I slept on the other. We chatted before we went to sleep. The girls kept teasing me about Maverick.
“Just say yes to him. Didn’t you see? He kept following you the whole night.” Zofia was wearing a pink nightgown, and had an eye mask on her forehead.
Kathleen noticed this too. “He kept swimming around you. He kept touching you. That guy is interested. Forget about Julian already. He’s old news. And also, he lied to you. He lied to all of us. Pretending to be a single guy so he could lure women.” She had her eye mask already on. She was getting ready to sleep.
“Harper, if I were you, I’d just say yes to Maverick,” Zofia said. “He’ll take care of you. Have you seen this place? This place is amazing. You’ll never have to lift a finger for the rest of your life.” She pulled the eye mask over her eyes. “You better snag the guy or another girl is going to snag him if you wait too long.”
I turned off the lamp. It was amazing how fast the girls could fall asleep. As for me, I was twisting and turning in bed, still thinking about Julian’s text messages. I also kept thinking about the way Maverick looked at me. I could sense how much he truly cared for me.
***
The crew stayed at Maverick’s private villa for the next two days. All two days were filled with eating, drinking, swimming, and dancing. We also enjoyed the beach, swimming and just taking a stroll. After that, the crew left to start the next chartered trip. My flight wasn’t scheduled until the following day. I had one night to stay at Maverick’s place before I had to go back to Georgia.
Maverick did good on his promise about going with me to the States for moral support. He booked the same flight as I did. I picked coach, and although I knew Maverick could afford the business class, he had picked the seat next to me.
Maverick wanted to work at the bar on our last night in the island, and I went with him. He was also training the new bartender. I was greeted by Viktor’s smile. He had trained two new cooks and two serving staff. The bar was starting to get more popular as I couldn’t even find a table. There was only one empty stool by the bar. Observing the crowd, I could see a mix of locals and tourists.
I sat by the bar while Maverick was busy teaching the staff and also serving drinks himself. Viktor approached me and served me a sampler plate of the food I had taught him to cook. The plate included a hamburger slider, two types of fried chicken wings, fish and chips, and a meat taco.
“Miss Harper, try the food and see if it is to your liking and specifications.” He was brimming with pride as he presented me the plate.
The plating looked elegant. The portion sizes were good. Visually, the food was very appetizing. Viktor stood next to me while I sampled his food.
“Are you kidding me, Viktor?” I said after sampling the slider. “This is amazing! Did you add something to it?”
“Yes, I added jalapenos to give it a little kick,” he said.
“Yes, just the right amount of spice. Not too spicy but it has a kick.”
The chicken wings, the fish, and the tacos were equally impressive. For someone who wasn’t formally trained, Viktor picked up the skill of cooking really fast, and he had a natural talent for mixing flavors. I had not really told him about plating, but he had a good eye for detail and might’ve paid attention to how I plated my food when I instructed him.
“Do you like it?” he asked eagerly.
“Of course! You did well. You’re an amazing cook!”
Happy and satisfied that I had given him a good review, he thanked me and went back to the kitchen. As I was finishing the food, I saw a familiar-looking girl approach Maverick. It was the short shorts girl. But tonight, she wasn’t wearing short shorts but a short skirt and a skimpy tank top.
She went directly to Maverick and ordered a drink. I didn’t know what she was doing here if they were no longer dating, but it seemed they were still friendly. As he served her a drink, she touched his arm. As soon as she did this, Maverick pulled his hand away. She didn’t seem to get the hint because she kept trying to touch him. After that, he eventually left her as she sipped on her drink.
Maverick couldn’t see me watching them because I was at the far end of the bar, away from him. But based on Maverick’s body language, he wasn’t comfortable with the girl being there. The girl finished her drink and eventually left.
I knew that Maverick and I are only friends, but I felt a sting of jealousy when the girl touched Maverick. When Maverick walked away, I felt relieved. And I was glad when the girl finally left.
