Chapter 28 Maya
Maya
She woke slowly, her body warm and heavy beneath the sheets.
The light in the room was soft with a morning-gray, diffused by curtains she’d half-closed the night before. Maya’s bedroom felt quiet, almost still.
And full.
Theo was in her bed.
He was sprawled across the mattress, one leg kicked out like he’d been trying to claim space even in sleep. His arm was draped over her middle, palm resting against the soft curve of her belly, his breath deep and even against her shoulder.
His face, half-buried in the pillow, looked softer like this. Peaceful. Long, dark lashes, parted lips, the tiniest crease between his brows even while resting. In the light of day, she peered closer and saw the tiniest silver flecks in his neglected scruff.
Her heart did something weird in her chest.
She hadn’t had a man in her bed in… years.
This—his body curled around hers, one bent limb tossed over her like he’d sleepwalked into comfort—this was intimate. And strange.
Strange in the way a new habit is strange; unfamiliar and gently startling.
But it didn’t feel wrong.
In fact, it felt... good.
Like something she could get used to.
She let her fingers brush his forearm, slow and absent, as if confirming he was real. He groaned under her touch and snuggled closer to her.
“How did you sleep?” he asked in a gravelly voice.
“Surprisingly well,” Maya admitted, stroking his bicep with her nails.
With his eyes still closed, he smiled and rubbed his lips against her arm. “Mmh… that feels good…”
She was about to turn into him, let herself fold into his embrace—
But the sound of familiar footsteps made her pause.
The steady clomp of Doc Martens were on their way toward her bedroom.
“I need you to approve these social media posts so I don’t fuck up again!” came Simone’s voice from somewhere in the hallway.
Theo groaned against her shoulder.
Simone’s footsteps were getting closer.
“Why are you still in bed? It’s almost noon.”
Maya whispered a curse and bolted upright, yanking the sheet up to cover both of them.
Theo shifted against her. “I hope that’s a ghost.”
“Nope, just my diligent assistant,” she sighed. “With keys.”
At least Simone had the wherewithal to knock. “You alive?”
“I’ll join you in a minute!” Maya called out as she shimmied out of bed, trying not to expose Theo or face-plant onto the hardwood.
As soon as her feet hit the floor, every muscle she’d used last night—glutes, thighs, back, everything—locked up like her body had declared war.
“Shit,” she hissed, clutching the edge of the nightstand.
Behind her, Theo chuckled sleepily. “Need a hand?”
“No,” she gritted out. “I just forgot that I’m forty-five and haven’t ridden a man like a carnival attraction in a very long time.”
“That’s a shame,” he said, voice still rough with sleep. “Because I think your round-two form was excellent.”
She groaned, straightening slowly. “My entire form is now cramping, Theo.”
“Mm. That sounds like a conditioning issue,” he said, stretching out luxuriously across her bed like he hadn’t just ruined her skeletal system. “Might need regular training to build endurance. I could offer a personalized plan.”
Maya turned to glare at him, but the sight of his bare chest and cute little smile made her thighs clench… and regret it immediately.
“God, even my knees are mad at me,” she muttered.
He grinned. “You want me to kiss them better?”
“Get out of my bed.”
He flopped back dramatically. “Rude.”
Theo finally rolled out of bed, clearly unbothered by his lack of clothing, or the disaster they’d probably left in the hallway closet.
Maya, meanwhile, was trying to pull on a robe with the grace of someone whose hamstrings had resigned.
“Where are my pants?” Theo asked, looking around like they might magically appear on the ceiling.
“Check the floor,” she chuckled.
He found them half-crumpled beside the bedroom door and stepped into them without shame, running a hand through his dark curls. Still shirtless. Still looking like sin.
Maya gave him a once-over and sighed. “You cannot walk out there looking like that.”
He flexed his muscles. “Why not?”
She tossed a pillow at him. “Shirt, Theo.”
He tugged it on, backwards at first, then corrected it and shot her a wink. “Better?”
She squinted at his tousled, recently-fucked vibes. “Almost, but it doesn’t matter. Simone is smart enough to know what’s going on.”
But she braced herself as she opened the bedroom door anyway.
Simone was in the kitchen with her laptop open, earbuds in, surrounded by the half-mess of Maya’s book-launch chaos: mugs, sticky notes, two burnt candles, and a tube of lip gloss standing upright in a coffee cup.
She looked up as they walked in. Maya in a robe, Theo at her side, both of them disheveled as fuck.
Simone blinked once before saying, in the flattest tone imaginable, “You know what? I’m happy for you.”
Maya’s face burned. “Simone—”
Theo cut her off. “Thank you.”
“I would also like to formally apologize,” she continued, setting her laptop aside. “For the Instagram fiasco.”
Theo stepped forward, holding out a hand. “Forgiven.”
Simone shook his hand with a bright smile. “It’s nice to meet the face that goes with the voice.”
She turned to Maya. “Can you please approve these posts so I can go back to pretending your closet is just a closet.”
Maya glanced at the hallway coat closet and groaned. A mess of towels and blankets were spilling out, along with Theo’s recording equipment.
“Ah, yes,” Theo immediately ran to the closet and gathered his things. Meanwhile, Maya gave Simone a pointed stare, daring her to say anything else. The girl stayed quiet.
Theo emerged from the closet with the last of his gear slung over one shoulder. “By the way… that was it.”
Maya blinked. “What was?”
“That last scene. You finished Yvette’s chapters.”
She straightened slightly. “Wait—are you sure?”
