Page 76 of Maverick

She squeezes my hand, her smile softening. "I've been around you guys for a while now, so I'm kind of getting that. But I kind of like it. You guys aren't stuck up. You don't pretend to be anything other than what you are."

Something warm blooms in my chest at her words. Isn't that what everyone hopes for? Someone that likes you, burrito-covered brothers and all?

"Hey, I recognize this place," Kade says happily from the backseat, his words slightly muffled thanks to the giant wad of food he's chewing. "Did you know you can drive a Hummer backward through that drive-thru?"

25

CADENCE

The second Maverick pulls into his parking spot, the back doors fly open and Kade and Declan spill out. We get out a little more slowly, Mav resting his hands on the hood of the car, scowling as he watches his brothers hurry to the elevator. "Clean my fucking car!" he yells after them. They freeze, look back at us, then turn and break into a sprint, banging through the door that leads to the stairs.

Are they planning to run up forty flights of stairs? They really must not want to clean.

"Fuckers," Mav mutters, looking not at all surprised by their exit.

"You knew they would bail on you?"

"Yeah. They might come down and do it later, but right now, they're on a sugar high and probably heading to the gym."

He doesn't seem that upset about it. I might be, if I had a car as nice as his that now smelled like…the shitter in a Mexican restaurant, as the cop put it. I snort out a laugh, and immediately cover my mouth. "I'm sorry," I tell him, trying to look apologetic. "It's just, what a night. And your poor car."

Those rich brown eyes lock on me, and warm. The way he looks at me makes me feel all gooey. "It's just a car. In the end, it'll get clean, or they'll be buying me a new one."

"Which for them, is the equivalent of buying you a pack of gum?"

He stares at me for a minute, then laughs and rounds the car, offering me his arm like some gentleman in a movie. "I suppose. Though it's a bigger pain in the ass. They'll probably just call one of our detail guys and get him to clean it up. Not as satisfying for me, but I'll get them back somehow."

"You planning on destroying a convenience store too? Can I come and watch?"

He laughs, tucking an arm around my waist as he guides me to the elevator. "Nah. Not my style. But I'll think of something." He presses the button for our floor, and a little pang of disappointment hits me.

"I…is our date over?"

He looks down at me. "No! I'm not ready for it to end. But I thought maybe we could head to the roof?"

"The roof? What's up there?"

He grins, and gently urges me out of the elevator, letting us both into his apartment. "Grab your bathing suit."

Get in my bathing suit on my first date with my total hunk of a roommate slash boss? That's not intimidating at all.

I grab my bathing suit and slip into the bathroom, careful not to wake Nan as I pass her closed door. It’s not that late, but she’s often in bed by nine, and I like her to get as much healing sleep as she can.

The suit is a simple black one-piece, but it hugs my curves in all the right places. As far as bathing suits go, it's a good one, but still, Maverick seeing me in it on our first date? I know he appreciates my body - he's seen me in nearly as little at The Escape. But this feels different, more intimate somehow.

I throw a light, flowing sundress over my suit and meet Maverick by the front door, my heart fluttering with anticipation. He's wearing nothing but a pair of swimming trunks, leaving his chiseled chest on full display. It's like he wants me to look, and I really don't want to disappoint him.

My eyes roam over his broad shoulders, sculpted abs, and powerful legs, drinking in every inch of his incredible body. The sight of him standing there, looking like he just stepped off the cover of a fitness magazine, makes my breath catch in my throat. I decidedly don't look like I stepped off the cover of a fitness magazine. I'm all curves and softness, but the way he's staring at my bare legs tells me he's not going to have a single problem with it.

We head back to the elevator, and he hits a button I've never noticed before. When the doors open, we step out onto an oasis like rooftop, complete with patio furniture, a firepit, and a massive swimming pool. The city lights twinkle below us, casting a soft glow over the rooftop.

"Shit," Maverick mutters beside me. "I hoped we'd have the place to ourselves."

I follow his gaze to the pool, where Colton is waddling along the edge, decked out in pink water wings around his wrists, a pink snorkel set, and flippers. He dives in with a splash, and laughter bubbles up from my chest.

I take Maverick's hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I like spending time with just you, but I really like your family too. Let's go."

Most of the brothers are already in the pool, splashing and laughing. I spot Kade and Declan among them. Did they bother to shower before they got in? I'm praying so, because the thought of finding chunks of beans and god knows what else in the pool makes me shudder.

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