I stayed with Maverick until closing time. I helped arrange the chairs while he washed the glasses. Two other workers were sweeping and mopping the floor. In the corner of my eye, I saw a tall figure approaching me. When I turned, I was taken by surprise. It was Julian.
Julian had dark circles around his eyes. His face looked gaunt, and his hair disheveled. “Harper, you haven’t been responding to my text messages,” he said as he approached.
“Julian, what are you doing here?” I was upset that he showed up at Maverick’s bar in the early morning.
“I just wanted to let you know, I didn’t mean to lie to you. I’m sorry. I was estranged from my wife for months. We were thinking of separating. The times we spent together… They meant something to me.”
“Why are you telling me this? And why now?”
“I just wanted you to know. I’m sorry. I never meant to deceive you. I was afraid if you knew I was still married, you wouldn’t choose to be with me.”
“Julian, I don’t know what to say.” I was dumbfounded.
“I’m leaving Grenada soon. Maybe even for good. I’ve decided to work on my marriage.” Julian looked at me; his eyes were teary. “But I want you to know I cared for you. It just wasn’t good timing for us.”
I heard footsteps from behind me before I heard Maverick’s voice. “Leave Harper alone. Just leave, Julian.” He sounded stern. Although Maverick wasn’t as tall as Julian, he had a commanding presence around him, making Julian’s stature irrelevant.
Julian looked at me and said, “Again, I’m sorry, Harper. I wish the circumstances would have been favorable for us.”
Maverick insisted, “Leave this place, Julian. Leave now.”
Julian turned around and walked away. I watched as he left. Although I knew he had hurt me, I was still sad that our relationship ended this way. I started crying again, and I found myself thinking about the what-ifs. And the thought that we could still have been together was tearing me up inside.
Maverick hugged me, and I sobbed on his chest. “It’s okay, Harper. I’m here.”
***
The flight back to Georgia wasn’t as tough as I had anticipated. Maverick slyly upgraded our seats to first-class at the last minute, and I couldn’t protest. I kept thinking about Julian and the what-ifs, and it was so hard to bear. Maverick was very supportive of me, and I was glad he was coming along. The thought of seeing Benoit again made me queasy.
Benoit had set up an appointment in La Gourmandize. My lawyer, Keith, was going to meet me there. Holding Maverick’s hand, we walked in La Gourmandize. The familiar scent of the restaurant immediately greeted me. Everything looked exactly the same since I left it.
“Remember, Harper, he may try to talk you out of it. Just be strong. You’ve got this. He’s trying to influence you. Just stand firm,” Maverick said.
I nodded in agreement.
Benoit was sitting in one of the long tables, with Keith across from him. They both stood up when they saw us coming. Benoit looked thinner and disheveled. His skin was also paler. There was sadness in his eyes. I’ve been with him for so long that my first reaction was to embrace him. But the memory of his betrayal resurfaced.
I glanced over at the bar where I had seen him with our bartender. The emotions of that day came rushing in. And I felt my eyes moistened.
Keith shook my hand. I sat beside him, and Maverick sat next to me.
Benoit had a questioning look on his face as he glanced at Maverick. I didn’t find it necessary to introduce Maverick.
“You’re looking good, Harper,” Benoit said with a faint smile.
A part of me still missed Benoit. I wanted to pinch myself so I would wake up from this nightmare. Maybe I was still asleep in my house, sleeping on my comfortable bed with Benoit by my side. But I knew I was just fooling myself. Here was Benoit, sitting across from me, and he wasn’t the Benoit I fell in love with. He had turned into someone I didn’t recognize.
I went to work right away. “Why did you ask me to be here? It’s such an inconvenience,” I said coldly.
“Harper, I’m not ready to part ways with you. I want you back here, where you belong,” he demanded.
“You’re the reason why I left, Benoit. Actions have consequences. I can’t be your partner anymore.”
Benoit started pleading. “Harper, I miss you so much. I’m sorry about what I did. It’s over now. It was just a fling. She’s gone. Come back to me.” He sounded so desperate, but my heart was stone cold now. There was no turning back.
