Chapter Six
~Violet~
Riding a horse is no joke, but the soreness in my thighs is more than worth the pleasure I saw on Mav’s face as we rode around the ranch.
He pointed out all his favorite spots, from the small pond he and his siblings used to mess around in during the hot summer months to the small crested hill where his dad proposed to his mom many years ago.
“That’s where we’ll star gaze from later on tonight,” he mentioned, and to say I got my hopes set on a second proposal happening in that spot would be entirely accurate.
Every place we visited on the ranch made the feeling that this place is my home, where I’m supposed to be grow bigger and bigger until it felt like my chest would burst open with all the happiness I’ve been feeling since yesterday.
I know we have a whole week to decide on whether or not we want to go through with a marriage, but my mind is already made up and it’s a one hundred and fifty percent yes from me.
I’m so excited for our date this evening that I even put a fresh coat of paint on my nails right after dinner hoping that there will be a ring to set them off soon enough.
The evenings here are a little chilly, so I’ve dressed in some jeans and a sweater to stay warm, though I’m sure that cuddling up with my man will keep me heated up enough for sure. Watching him handle a horse all day in his tight jeans and t-shirt was like a torturous form of foreplay.
Every move he made showed off a new muscle: corded forearms as he gripped the horse’s reins, bulging biceps as he lifted me up and down from the horse, and strong thigh muscles as we rode along.
Our time outside also showed me not just how capable he is, but how gentle he can be too. Every word spoken to me or the horses was done in a level tone, so much so I wondered if he was trying to not spook me away. Well, he can he gentle or gruff because I’m not going anywhere.
I’ve already typed out my letter of resignation to the gym and saved it in my email to send off just as soon as we’ve decided our future. A future I want to include Mav so very badly that the excitement of it is making me feel like I’ve got a swarm of bees buzzing throughout my body.
I raise my fist to knock on Mav’s shut door when I hear grunting noises coming from inside.
Recognizing those sounds as pain, I open his door and pop my head in, eye’s widening when I see Mav rubbing his left leg, an expression of extreme discomfort on his face.
He’s only in a pair of boxer shorts and from this angle I can see the scars from his accident running up most of his leg and onto his back and neck.
My heart aches for his pain, but it’s also so proud of what a selfless man he is to put himself in danger to save some animals.
Mav’s head whips to me and I see panic in his eyes. “Get out,” he barks, but I don’t startle at the sound of his voice.
Instead, I walk over to him and drop to my knees, batting his hands out of the way so that I can rub his thigh for him. He stiffens at my first touch, but soon after I can see his shoulders relax and I reward him with a small smile.
“What are you doing?” He asks, his voice sounding small and shy for the first time since I’ve met him.
“What does it look like I’m doing, cowboy?
I’m giving you a massage,” I tell him as I knead the scarred flesh of his thigh, trying not to get too distracted by the feel of all the strong muscle, the light brush of hair under my hands, and the sight of his rippling abs and chest that are right in front of me.
This isn’t about that right now. This is about providing comfort to someone I care about who is so obviously in pain.
“I’m not sure if I mentioned it before, but in addition to yoga training, I also have about one hundred hours in therapeutic massage.
Lucky for you.” I wink at Mav and I swear the tips of his ears turn pink with a blush. “Want to tell me what’s going on?”
Mav huffs a breath and looks out the window for a moment, gathering his thoughts.
“I have good days and bad as far as my pain level goes. The ride earlier aggravated my hip a little and from there the pain goes down my leg and up my back some,” he tells me, his voice even.
When his eyes turn back to mine, there’s a defiance there that wasn’t before.
“I can normally handle it all myself, so there’s no need for you to do all this. ”
I nod, but continue with my ministrations regardless of what he just said. “I know you can handle yourself, cowboy. You’ve already proven that and then some, but I’m here now.” I work my hands deeper into the tight tissue, smiling when I hear him moan contentedly.
“What that means is that even though you can take care of yourself, you don’t have to.
” I lean my head back and gaze straight into his deep brown eyes.
“I want to take care of you, Maverick. I would consider myself lucky if you would allow me to.” He stares at me disbelieving, moisture shining in his eyes. “Will you let me?”
I watch his throat bob as he swallows down whatever he’s feeling and nods. “Yes,” he breathes out. It’s barely a whisper, but it’s there.
Grabbing his hand with both of mine, I give it a squeeze and shoot him an encouraging smile. “Tell me what you need then.”
Mav licks his lips as his eyes flick down to look at my mouth, and while I need that kind of attention from him as well, I want to make him feel good in another way first.
“My leg and my back are feeling pretty tight, so if you could work the muscles there, that would be nice,” he says, his voice carrying much more weight now. “Just…just be gentle with the scar tissue. It can get kind of sensitive.”
“I absolutely will. You trust me to take care of you?” Mav nods without hesitation and a grin pulls across my face. “Good. Now, why don’t you lay face down in the middle of the bed? I’m going to change into some looser clothes and grab my massage kit.”
