Page 79 of Maverick

Do I want to get in the water and admire droplets as they travel down Maverick's abs? Um, yeah. "Sure," I say, trying to sound casual.

I stand up, my fingers finding the hem of my sundress. With a deep breath, I pull it over my head and drop it onto the lounger. When I look back at Maverick, his eyes are wide, his mouth slightly open. Any lingering doubts I might have had about my body are gone. That's pure lust in his eyes.

Feeling bold, I turn and walk towards the pool, deliberately swinging my hips a bit more than usual. I can feel Maverick's eyes on me as I step into the cool water.

He's right behind me, and as soon as we're deep enough, he pulls me into his arms. The water laps gently around us as we drift to a corner of the pool, away from the others and Colton's big splashes. I can feel the warmth of Maverick's skin against mine, sending tingles down my spine.

"So," he says softly, his arms tightening around my waist. His fingers trace small circles on my lower back, and I find myself leaning into his touch. "About that second date..."

I smile up at him, my hands resting on his broad shoulders. "Yeah?"

"Let's do it soon," he murmurs. His breath tickles my ear, and I shiver despite the warm water. "And this time, I promise - no interruptions. Just you and me."

"That sounds perfect," I reply, my heart racing at his closeness. I allow my fingers to explore the contours of his shoulders, marveling at the firmness beneath my touch.

His eyes are warm as they meet mine, and he reaches up to tuck a wet strand of hair behind my ear. The gentle caress sends a wave of excitement through me. "I mean it, Cadence. No phones, no emergencies, no brothers needing bail money. Just us."

I laugh softly, feeling both thrilled and a little nervous at the intensity of our connection. "I'd like that." I trace my hand down his arm, relishing the feeling of his skin under my fingertips. It's been so long since I've been this close to someone, and I findmyself craving more of his touch. At the same time, a small part of me feels vulnerable, exposed in a way that's both exhilarating and a little scary. We're in full view of his whole family, and what's left of mine. And as much as they're trying to pretend they're not interested in what we're doing, they very much are.

Sliding my hands up his arms, over his shoulder, and to the top of his head, I shove, dunking him, then dart away laughing as he gives chase.

This has to work. Because if it doesn't, despite Ransom assuring me we'll always have a place here, I'll lose them all. In the end, it'll be Nan and I, on the outside.

But, you know, no pressure.

26

MAVERICK

Iknock on Ransom's door, my mind buzzing with thoughts of Cadence and work, and Cadence and more work. I just need a few hours alone with her. No interruptions, no Nan. And I have no idea how I'm supposed to accomplish that. The muffled voices inside pause, and Ransom calls out, "Come in."

I step into the office, finding Nick already there with Ransom. The tension in the room's thick enough to cut with a knife. Ransom's brow's furrowed, his usual easy-going demeanor nowhere in sight.

"Everything okay?" I ask, glancing between them.

Ransom waves me in. "Just talking business. What's up?"

"It can wait. What's going on?"

Nick clears his throat. "I was just about to give Ransom an update on the Blair situation."

"And?" Ransom leans forward, his knuckles white as he grips the edge of his desk.

Nick shakes his head. "I went out there yesterday."

Ransom surges to his feet. "You didn't run that past me," he says accusingly. Every line in his body is tense, hisfingers clenching and unclenching. This just got really fucking interesting.

Nick leans back in his chair, eyes wide. "Since, when do I run shit like that past you? My job is to get it done. Always. So why would this be any different?"

Ransom grunts and adjusts his cufflinks, then sits back down. Nick clears his throat, crosses his foot over his knee and continues. "Nice little town, but there's not much happening. Most of the businesses on Main street are boarded up. The garage is old, but it's in tip-top shape. There was a guy there, big motherfucker, not Blair, but he was pretty tight-lipped when he found out who I was. All he said is Blair isn't interested in selling, which we knew from the shot up contracts he keeps sending back."

Buying that garage started as Ransom's special project. I sent the offer and contracts out, figuring it would be an easy yes because he was offering way more than market value for the place. But when I got the contract sent back with a frowny face shot into it, I realized it wasn't the slam dunk I thought it would be. It escalated from there. "Don't forget the shredded contracts, or the ones covered in motor oil. Then, there was the glitter bomb that came with the last one. Sandy's still got glitter at her workstation."

"A fucking glitter bomb?" There's disbelief in his tone, yeah, but also a hint of…pride? Weird.

"Yeah. Looked homemade. It was damned effective." It also led to a five minute giggle fit in front of my assistant. She didn't find it so funny.

I have to open my own mail now.

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