Maverick held my hand as if reminding me to hold firm in my decision. I glanced over to him. He nodded his head as if encouraging me to speak up.
“I can”t, Benoit. I’ve moved on,” I said. I looked into his eyes. I saw sadness, maybe even regret.
Benoit said, “Harper, please. We’ve been together for eight years. You can’t just throw that away.”
Anger rose from deep inside me. “You were the one who didn’t think about it. You just threw away our eight years together.” My voice rose. “You didn’t care. Now, you must live with the consequences. I’m removing myself as a partner, and I’m getting my share of the business, and Keith will make sure everything is fair.”
Benoit became quiet. He looked at Keith. Keith started talking about the next step of ending our business partnership and the terms of payment. Benoit acquiesced to my demands. I was resolute in my decision. It also helped that Maverick was with me. Without him, I would have caved.
Benoit relented and agreed to sign an agreement. He was going to buy my half of the business. Deep inside, I knew he would bounce back as he always had. But I wasn’t so sure about what my future would be. The amount was substantial, but my future seemed more uncertain than before.
Keith had been working on the contract; all that was needed was for both parties to sign it. Benoit was the first to sign, then I did. Keith seemed relieved the contract had finally been signed. He’d been working on it for months, hoping for closure.
Keith shook my hand. “This is great, Harper. Per the terms of your contract, you’ll get the first installment in the next thirty days. And you’ll be getting a check every month until you’ve been paid in full. Per the terms of the agreement, twelve months.”
Benoit stood up with a look of disgust on his face and walked off. He left the restaurant. I stood and looked around the restaurant. It was probably the last time I’d be seeing it. I felt immense sadness. It was as if a part of me had also died. This restaurant was my life. I built this restaurant from scratch. Every side, every corner, had my mark on it. I chose the paint, the light fixtures, and the tiles. All were my ideas.
Maverick put his arm around me. “You’ll be okay, Harper. You’ll be fine.”
I started crying again. I was going to miss my restaurant.
Keith said he would keep in touch through email before he, too, left the restaurant. Maverick and I stepped outside and decided to stroll around downtown. I might never come back here again; there were just too many memories here.
That night, we stayed but departed for Denver the following day.
***
Lisa and the boys, Atticus and Beckett, picked us up at the airport. The boys rushed towards me for a long overdue hug. They gave me a really long and tight hug.
“Oh, my boys! Look how much you’ve grown!” I told them. They had grown one or two inches since I last saw them.
Lisa walked up to me and said, “Don’t be too much in a hurry. I dread the day they start dating.”
“Lisa, how are you doing?” I hugged her.
“Doing fine. But still messing up the cooking and baking,” she replied.
“Baking? You started baking?”
“If you call baking as browning food to a toast.” Lisa eyed Maverick and then whispered to me, “You didn’t tell me your guy friend is super hunky.”
I laughed. “Lisa, this is Maverick. Maverick, this is Lisa.”
Maverick shook Lisa’s hand, and Lisa gave me a thumbs up.
We rode in Lisa’s small red car. Maverick insisted that he sit in the backseat with the boys. I looked in the rearview mirror; Maverick was sandwiched between the boys. Lisa was weaving through Denver traffic like a maniac, so I regretted sitting in the front seat. The drive to Evergreen was forty minutes, but we stopped to pick up two boxes of pizza from Rocco’s pizza.
Rocco was by the counter when Lisa I walked in. He was wearing a black, tight-fitting shirt and, as usual, had a smile reserved just for Lisa.
“How are you?” Rocco asked.
“Same old, same old.”
“I haven’t seen you in yoga class,” he said.
“I’ve just been busy. Just doing it at home mostly.”
“You should drop by.”
“I will. I’ll try to come more frequently.”
“Here’s your pizza.” Rocco handed Lisa two pizza boxes.
“Bye.” Lisa waved at Rocco.
“Bye.” Rocco grinned.
