Chapter 15
Belle
I was splayed on top of Maverick, wondering what had changed so much that I was this comfortable with him. That I couldn't imagine being anywhere else.
When he shifted so that he could see my face, I tensed. Was this when he told me that he'd made a mistake or that he regretted getting involved with me?
It would be a long time before I was able to move past that first rejection. I expected him to change his mind. To regret his decision to be with me. It was a wound I needed to heal and move past if we were going to be together.
I carefully extricated myself from his body. "Just give me a second to recover before I go."
He rolled with me, resting on his elbow, looking down at me. "Why would you leave?"
I wished that he wasn't watching me. I felt like I'd been flayed open, and it was only our first time. How had he reached inside me and turned everything inside out?
I shrugged, my throat suddenly tight.
"I don't want you to go, unless you have somewhere else to be." His voice was steady, his brows creased.
I swallowed. "I don't have anywhere to be."
He brushed a strand of hair out of my face. "Then what is it?"
I swallowed. "I assumed that you'd want to have your space—you know—afterward."
He sighed. "I know this is new for us, and I don't have the best track record with you. But I like you. I want more than one night. This is so much more than that."
My heart seemed to pick up the pace at his words. "You want more?"
"I thought I was clear before you came over that I like you. That you're different for me. That I've resisted you our entire lives, and I'm done with that now."
"I heard you but—" I chewed my lips.
"You don't trust me yet." He dropped to the bed, wrapping an arm around me. "I don't want you to leave. I'm not done with you yet. Is that clear enough?"
I stared in disbelief at the ceiling, his breath soft on my hair and his arm a welcome weight, anchoring me in the moment. "Very."
He nuzzled his nose beneath my ear. "I want you in my bed."
"I don't want to leave, so that's convenient."
He kissed my temple. "I have some ideas about how to keep you here."
I chuckled as I rolled onto my side, and he followed; his arm banded around my waist. My ass nestled against his dick. I could get used to this. I felt protected and cared for. And there was something amazing about seeing the other side of this man. The one that was soft and warm.
In the middle of the night, I woke to Maverick between my legs, and after an embarrassingly quick time, I cried out his name, the orgasm washing over me, more intense than the last one.
Before I'd come down from that high, he'd urged me to straddle his lap.
I rose up, and he positioned his dick at my entrance.
I'd never had a man wake me up in the middle of the night because he couldn't wait to have me again. It was a confidence booster.
I slowly sank over him, adjusting to his size.
His hands held my ass.
He felt so good in this position. He filled me, but I needed to move. I lifted up, his hands helping me.
I was slick so the motion was easy. I shamelessly rubbed my clit against him on every pass.
"Take what you need, beautiful."
I let my head fall back, releasing a breath. He'd said I was beautiful in such a reverent tone; I wanted to bottle it up and keep it with me.
He liked me. He wanted me. He thought I was beautiful. It was hard to believe, but at the same time, a part of me wanted to give into the fantasy. The one where he was mine forever.
He lifted himself off the bed and latched onto my nipple. That was it for me. The sensation shot straight to my clit, and I cried out as I went over. The tingles radiated through my limbs as he held me tight, thrusting inside me from beneath.
"You're so beautiful when you come," he murmured so softly I almost didn't hear him.
With a roar, he emptied himself inside me.
He held me tightly for a few seconds before I lifted off him, and his cum leaked out.
He bit off a curse. "We didn't use a condom."
I scrambled off him. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."
He rubbed his neck. "It's my fault for reaching for you before I was fully awake."
"I'm going to clean up." I needed a second to think about what had just happened.
I was on birth control, so that wasn't the issue.
We hadn't really talked about our histories, but I assumed he'd never do anything to put me in danger.
I locked the bathroom door and took a second before cleaning up and washing my hands.
I took a few deep breaths before I went back into the dark room.
Maverick watched as I crossed the room.
He lifted the blanket so I could slide underneath. "You okay?"
"Yeah." I settled under the blankets.
He rolled so that he was facing me. "I'm clean."
"I am too. And I'm on birth control."
He ran a hand over my body. "So we don't have anything to worry about."
I bit my lip. "Yeah."
"So what's wrong then?" His hand ran up and down my back, reassuring me.
I rolled onto my back to stare at the ceiling. "I've never been so out of my head that I forgot something like that."
Maverick chuckled. "I fully intend to make you forget your name when you're in my bed."
I grinned. "You make that sound like a threat."
"I promise you'll like it." He kissed me, then put his arm around me. The weight held me together, anchoring me to the bed. I easily drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up slowly and stretched, a little disoriented. My body was sore in places that hadn't gotten any action in a long time. I smelled something cooking in the kitchen, and the sheets next to me were bare.
