Page 37

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Rumor has it she nailed Bennett!

Ainsley

H e killed me.

Or at least paralyzed me for a while.

I drag my fingers along the ridges and dips of his abs as if it were a maze—an ab maze. He’s been drifting in and out of sleep this morning while I watch The Aquarium naked, tucked neatly to his side as if I were small and delicate.

There’s no reason to move or to even be up this early on a Wednesday, but I couldn’t sleep. All these thoughts kept running through my head.

Could I be in love with Maverick?

I think so. I mean, surely you don’t feel this way about a rebound.

Does one normally want to ease their rebound’s blanket down just to gaze at the penis that made you come harder than you ever thought possible?

Does a rebound make you crazy with worry with every erratic beat of his heart?

What about wanting to hug him, like all the time? Those can’t be normal thoughts you have of a rebound.

Hell, I don’t know if they were even thoughts I had about Tucker. Sure, I cared for Tucker and I stupidly gave up my goals and followed him here, but I don’t remember feeling this wholly consumed .

I literally wake up and wonder how many IOUs I can rack up from Maverick in a day.

Like, what can I do to make him laugh or piss him off so he does that whole growly thing in his chest?

I’m constantly Googling all the newest stress relief activities and I’ve even been watching Rachael Ray when he isn’t home so I can cook him better dinners.

My mama always said you know you love a man when you don’t want to poison his food.

I so don’t want to poison Maverick’s food.

I might want to eat half of it, but not poison it.

Scary Maverick Lexington has become more than just my roommate. He’s become something far more permanent. Maverick makes me feel like my crazy is perfect and adorable . . . I’ve never felt so adored.

I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him.

I said I would spend my last years at college focusing on me.

“Stop thinking,” he says sleepily, leaning down and placing a kiss to the top of my head.

See? See how fucking hard he’s making this?

“How do you know I’m thinking?”

He makes this rumbling sound. “You’re still.”

I’m still?

“Are you saying I only sit still when I’m thinking?”

I look up just in time to see him roll his eyes and yawn. Gah, his teeth really are perfect. So white and straight. I wonder if my teeth will be that white if I keep using his toothpaste?

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. The only time you ever sit still is when you’re deep in thought.”

I watch his jaw settle back into his signature frown.

“That’s awfully observant of you,” I note.

He shrugs. “It’s what I do.”

How could I forget?

“Uh-huh.” He shifts and lifts me so I’m straddling him, my bare breasts on display only for him. “Do you want to go out tonight?” he asks hesitantly. “Grab something to eat maybe? ”

I watch him carefully. “Are you not going to Gigi’s with Sebastian?”

He’s canceled all the poker games here since I moved in. Apparently, he and his friends have been meeting up at some place called Gigi’s to play instead. I didn’t care since it’s such a pain for me to leave and find something else to do while they are here.

“I don’t have to go,” he says, a yawn clipping the last word.

He has to love me, right? Before, he would have never missed a game to hang out with me.

And he wouldn’t have spent an obscene amount of time sitting on a hard bench while I cooed and hugged as many sea lions as the aquarium staff would allow.

I even forced Maverick to take pictures with me and the “sea otters” as he likes to call them.

Someone who didn’t love you back wouldn’t make arrangements for you to spend hours with your favorite animal right after you met his family, right? I don’t think so.

Which begs the question. “Did your friend ever find me a house to rent?”

His body tenses under my fingers. “No. Why? Did you find a place?”

I laugh. “Uh, no. I’m just wondering since the last time you mentioned it, it sounded like a done deal.”

He clears his throat. “The rental fell through.”

“Too bad,” I say, not meaning it at all. “I guess you’re stuck with me for a little while longer.”

I’m not eager to move out of Maverick’s apartment, but if he’s still looking for a place for me to stay then my theory could be wrong about him loving me. Then again, he could still love me but want his privacy. Who knows?

He makes a low noise in his throat. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

That wasn’t a “Don’t worry, we’ll find you a place soon” answer.

That means . . . “I’ve kind of gotten used to you too.”

He rolls his eyes and I grin just before someone bangs on the door.

Maverick jumps, pushing me off him, and stands. “Put some clothes on.”

I nod at his back as he sprints off to his room, throws on some clothes, and tosses me a pair of his sweats and a T-shirt .

Well then, guess he isn’t waiting for me to do it myself.

I pull on his clothes and watch as he stomps to the door, looking back to make sure I’m dressed before he yanks it open, seemingly ready to blast whoever is on the other side.

