Chapter 24
brIDGET
Out of all the things I imagined doing with Maverick–and I’d thought of a lot–hugging him wasn’t one of them.
But even angry and upset, it felt amazing.
Maybe it was that good because I was angry and upset.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been hugged.
Held like this just for the sake of being comforted.
I couldn’t be mad at Maverick. It wasn’t his fault. The fact that his assistant read my email and then shared it with Maverick’s brothers was a result of my mistake. The person who was the hardest on me was myself. Rightfully so. I’d made a stupid, stupid mistake and the fallout was growing.
He was trying to make it better, to make me feel better, when it wasn’t his job to do that.
Maybe that was why I clung to him a little more.
And realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt. My bra-covered chest pressed into his bare one.
Even though he’d had his head between my thighs–holy shit that had been amazing–this was the closest skin on skin we’d gotten.
Against my cheek, he was smooth and warm, but beneath, he was muscular and solid.
A smattering of chest hair tickled my nose.
His scent was stronger this close. Some kind of woodsy soap. Or could be soap combined with the fact that we were actually in the woods.
“I’m sorry,” I said, trying to step back.
“Stay. Just a little longer,” he murmured, softly stroking my hair, then kissing the top of my head.
“I shouldn’t have run,” I admitted against his bare chest. “I need to face this. It’s my fault.”
His hold loosened and I stepped back.
“Your fault? That my brothers are here?”
“I sent the email. I did this to myself.”
“Fuck that,” he said, his gaze dropping to my breasts.
I took him in all broad, bare chested and the button on his jeans was open.
He grabbed my shirt from my fingers and fiddled with it so it was all bunched up and worked the open neckline over my head.
“Those three are meddlers. They’re not here because they want to protect me from you.
” He gave me a heated look, as I tucked my arms into the short sleeves and he pulled it down my body, as if dressing a child.
“Maybe Bradley’s concerned, but I’m a big boy.
They’re here because Bradley clued them in that I was acting strange because of a woman, therefore they’re curious about you. ”
“Me?” I asked, pointing at my chest. “That’s laughable, especially if they read the quiz.”
Using one finger, he tipped my chin up so I had no choice but to meet his dark eyes. “Baby, what did I say would happen if you talked about yourself like that again? Hmm?”
I swallowed. He said he’d spank me.
“Shit. Based on the way you’re looking at me right now, and how you asked for more earlier, spanking your ass a pretty shade of red isn’t going to be much of a punishment.” His finger shifted to tuck my hair back behind my ear.
He was probably right.
As if he couldn’t help himself, he leaned down and kissed me.
It was heated, but quick.
He stepped back, snagged my hand. “Come on. No matter how much I want to, I’m not fucking you in the woods. My brothers are harmless. They’re not assholes. I promise, whatever teasing they do, it’ll be at my expense. Not yours.”
I couldn’t stay in the pine trees forever and Mav wasn’t letting me run home. “Okay.”
He turned around and gave me his back and crouched down. As he looked over his shoulder, he said, “Climb on.”
I laughed. “What? You’re going to give me a piggyback ride?”
“You only have one shoe. Besides, this way I know you won’t run off again.”