Was Maverick making breakfast for me? I checked the time on my phone and went to the bathroom to shower. I hoped he didn't mind that I was using his shampoo and soap. I quickly rinsed off, then finger brushed my teeth and hair.
I didn't feel like wearing the clothes from last night, so I pulled on his discarded shirt and headed downstairs.
He was just plating the food when I approached.
"Morning," Maverick said, his voice low and gravelly.
"Morning."
He held his arm out for me to slide under it. "I like you in my shirt."
"I didn't feel up to putting those jeans back on again." I wanted to be comfortable.
His hands slid under the hem and cupped my bare ass. "Easy access. This is much better."
He let go with a growl and said, "Your food is ready."
"You didn't have to cook," I said as I moved away from him to sit on the stool.
"You're a guest in my house. Do you prefer coffee or tea? I brewed coffee, and I'm sure I can find a tea bag around here somewhere. Mom likes to brew tea wherever she goes."
"Coffee is fine." I watched him while he poured me a mug, then set it in front of me.
"I hope you like pancakes."
"Love them," I said, but I couldn't remember the last time I ate any. I usually cooked eggs for myself.
"I cut up strawberries if you'd like to put them on your stack."
I used the spoon to place them on top of my chocolate-chip pancakes. Then cut into them. "These are delicious."
"Sweet just like you," he said with a wink.
"What happened to grumpy Maverick?" I wasn't sure if it was because he was comfortable in his home or the number of orgasms, but he was relaxed and seemed happy.
"You miss him?" he countered.
"Maybe a little. I liked how I got you all worked up about bare feet."
He chuckled. "It wasn't the bare feet and pink nail polish. It was the silk and lace, the fact that I could see your nipples through the material and so could my crew."
He'd noticed the color of my nail polish? "I didn't realize it was that sheer."
He gave me a look. "You were either cold or excited to see me."
I huffed out a laugh. "I was just mad that I was woken up to the sound of a machine.”
"I didn't want anyone to see you like that. And I didn't want you to get hurt. My protective brain took over. Sorry if I manhandled you a bit."
"I think I like being manhandled every once in a while."
He flashed me a grin. "Good to know."
When my belly was full, he cleared our plates. "What time does your shop open?"
"Nine. But don't you need to be on site sooner?"
"Yeah, I'm going to jump in the shower and head over."
"You keep early hours." I hadn't thought about what that would be like for me dating him. But then again, I never let my brain imagine the possibility.
"I'm the foreman. I don't have to be there all the time. But yeah, it looks better if I am. You're welcome to stay as long as you like though." He dropped a kiss on my lips and headed upstairs.
I was hoping that we could have a lazy morning, but it was a workday for both of us. It was only a first date anyway. I went upstairs, hearing the water run in the bathroom. I pulled on my clothes from yesterday and made the bed.
I wasn't sure what the protocol was for the morning after. Did I stick around and say goodbye? Was it appropriate to make the bed, or was that something his mother would do? That made me freeze. I didn't want to be seen as his mother.
The water turned off, and a few seconds later, Maverick came out with a towel tied around his waist while he rubbed his wet hair with a second. "You getting ready to go?"
I swallowed. "Yeah."
He raised a brow. "You made my bed."
"You made me breakfast. But if you didn't want me touching your things—"
He crossed the room and pulled me against him. I rested my palms on his chest, which was still damp. I wanted to lick the droplets of water that fell on his chest from his hair.
"You're welcome to make yourself at home. I wish we had more time."
"Me too." I looked up at him, his heart beating steadily under my right palm.
"Thanks for coming over last night."
"Thanks for making me dinner and breakfast." He'd been a nice guy. He'd always been so standoffish and gruff with me; I assumed he wouldn't be sweet and caring too.
"I had a really good time."
My cheeks heated at the memory of last night. "Me too."
"But we should go out next time. Explore one of the things you mentioned last night. Hiking or a museum."
"That sounds nice."
He kissed me, slow and sweet, and my nails dug into his skin. When he pulled back, he said, "I wish I could keep you in bed all morning."
He moved toward his dresser, presumably to get dressed, and I hurried out of there. I knew if I stuck around, we'd both be naked. He had work to do, and so did I.
He had reservations about being with me, and I didn't want to be a distraction for him.
At home, I changed into one of my usual work outfits. So much had changed in the last few days. We hadn't discussed labels, but I think it was safe to assume I was dating Maverick.
He'd talked about seeing each other again, doing something I said I liked. I hoped that this could be something real. That we were compatible despite our differences.
It was too soon to believe that any of that was true, but I was still hopeful that it would work out. I'd liked him for so long. That couldn't be a mistake.
Last night was the perfect first date. It almost made up for the one where he stood me up and left me hurting.
Could I move past it and trust that he wouldn't hurt me again? That was the part I couldn't quite figure out.