Except, he never does. Because when the door gives way and he gets a good look at the stunning blonde, he sucks in a breath, taking a step back.

Quickly, I move to his side, getting an up close and personal look at the girl in the doorway. She is stunning with her long blonde hair and her navy stained eyes.

“Aspen,” he drawls, looking past her size zero body toward the stairs. “Are you alone?”

I rear back. Is she alone? Is he expecting an army? Granted, the way she holds herself does look a bit regal even if she is dressed in workout gear.

She grins at Maverick. “I’m alone,” she answers, clearly amused.

Mav nods but doesn’t step back to let her in. “I don’t want any problems with Jameson,” he adds.

Who the hell is Jameson? Is that another one of his poker buddies I’ve yet to meet?

Aspen smiles and levels me with a curious look. “You must be Ainsley,” she says, extending her hand out. I glance at Mav, a silent question transferring between us. Is she a friend? He nods and I turn back to the blonde bombshell and shake her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you,” I add, even though Maverick has never mentioned her.

“I have to say, I’m impressed. I wasn’t sure that any girl could break Lexington.”

Is she validating all the wild and crazy thoughts I’ve been having this morning? I think she is.

Mav snorts and seems to relax a little. “Yeah, yeah. What are you doing here, Von Bremen? You were supposed to call, not show.”

Is she indebted to him like I am? Is this a deal going on? Wait, is Maverick calling in a favor?

Aspen turns her attention back to Mav, pausing only to give me a little wink. I’m not sure who this girl is, but I think I kind of like her.

“Always the charmer, Lexington.” She fishes a card out of her pocket, handing it over with a smug look. “I assume you have a marker.”

The muscle in Mav’s cheek twitches, but he doesn’t react until she raises her brows.

“What’s it going to be, Lexington?”

After a moment, Maverick runs his hand through his hair and sighs, dropping his chin to his chest. “I assume you can make good on your part of the deal?” he asks, slowly pulling out the marker from his back pocket.

She nods. “I already did.”

The tension in Maverick seems to relax as he passes her the marker. What the hell is going on here? Is he?—

“Turn around, Lexington. I want to enjoy this.”

I feel my jaw go slack. I’ve never seen anyone not fear Maverick and—is he really turning around and giving her his back?

“I don’t envy Jameson for a minute.” He laughs, shaking his head and turning around so she can press the card to his shirt.

At this point, I have no doubt as to what she’s doing.

Maverick Lexington is owing someone a favor.

I’ve seen him take favors and call in favors, but I’ve never seen him go as far as to owe someone else a favor where the terms aren’t by his own making.

It takes Aspen only a second to scrawl out the letters and hand the card over to Maverick. “Make sure your brother is playing in Sunday’s game. He gets one shot and one shot only to impress him.”

Mav nods, fighting back his emotions, but I can tell her favor pleases him.

Aspen Von Bremen just did him and his brother a favor. One that Maverick couldn’t do himself. The question is, what?

“I’ll make sure of it. Thank you, Aspen.” He tips his chin at the girl. “I mean it.”

Everything to Maverick is a business deal. Nothing is ever personal, but this—this favor—this is personal for him and he appreciates it. “Now get the fuck out of here. I don’t want any issues with Jameson.”

Who the hell is Jameson? And since when has Mav cared who has a beef with him? Typically, he doesn’t give a shit what anyone thinks about him. He’s the almighty at Havemeyer.

Aspen chuckles as her phone rings in her bag. “You let me handle Jameson.” She looks at the screen and holds up a finger, signaling for Mav to wait or hush, I’m not sure which.

“Where the fuck are you?”

A deep voice roars through the phone and I look at Maverick, who just shakes his head. But it seems not to faze Aspen since an even bigger smile tugs on her face.

“What do you mean, where am I? I’m right where you told me to be,” she lies, setting her shoulders as if she’s readying for a verbal sparring.

Another growl sounds through the phone, but I can’t make out his words. I can only assume they were not sweet. Again, though, this doesn’t upset Aspen. “Bennett, for the love of God, I am waving at you. How do you not see me?”

I feel a grin slipping onto my face when Maverick shakes his head as if me encouraging her is not the thing to do at the moment.

“I swear, when we get home, we’re having your eyes checked. Just stay there. I’ll come to you.”

The angered voice interrupts her laugh, but I can still make out the sentence, “When I get to you.”