Page 23 of Don't Hurt Us
“No!Stop.That’s not how I meant it.”She hurries to me and places her hand on my chest.“Mav, you misunderstood,” she whispers.
“Then explain it to me because I'm seconds from walking away and keeping my distance from you.I thought there was someth-”
“There is,” she cuts me off.“I wanted you to stop because I don’t want you to stop.”
I blink at her three times, trying to understand what she’s saying, but I still come up blank.She wants me to stop because she doesn’t want me to stop?
“What?”
“I don’t want you to stop touching me.Honestly, I don’t want you to take your hands off of me the rest of the night,” she groans, letting her head fall back so she’s staring up at the ceiling.She blows out a long breath and tries to make sense.“Danny and Bree could walk in at any second.And every time you touch me, my brain short circuits.Ineedyou to stop, but I don’twantyou to.”
“So… You don’t want me to leave and never come back?”
“Absolutely not.”She grins up at me.
“Can you tell me what you do want?Because I'm not sure what I should be doing.”
“I want you to eat dinner with my kids and me.Then, play a game or watch a movie with us.After they go to bed, I want you to curl up on the couch with me and kiss me like you did on the front porch.”
“The kids won't come out of their rooms?”I arch a brow.
“No.They both fall asleep really quickly.There’s no chance.”
“I like the sound of that.”
I glance around to make sure there isn't a kid nearby, then I lean in and capture her lips in the world’s quickest kiss.She instantly sags against me and clutches my shirt in her fists.
“That should hold me over through dinner.Though I might need another one before the movie.”
I let my fingers trail across her hip as I walk past her.She shivers when her shirt rides up and my skin brushes hers.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” she mutters under her breath.I chuckle and grab the bowl of spaghetti out of her hands and place it on the table.“Let me just get the kids, then we can eat.”
Her voice is calm and steady, but she looks like she’s trying and failing to keep herself composed.I grin, loving how I affect her so much.
“I’ll get them, sweetness.You sit down.”
Heading down the hallway, I peek into one room after another, until I find Danny sitting on his bed with his video game remote in his hands.
“Hey, Slugger.It’s time for dinner.”
“Ok.I’ll be right out.”He saves his game and quickly turns off the console, surprising me in the process.I thought there would be a slight fight on this.
With him following behind me, I scoop Bree off the couch and hold her upside down.She shrieks with laughter and holds onto my legs to keep from swinging in the air.I'm careful to make sure she doesn’t hit anything or get hurt.After flipping her around, I place her on her chair and take the seat next to her, just like she asked.
“I like having you here, Maverick.You should come to dinner every night!”Bree bounces in her seat.
“I'm not sure that would work, sweetheart.”
“Why not?”She folds her arms over her chest and scowls at me.
“Well, I own a restaurant and bar.We don’t open until four o’clock in the afternoon.If I'm not there, who’s going to do everything?”
“Can't you just hire people?Mommy’s shop is open twenty-four hours a day and she isn't there that much.”
“Bree!Don’t be rude.If Maverick can't come, then he can't come.You aren’t allowed to make him feel bad about it.”Sydney’s brows knit together as she frowns at her daughter.
“How about this, the days I don’t work, I’ll try to come over.Deal?”
