Chapter 11

Eleven

AVA

After my dinner at Jay and Nina's house, I'm more confused than ever. I didn't spend much time with Maverick after seeing that he was occupied with Maria. Maria made sure to leave with me that night, and she also made sure to let me know it isn't her he's interested in. I'm not sure why she made that a point, but I have to say I was a bit relieved hearing it. And the fact that I was makes me worry.

Today she's with me at the office while we go through the latest notes.

"What do you think about this for Joe for Christmas? We can go halfsies if you want." She flips her phone around, showing me a picture of a framed wall hanging with Joe dressed in a Kings outfit, complete with a crown.

I burst out into laughter. "If we give that to him, there's no living it down! He's going to expect us to call him royalty forever."

She giggles over it too. "I just think it's hysterical. And I say we get it and hang it in his apartment without him knowing."

I sigh and flip through more notes. "Dick really seems to be finding his groove with Cara, huh? And she seems to like him too."

"She does." Her eyes get wide and she sits forward. "She called me up the other day and said they were meeting for coffee. She was really excited about seeing him again."

I smile. "Good, I'm glad. If I can help just one of these guys, it will be worth it."

Maria sits back in her chair with a grin. "Friendsgiving was fun."

I roll my eyes. "Was it?"

"It was from my perspective."

The food was amazing, until Nina gave us all assigned seating at her extra-large dining table and placed Maverick and I next to each other. I didn't know how to act. I was confused that I was happy to see him, and I was confused that I wasn't annoyed with everything he said. What's worse was that he was super nice with everyone. He was sincere yet still found time to be silly. He helped Jay clean up, and everyone in that house had wonderful things to say to him and about him.

"I know he's the guy you spoke about after being in Magnolia Point for the reading event."

"And?"

"And I know that means something. You haven't spoken about a man besides Zach since high school. It's like you were blind to anyone else. But Maverick is different, isn't he?"

I contemplate telling her more. "He is different, but there's a bit of a bad boy to him that makes me want to look the other way."

"No way. That bad boy makes you want to grab hold of his dick."

"Maria!" I shriek.

"You know I'm right. You need a man . Zach was a boy. You're thirty-two and you're ready for a man to come in, take control, toss you around, and also be that safe haven. And guess what, Ava? You deserve it. You deserve a guy like what you write about."

"I don't want to have to teach him how to be that guy though." I sigh, sitting back in my chair.

"It's one thing when you're trying to make them, and it's another when one walks in already owning every trait you need."

I sit silently, thoughts running through my head. Maria stands and grabs her purse before heading out the door. "Just think about it. He's not as bad as you think he is."

I nod at her. "Yes, Mom." She laughs as she makes her way to the door. "I'll call you later."

Today is a one-on-one class, and I'm honestly regretting holding this one. I'm still on edge around Maverick, especially after Maria dropped thoughts in my mind. Seeing him speak so easily with Maria left me with a feeling of jealousy I've never felt before. Not even when I was married. They seem to have a friendship, a camaraderie, so to speak, and it bothers me that I can't have that too. What brings me back down to earth is reading the report cards from the ladies on each date. I have a feeling Maverick is acting out on purpose. And after overhearing Maria and Joe talk about him messing up on purpose, my senses are going haywire.

Is this just a joke to get kicked from the class? Or is there a reason he's trying to mess up dates with other women?

There is a knock on my door, and I look up and have to keep my composure. Maverick enters the room in the work clothes I saw him in while I was out for a run. But that faraway view didn't do him justice. Close up? He's amazing. Tanned, strong arms, thick thighs, and a few days' worth of scruff has my gaze lingering a bit too long.

And I hate myself for looking.

"You'll have to excuse my appearance. I just got out of work and didn't have time to go home and make myself presentable for my teacher. I hope I don't get kicked from the class." His sarcasm is thick as he grabs the chair from the side of the room and drags it to the front of my desk.

I clear my throat. "You won't get kicked out of class for working, Mr. McKinney. But after reading some of these report cards, you may want to drop out."

"Never." He takes a seat, and his intense gaze on me makes me squirm in my chair.

To distract myself, I pull the review sheets and hold them up. "So what's the issue? You've had three dates, with three different women. None of them held your interest?"

"Maria did." His smirk is wide.

"Yes, but she hasn't returned for a second date." I flip through the sheets of paper. "So let's see what you do that doesn't warrant getting a second date."

