“What are we makin'?” I asked, leaning against the kitchen counter.
She pulled something wrapped in butcher paper out of her fridge, along with vegetables, and handed me the paper-wrapped package. “Rib eye, salad, and asparagus.”
“Sounds perfect. What do you want me to do?”
Her big blue eyes locked on mine. “Season the steaks? They need to sit for a little while before we sear them.”
“My pleasure, ma'am. You want a drink?”
She bit her lower lip as she stared at me, hunger in her eyes I hadn't noticed before. “I've got wine and whiskey. What's your pleasure?”
I almost replied, you, but she let out a nervous chuckle, and I stopped myself. “What do you want?”
“This seems like a whiskey kind of night.”
“Worried about inhibitions?”
“A little,” she admitted.
I set aside the steaks, then reached for her. “You don't have to be worried about this.” Her eyes were wide and searching as I pulled her close. “We're two consenting adults. Attracted to each other. Making a decision that will get you something you want. There's nothing wrong with enjoying the process together. You'll get a baby, and I'll get a few months of sex with a beautiful woman I care about.”
“Wait, hold on. Sex? Who said anything about sex?” She backed out of my hold and crossed her arms over her chest. “We're not having sex.”
I laughed. “Yeah, we are. You said so last night.”
“No. I didn't say that at all.”
“You did.” I dragged a hand over my hair and thought back to the conversation we'd had. Fucking hell, she never actually said sex. “You did not. Jesus, Clara. I'm sorry.”
“You thought I wanted you to fuck me until I got pregnant?”
I was such an asshole. “Well, yeah. Dinner, drinks, a date. I figured we were going to just try to knock you up the old-fashioned way.”
She burst into a fit of laughter, her amusement making me let go of the embarrassment I'd felt and laugh right along with her.
“I mean, we can't do it that way.” Tears filled her eyes from the giggling she was still working to control. “It's a terrible idea.”
I should have agreed. But I didn't. “Is it so terrible?”
Her expression changed to apologetic. “Being with you . . . sleeping with you isn't a terrible idea. But it's not the smart way to do this. I've never been with someone with no feelings being involved.”
“I have. That's all I've ever done.”
“That's not true. You've been in love, I'm sure of it.”
I shook my head. “No. I thought so once, but I look at my brothers, and there's no way I've ever been in love with anyone if that's the way I should be looking at my girl.”
“How's that?”
“Like she's the only woman in the fucking world.”
She bit her lower lip and stared hard at me. “So you were really ready to fuck me tonight? No feelings? Just sex?”
I smirked, but something stirred in my chest. “If you want me to, I still am. I'll make a direct deposit, so we have no chance of me missing.”
6
Clara
Was he serious?
Maverick wanted to sleep with me. He wanted to spend the rest of his time in Sunrise in my bed.
I wondered if this was really going to remain as uncomplicated as he thought. Probably not. But he was right about one thing—it would be a hell of a lot more fun to try and get pregnant if we were doing this naked.
He turned away from me and began seasoning the steaks while I poured both of us two fingers of whiskey. The music playing on the small speaker on my kitchen counter seemed so loud in the silence between us. How could he be so cavalier about this? So relaxed about the proposition he just made. One that would change everything between us.
I watched as he moved around my kitchen like he owned the place, his hips moving slightly to the beat of the music. You couldn't call it dancing, but you could tell he was enjoying being in the middle of everything.
I downed my whiskey, taking a deep breath as the alcohol burned its way into my belly.
“Okay,” I said. “Okay, let's do it.”
His shoulders stiffened, and everything stopped as he turned around to face me. “Are you sure?”
He moved the steaks to a plate before heading to the sink and washing his hands.
“Yeah. What the hell, right? You're leaving. I want a baby. And there are worse ways to make one than to have a sexy man tangled in the sheets with me.”
Underneath the shadow of his stubble, I saw that dimple from his smirk. He didn't say anything as he returned to the plate where the meat was sitting. But then he grabbed it and moved toward the refrigerator. Opening my fridge, he slid the plate onto the top shelf and closed the door before turning back to face me.
“Those are supposed to—”
Maverick moved forward, and I backed away until I was pressed against the counter, and his body was flush to mine. His big, rough palm gripped the nape of my neck, forcing me to look at him. I was lost in his deep blue eyes.
“You’re mine now, darlin’. Until this is over. Do you understand?” The hunger in his voice had my thighs clenching tight, and my focus changed from wanting to eat to wanting him.
He leaned close, his lips nearly touching mine, but he bypassed my mouth and put his just barely on my ear lobe.
“I’m gonna make sure I leave a piece of me behind. You're never gonna forget me.”
How did he think I could? Even before this, Maverick was an important part of my life. There were so many things that always made me think of him. Even the sight of a pair of spurs had my mind going to Maverick. When someone mentioned cowboys? It was him that flashed in my mind before anybody else. I don't think Maverick truly knew how much I thought of him.
I could feel his breath on my ear, and goosebumps lifted on my skin, making my nipples hard. My pulse raced, and I sucked in a sharp breath when he rocked his hips and the hard length of him dug into my lower belly. He was so much taller than me, so much bigger. His body engulfed mine, and I loved it.
“Do we want to go to the bedroom?” I asked breathlessly.
He let out a soft laugh and backed away, leaning against the counter opposite me before snagging his whiskey.
The way he was looking at me . . . I recognized that look. I'd seen it on his brother's faces when their girls said something naughty. Something that ended up with the two of them sneaking away from whatever gathering we'd all been at. I saw it on Hawk Langston’s face at Luke and Mackenzie's wedding. And I'd known then that he and Daisy, the nanny to his daughter, were more than they let on. It was a look from someone desperate to stake their claim.
“Do you want to eat first?” he asked.
I was hungry, but he'd opened Pandora's box. And now, the only thing I wanted was him inside me.
“The food can wait,” I said.
“Brace yourself, darlin’.” He knocked back his whiskey, then reached for me, pulling me against him and crushing his lips to mine.
There's a moment that I've heard about from my girlfriends, one I've read about in books and seen in movies. The one where time stops and the world is flipped upside down. I didn't believe it was real. But the instant Maverick Wilde finally kissed me, I realized I was so wrong. I also knew I was in serious trouble.