Chapter 12
SADIE
Guess I should’ve checked exactly how small these cabins are before dragging Maverick here. The look on his face makes it clear he wasn’t expecting a place so…cozy. We could stand at either end of the living space with one hand on the wall and still touch each other with our arms outstretched.
“Hmm, this is a bit tighter than I was expecting,” I say brightly, moving into the room and setting my suitcase down.
“But it’s fine. I can sleep in one of the chairs, they look super comfortable.
” I gesture wildly to one, not meeting Maverick’s gaze.
“Or I bet the resort has air mattresses or something we could borrow.”
“And when you ask for the air mattress, you don’t think they’re gonna wonder why Maverick King’s girlfriend won’t just share a bed with him?” he asks acerbically.
I wince, knowing he’s right. “Fine. The chair, then. It’ll be fine.”
“Right. Fine.” Again with the sarcasm-laced tone, and I know he’s referring to my earlier comment about what fine actually means.
I breathe in and out slowly and turn to face him. “I’m sorry, alright? I didn’t know it would be this kind of set up or I never would’ve made you come.”
He brushes past me, setting his bag down on the low dresser next to the queen-sized bed. “I’ll sleep on the floor. I’ve had worse.”
I open my mouth to protest but he shoots me a hard look before walking toward the door.
“I’m gonna go for a walk before we have to go to the cocktail thing. You said we had an hour, right?”
All I can do is nod.
“Good. I’ll be back in a bit to get ready.”
The door closes behind him, and I sink down into one of the chairs and try to envision falling asleep in it. Ugh, there’s no way. But making Maverick sleep on the floor feels incredibly wrong. We could share the bed…
No. Absolutely not. It’s bad enough I’m attracted to a man I absolutely, one hundred percent cannot have in real life.
And I’ve dragged him to a wedding where the pressure is on to convince everyone we’re the real deal for an entire weekend.
The last thing I can do is make him any more uncomfortable by even suggesting we share the bed.
Heaven forbid I talk in my sleep or end up touching him somehow.
Nope. Not happening.
Standing up, I brush my hands down the front of my shorts. Might as well get myself ready for tonight so whenever he gets back, Maverick can have the bathroom to himself.
Twenty minutes later, I’m out of the shower, listening to see if he’s returned.
When I’m met with silence, I chance it and dart out of the bathroom to where my suitcase is still against the wall.
If I’d been smart, I would have brought my outfit for tonight into the bathroom.
But the bed situation clearly scrambled my brain.
I grab my underwear, bra, and the dress I planned to wear, and dart back into the safety of the bathroom.
With this being the only separate space, I suppose we’ll be taking turns getting dressed all weekend.
Although the idea of seeing Maverick in, well, any state of undress has me clenching my thighs together. I wonder how far his tattoos go in covering his body…
Slipping on my underwear and bra, I pull the gray dress I planned to wear tonight over my head.
It’s a simple sheath dress, light gray with a subtle floral pattern.
The cap sleeves are pretty, I think, and the neckline is high enough to not draw attention.
But as I stare at myself in the mirror and try to picture Maverick next to me, the only reaction I have is blah.
I do have options. There’s the dress I have for the wedding and reception tomorrow, and Ali insisted on sliding in a lavender dress she made me buy in the spring that I’ve never had the bravery to actually wear.
I tried to tell her there wasn’t a chance I’d put it on, especially not in front of Maverick, but she just shrugged and tucked it in my suitcase anyway.
As I try to envision myself in the figure-hugging dress that flares just a little from my hips, I hear the door open and close.
Lavender dress forgotten, I hurry through the rest of my makeup, then open the bathroom door. Slouched in one of the chairs, Maverick doesn’t even lift his head when I walk out. “Bathroom’s yours,” I say quietly, and get the barest of nods in response.
I guess I really don’t have any right to be disappointed in his behaviour.
There’s no reason he has to engage with me when we’re not in front of people, and knowing that he’s an introvert, I should understand if he needs some time to himself right now.
But it’s never fun feeling ignored, and as I move into the main living space, his eyes remain on his phone.
Stifling my sigh, I spy a bottle of wine and glasses sitting on the table with a card from Max and Heidi indicating they’re a gift. Perfect.
Pouring myself a glass, I turn back and catch Maverick staring at me. He looks away immediately, standing and moving to his bag. “I’ll be ready soon.”
He disappears into the bathroom, leaving me wondering if I imagined the fact that his gaze seemed pointed at my ass.
I try sitting on one of the chairs with my drink, but the shower is on, and now all I can picture is Maverick under the water, naked.
So I get up, go outside, and sip my wine while watching the water lap at the shore.
After several minutes, my ability to focus on the water is nonexistent, and I keep thinking about the gorgeous man in the shower.
I need my phone. A few rounds of sudoku or scrolling social media will help distract me. But as I open the door of the cabin, the door to the bathroom also opens and out steps Maverick, wearing dress pants and…nothing else.
I’d blame my clumsiness on what happens next, but the truth is, the sight of him half naked with his hair still wet made me forget how to work my own feet. I stumble forward, and the small amount of wine left in my glass sloshes up and somehow lands on the front of my dress.