When we stepped out of the pizza place, I elbowed Lisa.
“Lisa, that was very obvious. Rocco likes you. You should go see him for yoga. I didn’t even know he went to yoga.”
Lisa explained, “That’s the reason I go to yoga before. He was there a lot. I always stayed at the back so I could check him out.”
I laughed out loud. “You’re too much.”
Maverick and the boys were singing when we got back in the car.
“Already fraternizing with my boys? You’re a keeper, Maverick,” Lisa said.
The drive to Lisa’s cabin was only fifteen minutes. Lisa’s cabin was homey, but it wasn’t huge, which meant Maverick and I had to share the guest bedroom, which only had one bed. Maverick had volunteered to sleep on the couch but Lisa, dissuaded him from sleeping there.
“I’m sorry, Maverick. This couch is for our dog Bacon. Guess you have to sleep in the guest bedroom and share a bed with Harper, if you don’t mind?” Lisa kept winking at me. She was obviously trying to set me up with Maverick.
“I don’t mind sleeping there. But does Harper not mind?” Maverick glanced at me. “I can stay at the other side of the bed if she’s not comfortable.”
“Yes, she doesn’t mind,” Lisa answered for me, and to me, she whispered, “Just go with it, Harper.”
I nodded in agreement.
Lisa set the box of pizza on the kitchen table. “Now that it’s settled, let’s go have dinner of non-gourmet pizza!”
The boys helped set up the table. Lisa took out a bottle of red wine and poured herself a drink. She drank the wine first before pouring into two more wine glasses. She then physically directed me to sit with Maverick. The boys handed us a plate, a knife and a fork.
“Beckett, no knife and spoon!” Lisa pretended to be mad. “Are we barbarians? You know we only eat pizza with our hands?”
Maverick laughed, which surprised even Lisa. She didn’t think she was that hilarious.
“Okay, Mom. I was just trying to be polite.”
Lisa turned to Maverick. “You don’t eat pizza with your hands?”
Maverick replied, “I do. I completely do. That’s the only way to eat pizza. It’s a sin to eat pizza with a knife and a fork.”
Atticus gave us two slices each. He walked around the table and made sure he loaded our plates with the right amount of pizza. He even handed us the pepper flakes and parmesan. Lisa made sure today was extra special.
“Lisa, this truly is a special day. Double pepperoni pizza?”
“Of course, only the best for my guests.” She smiled.
Maverick laughed again.
The pizza had the right crust—not too thick, not too thin. It had a crunchy smokey crust, and the mozzarella cheese was gooey. I sprinkled it with parmesan and pepper flakes.
“This is delicious.” Maverick took big bites. “Harper, can you make something like this for The Flamingo?”
“Yes, but we need a wood-fired oven.”
“I’ll call my contractor. We need to bring something like this there!”
“I’m impressed, Maverick. You have contractors on speed dial?” Lisa commented.
Maverick blushed.
“He’s a developer,” I told Lisa.
“Sounds like you’re an important person,” Lisa told Maverick.
I hadn’t really updated Lisa on what had been going on between me and Maverick. I had mentioned him in one of our chats, but I was mostly fawning over Julian.
After dinner, Lisa ordered the boys to clean the dishes, which they did. Lisa told them to walk Bacon next and then do their homework after. They were obedient boys and didn’t even complain. The three of us went outside to the backyard patio with our wine glasses in hand. Lisa started a fire and turned on the string lights to reveal her giant trampoline.
When Maverick saw the trampoline, his eyes widened. “I’ve never seen a trampoline this huge before.”
“Yeah, my ex got it for us. It was part of the divorce settlement. A giant trampoline was one of my demands,” Lisa joked.
Maverick walked over to the trampoline and got in. Then he started jumping on it.
“This is fun, Harper. Come join me!”
Lisa told me to go. “Harper, you know I’m your friend, right?”
“Yes.”
“This guy is so obviously into you. I’d be so upset if you guys didn’t do anything tonight.”
