Chapter 32
Chapter Thirty-Two
Maverick
Solenn moved through her apartment as if she belonged there, her every movement effortless, as if this space was an extension of her.
I sat on the couch, watching as she walked barefoot across the hardwood floors, humming under her breath as she rinsed out the coffee mugs and placed them in the sink.
She looked too at ease, too comfortable, too dangerously close to something I shouldn’t allow myself to want.
My shirt was draped over her frame, too big for her, hanging off one shoulder, revealing smooth, golden skin that I had spent the entire night exploring with my mouth, with my hands.
I should have looked away. Should have forced myself to remember that this wasn’t permanent, that this wasn’t supposed to be anything beyond last night.
But I didn’t.
Instead, I let myself watch.
I wasn’t supposed to be here still. I should have left before the sun came up before the air between us shifted into something more dangerous before I found myself wanting more.
I wasn’t supposed to be sitting in her apartment, drinking coffee that was too sweet, watching her move around her kitchen as if I belonged here as if this wasn’t the first morning of a disaster waiting to happen.
But the thought of walking out of this apartment and pretending like last night hadn’t completely rewired something inside me felt like a mistake.
I exhaled slowly, dragging a hand over my jaw.
Solenn turned, catching me watching her, and smirked, like she knew exactly what was running through my mind.
"You’re quiet," she mused, tilting her head, eyes glinting with amusement. "Regretting last night already?"
My grip on my knee tightened slightly, but my voice remained calm, and measured. "No."
She raised an eyebrow, sipping from her cup, letting me sit in the weight of her silence. "A man of many words."
I leaned back into the couch, resting an arm along the backrest, keeping my gaze steady on her. "I’m thinking."
She hummed, setting her coffee down on the counter, her arms folding loosely across her chest. "Dangerous."
It was meant to be teasing, but she wasn’t wrong. Because the thoughts running through my head? They were dangerous.
I had spent years building my life around control, drawing clear lines between what I allowed myself to have and what I didn’t.
But Solenn had been testing those limits since the moment she walked into my office, smirking, unbothered, completely unaffected by the reputation that had sent my last five assistants running.
She was a challenge. A distraction. A risk.
And yet, she was the one thing I wasn’t ready to let go of.
I watched her for a moment longer, taking in the curve of her lips, the faint bite mark still visible on her neck, the way she looked entirely too unbothered about the fact that she had spent the night with me.
And then, before I could stop myself, I said it.
"Pack a bag."
She blinked. "What?"
I stood, walking toward her with slow, deliberate steps, closing the space between us. "Let’s get out of the city for a few days."
She studied me, searching my face for the catch, the reason, the explanation. "A weekend getaway?" she mused, tilting her head slightly. "Sounds romantic, Mr. Spencer."
I didn’t react, didn’t let my expression shift, didn’t acknowledge the way her words sent a sharp pull through my chest. Instead, I held her gaze and said simply, "Call it whatever you want."
Her lips twitched, something amused flickering behind her eyes, but she didn’t argue. Didn’t tell me no. She exhaled dramatically, throwing her hands up. "I suppose I could clear my very busy schedule of absolutely nothing."
A flicker of something too close to relief settled in my chest before I could push it away.
Then, my phone buzzed.
The sound cut through the moment, through the air between us, sharp and unwanted. I pulled it from my pocket, glancing at the screen.
Mother.
That flicker of relief? Gone.
Solenn’s gaze shifted to my phone, her curiosity evident. "A work emergency?"
I hesitated a second too long. Then, without answering, I rejected the call and shoved my phone back into my pocket.
I could feel her watching me, her expression unreadable. She didn’t push, didn’t ask, just lifted an eyebrow before turning toward her bedroom. "Better hope I own a bikini worthy of a Maverick Spencer-approved vacation."
I smirked, but the weight in my chest didn’t disappear.
Because I knew that call wouldn’t be the last.
Thirty minutes later, we were on the road, leaving the city behind.
Solenn sat beside me, one leg tucked under her, her window cracked slightly, letting the wind tease strands of her dark hair around her face.
She had a soft, almost relaxed expression, her eyes watching the skyline shrink in the rearview mirror.
I wondered what she was thinking. If she was questioning why I had asked her to leave with me.
If she was wondering why I needed to get away from everything just as much as I needed to take her with me.
She hadn’t asked.
And I hadn’t explained.
Because the truth?
I wasn’t sure what to say.
I gripped the steering wheel tighter, pushing down the thoughts that were starting to make this feel too real.
I wasn’t supposed to care.
I wasn’t supposed to want more.
But with her sitting beside me, looking at me like she wasn’t afraid of whatever this was turning into, it was getting harder to pretend like I didn’t.
My phone vibrated again, and this time, I didn’t need to look at the screen to know who it was.
Another reminder that my world wasn’t as simple as I wanted her to believe.
I let the call go unanswered.
For now, I just wanted to exist in this moment.
Because reality would catch up soon enough.
And when it did, I wasn’t sure if I could protect her from it.