Chapter 22
MAVERICK
Since I’m not a groomsman, Boo and Gina insisted I tag along with the bridesmaids to karaoke night.
Mom and Aunt Liv arrived before dinner, and they spent the afternoon with Gina and Mindy looking at wedding plans, pictures, locations, and basically planning out how Gina and Owen can tie the knot here once the season ends.
Mom also took every opportunity to ask me to look at this, or what do I think about that, and it’s so nice that it’s Dove’s home and pointing out how much easier it would be to combine forces and just do a double wedding.
Dove and I’ve been circling each other like planets caught in each other’s orbit. The pull between us is so strong, the air practically crackles. I glance at her, and she smiles.
She walks around in those cutoffs and that tank top that stretches agonizingly tight over her breasts, and all I can think of is her in the bed this morning.
Not just her beautiful breasts. I think about her sexy body twisted in the sheets, her hair sticking to her neck like she’d just been fucked good and hard.
That’s how I’d like to do it. If she’s into that, of course.
Fuck, I have no idea what she’s into now. She really blew my mind this afternoon.
I’ve always known Dove was fun-loving and adventurous, but I didn’t think she’d get in the shower with me and help me jerk off. I have to shift my stance at that memory.
“Need some help?” Her soft voice is at my side, and I look down to see she’s in a red dress with thin straps and little white polka dots all over it.
The neck is a deep V, and it’s tantalizing. My Dove is a firecracker, and yeah, I called her mine. She’s hot and explosive and real and fucking good.
I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do about it, considering our situations haven’t changed one bit. She’s still coming back here when school ends, and I’m staying in LA playing hockey nonstop all the way through June.
It sucks, but I’m not thinking about that tonight.
“I’ll always take help from you.” I give her a wink, and her lips press into a smile.
“With the beer.” She points to the pitchers I’ve ordered for the table of ladies I get to spend the evening with.
“I’ll take these. You take the mugs.”
“So macho,” she teases.
“Do people still say macho?”
“I don’t know.” Her head dips, and her cheeks flush a soft pink. “I’m all wobbly, like I’ve forgotten how to talk to you.”
“Hey.” I catch her chin in my hand, forcing her eyes to mine. “It’s me, your old friend Maverick. Nothing has changed.”
She forces a little laugh. “Everything has changed, and you know it.”
My eyes follow her as she walks back to the table where the rest of the bridesmaids along with Mom and Aunt Liv, Noel and Mindy, Dove’s younger sister Penny, and Boo’s mom Tamara are sitting watching the show.
Her hips sway in that long skirt with a split up the side, and I lean back, letting my eyes run down her narrow hips, smooth legs, sassy cowboy boots.
Yeah, she’s right. Everything has changed. The way we kissed before she ran away… I want to do it all again. And again.
I take a seat at the table. Darcy is on the mic singing “Good Morning, Baltimore,” which is the same song she performed at the pageant years ago.
It also happens to be the same song Haddy’s mom, Aunt Raven, sang when she was in pageants as a little girl.
Her experience was as short-lived as Dove’s and equally confusing to me. I think all the ladies in my family are beauty queens.
Mom takes the chair beside me, sliding her hand into the crook of my arm. “I’m so glad I get to see you safe and well.”
She rests her head on my shoulder, and guilt pinches my gut. “Me, too.” I put my hand over her small one. “I’m sorry I scared you like that. Maybe you should be like when Dad was playing football. Don’t watch.”
She presses her lips in a sideways smile. “Maverick Murphy, you know I never missed a single one of your dad’s games.”
“Yeah, but you hid in the kitchen with Papa T watching on his teeny tiny black-and-white television.”
“Thomas is very superstitious. He believes if he watches the games on that television, they’ll win, no one will get hurt…”
“Glad to hear I got my superstitious nature honest.”
“You’re just like every athlete I’ve ever known.” She gives the side of my hair a gentle tug. “I don’t know what to make of this long hair.”
“Can’t cut it til we win the finals.”
“At least it’s shiny and clean.” She shakes her head, and we both perk up when the karaoke DJ calls Dove’s name.
Everybody claps. Gina cat-calls, and Dove steps out onto the stage, looking shy. We’re all preparing to hear her standard “Over the Rainbow” number from her pageant days when she was a blonde Dorothy with a helpful husky accompanying her down the yellow brick road.
I’m surprised to hear the strains of a steel guitar playing the opening chords of the classic love song "Hopelessly Devoted” from the movie Grease.
Mom lets out a little squeal, squeezing my arm and giving it a shake. “Will you do ‘Greased Lightning’?”
