Chapter 24
MAVERICK
As soon as I turn away with my mom, that asshole Corey Hayes moves in on Dove. My teeth clench, and as much as I love my mother, I’m ready to excuse myself and go over there.
But I can’t do that. Now that I’m so far away in Los Angeles, times like these are so important to my mom. I have to trust Dove can handle that guy on her own—even if my insides are tight and churning and all I can think about is going over there and escorting him out.
“I’m so proud of all you’ve accomplished in LA…” Mom is continuing what she was saying when we started to dance.
I’m embarrassed to tell her I wasn’t listening, so I do my best to pick up the thread. “Thanks.”
“I wasn’t as happy about all the sneaking around.” She tilts her head looking up at me. “It hurt my feelings a little. We were always so close when you were growing up. You were my cooking buddy, my partner in spice.”
My lips press into a smile, and I give her a little squeeze. “I still am. Just ask Haddy and Gina. I make spicy dishes for them all the time. We’re continuing the family tradition, just a little farther away.”
“Too far.” Her lip pokes out, and in the past when she’d start with this it made my stomach twist. It made me angry.
Now, I’m actually feeling the distance in Los Angeles. I am far away from the things I care about, and I wonder if there’s anything I can do about it.
“You know some people define parenting success by how close their children live to them,” she continues.
“That doesn’t seem like a fair gauge. What if their children are in the military or become missionaries?”
“You are neither of those things.” Her tone is pouty.
“It doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom.” I give her a little squeeze. “I’m just a great hockey player.”
“Cocky, just like your dad.” She grins, giving my side a pinch. “I still don’t have any grandkids.”
“Do you want grandkids when I’m not even married?”
“That’s another thing they listed… how much you like your child’s spouse.”
“Which I don’t have.” I tug on her arm. “Where is all of this coming from? You’re acting like you’re eighty years old. We’ve got plenty of time for all those things.”
She inhales deeply. “I know you’re a star, Maverick. But life is short. I want you to be with someone who loves you as much as I do.”
“I appreciate that, and I love you for it. Now stop worrying. It’ll happen when it’s time.”
“I want grandkids before I’m too old and frail to enjoy them.”
The song ends, and I step back, giving her a good once-over. “I think it’s safe to say you’ve got plenty of time for that. We both do.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dove storm away, and I give my mother one more hug. “I’ve got to get back to my date.”
“Take your time,” she calls after me. “You can even call it a night if you want. Dove is someone I like very much.”
Shaking my head, I wave her away before heading in the direction I saw Dove go. I like her very much as well, and I don’t like seeing her upset.
We’re down the hill in the open field behind the house, but she was headed into the trees. I’m pretty sure it’s in the direction she dragged me all those years ago.
I jog lightly up the path, wishing I wasn’t wearing expensive leather shoes that slip on the soil. I’m also in dress pants and a blazer, not exactly hill-climbing attire.
Still, I make my way further into the orchard until I get to the spot where I’m pretty sure her grandfather’s spirit lives. It’s an older tree, thick and slightly twisted. I’ve never asked her why it looks so different from the others.
“It was caught in a tornado.” Her soft voice comes from just ahead, and she steps into the path, walking down to where I’m standing.
She’s still wearing that thin silk top with the spaghetti straps and the wrap skirt that stops above her knees. With her pale hair hanging over her shoulder, she looks like a spirit herself in these woods.
“That’s why it’s all twisted like that,” she continues, putting her hand on the bark. “The tornado swirled it all around, but its roots were too deep to be torn from the ground.”
I put my hand on the trunk above hers, seeing the tree in a different light. “I didn’t know you got tornadoes here.”
“Not very often, but when we do, they leave a mark.” She walks slowly to where I’m standing.
We’re quiet a moment, facing the small tree that carries so much weight. I lift my chin, and look around, realizing we’re at the top of the hill, right at the line that divides death from life. It aches in my chest, because I know it weighs on her mind.
Stepping closer, I take her hand. “When you left just now, you seemed upset.”
Her fingers lace with mine, and she studies our connection before answering. “Corey thinks I need to be reminded about what we’re fighting here.”
The skin is tight on the back of my neck, and I reach up to massage it. I wish I’d have gone back to her like I wanted to.
“He’s obsessed with you, and it’s creepy and wrong.” And I’d like to punch him in the nuts.
She nods slowly, her voice quiet. “He’s definitely arrogant.” She looks out, over to the sick trees going down the south side. “He makes a point, though.”
He makes me angry. “He belabors the point. Your family is working hard, and you will beat this thing. If he admits it, he loses.”
Her fingers tighten in my hand, and she gives it a squeeze. “Only if we make it in time. We can do all these things and still be too late.”
“You won’t be.” I step closer, reaching up to slide my thumb along her brow. “I believe in you.”
She nods, but her happy smile hasn’t returned. “We’d better head back down to the party. They’ll all be wondering where we are.”
“Actually…” I take her hand and pull it into the crook of my arm. “We’ve been given permission to call it a night, so if you’d like to go back to the cottage, maybe do something else, something to take your mind off all this, I think we can.”
Her eyebrow arches, and she presses her lips together, smiling up at me. “Steal us a bottle of champagne?”
I lift her hand, pressing the back of her fingers to my lips. “Meet you there.”
“Maverick…” Dove gasps, her gorgeous tits bouncing as she rides me reverse-cowgirl style facing the mirror. “Oh… don’t stop!”
“Look at you…” My voice is strained. “This sexy body riding my cock.”
My hand is between her thighs, and I’m massaging her clit as fast as I can while I bite the side of her neck, swallow air, try to think about cold showers, shriveled ball sacs, hockey puck to the face… Anything to keep from blowing my load before she comes.