“Lisa… that’s kind of inappropriate. He’s my friend.”
“If you want me to believe that, Harper, then I’m the Pope.”
“What?” I was confused.
“It means that it sounds so ridiculous.”
“I can’t be doing the ‘deed’ with him with the boys around,” I said.
“Well, when Atticus was two, we made sure he was asleep and we still did the deed. My ex-husband was a freak and had a high libido.”
“Eww, Lisa. Too much information.”
“I’m just saying it’s normal. You have my blessing. If you don’t consummate tonight, I’ll kick you out.”
I laughed nervously. “You’re too much sometimes.”
“Go. Go with him. Spend time with him. Then tell me all about it tomorrow.” Lisa stood. “Hey, Maverick, good night! I’m going to be helping the boys out with their math homework. I’ll see you tomorrow!”
He waved at her while still jumping on the trampoline. Lisa walked back inside, leaving me alone with Maverick. I walked towards the trampoline. The trampoline was high so I struggled to get in, and Maverick extended his hand. I took his hand, and he pulled me up, impressing me with how strong he was.
Maverick held my hands, and we started bouncing on the trampoline. It was fun bouncing up and down; I found it very liberating. We did this for a few minutes until we fell to lay down on the trampoline. Lisa was probably watching us because she dimmed the string lights just enough for us to see the night sky.
“This is just like my childhood,” Maverick recounted. “I played with cousins and we used to jump on the trampoline.”
“I was an only child. I didn’t grow up with my cousins. It was just me and my mom. I didn’t have a lot of playmates growing up.”
“My mom raised me too as a single mother. She was the most hardworking woman I know.”
“Same,” I said wistfully.
“Harper, look, it’s a shooting star!” Maverick pointed to the sky. “Let’s make a wish.”
It was then that Lisa turned on the music; the speaker started playing slow romantic music.
“What did you wish for, Maverick?” I asked him.
He turned to me. He was still breathing heavily from the jumping. “It’s already coming true.”
He was so close that I could feel his warm breath on my skin. I was so close to him that I could smell his cologne. It had a masculine, clean, woody smell to it, which my senses really found really appealing. Maverick leaned closer and steadied my face so he could kiss me. His kiss was tender and loving at first, then it became more passionate and deeper.
He was still very respectful, so I took his right hand and guided him to touch my breast. He looked surprised that it was what I wanted but then he started touching the tip of my nipples with his thumb and index finger, making me gasp.
In response, I grabbed his dick, which was already very hard.
“Maverick, how much do you want me?” I asked him. He looked at me intensely with his green eyes.
“I’ve always wanted you from the day I met you,” he revealed.
“I want to feel you inside of me,” I told him softly.
It triggered him to kiss me even more passionately. Then he started rubbing my pussy. I instantly felt myself moisten down there.
He sat up from the trampoline and held my hand. “Let’s go.”
He helped me get down from the trampoline. We got back inside, making sure we weren’t making any noise. The dog was sleeping on the couch.
Inside the guest room, I noticed the headboard and smiled. It seemed that Lisa had placed towels behind the headboard and against the wall, anticipating that the bed would be rocking tonight. She had also set up mood lighting because the lamp was already dimmed. There were also fresh flowers and petals on the bed. Lisa was obviously anticipating something.
Maverick sat me at the edge of the bed, holding my shoulders.
“May I?” he asked.
“Undress me all you want. Just promise to give me a good fuck,” I ordered him.
“I’ll make love to you, Harper.”
He pulled down my dress. He unsnapped my bra to reveal my breasts. When he saw my breasts, his face lit up. He then pulled down my underwear. Maverick kissed me on the lips then my neck. He touched my clavicle, tracing it with his fingers. He licked the tip of my nipples, then he started sucking my breasts, which made me arch my back. At first, he was sweet and tender, but then, he just started devouring my breasts. He started biting into my nipples, which hurt good.
