Page 41 of Take My Name

“I know,” she whispers.

“Hopefully, you find time to have fun and live your life too?”

“Sometimes.”

Opening the driver’s side door, I stand in front of her. “Is it okay if I ask for a hug? Or is that not appropriate for anold friend?”

“Stop it,” she says playfully, swatting my chest. “We were friends before we started datin’, so technically that wasn’t a lie.”

“Mhm.”

She can keep telling herself that, but we both know she’s full of shit.

When she opens her arms, I wrap mine around her and pull her to my chest. She settles against me, and fuck, it feels good. My chin rests on top of her head, and I inhale her shampoo. Rainforest something.

It smells heavenly.

I want to bottle it up and inject it into my veins so I never have to be without it.

“Drive safe, Maze.” I kiss the top of her head without thinking but don’t apologize for it.

“Thanks, I will.”

I feel the loss of her as soon as she steps away. Watching until she drives away, I drag my feet and force myself to go inside.

My mind’s racing too much to fall asleep, so I call Landen to give him an update.

“Fuck, I’m so in love with my wife,” I blurt the moment he picks up.

“I…” He pauses. “Is this a new revelation?”

“Not exactly, but a part of me wondered if I was holdin’ onto the Maisie I knew and if I had built her up to be somethin’ more in my head, especially since I hadn’t seen her in years.”

“And I’m guessin’ that wasn’t the case.”

“Nope.” The girl I fell for is still there somewhere. Underneath the skirts and workaholic, my Maisie exists. She just needs a little help remembering where she came from. “My feelings for her never left and are stronger than ever.”

Though I’m trying not to show it so I don’t scare her away—at least not right away.

I recap what happened since the last time we spoke and about our seven-day deal.

“After zip linin’, we fell back into our old selves and spent the rest of the night talkin’ and laughin’. It’s like the time apart didn’t exist. Does that make me crazy?”

“Pft. No crazier than me pinin’ for a woman who spent most of the day ignorin’ my existence and would rather drive to the Franklin Rodeo alone than go with me.”

I wince. “Ooh, ouch.”

“Antonio, the kid I’m trainin’, has big heart eyes for her and she purposely goes outta her way to be extra nice to him. I swear, she does it on purpose. Meanwhile, I’m like a dog takin’ any scraps she’ll gimme.”

Barking out a laugh, I shake my head. “Woof.”

“Exactly.”

“Fuck…we’re so doomed.”

chapter eight

Maisie