27. Callie
Chapter 27
Callie
The first thing I feel is warmth, then the heavy weight of bodies, sinking me deeper into the mattress.
The last thing I remember from yesterday is Colt and Maverick drying me off, then one of them carrying me to bed and sliding me under the covers. I must’ve passed out cold because I don’t remember anything after that.
Hot breath fans across my forehead as a nose nuzzles into the nape of my neck. My eyes flutter open to find Maverick watching me, his deep brown gaze soft and full of something that makes my chest ache.
“You look cute all groggy like this,” Maverick murmurs, his voice rough with sleep.
I bite my lip hard. I’m not the only one who looks cute. His hair’s a wild, tousled mess, sticking up in every direction. There’s something softer in his face now, something unguarded. It wraps around my heart and squeezes until it aches.
This is the boy I grew up with. My best friend. My shadow.
Colt’s lips brush against my shoulder, his breath warm on my skin.
“Morning, Sunshine,” he mumbles, his voice warm with sleep and something that curls low in my chest.
I turn to him, and his gaze locks onto mine, heavy with memories of last night. His smirk deepens, a dimple flashing.
“Alright, get up, you two,” Maverick says, swinging his legs off the bed.
Colt groans, pulling me tighter into his chest. “I don’t wanna.”
I laugh, slipping out of his hold and following Maverick until I realize I’m completely naked and squeak, grabbing the sheet to wrap around myself.
“Don’t tell me you’re shy now.” Maverick chuckles as he buttons his jeans, not bothering with a shirt.
There’s a massive difference between being naked under the cover of night and standing bare in the harsh light of day, every shadow gone.
“Just look away,” I say, still clinging to the sheet.
“Totally unfair,” Colt mutters, grabbing his shirt and pulling it over my head. It swallows me whole and smells like him… like home.
Maverick laces his fingers with mine, helping me up. “Better?”
The hem hangs a few inches above my knees, more dress than shirt. He gives me a once-over, a frown tugging between his brows. “I’m a little jealous.”
Colt laughs behind me, getting out of bed. “As you should be, fucker.”
The tension that existed when I first arrived is gone. What remains is something playful. Teasing. Easy.
“What are you thinking about?” Maverick asks.
I dodge him, walking past and hiding my face. He reads me too well. Thankfully, our rooms are connected, and I flee to theirs, locking myself in the bathroom.
My reflection catches me off guard. Flushed cheeks. Wide eyes. Hair curling at the ends from last night’s shower. I look… wild… happy .
I wash up, borrow a toothbrush, figuring if we’re making out, this should be fine, and return to my side of the motel.
Colt and Maverick are already dressed. I stumble at the sight of them both watching me like I’m the only thing that matters. Heat slides down my spine and settles low in my belly. My mouth waters as I’m momentarily lost in the thought of lifting their shirts. I can almost feel the smooth, warm skin beneath my fingertips as I count each defined abdominal muscle they have.
Then I notice what Maverick’s holding: a sundress.
Two thin straps dangle from his fingers, the baby blue fabric dotted with little flowers.
My nose scrunches. “Where did that come from?”
Maverick’s laugh is a low rumble.
“I bought it for you. You really think I’d just have some random girl’s dress lying around?”
“No,” I say, but it’s only half-true. Jealousy apparently comes easily for me.
Now that I know he bought it for me, warmth blooms in my chest, bright and sudden, like sunlight breaking through a storm. I reach out, opening and closing my hand in a silent gimme .
He grins as I snatch the dress from his fingers and scurry into the other room, their laughter chasing after me. I tug off Colt’s T-shirt, immediately missing the way it smells like him, all clean sweat, leather, and something unmistakably him . But then I slip the dress over my head, and that ache is replaced by something else entirely.
The fabric is light and soft, gliding over my skin like a second thought. My hands trail down to my hips, pausing where the skirt flares out just enough to feel flirty. It hugs every curve like it was tailored for me, like he knew exactly where to cinch, where to drape. There’s even a built-in bra that fits perfectly .
A thrill races through me, sharp and sweet, at the realization of just how closely Maverick’s been watching me. Not just looking… noticing. Every inch. Every detail.
I step around the corner slowly, nerves fluttering in my chest. I want Maverick to like it. Need him to. The way his eyes darken when he’s pleased, the way his smile curls just for me… it does something dangerous to my heart.
Two pairs of eyes find me instantly. They track every inch of the dress, every inch of me , slowly scanning upward until they meet my gaze. The weight of their attention steals the air from my lungs.
My breath catches at the heat simmering in their stares, wordless, hungry. A silent promise of what they’ll do once this dress is no longer in the way.
“You like it?” I manage, voice soft but hopeful.
Colt’s throat bobs with a swallow. His voice is a low rasp, barely restrained. “Sunshine, ‘like’ doesn’t begin to cover it.”
“It’s perfect,” Maverick says, the words a quiet praise, but they light a fire in my belly all the same. I didn’t expect to crave his approval, but I do. God, I do .
He steps closer, eyes still locked on me. “Let’s get out of here,” he murmurs, a smirk tugging at his lips, “before I ruin that pretty little dress.”