Chapter 25
“Nana’s meddling was the reason I started dating my husband.”
— CLARK RHODES, TESTIMONIAL FOR MATCHMAKING MAMAS
Maverick
Damon maneuvered his behemoth of a pickup into an angled parking spot in front of The Stag Pub.
“Sorry I couldn’t get a reservation at The Dinner Bell,” he said. “I know a night at the pub isn’t exactly romantic.”
I was just happy we were going out as a couple. That this thing between us was real. Turned out, when you were with the right person, it didn’t really matter if you went on a picnic at sunset or to a pub on Main Street.
“I’m with you,” I said simply. “That’s good enough for me.”
He cut the engine and cast me a warm look. “Same. And if I’m honest, I can’t wait to see Percy’s face when I walk in as your date.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Are we really that petty?”
“We really are,” he said with a grin.
We got out of the truck, and he met me on the sidewalk, holding out his hand for me to take. My chest warmed as I linked our fingers. Ever since our misunderstanding last weekend, Damon had tried to reassure me that he was in this relationship with me.
He’d joined me and Mom for dinner at my place, introducing himself as my boyfriend and charming the heck out of her.
He’d popped into a video chat with my older sister, Chloe, to say hi and tell her congrats on her new job at the county sheriff’s department.
And he’d even invited me to his parents’ upcoming anniversary party.
But this would be the first time we were out on a date where everyone could see us. It was different than coming out to trusted family and friends.
I squeezed his hand as we reached the door. “You ready for this?”
“The real question, Mav, is are you?”
There was a gleam in his eye that I recognized. My stomach swooped. “What did you do?”
He pulled open the door, his grin wide and devious. “Just a little something to make our date special. Come on.”
Damon tugged my hand, drawing me inside with him.
Clapping started before the door had even clicked shut. I froze, looking around.
At a table near the door, Silas and Jamie were applauding us. A sharp whistle drew my gaze to Damon’s sister, Wendy, and his bestie brother-in-law, Neil. Lyle and Truman were sitting with them, Truman howling like a maniac.
I brought a hand up to cover my mouth and looked at Damon. His grin was wide and devious.
“I know you’ve been worried about how I feel about people knowing about us, so…
” He waved an arm toward the room, including people we barely knew, all cheering, whistling, and clapping.
All but Percy, anyway. He sat there glowering, a pout on his handsome face.
“They know now. I even told the guys at work. I thought Rudy’s eyes were gonna pop out, but he went right back to his obnoxious self, so I think he’s cool. ”
“You seriously told the whole crew?”
“Yep. The crew. The whole town.” He nodded toward the pub. “Whatever it takes to convince you.”
I gaped at the crowd and slapped his arm. “I can’t believe you!”
“Too much?” he asked seriously.
I smirked. “No, but just wait. I’m going to get you back so hard.”
“Promises, promises.”
A promise I intended to keep, though maybe not in the way he expected.
I hadn’t forgotten Damon’s request to bottom, our first night together. He hadn’t brought it up again. I’d thought at first, maybe he’d just changed his mind. But I’d realized at some point, he was waiting for me to be ready for it.
I’d let Damon fuck me without a second thought. But sinking into his body, knowing I was the first to do so? It had seemed more intimate. I hadn’t wanted to be his first, if he was only going to move on to a second and third.
But now, seeing how far he would go to reassure me—because this wasn’t just a prank, it was a statement—I suddenly wanted nothing more than to pin him down, sink into his heat, and introduce him to all the pleasure he’d been missing in his life.
The applause died off, and we started toward our table. We didn’t make it far before Iola, Lula, and Paula intercepted us.
“Hello, boys,” Iola said. “Looks like you’re ready to offer a testimonial for our service now.”
“Matchmaking Mamas works!” Lula called out loudly enough for the pub to hear. “We’re taking new signups!”
“You didn’t really—” Damon started.
I squeezed his hand, and when he looked at me, shook my head. Telling Iola she wasn’t the architect of our love story was a bad move. These ladies were the queen bees of our little town. They traded gossip like currency, and you did not want to get on their wrong side.
“Without Matchmaking Mamas, I’d never have dated the right man for me,” I said carefully. “I found my perfect match in Damon.”
Iola smiled triumphantly. “Lovely, dear! We’ll be sure to use you as a featured couple on the website!” She lowered her voice. “Hunter and Clark are great, but they’re old news now that they’re married.”
I bit down on a laugh. Selling out her own grandson for better marketing? Iola was a more savvy businesswoman than anyone credited.
She turned to Damon. “Do you have anything you’d like to add to the testimonial?”
Damon glanced at me. “Maverick is amazing. I just want to be the kind of man he deserves.”
“Aw, so sweet,” Lula said. “You make a great couple.”
“Of course they do,” Iola said with a sniff. “I matched them up!”
Damon rolled his eyes, and I elbowed him. He quickly nodded instead.
“Thanks, Iola,” I said. “I think we’re going to find a table and sit down…”
Hint, hint.
Iola moved aside, but Paula leaned in eagerly. “Before you go, would you consider a testimonial for that Sensual Secrets toy you bought? So many people are too shy to say anything!”
“Imagine that,” Damon muttered.
With a smirk, I glanced at him. I did owe him payback, after all. “What do you think, Damon? Do you have anything to say to Paula about the toy I bought for you?”
He turned red. “Uh, you know, I just really need a drink right now. I’ll go order us something.”
He spun and made a beeline for the bar.
Paula’s expectant smile fell. “Darn it. I really wanted to represent a queer man.”
I patted her arm. “Tell you what, Paula, I’ll write you that testimonial when I get a chance.”
She lit up. “Really?”
“Really. That toy has been very useful to me.”
Even if I’d never used it myself, it had opened Damon’s eyes to the possibility of being with a man. For that, I’d write Paula a freaking glowing review.
But first, I had to go reclaim my man before he regretted going on this date with me. I joined him at the bar, where he’d managed to get his hands on a beer and a margarita for me.
I took the drink from him. “Too much?”
He chuckled as he lifted the beer bottle to take a gulp. “You’re going to be a challenge, aren’t you?”
“Are you up for that?”
He met my eyes, then let his gaze drop to sweep over me. A slow smile spread across his face. “You know I am.”
“Good. Let’s get a table and get this date started.”
He draped his left arm around my shoulders and walked us to an empty table in the corner. “I really should have gotten that reservation at The Dinner Bell.”
I laughed. “You reap what you sow.”
“That’s the fucking truth.” His tone was warm with affection. “And I’d do it all again.”