She’s showing off for me, and fuck, I’m about to cry. I can’t keep my eyes off her in the mirror. She’s a dream come true, a fantasy in real life. The queen of all my teenage dreams, but a billion times hotter.
Her head is pitched back against my shoulder, and her back is arched, lifting those perfect tits in a way that’s just too fucking much. Her blonde hair sways around us, her hands are on my thighs, and her chest flushes a beautiful shade of pink.
She’s a goddess… And she’s crying my name as she starts to come.
Please, fuck, tell me she’s coming. I won’t finish without my girl.
I groan, sliding my fingers back and forth even faster. “You ride me so good. My sexy, dirty girl…”
“That’s it,” she gasps. “Mav, that’s…”
My fingers flatten, and I slap her clit fast and firm. She lets out a scream, her body breaking, bending forward as her thighs tighten around my hand.
“Fuck,” I groan, letting my own orgasm go.
My body tenses and shudders, and I lean forward, wrapping my arms around her waist and pulling her against my chest. Her core clenches, milking me, and I lift my hips, thrusting into her, whispering swears as my mind blanks on pure pleasure, as our bodies transport to another plane.
I’ve never come this hard. I’ve never wanted someone this much. Dove Rhodes is more than I even knew how to fantasize about. She’s everything, and I’ll be damned if I can’t figure out a way to have her forever.
Lying in the bed, naked and satisfied, we face each other. I kiss her hand, and she twists a strand of my hair around her finger. The champagne bottle is empty, and we’re relaxed, sated, and… at least for me, so fucking happy.
Her thumb slides along my brow. “Are you still having concussion symptoms?”
I smile, tracing her own hair behind her ear. “To be honest, I forgot all about it two nights ago.”
Her nose wrinkles. “Have you heard from your coach?”
“Not since we left.” I think about how much has changed since Leek joined the staff. “He told me to take my time, heal, and get back when I could.”
“That seems very understanding for hockey.” Her brow furrows. “I’ve always heard it was such a demanding sport.”
“I don’t think he likes me very much,” I confess. “Or he doesn’t like the fact of me. That the other guys depend on me so much.”
The furrow in her brow turns to full-scowl. “I don’t like him so much. You’re the most welcoming member of that team. You look out for the other guys, you find them places to live…”
“Hey…” I laugh softly, putting my palm against her jaw. “How do you know all that?”
“Gina told me. It’s how she met Owen, isn’t it? She said you’re the team beautician.”
That makes me laugh out loud. I roll onto my back, and Dove dives into my chest, putting her arms around me and pressing her forehead against my skin.
“Don’t laugh at me!” she cries. “I don’t know anything about hockey.”
I wrap my arms around her, loving the feel of her small naked body against mine. “I’m laughing at Gina talking like a hockey player. Owen must’ve told her that.”
Her body relaxes, and she lifts her head. “So that’s a real thing?”
“Yeah… Unofficially.”
“I don’t understand why your coach wouldn’t value that. It seems like teams need that kind of leader.”
“Donovan is team captain.” I shrug thinking about the situation, thinking about how Leek talked to me before the last game, all the things he said. “Perhaps he’s just bad at communicating.”
“We’re heading back tomorrow.” She rolls onto her side under my arm, and I reach down to hold her close. “Will you go back to practice?”
“Yeah. I’m ready to get back on the ice.” I look down at her pretty face, noticing the tension creeping in again. “Are you missing school?”
“Yeah, but I feel guilty going back.” She exhales softly. “I need to finish what I’ve started.”
An unexpected pain hits my chest, and I press my thumb against the line between her brows. “I’m glad you’re coming back to finish.”
She rises onto her elbow, giving me a sad face. “I’ve had a lot of fun with you here. But I guess when we go back, we’ll need to go… all the way back.”
I blink at her, understanding settling over me like a hot, itchy blanket I don’t need and don’t want. “All the way…?”
“Back to just friends.” Her chin drops, and her lips press into a frown. “We have to, Mav. It’s impossible.”
“Is it?”
“You know it is. I’ll always come back here. You’ll always stay there.”
“But what about this weekend? What about Gina?” It sounds like I’m begging. Maybe I am.
“We can tell her it was all hormones. You were thinking with your dick…” Her eyebrow arches up at me, and I frown.
“It wasn’t just hormones.”
“No, you’re right. That’s not fair. You’ve been wonderful.” She shakes her head, shifting around so she’s lying on her back beside me. “I was thinking with my vagina.”
My chest twists. “Were you?”
“No.” Her voice is quiet, and she turns, placing her hand on my stomach. “But we can tell Leon it was me.”
Silence falls over us, and we stare up at the ceiling. The fan above turns slowly, a soft hiss creating a gentle breeze. Her head is on my shoulder, her body against my side, and I put my hand over hers. My arm is around her, and I’m completely miserable.
I don’t want to tell Leon anything. I don’t want to end it.
Eventually, she falls asleep in my arms, but I’m not sleeping. I watch the fan turn slowly. I listen to her soft sighs. Occasionally, her face nuzzles against my chest, and she exhales a sad noise. Is it the sound of her heartbreak? It’s the sound of mine.
My arm tightens around her, and I wonder where I end and where she begins. She’s right. Our situation is impossible, and I don’t know what to do about it.
I’ll respect her wishes, but the truth is, I’m irrevocably changed. This weekend wasn’t hormones. It was real, and I can’t go back to being friends.
I love her. She’s the one thing I can’t live without.
Holding her in my arms, she’s my future, my heaven. I’ll release her if that’s what she needs me to do, but I’ll never let her go.