“Crap!”
I hurry to the table and set down my glass, plucking at the front of my dress. At least the mess diverts my attention from Maverick and on to myself. But my stomach churns. I can’t wear a stained dress.
When I look back up, Maverick is buttoning a light blue shirt that already has the sleeves rolled up to show off his ink-covered forearms.
“You got anything else to wear?”
His question seems genuine. Although, is it because he’s concerned about me having something to wear or concerned about having to show up with his fake girlfriend wearing a stained dress?
I’d like to believe it’s the former, but with my nerves shot to hell, I can’t push away the kernel of self-doubt that wonders the latter.
“Yes.” My clipped reply gets no response from him except to move out of my way as I go to my suitcase. My gaze falls upon the two options. The dress I planned to wear tomorrow, a romantic blush-coloured one with a sweetheart neckline, or the sexy lavender dress.
If ever there was a time to be brave, it’s now. Grabbing the lavender dress, I stand up and hurry to the bathroom. “Just give me a couple minutes.”
Once the door closes behind me, I take a better look at myself in the mirror and wince.
The wine splatter is going to be a bitch to get out, and even if it’s not the most stylish, I did really like this dress.
But that’s a problem for later. I quickly pull it off and step into the lavender one.
But once I pull the straps up over my shoulders, I realize my next problem.
The zipper is in the back, and it dips down low to the point I can’t reach it myself.
“Be brave,” I whisper to the reflection staring back at me. My cheeks are flushed, but hopefully, he assumes that’s from the stress of my last-minute change and not any other reason.
This time, I open the door slowly, steeling myself for whatever I might see.
But there’s no surprises waiting for me, just Maverick leaning against the wall by the window, looking out at the water.
He turns as I walk out of the bathroom, and this time, there’s no mistaking the way his eyes widen as he looks at me.
We stand there, watching each other for what feels like an eternity but is probably less than five seconds before I remember what I need from him. Walking over, I gather my hair over one shoulder and turn my back to him.
“Could you help me with the zipper?” I ask, breaking the charged silence. For another long minute, he doesn’t move. Then I feel his hand on my back, barely touching me as he slowly slides the zipper up.
I feel him step away. “Thanks.”
When I turn around, he’s staring at me. He breaks first, walking over to the door. I quickly slip on my low-heeled sandals and make my way to him. But as I go to walk past, his hand lands on my lower back, and I freeze. His head lowers just a bit and suddenly, I can’t breathe.
“This is the dress you should’ve been wearing all along. You look beautiful.”
I’m speechless. My head turns toward him ever so slightly, but he guides me out of the cabin, sliding his hand off my back and down to take my hand, lacing our fingers together.
The walk to the large pier that juts off from the main resort building is short, not long enough for me to get control of my racing pulse. And then someone’s calling my name, and I’m turning to see my friend hurrying toward me with the smile of someone happy and in love etched across her face.
“Oh my God, you’re here!” Heidi folds me into a hug, forcing me to drop Maverick’s hand. I sink into her embrace, letting it ground me back in reality.
“Of course, I am. I wouldn’t miss it.”
We pull apart just in time to see Max, Heidi’s handsome fiancé, shaking hands with Maverick.
“Glad you could make it. How’s the arm?”
This is it. The moment where I find out if Maverick can step up and fake it well enough when there’s no camera on us, and it’s not his team watching or his career on the line. It’s only my friends and my pride we have to worry about if he can’t be convincing enough to pretend to be attracted to me.
“It’s good. Hoping to be back playing soon. But I’m happy to be here with my beautiful girl. Thanks for including me.”
Maverick’s arm snakes around my waist, tugging me into his side, and I stare up at him. He seems relaxed, and his response to Max was so believable I almost bought it. And judging by the happy expressions on my friends’ faces, they did, too.
“That’s great. Well, I’d say we can introduce you around but I think you’ll find everyone knows who you are.” Max grins. “They’ll be cool, though, I promise. My brother Jude used to play in the NHL so everyone knows better than to go crazy.”
“Well, no promises with Sawyer.” Heidi laughs, and when I steal another look up at Maverick, he’s still got that perfectly relaxed smile on his face.
“No problem. Don’t worry about us, you two should just enjoy the evening.”
I’m still wondering who this friendly, relaxed man is when Heidi pulls me in for another quick hug.
“Girl. He’s even hotter in person, and oh my God, he’s so smitten!
He can’t stop looking at you,” she whispers.
Pulling back, she grins at me. “I’m so happy for you.
You looking freaking incredible. So happy and so freaking sexy in that dress.
He’s good for you, babe.” After one final squeeze, she whirls away with Max at her side.
“They seem nice,” Maverick says mildly, reaching for my hand again. I let him lead me over to a table with drinks on it, accepting the glass of white wine he hands me.
I spend the rest of the evening trying to make sense of how the introverted, gruff man I’ve become used to on our dates so far has somehow morphed into this relaxed, charming person.
And trying not to let myself fall for him with every touch and every smile. He’s playing the role we agreed upon, and he’s playing it well.
If anything, I should be relieved.
Not disappointed.