Theo nodded, smile easy. “Paul’s portion has already been uploaded, and you just nailed the final three chapters from her arc last night.”
Maya stared at him, brain slow to catch up. “That was the end?”
“That was the end.”
She sat down hard on the arm of her couch. “Shit.”
Simone’s eyes went wide. “Oh my god, you’re done!”
“Well,” Theo said, gently setting the backpack near the door, “now you just have to listen to the full master. Make sure it’s everything you want before you upload.”
Maya sat back, still stunned. “I didn’t think we were that close.”
“You nailed the pacing,” he said. “I didn’t want to say anything mid-recording, but I knew halfway through—you were going to finish.”
“I’m not taking credit,” Simone said quickly, hands in the air. “But I am responsible for your employment.”
Theo bowed his head. “Thank you, Simone.”
Maya looked down at the floor, barely believing that she’d actually pulled it off.
The thing that had kept her up at night, twisting her stomach into knots, was finished now. And somehow, despite all her fears, she hadn’t just survived it; she’d enjoyed it.
Because, for once, someone else had contributed something meaningful to her work instead of stressing her out.
She smiled at the man who just wanted to see her win. “Thank you for this.”
Theo leaned over, kissed her cheek, and whispered, “You’re gonna be proud of it.”
She already was.
“Just so you know…” Simone cut in, scrolling through her calendar, “You need to listen quickly because tomorrow night, your parents are hosting dinner. I can’t make it, but you should RSVP.”
Maya narrowed her eyes. “How do you know that?”
Simone grinned, not even pretending to be innocent. “Your mom kind of added me to the family text chain.”
Theo choked on a laugh. “Welcome to the Brooks’ Family Groupchat. Get ready for too many emojis and all-caps.”
“She what?”
“I think she was under the impression that you almost forgot about the anniversary dinner, and she said she ‘needed a backup system.’”
Maya groaned, dropping her face into her hands. “My mom is so messy.”
“She also sent a meme about how ‘every queen needs a good assistant,’” Simone added helpfully. “With a tiara emoji.”
Theo leaned in toward Maya with a grin. “Your mom just wants her brilliant daughter to have a home-cooked meal. She doesn’t think you’re eating or sleeping.”
Maya gave him a tired look. “She catastrophizes.”
Simone stood, stretching. “I need to call Lover’s Lane Bookstore about your shipment. Feel free to make out while I’m gone.”
Maya shouted after her, “We’re not making out.”
“I’m giving you permission,” Simone replied, already down the hall.
When they were left alone, a sudden shyness swept over Maya, making her feel like a lovesick teenager. “So… Friday night dinner,” she said, twisting a loose thread on her sleeve. “You down for an awkward time with my parents?”
Theo reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers like it was the easiest thing in the world. “Would it help if I brought my mom?”
She laughed softly, tugging him closer by their joined hands. “Yeah, maybe. Depends on how she’d feel about me dating her son…”
He raised a brow as a slow, teasing smile tugged at his mouth. “Are you dating her son?”
“I’d like to.” Her voice came out a little unsteady. Her eyes dipped to his mouth, lingering there. “I really enjoyed looking for ghosts with you.”
Theo’s grin widened, the mischief in his eyes softening into something warmer. “Good,” he murmured. “Because there’s plenty more where that came from.” He gave her hand a gentle squeeze before adding, quieter, “And just so you know… my mom’s going to think this is adorable.”
“Alright then,” she said softly. “Dinner with family.”
“And dating,” he added with a small smile.
“That too.”
Eventually, he glanced at the time glowing on the microwave and sighed. “I should go. I need to check the files before I send them to you.”
Maya walked him to the door, her shoulder brushing his as they moved. “When are you going to upload a new episode of Dead Airwaves? You usually post on Tuesdays, right?”
His lips pressed into a thin line as he reached for his gear. “I’m… still trying to figure that one out.”
She tilted her head, catching the hesitation in his voice. “Because of the audiobook?”
“Because of the noise,” he admitted after a beat. “I’ll go back to recording, but I want to make sure I come back with a clear message. Something between ‘choke on a dick’ and ‘thank you for being loyal listeners.’”
Maya snorted, covering her mouth with her hand. “Please work on the message.”
Theo’s lips curved, a faint grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Oh, I am. I’m just… picking my battles.” He glanced at her then, holding her gaze for a beat longer than necessary. “Some things are worth the fight. Some aren’t.”
Her laughter softened into something quieter, warmer. “I understand. But also, have you given any thought to a pen name? You know… if you want to stay anonymous.”
Theo hesitated for half a second, then shook his head. “No. If my voice is in it, I don’t want to pretend it isn’t me. I’m proud of what we made.”
Maya blinked, caught off guard by the steadiness in his tone. “Even with the noise?”
He gave a small shrug. “Especially with the noise.”
It had always been his choice to make, but hearing him stand on business made her deliriously happy. Something in her chest went light, then warm, curling up into her throat until she was smiling without meaning to.
Theo noticed. His gaze dipped to her mouth, lingering there for a quiet beat before leaning in. His hand cupped the side of her neck, his thumb brushing just beneath her jaw. When his mouth found hers, his kiss was steady and claiming, like he wanted her to feel every deliberate second of it.
By the time he pulled back, she was breathless, her forehead resting against his.
“Friday,” he said softly, thumb grazing her cheek before he stepped away. “Dinner with family.”
She managed a nod, voice gone thin. “Friday.”
And then he was gone, leaving her in the doorway with her heartbeat still racing and the taste of him lingering on her lips.