Page 22 of Maverick

As if on cue, the Shepherd takes off like a shot, nearly yanking my arm out of its socket. I break into a run to keep up, my sneakers slapping against the pavement. The industrial park is quiet at this hour, nothing but the sound of our footsteps and the dog's panting echoing off the warehouses.

Maverick, not one to be left behind, breaks into a jog beside me. But barely ten paces in, Terry sits down abruptly, nearly sending Maverick tumbling over him.

"What the-" Maverick stutters, righting himself.

Terry looks up at him, head cocked, as if to say "You really thought I was going to run? Please."

I can't help it. I burst out laughing, doubling over and clutching my stomach. The Shepherd, thinking this is some great game, starts zooming around me in circles, tangling me up in his leash.

"I meant to warn you!" I wheeze out between giggles. "Terry is more of a 'stop and smell the roses' kind of guy."

Maverick shakes his head, a rueful grin on his face. "I guess there’s nothing wrong with that. But a little warning would have been helpful."

Still chuckling, I untangle myself from the leash and give the Shepherd a scratch behind the ears. "Alright you menace, let's finish this walk so we can all get some sleep tonight."

The Shepherd seems to take that as a personal challenge and takes off again, nearly sending me face-first into the pavement. He's not a huge dog, and I am a sturdy woman, but his enthusiasm mixed with my exhaustion and okay…distraction have me unstable. Maverick lunges for me, but I've had plenty of practice so I catch myself, and with a grin tossed over my shoulder, I take off running again into the night.

Mental note, use some of my tip money to buy a new athletic bra. I'm about to give myself a black eye.

Maverick's beside me suddenly, the terrier perched happily in his arms, tongue hanging out, nose tipped to the breeze. Laughing, I slow, gently tugging the still energetic shepherd to a stop, and prop my hands on my knees to catch my breath.

"Holy fuck Cadence," Maverick mutters, putting Terry on the ground. "He almost pulled you right over. Jesus fuck."

Still panting, I stand and study the worry on his face. "It's okay. I'm used to it."

"What if you got yanked over while you were out here all alone? You could crack your head open on the sidewalk."

It's not just worry on his face. It's more than that.

It's fear.

I step closer and place my hand on his arm. "I'm a big girl Maverick, and I don't mean chronologically." I sweep my hand down my body. "I'm built thick. I have a lot of weight behindme, so despite what it might look like, I'm not actually getting yanked around that hard."

His brows arrow down, and his hand wraps around my wrist, easily circling it. We both stare at where we're joined. Ever so slowly, he releases me, sliding his fingers over my palm until our hands are pressed together.

I'm a big girl. Tall, yeah, but I have big hands and feet, and a lot of ass. I'm just a lot. And my hands are as big as some men's.

But not Maverick's.

We both stare at our hands, and his fingers flex, the pads of them coming to rest on the tops of mine. A whole pile of feelings are rattling around in my chest. I can't make sense of them, and that's enough to make me pull back with a little laugh.

"You're just big. But my point still stands. I can handle the dogs, you don't have to worry."

He nods, and forces a smile, fingers gently rubbing against his palm looking down at Terry and Shep as they wind around each other, tangling their leashes.

Something achy, something needy unfurls in my stomach.

Something forbidden.

7

MAVERICK

How can I be this frustrated, this turned on, and this speechless? I talk for a living. I can argue and contort the facts like a motherfucker to suit me, yet this woman has my brain turning to mush.

All thanks to a touch.

No way will I let this go. I thought I could. I really did. I want a woman, but realistically, I don't have time for all these complications. And Cadence is a big complication. It's not that she works for me. I don't have a problem with that. No, the complication is the fact thatshedoes see it as an issue.

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