Page 96 of Reaching Avery
I snuggled more into his chest and wrapped my arms around him, feeling the muscles in his back as I lightly moved my hand up and down his spine.
He rested his cheek on the top of my head and returned my hold. “Sometimes I feel like my life is a carnival ride,” he whispered. “I’m going in one direction, and then it does a sharp turn to the left, putting me on a different course. Like one of those fun houses with all the freaky mirrors and dead ends. Everything seems to be going according to plan, and then the expected becomes the unexpected, and I’m thrown for a loop as the reality I thought shifts into an unpredictable maze of chaos.”
His heart beat beneath my ear, faster than before, and I held him tighter.
“I think that’s just called being a teenager,” I said, smiling when I felt his chest rumble with a light laugh.
“You make it better,” he said before pressing a kiss to my head, but instead of pulling away afterward, he remained that way. His mouth trailed to my forehead and he kissed me there as well. A soft pressure followed by another.
I knew he wanted to kiss me again, but I didn’t know if I was ready for that yet. How did someone know if they were ready? Maybe I was just overthinking it.
I pulled back and looked up at him. His sapphire eyes stared into mine, and my body began to tingle. He was warm and calming. Even with just a glance, he could wash away the bad.
Screw it.
Raising myself up on my tiptoes, I captured his lips.
A small grunt left him as I caught him off guard, but then his mouth softened against mine. Hesitantly, he lifted a hand and tangled his fingers in my hair before deepening the kiss. His taste was exhilarating.
I’d often heard people describe kisses like fireworks going off, and I’d always rolled my eyes at them. I finally understood what they meant.
It honestly felt like a million tiny fireworks were exploding in my chest—in my heart.
My pulse quickened, and I wanted more of Maverick. The taste and feel of him just took everything else over, and if he hadn’t been holding me, I would’ve floated off the porch. An electric sensation trickled through my stomach and shot straight to the tips of my toes.
I gripped the back of his shirt and moved my lips with his, seeking more of whatever this was—the intoxicating feeling. I didn’t know how long the kiss lasted. I didn’t care.
We were on his front porch, in sight of all the neighbors, but it didn’t faze either of us.
Even though I was already pressed right up against Maverick, I still tried to get closer. Needed to. I tugged on his shirt and twisted the material into a tight handful. My body was on fire, and yet, I didn’t want to quench the flames.
He smiled against my mouth before mumbling, “A little eager, are we?”
“Shut up,” I said before crashing my lips back to his.
After he pressed his mouth to mine once more, he broke the kiss. My face must’ve reflected my displeasure at it because he chuckled. His laugh did things to my insides, and I couldn’t help but smile too.
“As much as I’d love to continue,” he said, moving a strand of hair out of my face. “I’ve wanted this for too long, and I can’t guarantee I won’t attack you.”
The way his gaze roamed my face was unlike any look I’d seen from him before. Soft, but also intense. It heated me from the inside out.
“What if I want you to attack me?” I asked, a bit shocked at myself. But right as the words slipped from my lips, I realized I meant them.
For too long, I’d denied myself even the possibility of a relationship because I’d been so worried about my family. Too consumed with my past. Then, Mav came into my life, and emotions—and desires—I’d never felt before started awakening.
One kiss from him had been like a dam breaking open and releasing all the water behind it. And once the water was out, there was no putting it back.
“Dammit, Avery. Don’t tell me that.” Maverick smiled, but there was a tenseness behind it. His eyes seemed darker too. “I have pretty good self-control, but I’m not perfect.” He rested his forehead on mine. “And I want you more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.”
His confession made me happy. I didn’t have an issue with Chris… but it might’ve pleased me to know Maverick was more into me. Just a little.
We jumped when the front door opened.
“You boys okay?” Karen asked, walking outside and shutting the door behind her. Her eyes glistened and were rimmed with red.
“Yeah,” Maverick answered, still holding me. “I think we’re going to take off. I’m not in the mood to be around him right now.”
Karen nodded. “Your dad feels awful. He and I had a talk after you left the room.”
