Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77936 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Maverick moved to his elbow as well, leaving us face-to-face, breath mingling in the cool night air, centimeters apart, hands continuing to explore and stroke.
“I’ve kissed…a few guys since you, yet nothing comes close to that first night under the stars.” Maverick seemed determined to use past memories as little arrows seeking their way past my insufficient defenses.
“We can’t fool around with other tents close by.” I groaned low, keeping my voice down. All the tents were spread out around the central fire circle and horse paddock. The girls had chosen a spot near other tweens and teens while our tent was farther back, but privacy was at a premium.
“I know.” Maverick’s tone was as soothing as his touch. Which apparently worked, seeing as how I had neither moved away nor stopped touching him. Emboldened, Maverick added, “But would one kiss be so bad?”
Yes. Terrible idea. The worst. However, what came out of my mouth was, “One kiss. Maybe we should try simply because it might not be as good as we remember.”
“Good point.” Maverick was only too happy to close the distance between our faces, but I was the one to make the initial contact. If our first kiss had been clumsy, an adventure between two green teens, this one was a homecoming, rediscovering a beloved pair of worn jeans and marveling at the perfect fit.
His lips were soft and willing and content to let me lead. My body had apparently stored the memory of exactly how Maverick liked to be kissed—slightly aggressive, lots of little nips and sucks and tongue action. If we were only doing this once, I was going to make it count, kiss going on and on, oxygen be damned. He melted into me, pulling me closer as he gave a contented sigh against my lips.
“My memory didn’t lie,” he murmured.
“Mine either.” Despite its epic length, the kiss had been far too short, serving only to reignite a craving for more. Before I could overthink it, I kissed him again, one kiss bleeding into the next. Perfection. He tasted sugary, the last hints of marshmallow, and I couldn’t get enough. Maverick was the one with a sweet tooth, but my weakness had always been him, not dessert.
I grew harder with every kiss, arousal as welcome as his nearness. I’d forgotten this part, what kissing him did to me, how good it felt to want and need. Other times, I hated that sex couldn’t be a simple prospect for me, but with Maverick, all I felt was gratitude that our long history was the key to unlocking all sorts of wonderful sensations.
Maverick shoved at my shoulder, rolling on top of me in a smooth move, and I groaned softly, loving his weight on me, pressing me down. He was hard as well, dick right next to mine through our jeans. I stroked his back before reaching for his ass, pulling him tight against me. We were defying my rule about fooling around, but hell if I could stop.
Crack. Outside, far too close for comfort, someone or something stepped on a stick. The noise served as a bucket of ice water on my lust.
“Fuck.” I pushed at Maverick, sending him back to his sleeping bag. “We can’t do this.”
“I know.” Groaning, he threw one arm over his face. “Not here.”
“Not at all.” While we were kissing, more seemed like the most natural thing in the world, but reality was rushing back in, bringing all the reasons I couldn’t court a second heartbreak from Maverick.
“Even if we both agree it’s just for right now?” His tone was all too convincing, but I couldn’t entertain that line of logic.
“Go to sleep, Maverick.”
However, long after he’d crawled into his sleeping bag, long after his breathing became soft and even, I lay awake, brain churning. Just for right now. We couldn’t. I couldn’t. Yet his words kept wriggling into my brain until I couldn’t stand it anymore. I needed air. And possibly a call of nature, but mainly a break from Maverick being only five inches away.
I slipped my boots on and grabbed a flashlight before creeping from the tent, but I didn’t make it ten paces before I stepped wrong on a rock and twisted my ankle. Hard.
A pained noise escaped my throat. Hell. This was all the situation needed. I should have stayed put, let insomnia be my curse for kissing Maverick again. I hobbled back to the tent and found Maverick awake and sitting up.
“What’s wrong?” he demanded as I lurched into the tent.
“Nothing.” I wrenched my boots off and flipped back onto my sleeping bag. “Twisted my ankle, but I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”
“Let me see.” Maverick loomed over me, flashlight in hand. He didn’t wait for a reply before examining my foot, complete with removing my sock. “Yeah, that’s a sprain. You’ve got a little swelling already. I’ve got some over-the-counter pain reliever if you want it.”