Page 21 of Don't Hurt Us
He’s consuming.Overwhelming.And everything I’ve always wanted.No one has ever made me feel like this with just a kiss.I know I'm never going to forget this moment.It will live rent-free in my head forever.
When he pulls back, he searches my eyes, trying to figure out how I'm feeling.The vulnerability in his features surprises me, but I love it.
“Wow,” I whisper as I lift a shaky hand to my lips.
“Yeah, wow.”A slow smirk spreads across his swollen lips.“Are you ok?”
“I think so?I think you need to give me a few minutes to process what just happened… And then do that again so I can make sure I understand what happened correctly.”
“I can do that.”His rich laugh wraps around me like a warm hug.“Let’s get inside.It’s freezing.”
I don’t know how he knew where we lived.I don’t think I ever told him.After sliding on the ice, I was too focused on not dying to give him directions, yet he knew.
“Where’s Bree?”He glances around the living room.
“What?”I frown, still trying to recover from our kiss.
“Your daughter.”He smirks, loving how much he can affect me.“Was Bree here alone?”
“Oh!No.She was with Pecker but he had to go to work, so she went to the neighbor’s house.I guess I should go get her.”I point in the direction of the house.My brain is barely functioning since he gave me that earth shattering kiss.
“You stay inside and get warm.I can go get her.”Maverick doesn’t wait for me to respond.He walks out the front door and across the lawn to the neighbor’s house.
I blink in surprise, unsure of what to do.I'm used to doing it all alone.Every single thing pertaining to the kids was my responsibility and Rob surely wasn’t going to help.
Needing to busy my hands while my mind tries to come to terms with things, I head into the kitchen and start preparing dinner.
I'm still trying to understand why Maverick would be interested in me in any way?Why wouldn’t he want someone with less baggage and fewer people relying on her?
I'm trying to wrap my head around how he corrected Danny without belittling him or ridiculing him.How quickly Danny apologized to me and how he didn’t get emotional over being corrected in the first place.
“You give the best rides!”Bree squeals.
I lift my gaze and my heart thuds a little harder.Maverick has Bree on his back and they’re both smiling ear to ear.
“You should see when I pretend I'm a horse.”He makes a shockingly impressive horse noise and pretends to rear back like she’s going to fall off of him.
Bree falls into a fit of giggles and wraps her arms tighter around his neck.They look so happy together.Like a father and daughter should.Though she’s never been that happy while playing with Rob.
“Did you have fun today?”I step into the living room, drying my hands on a towel.
“Yes!Peck helped me draw a picture and we painted it!Then he made me a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich.Then we ran around the house, pretending we were spies and we had to save the cat from being catnapped and murdered.Then we readfivewhole books.Then he had to go to work which made me really sad, but he promised we could do it all again next week.”She takes a gasping breath between each sentence, making me grin.She’s so full of life and energy.I love every second of it.
“Let’s see this picture you drew.”Maverick carefully lowers her onto the couch and then takes a seat next to her after he takes off his coat and boots.He makes himself comfortable, crossing one ankle over the other knee and resting an arm along the back of the couch.
“Let me go get it!”She hurries off to find the painting, more than excited to have someone interested in something she did.
I lean my shoulder against the threshold and watch Maverick carefully.He’s so good with kids.I know he doesn’t have any of his own, but I wonder if he wants some.
“Why are you staring at me like that?”His lips pull up on the ends.
“You look good in my living room.But I'm mostly wondering how you don’t have a family of your own?”
“Well, I never found anyone worthy of my attention.”He shrugs.
“And I am?”I arch a brow, barely stopping myself from rolling my eyes.
“You’re worthy of every ounce of my attention,” his deep voice rumbles.He moves like he’s about to get up when Bree comes racing down the hallway waving her paper in the air.
