Chapter 12

Twelve

MAVERICK

I feel the moment the fight leaves her body. She melts into me, allowing me to hold her up. Our kiss deepens, and I find myself lost to this woman I thought I hated, until suddenly she pushes me away.

"You were having fun, princess. Don't push me away."

She makes a show of righting her dress, smoothing out her hair. "It was a short-term lapse of judgment."

"You're full of shit and scared to have fun. If you even know what that word means."

"I know how to have fun if I want to. You, on the other hand, only know fun. You have to grow up sometime, Maverick."

"Oh, baby girl. I'm grown. Is that the issue here?" He cocks his head. "Have you not ever had a real man in your life?"

A weird emotion passes across her face before she blocks me out again completely. "You have no idea how to be a book boyfriend. I'm giving you one last try and sending you on another date. If you fail this one, you're out. "

"What if I don't want to go?" She's not going to force me out of here.

"You will. I've got a girl specifically sent from Maria."

I watch her for a moment, indecision warring within me over whether to continue to push this crazy idea I have. In the end, I say fuck it and let the idea come to fruition. "Know what? I think we're going to turn the tables here. You and I are going to go out. Then you can teach me how to be a book boyfriend one-on-one. And I'm going teach you how to have fun again."

"I don't think that's a good idea." She looks away and moves from me quickly, creating distance.

Hearing her say that makes me nervous, and the room feels like it's closing in on me. Between the kiss, the way she smells, and now this daring attitude that's leaving my lips, I'm having trouble understanding my feelings about the woman who I wanted, then didn't want, and now want all over again. "Sure it is. Now, come on, tell me. What do you like to do?"

"I like to run." She says it almost defiantly, like it has a double meaning.

"I don't run."

"Sorry, Mav, you have to learn to like things your woman does. So let's go." Ava has a fire in her eyes thinking she's going to beat me at something. What she doesn't know is I'm fast as fuck and have no trouble keeping up. I will, however, ignore the way her shortening my name made me feel like we have a more personal relationship.

Eyes on the prize, Maverick.