"Must be them. Not me." he runs his palms along his jeans and looks away from me.

"No?" I make a show of sitting back and reading before chuckling to myself. "Well this girl wrote ‘ Maverick is good looking, but if there's no conversation of substance, looks only go so far. ' I'm surprised since you always seem to have something to say."

He stares at me with a blank gaze like he couldn't care less what I'm telling him. "Oh yeah, I remember her. Well, to be fair, the Warriors game was on, and I was busy watching it."

"Your second date went a little better. She was intrigued by your stories of heroism." I raise a brow. " Hearing how he saved his dead grandmother's cat, which she entrusted to him on her deathbed, from the tree that was on fire was so sweet. " I give him a dull look while he sits there looking quite proud of himself. " But when the flirty lines sounded more like soft porn and the growls were more…an imalistic...it's a pass for me ." I emphasize the animalistic word, hoping he outs himself.

I wait, and when it's silent, I rage back. "Now it's becoming a joke, Maverick! This girl was embarrassed in the restaurant."

"I was just doing what you told me," Maverick says with boredom in his tone.

"Barking at your food is not what I told you to do!"

"You said a good book boyfriend growls." He sits back, widening his legs and waving his hand in the air. "Growls, barks. Same, same."

My hand clenches, and I want to strangle this guy. I flip to the third sheet. " Maverick sat next to me at the bar, brushing my hair from my shoulders. It was hot and flirty. And when he weaved his fingers through the hair at the base of my neck, I thought, this guy gets it. But then he turned to me, inspecting my head as if I had fleas before tugging his hand through it harder, twisting it and causing knots ." I look at him blandly. "What the fuck?"

He laughs. "Whoa! Princess can curse?"

Ignoring him, I continue, "I told you to run your fingers through her hair softly, not pick at her like a monkey."

"You said play with her hair. I was."

I slam the papers on my desk and stand, making my way to the door. "Get out," I say forcibly and open the door for him to go through. "You're exactly who I thought you to be. A playboy who will never grow up or take anything seriously, and I am done letting you ruin this for me."

He turns in his chair to face me but makes no move to stand. "You don't know me at all! And you wouldn't know fun unless it barked in your face."

I grip the door. "You're so aggravating."

"And you're a princess."

"You're a fraud."

"A fraud?" Mav laughs and stands, now coming close to me. "You don't think I could be a book boyfriend?" He steps forward into my space and shuts the door before pinning me against it. Trailing his nose up my neck, his breath is hot against my cheek as he speaks. "Is this how they do it in your books? Is this how a man gets your heart racing?"

I can't look at him. I know if I do, I'll do something stupid. So I look past him, waiting for him to move away from me.

"Aren't you tired of being in control, Ava? It must be exhausting always being the one to make decisions. Teach things. Do you want a real man to help you with that?"

My heart beats fast and my breath is choppy. I want to yell out yes! I'm tired of being in control! I also want to ask why he thinks this about me. Instead, I bite my bottom lip, trying to ground myself, but when Maverick's eyes drop to my mouth and he lets a low growl rumble through his chest, I'm just about lost.

"What else do you need a man to help you with?"

A whimper escapes my lips. I can't form words.

"Do you want me to touch you? Kiss you? Tell me what kind of help you need, Ava." His hand is next to my head on the door, he's got me caged in. His manly smell is infiltrating all my senses, and when he pushes the front of his body against mine, my lips part at the hardness I feel pressing against me. "Because right now I'm having trouble controlling myself. You're the most aggravating, vexing woman I've ever met, but all I can think about is kissing that attitude right out of you."

"Then do it," I snap out.

He raises a brow. "You sure? Because I have a feeling once you get a taste of me, you're going to want more."

I push back and scoff. "I think it will be the other way around. I have control over myself. One kiss isn't going to change tha?—"

Before I can finish my sentence, his lips are on mine, stealing that last word. I inhale sharply as our kiss gets deeper. Our lips part, tongues tangle, and we each battle the other for dominance. He nips my bottom lip, and I squeal.

He pulls away from me, and we're both panting, his eyes darting over my face. "Let yourself go, Ava. You need to let yourself have fun."

He steps back from the door, pulling me flush against him. His hands run down my back to my ass where he grabs hold. "Just feel, don't think, don't try to win. Don't try to be in control."