Chapter 28

Christmas Eve Eve

MAVERICK

The days leading up to Christmas meant putting a hold on the classes only because everyone was so busy. Dick was going out of town to see his family, and Alistair had a crazy work schedule. I was also busy but trying my best to get through shit I didn't want to do as fast as I could so that I could spend my time with Ava.

We agreed that our meeting the friend's day would be at my party the day after Christmas. It killed me not to wake up with her on Christmas morning. I wanted so badly to make love to her by the tree we picked out, the colored lights being the only light in the room.

She told me the best things come to those who wait, so I had to be patient.

I hate being patient.

Now that I've had her and know what it feels like to be in love, I don't want to be anywhere else.

Yes, I'm in love. I don't care that it's fast, and I don't care if people think we're crazy. I may have thought her classes were bullshit at first, but I believe they opened our eyes to one another. The ridiculous tips she had us using or silly surprise dates actually fed right into our need for one another. There was no show, there was no pretentious fake first date. She didn't like me, I didn't like her, so whatever we said or did, it didn't matter because it wasn't going anywhere.

Or so we thought.

And tonight is the night I tell her I'm in love. She doesn't have to say it back. I kind of expect her not to, but I'm done being afraid. I've waited for the one I wanted a second date with for years, and now I have her. I want all the dates, seven, twenty, thirty-one dates that will eventually lead me to the date that starts our lives over together.

I hear her car pull into my driveway, and I go to the front door and wait for her. Just seeing her puts a smile on my face, and when she runs up the walk, dropping her bag at the bottom of the steps and jumping the last two steps to get to me, my day is complete. I catch her, and she wraps her legs around my waist. I kiss her softly at first before realizing just how much I've missed her for the last couple of days. She matches my fervor before beginning to giggle when I nip and bite her bottom lip.

"Maverick! Take me inside or lose me forever!" she yells, and I burst out laughing.

"Right movie, wrong character, nice reference though. How long have you been waiting to use that line?"

She slides down my body with a sly smile when she feels what she's doing to me. Her hands creep under my shirt and tease my waist, and it only makes me want to bend her over the railing and show her just how much I've missed her. "I know it's about Goose, but I had to say it." She laughs as I grab her bag from the porch and we head inside .

"I hope you ordered food. I'm starving, and the game is about to start." She tosses a look over her shoulder as I drop her bag at the head of the hallway.

"I'm already a step ahead. Go check out the living room." I grab the wine I've been chilling and two glasses and meet her smiling face.

"Sushi, two forks, and the Warriors. Life doesn't get any better than this, Maverick." She takes the glasses and wine from me, placing them on the table. "The tree looks great, by the way. Whoever picked that one is a pro!" She giggles and dodges my swat at her ass. "I just want to change quickly." She glances at the clock counting down to kick off on the television. "I've got six minutes. Plenty of time!" She winks at me and runs down the hall.

I fall onto the couch, letting my head hit the back, and can't wipe the smile from my face. I laugh to myself at just how smitten I am, and think if Jay or Wes saw me right now, they'd never let me live it down. And honestly? I don't care. I can't wait for them to see just how much I love her.

"I'm wearing my good luck charm. They better win tonight."

Her voice pulls my attention to her, and when I see her wearing the jersey I gave her, I just about break. "Ava."

"Yes?" she answers with a smirk.

"What do you have on?"

"This old thing?" She brushes past me on the couch, her smooth legs catching my eye as she kneels on the floor by the table and begins to open the food containers.

"You came here to watch the game, right?"

She bites into an avocado roll. "I did. Mm, this is so good." Her cheeky tone is making me crazy. "Which place is this from? We'll definitely have to order from here again."

I raise a brow and bite my lip as she refuses to make eye contact but instead makes a show of eating and watching the television. I shake my head at this little game she' s playing. "I'm going to let you eat first, but then you're going to pay for what you're doing to me right now."

She glances at me, her eyes sparking with laughter. "Maverick! I'm not doing anything to you!"

"You're right. You're not. But you're going to very, very soon." My tone is low and seductive, and the way her eyes dilate and her tongue peeks out to wet her bottom lip tells me she's in for this game. "Keep eating. You're going to need your energy."

Her eyes flutter, and she turns her attention back to the game. The Warriors received the ball, and the opening play has them gaining twenty-two yards. I lean forward, sitting on the edge of the couch and pouring us some wine. "If they win this one, they cli–"

"No!" she shouts at me, launching herself to tackle me to the back of the couch. "Don't say it! That'd be the kiss of death, and you know it!"

I laugh as I hold her body close to me and she straddles my lap. "Don't tell me you're superstitious?!"

She shakes her head and puts her finger to my lips. "Just. Don't. Say. It." I nip her fingertip before sucking her finger into my mouth, flicking my tongue against it. Her eyes get wide and her mouth drops open before she yanks her finger back and holds it against her chest.

"Oh, princess." My laugh rumbles from me and we both feel it. "For a romance writer, I seem to be opening your eyes to a lot of things you should already know."

"Listen, just because I write about it doesn't mean I've done it." She goes to move from my lap but I stop her. "I can't see the game from this position, Mav."

My lips twist. "Allow me to fix that." I urge her to the side of me and sit up a little straighter before turning her and pulling her back down reverse cowgirl style on my lap.

"You are incorrigible. Is this another fantasy? T-shirts on the deck and jerseys on the couch? "

I tickle her feet and she squirms around. "Just watch the game, princess."