When he was done enjoying my breasts, he started kissing my mound. Then he placed his middle finger inside my pussy. I was already very wet. He spread my legs wide with his arms then just started eating my pussy. It felt so good that I started moaning, but he covered my mouth.
“Shh,” he said with his index finger on his lips.
I nodded in agreement. I didn’t want to make too much noise because the boys might hear us.
He went back to eating my pussy, and this time, I tried not to moan too loudly, which was hard. My body started shaking in pleasure. I underestimated Maverick. He was even a better lover than Julian. He wasn’t even inside me yet, and I had already come. If the foreplay was this good, I was already excited about the penetration. Maverick started playing with my clit with his index finger and his thumb, sending waves of pleasure throughout my body.
I was breathing hard, but I managed to plead. “Please, please. I want you deep inside me. Please fuck me good.” I was almost crying in pleasure.
Maverick took his shirt off. Then he took his boxers off to reveal a very taut dick. It was bigger than I had ever imagined. He was thick and long. I spread my legs wide, getting ready to receive him.
But Maverick kept teasing me. Touching my pussy with just the tip of his penis, then entering me halfway, only to take it out.
I started protesting. “Oh please, Maverick. Make love to me.”
When he entered me fully, I didn’t expect his dick to be so thick and hard. He plunged in deep. Then kept pushing even deep inside my pussy. He was pumping slow at first but then started pumping harder and harder. Pushing deeper and faster. He felt so good inside of me. I wanted to moan louder, but he muffled the sound of my moans with his hand.
Maverick draped my legs on his shoulder before thrusting again, pumping into me really fast. It felt so good that my eyes started rolling back. He kept on pumping and pumping into me that I never wanted it to stop. He lasted a long time until he came inside of me.
He didn’t collapse on top of me, instead, he said, “I’ll be fucking you doggie style soon. But let me eat you again.”
He started eating my pussy again and placing his index finger inside. I came right away. I was already dripping with my come mixed with his.
“Oh, Harper, I’ve always wanted to do this to you since the day we met.”
“You wanted to fuck me?”
“You have no idea.”
After a few minutes, he was hard again. He flipped me on my stomach and started pumping me doggie style. I could hear him slamming inside me. His cock was so huge, every time he pumped deeper, it sent waves of pleasure to my entire body.
“Maverick, you feel so good. You feel so damn good.”
“I can fuck you all night, Harper. Your pussy is divine.” He grabbed my hair and kept fucking me like a madman. “You’re delicious, Harper. You’re so goddamn delicious.”
He had more lasting power than Julian; he just kept pumping and pumping me. I lost count of how many times I came. He felt so good inside of me. I never wanted it to end.
But then, he stopped pumping me and rolled me on my back. He lifted me, carrying me with my legs resting on my arms. He was still very hard. He pushed his penis inside of me, and I embraced him. He directed my butt up and down so that I was pumping him.
“Harper, oh, Harper.” He was breathing even more heavily now.
As I was bouncing on his penis, I realized that tasting him in different angles made the lovemaking so special. He gently set me back in bed and draped my legs on his shoulder again but this time, he pressed harder on me. He pumped with even greater ferocity than before. All I could feel was maximum pleasure. All I could hear was the loud slapping sound as he pumped deeper and deeper into me. This went on for several minutes until we climaxed together. Only then did he collapse on top of me. I’ve had multiple orgasms in just one night with him. It was, by far, the best sex I’ve ever had in my life.
He kissed me on the forehead. “Let’s go to sleep, love.”
Maverick was right. We didn’t just have sex. We made love. There was something different about what I had with Maverick. With our friendship, it made the lovemaking even more special.
I kissed Maverick on the lips. “Goodnight, Maverick.”
“Good night.”
That night, I rested on top of Maverick’s chest. I’ve never felt so content in my entire life.
***
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of Maverick’s light breathing. His eyes were closed, still asleep. I looked down at his penis. He had morning wood. It almost seemed like Maverick sensed my gaze because he opened his eyes. “What are you looking at, Harper?” he asked, sleepily.