Mav nods and shifts on the bed, and I rush back to my room before I do something selfish like climb on top of him and give him a very different kind of massage.
After a quick outfit change into some yoga pants and a loose tank and grabbing my kit, I’m back in the room, turning the lights down low to help Mav relax.
I pull two lavender aromatherapy candles from my kit and place one on each nightstand and light them. When I glance over at the bed, Mav is leaning on his elbow, watching me like I am an angel come down from Heaven.
“What’s that look?” I ask, smiling as I reach into my kit and pull out the massage oil.
Mav smiles, something his siblings said is rare, and even though he’s given me plenty, I still cherish each one for the gift that it is.
“I was just thinking about how lucky I am that we got matched together.” His smile falters slightly and his expression dims. “I’m sorry we’re staying in tonight. I had…plans.”
He looks genuinely disappointed, and even though I had my hopes up for a marriage proposal, staying in with Mav and seeing him let his walls down so that I can take care of him is just as good, maybe better because it means he’s giving me all of him, just like I want to give him all of me.
“Plans change, and we roll with it,” I tell him, pushing lightly on his shoulder until he’s face down on the mattress. “I have my own plans right now, which is for you to relax and let me make you feel better.”
After leaning down and giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek, I pour a little massage oil on my hands and get to work.
Mav’s back is half covered in scars, so I go a little lighter on that area while still making sure to work out the knots in all those hard muscles.
When he lets out a loud groan, I stop. “Was that too hard?”
Mav chuckles and I feel the rumble of it underneath my hands. “No, little flower. Every touch feels amazing. I don’t know how I lived so long without ever having your hands on me.”
The satisfaction in his voice has me smiling and wanting to preen around the room. It’s just a little massage, but somehow making Mav feel good has me feeling prouder than I have in a long time.
“Well, you don’t have to worry about me not wanting my hands on you,” I say flirtatiously as I continue to work on his back. “If anything you’re going to need to get a stick or something to bat me away.”
Mav chuckles again and I take it as another win for myself. I love his smiles and his laughs so much that I’m going to make it my new mission in life to make them happen as often as I can. But first, I’m going to help ease my man’s pain the way our short time together has eased my loneliness.
I continue to work his back, moving my way down to the waistband of his boxers.
Mav has the perfect bubble butt and I am so tempted to massage those firm glutes, but that can wait another day.
I move down to the backs of his thighs and focus on my work there, all the while just humming lightly as I ease the tension from his body.
Mav let’s out a low moan that goes straight to my lady bits, so much so that I’m squeezing my thighs together as I kneel on the bed to relieve the ache.
It barely works, and I know it’s because I need him there instead.
My need has skyrocketed since arriving just yesterday, and if we don’t consummate this relationship soon I might end up bursting into flames.
“How’s that feeling, cowboy?” I ask, my voice husky with desire.
“So good,” Mav moans as I work his hamstrings a little harder. “Your hands are magical.”
I huff a light laugh. “I don’t know about magical, but I’m glad it’s working for you. Let me know whenever you’re hurting and I’ll be happy to help out,” I tell him as I work my way down his calves. “Touch is definitely my love language.”
“That so,” he says, his voice low and I realize that I basically just admitted to loving the man. Oh well. I do love him, more than I ever thought possible.
I figured at best this whole mail order bride thing would get me a husband who could maybe be a friend, so this is entirely unexpected but completely welcome. When I don’t respond, Mav rolls over onto his back and cups my cheek with his strong hand. “You okay little flower?”
I swallow thickly, the love I feel for this man threatening to bubble out of me.
So I let it. I place my hand over his and press my cheek into it.
“I’m better than okay,” I tell him, my eyes meeting his.
“I love you, Maverick.” He gasps lightly and his eyes widen in surprise. “It’s okay if you’re not there yet-”
“Not there yet?” He asks, his voice filled with confusion. “Violet I have been in love with you from the moment I read that first email and I love you more with each passing minute. You are more than I ever could have hoped for.” He leans up and brushes his lips against mine. “I love you so much.”
His mouth moves over mine again and he dives in deep with his tongue. My hands move into his hair, gripping on for dear life as he explores my mouth. When we break the kiss, I look down to his tented boxers, and I turn back to him with a smirk. “How long has that been going on?”
Mav raises a brow at me. “That has been going on since the moment I saw you, but it got worse the minute your hands hit my skin.” I reach down and palm the large bulge. Mav hisses and looks at me with dark eyes. “You keep touching me like that and things are going to escalate.”
I palm him harder before I grip him tightly.
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” I say.
I continue to rub against him and Mav flops down onto the bed again.
Leaning up to him, I lick a stripe up his neck before stopping at his ear.
“You’ve had the massage. Now how about I give you a happy ending?
” I whisper. Lord knows that with this man next to me, I will definitely be getting mine.