28. Maverick Carter
Chapter twenty-eight
Maverick Carter
Levi: Anyone want to go to the gun range today? I have to go for work, so I figured we could go together.
I glance down at my phone, then at Evie whose head is on my lap. Beckham has gone back to sleep after taking the medicine I picked up earlier, so we’re relaxing on the couch and watching a movie. Evie let me choose this time, and I chose Karate Kid , because I know she secretly loves it. It’s why her eyes are glued to it now, though they’re starting to droop some with each pass of my hand through her hair.
Adrian: Working.
Grayson: I can make time. Would it be fine if Sloane came? She could get good content for her social media.
Levi: Fine by me. Mav? Are you at the bakery today?
I sigh, knowing as soon as I tell them they’re going to overreact. I could lie, but it feels like the right thing to let them know, what with how much they’ve supported Beckham and Evie. Before I can say anything though, more texts come through.
MJ: Why isn’t anyone asking me if I’m coming?
Levi: Because you’re pregnant and Bash would kill us.
Grayson: Also you don’t like the gun range.
MJ: Fair. Carry on.
Levi: Mav?
Maverick: I can’t make it today. We took Beckham to the emergency room early this morning because he had a high fever. He’s fine, but I’m going to stay at home to help Evie.
Grayson: What?! Why didn’t you tell us?
Levi: Do you need anything?
MJ: What did the doctor say?
Adrian: How is Evie doing?
My eyebrows raise at the series of questions. I expected this, but it’s still a lot to take in.
Maverick: I didn’t tell you because I was busy taking care of him and Evie. We don’t need anything, thanks for asking though. The doctor said he has a sinus infection. And Evie is doing well, she’s resting right now.
I press send on the message, hoping that will satisfy them.
MJ: I’ll have Sebastian drop off one of my oil blends. You can put it in your diffuser and it will help open up sinuses and keep you and Evie from getting sick.
My sister believes there’s an oil for everything. She doesn’t think it replaces a trip to the hospital, but she does think she can cure most things with the contents of her apothecary.
Maverick: I could do that if I still had a diffuser. Does a humidifier work ?
I grimace as I wait for her reply. She’s not going to be happy I got rid of mine.
MJ: I’ll have him bring over one of ours. Please don’t tell me you’re burning those terrible candles again.
Maverick: No comment.
Grayson: You’re in trouble now. I use the natural soy candles so she can’t get mad at me.
“Who is texting you so much?” Evie mumbles when my phone goes off for the millionth time. She looks up at me, her eyes at half-mast and her brows scrunched.
“My siblings,” I say with a sigh. “I told them I couldn’t go somewhere with them today because Beckham is sick. MJ is now sending over an oil diffuser. I’m sure the rest of my siblings will find something to give us as well.”
A sleepy smile pulls at her lips. “It’s sweet that they care so much.”
“Sure, but they can also be overbearing.”
She sits up and stretches her arms above her head with a yawn.
“I’d rather overbearing than uncaring any day,” she says.
I give her a sympathetic smile. After all that she’s been through, I’m sure she means it.
“I’ll be sure to pass that message on to Drew.” She shoots me a sassy look before standing. “And where are you going? You’re supposed to be resting .”
“I’m going to get some more whipped cream,” she says, turning to walk away, but I catch her hand.
“You ate all of it. What are you really going to do?”
She purses her lips to the side. I raise an expectant brow .
“Okay, fine, I was going to fold some laundry. Beckham is asleep and it needs to be done–” her words cut off with a gasp as I tug her into my lap. She straddles my legs, her palms flattening on my chest.
“You said you were going to rest, Wilder.”
“I am, after the laundry gets done.” She gives me an innocent smile.
“You were about to fall asleep a minute ago.”
She runs a finger down the bridge of my nose. I wish I could keep a straight face when she does, but I can’t. I smile like the lovesick man I am.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was intently watching the movie.”
“The movie you insist that you don’t like?” I question.
She bites her lip. “Okay, it’s a decent movie.”
“And?”
“ And I was falling asleep, but the laundry really does need to be done.”
I reach up and tuck a stray lock of hair behind her ear. The smile she wears in response would have the power to bring me to my knees if I weren’t already sitting down.
“You need to rest. How about you lay down for a little while, then we work on the laundry together once you wake up?”
She traces formless patterns on my chest as she thinks. If I close my eyes I might be the one to fall asleep first with her doing this.
“I can agree to that plan, with one small amendment.”
“Oh?” I ask, noting the playful smirk on her lips.
“We’ve been discussing needs,” she says, leaning in. “I have another to add to the list. ”
She traces the outline of my mouth with her fingertip, before trailing it down my neck.
“What would you like to add?” Keeping my voice steady is a hopeless cause.
She meets my gaze. Her blue eyes hooded, desire swirling in her irises. “You.”
I don’t know who moves first. Maybe we do at the same time. All I know is suddenly we’re kissing. Her hands rake through my hair, pulling a groan from me. I nip at her bottom lip when she smirks against my mouth. When she gasps I use the opportunity to deepen the kiss. She tastes like maple candy. It makes me want to feed her all my favorite desserts just to see how they taste on her lips.
When we break apart, she presses her forehead against mine, her short, rapid breaths fanning my face.
“How is it that you’ve already got me addicted?” I murmur, framing her face with my hands before stealing a breathless kiss.
“I don’t know,” she whispers. “I keep worrying I’m going to wake up and this will all be a dream. That you won’t want me anymore.”
“How could you think that, Wilder?” I stroke her cheekbones with my thumbs, opening my eyes to stare meaningfully into hers. “My desire for you knows no bounds, it disregards all restraint. I’ve lain awake at night thinking of your lips on mine, of holding you tight and not letting go. The only thing that’s held me back is fear that you don’t feel the same. Now that I know you do?” I smile. “There’s no going back.”
She takes in a shaky breath. Her eyes are glassy. I pull back to give her space to breathe, letting my hands slide down to the dip of her waist .
“You can’t say things like that, Carter,” she says, her voice tight with emotion. “I’m already in danger of falling much too fast for you.”
A soft chuckle escapes my lips. “I could say the same to you, beautiful.”
“I can’t believe this is real,” she says, closing the distance between us once more. Right as she’s about to kiss me, the sound of Beckham crying reaches my ears. “Okay, now I can believe it.”
I laugh, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before moving her off my lap.
“I’ll go check on him. You lay down.”
“I’m not Maisy, don’t talk to me like I’m a dog,” she says, pouting as I stand.
“So does that mean you don’t want me to call you a good girl again?”
Her mouth drops. She pulls a pillow out from behind her and chucks it at me. I catch it easily and toss it back on the couch.
“You’re terrible,” she calls out as I head to my bedroom where Beckham is in his bassinet.
“And yet you love me,” I say back, my smile growing as I realize that the definition is growing and expanding for her too.
When I pick Beckham up and his crying quiets immediately, I realize that definition is only going to continue to evolve for the rest of our lives. As he grows, as we grow as a family. I might be getting ahead of myself. My brothers might tell me to slow down, but then they’d be a bunch of hypocrites because they fell in love just as fast if not faster than me.
Maybe I am falling too hard too fast. But then again, maybe Grayson is right and I’ve been falling all along, I’m only just now realizing it. Either way, I’m helpless to stop it, so I’m just going to settle in and enjoy every second.