“Why are you still hard?” I asked, curious.
“Because I had a dream, I made love to an angel. You’re that angel, Harper.”
“Can I suck you?”
“If you want to.”
I sat up and bent down to suck his penis. Maverick started grunting in pleasure.
“Harper.” He closed his eyes. He had obviously enjoyed it.
“I need to return the favor.”
I kept on sucking on his dick. My pussy was already wet, and I wanted him inside me. So I positioned myself on top of him and started fucking him cowgirl style. He steadied me with his hands as I bounced on top of him. I enjoyed this position because I could see him looking at me.
At first, I pumped him slowly then I started pumping him fast. It didn’t take long for him to come, moaning in pleasure. I derived satisfaction from the fact that I had pleased him too.
“Harper, your pussy feels so tight. It’s so good.”
I was filled with his come, but I wanted more.
“Maverick, I don’t think we’re ever going to get out of this bed. I enjoy making love with you too much.”
“Harper, me too.”
I positioned myself next to him, and we started kissing. He was hard again in no time, so he told me to turn around. I gladly turned my back to him, so he could position himself to take me from behind.
“Maverick, fuck me good.”
He did so but at a slow and steady pace. There was no rush to get me to climax. He pumped me with tenderness, that went on for more than five minutes. I was enjoying it so much I didn’t want him to stop. He made sure I climaxed first, and when I did, he hugged me tight and started pumping harder and harder until he came inside me again too. He let out that grunt of pleasure that I found very attractive.
We slept again after our morning lovemaking session and woke up an hour later. We took a shower together and soaped each other’s private parts.
“I’m glad you went on this trip with me, Maverick, “I told him as I was soaping his member.
“I’m glad I came too.” He massaged my pussy with soap.
“I’m horny again,” I declared. “At this point, we may never make it to breakfast.”
“We can still make it if we have a quickie.” Maverick rinsed my pussy with water then rinsed his penis, too. The water was nice and warm. He pressed me against the wall while the shower was still running. Then he fucked me from behind. Just as he had promised, he gave me a quickie, but it was a goodie.
After our lovemaking session in the shower, he toweled me dry, and I toweled him dry. We slid into our clothes. When we stepped out of the room, we were greeted by the smell of cooked bacon.
The boys were setting up the table. Lisa was standing in front of the stove, cooking bacon.
Atticus reminded his mother, “Mom, remember we want it crispy not toasty.”
“Son, you think I can’t cook the bacon right?” Lisa protested.
This time, Beckett reminded his mother, “Mom, you keep burning the food. We have trust issues now.”
Lisa said mockingly, “Ha ha, boys.”
We made our presence known. Lisa turned around and looked at me from head to toe.“Wow, someone is glowing today.”
“Oh Lisa, don’t be a tease.”
Maverick said good morning sheepishly.
“Someone woke up in a good mood,” she pointed at Maverick.
Maverick was holding my hand, and Lisa noticed. She told us to sit down on the breakfast table as she finished cooking breakfast for us.
Beckett turned to me and complained, “Aunt Harper, I beg you, please cook our breakfast for us. Mom will overcook the bacon and eggs again.”
“Again?” Lisa pretended to be insulted. “Have I ever?”
Maverick volunteered to finish cooking.
Atticus looked suspiciously at Maverick. “Aunt Harper, you sure he can cook?”
“Yes, Atticus. He can cook, surprisingly. Just don’t let him mix you a cocktail.”
“What’s a cocktail?” Atticus asked innocently.
Lisa shushed him. “Atticus, it’s not something you need to learn about now. Go make us coffee.”
Atticus said, “Okay, Mom.”
“Beckett, you walk the dog.”
“Yes, Mom.” Beckett immediately looked for the leash and took the dog for a walk.
Lisa took me aside. “So, give me the scoop. Was he good in bed?”
Maverick was busy cooking breakfast and didn’t notice we were gossiping about him.