My eyes are fixed on Dove singing the song in a way that feels directly to me as I answer slowly, “I guess I have to.”
We cheer and the girls sing along as Dove performs the number. She’s very Sandy with her big blue eyes giving all the innocent vibes.
Although, I’m thinking she might be more end-of-the-movie Sandy than kiddie-pool Sandy.
She finishes with the final ooo, and the place erupts with cheers and more cat-calls. I think I start to breathe normally again, until she runs right off the stage straight to me, looking up and laughing.
“Well?” Her eyes are bright, and she holds my arm.
“You got me,” I confess, shaking my head. “I was expecting Dorothy.”
“I figured it was time to retire Dorothy and test out some new material. Something more in line with what you like.”
“I hope this means Mav’s planning to retire.” Mom gives Dove a hug. “That last injury was almost too much.”
Dove’s eyes widen, traveling from my mom to me. “I’d never ask him to do that. Mav loves hockey so much.”
“But now he loves you, yes? And you’re here.” Mom frowns, looking between us.
“Mom,” I groan. “For real.”
“Okay, okay, I’ll mind my own business.” She throws up her hands, walking back around to sit beside Aunt Liv.
Dove presses her lips into a smile, narrowing her eyes. “You do love me.”
She’s being adorably sassy, and she has no idea how real my answer would be.
“That’s the story.” I give her a little wink.
“You’d better get up there and give us some Danny Zuko before this party goes sideways.”
Looking down at her, I slide my thumb over her cheek. I’d really like to kiss her again, but I guess that’ll have to wait.
“I’ll get this party back on track.” I lift my eyes to the stage, and the place erupts into cheers as I jog up the steps and spread my legs, ready to thrust my hips and point around the room.
It’s after two when we’re all rolling out of the black SUV I ordered for us. I ordered two, but one takes Boo, Mindy, and their group to Tamara’s house, where they’ll all spend the night.
Our mothers, Gina, Dove, and I all pile out singing “You Light Up My Life” at the top of our lungs. The poor driver couldn’t be happier to drop us off.
“Best pageant song ever,” Noel decrees as she and Mom wrap their arms around each other’s waists and head up to the house.
“Night, you two,” Gina says, giving Dove and me a group hug. “Don’t be too loud down here. You’ll scare the chickens.”
“We don’t have chickens,” Dove replies loudly, and I’m a little worried.
Is she drunk? Fuck, I hope not. I watched her have a few beers tonight, but I don’t think it was too many… Still, she’s pretty small. Shit.
“That’s right,” Gina laughs, shaking her head. “My mom has the chickens!”
“Your grandmother, Gina Grace,” Aunt Liv scolds, shaking her head.
We all say our goodnights, and Dove puts her hand on my arm, leaning on me as we walk the few steps to the guest cottage. The door is unlocked, and we bustle into the dark room.
Our breath seems louder in the quiet. Her giggles have all my senses alert, listening for any sign of overindulgence.
We’re just inside the door when she turns to face me, putting her hands on the tops of my shoulders. “That was so much fun. It’s been so long since we did karaoke.”
“Yeah…” I nod, studying her face. “It was great.”
She’s so small, her chin is just at my sternum, and I reach over to flick on the lights. I want to get a good look at her eyes before I decide whether to stay here or head out to the flatbed again.
“Whoa.” She holds up a hand, squinting. “That is bright!”
“Look at me.” I take her chin in my fingers, tilting her head so I can see. “How are you feeling?”
Her blue eyes blink slowly, and she takes a step closer. “Good. How are you feeling?”
“I haven’t decided. Did you have too much to drink?”
Her nose wrinkles. “Are you worried about me? I know if I were drunk, you’d take good care of me.” She climbs onto the bed on her knees, putting her face closer to mine and shaking her head slowly. “But I don’t need that kind of care tonight.”
My chest is tight, and I want to believe her. “You sure?”
“Mm-hmm.” Her voice lowers, and her lips hover dangerously close to mine. “I liked the way you kissed me this afternoon.”
“How did I kiss you?” I lean closer, tracing my lips along the top of her cheek.
Her voice is breathless, and she holds my shoulders. “Like you wanted to devour me whole.”
“I did.” My hands span her waist, and I slide them lower to cup her ass through the silky dress. “I want to kiss you all over.”
“Hmm…” She does a little shiver. “And over again?”
A smile curls my lips. “Yes.”
Our mouths seal, and our second kiss is even better than the first. Her lips part, and our tongues slide together. She rises higher, wrapping her arms around my shoulders and pressing her soft body to mine.