“He is amazing in bed. I lost count how many times I came,” I revealed. I was grinning from ear to ear.
“Wow, he’s that good, huh?”
“And I know I bragged about the other guy, but Maverick’s really well endowed.”
Lisa seemed impressed. “Girl, good for you. After that lousy Benoit, I’m glad you found a replacement. Ask him to put a ring on it.”
“Lisa, it’s too soon.”
“Well, I just want to be invited to the wedding in the Caribbean.”
“You’re too much. There doesn’t need to be a wedding. I’m just going to invite you.”
“Whatever.” Lisa rolled her eyes.
Maverick finished cooking as the boys came back, and we started eating. Since it was weekend, Lisa planned a trip to the town to show Maverick around.
Beckett and Atticus were happy that the breakfast tasted decent.
Beckett commented, “Thanks, Maverick, the food is really good.”
I looked at Lisa. “Lisa, how can you mess up bacon and eggs? Really?”
Lisa defended herself. “I just got distracted and forgot to turn the bacon.”
“You’re supposed to keep an eye on the food, Mom,” Beckett told Lisa.
“One time she forgot to turn the bacon, it was burnt to a crisp,” Atticus recounted.
“Oh boys, are you bashing mom now?” Lisa looked at her boys.
The boys laughed. “We’re just kidding, Mom.”
After breakfast, we went to town for the farmer’s market. Lisa and I walked side by side while the boys were chatting with Maverick. They were walking behind us.
“I miss having a guy in my life, Harper,” Lisa confided. “Having Maverick interact with the boys made me realize the importance of having a male figure in our lives. I think I’m going to start dating again.”
I was pleasantly surprised by this news. “I’m glad, Lisa. You really should. There’s Rocco.”
“You’re right. I’m going to join yoga classes more often.”
“Yeah, lure him in,” I joked.
“I’m going to bat an eyelash and throw a handkerchief in his way.” We both laughed.
Maverick bought the boys ice cream, which I didn’t approve of at this time of the day. But I wasn’t their mother. Lisa didn’t seem to mind. We walked around the small stalls. We passed by a stall that sold pretty bracelets with semi-precious stones. Maverick bought a bracelet and gifted it to me.
“A pretty bracelet for a pretty woman,” he said after placing the bracelet on my wrist.
I thanked Maverick profusely. We sat on tables near where the musicians were playing music. They were playing folk music. People started dancing, and Maverick invited me to dance with him in the front. At first, I was shy, but Lisa practically shoved me to the front. I felt awkward dancing in front of a crowd, and it didn’t help that Lisa kept cheering me on, which attracted more attention.
“Just enjoy the moment, Harper. Just listen to the music. Follow my lead,” Maverick whispered in my ear as we danced side by side.
We spent the afternoon in town and went home before dinner. The kids demanded I cook them spaghetti, which I gladly did. Lisa was my assistant, and I taught her how to cook spaghetti. Maverick played ball with the boys, and they jumped on the trampoline.
During dinner, the boys got two servings of spaghetti, topping it with a lot of cheese. And since it was our last night at Lisa’s before we leave for the Caribbean, Maverick made sure that he played video games with them all night.
Lisa and I spent our evening sipping wine and catching up. It was 1 a.m. when Maverick and I went to bed. He was already pretty exhausted. There was no lovemaking, but we did cuddle.
Everyone woke up early for our 10 a.m. flight. Lisa and the boys hugged me as they dropped us off at the airport. The boys fist bumped with Maverick and promised to stay in touch. Lisa promised that she would take the boys for the summer in Grenada. Maverick guaranteed that they would have a place to stay.
We hopped on our eight-hour flight. I sat by the window seat and watched as Colorado’s snow-capped mountains disappeared into view. It was a very productive trip, but I felt a pang of sadness at the loss of my old life. At the same time, I felt a nervous anticipation of the new life I was forging for myself. I felt hopeful for my new future. Maverick might’ve sensed I was worried about something, because he held my hand and kissed it.