I've only got so much patience, but I seem to enjoy torturing myself when it comes to Ava. I smooth my hands up and down her legs while we cheer on the fourth down. We watch as they get into scoring position and Winters steps back with the ball, searching for his teammate Tristan Starks to make it to the endzone. He launches the ball, and Ava jumping up and down on my lap is too much to take. When Starks catches it, scoring the first touchdown of the game, we cheer together.

I run my hands under the jersey, lifting it slightly, and seeing that round ass of hers stops my heart. Her sexy lace panties beg for my touch. When the team lines up and the kick is good, she throws her hands into the air. "Seven on the board!" I take the opportunity to skim up her ribs and cup her breasts.

"Ava!" I call out. She giggles, grabbing my hands over the jersey. "We're done watching the game."

She rolls off me and down to the floor, wedging herself between my legs. "No we're not. You sit back and relax, but tell me the plays as they happen." I furrow my brows until she reaches for the button on my jeans and all sense leaves my head. I allow her to pull my jeans and boxers down and kick them off before she settles back in between my legs, taking my cock in her hand. "I don't want to miss what's happening, Mav. Make sure you talk to me."

I drop my head against the back of the couch as she makes one long lick up my shaft. She flicks her tongue quickly over my head, and I grip the couch cushion. She takes me down her throat, looking at me from under her lashes before sliding me back out of her mouth. "The game, Mav."

I shake my head and let out a breath, tearing my eyes from the hottest thing I've ever seen. I watch a few seconds of the game and say, "There's the pitch. He's running. Ahhh." I can't form words as she takes me back down her throat. I swallow hard and pump my hips. "Tackle took him down. Eight yards."

She pulls off me long enough to say, "Sweet," before swallowing me once more.

"They're running again. Guys in red are chasing them." She laughs, and it vibrates my cock. "Fuck, Ava, don't make me do this." I thread my fingers through her hair. "Come up here. Please." My last word is a whisper as I lose all control. She lets my cock pop from her lips before crawling up my body. My hands find her panties and I pull them over her ass and down her legs until she steps out of them, climbing back onto my lap.

"I mean, it's only the first quarter." She takes my cock and positions it at her entrance before sinking down onto me. My breath leaves my body fast again, and I bite down hard on my bottom lip, trying to ward off the orgasm that is quickly approaching. "We can score, then we can watch them score."

I snicker as I let my fingers dance around under her jersey. "See? I knew you liked to watch."

She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me in close, and I sit up, moving us to the edge of the couch. She finds a perfect rhythm of working herself and me as we slowly kiss. The words I love you linger on my tongue, and with each swipe of hers, I want to scream it out.

But with or without a class, I know saying I love you, for the first time anyway, during sex is a big faux pas.

She picks up speed, and I let her control us. "Ava, you're the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. I've dreamed of the day you'd be bouncing on my lap wearing a jersey." I gather the shirt and lift it, eyeing her full tits that are bouncing with her, begging for my tongue. She takes the jersey and lifts it over her head, throwing it to the side of the couch before crossing her arms back above her head. Her eyes are closed, and her head is back in ecstasy. I lean back against the couch, hands on her waist, and begin to pound into her from underneath. With one hand still holding her waist tight, I play with her clit with my other hand. The sounds escaping her let me know I'm doing everything right, and it only makes me want to please her more. I pinch her nipple and her pussy quivers around me.

"You ok, princess? I can feel you getting close."

Her eyes roll once more before she focuses on me. "You feel so good." She pants out each word. "I don't want it to end."

"I know, love. I know. But I can't hold off much longer. You are so fucking sexy, and I'm the luckiest guy on the planet right now. Let me get you there. Look at me, Ava. Look down." Her eyes connect with mine before she drops them to my hand that is teasing her clit. "Watch it happen. You ready?" Her tongue sneaks out and she glances up at me once more before her body starts to shudder. I flick her clit and thrust into her as cries leave her lips. Goosebumps break out on her body, and I rub her through her orgasm as mine follows. She falls forward, limp, onto my chest as our bodies shiver together. We're both breathing heavily, but soon we even out into a steady pace.

"You're incredible, Ava."

"Thank you." She giggles and snuggles close to me as my hands drift up and down her back.

"I'm serious. Making love to you in a football jersey in front of the Christmas tree? Best Christmas Eve Eve gift ever."

She pushes from my chest and my cock feels instant loss as she rolls to the side of me. "Christmas Eve Eve?"

"Yes, I won't get to see you again until the day after Christmas, so I had to open my gift early."

I take note of the fact that she's sitting next to me completely naked. The Ava I thought I knew would never do this, and even after our first dance in the rain, I could see her walls coming down. My chest swells knowing she's at a point now where there is complete comfort and trust.

It's more than I could ever ask for.

With three minutes left on the clock, the Warriors are up by two touchdowns, so it's safe to say the game is over and they've clinched the division. Just one more thing to make this night perfect. Ava is back in my jersey. I told her I wanted full access to her throughout the game. She just laughed, not taking me seriously, but didn't push my hand away when she and the Warriors both scored at once.

I've cleaned up the food and put away the wine. I come back into the living room, offering my hand to pull her from the couch. "Come on, I want to show you something."

She comes willingly, and I grab my zip-up sweatshirt as we walk out onto my back deck where I drape it over her shoulders. The houses on the lake are all lit up with Christmas lights. I inhale, smelling the saltwater and the cool air makes me pull her closer to me.

"This is quickly becoming our go-to spot, isn't it?"

"I told you, this is what I see when I imagine myself with someone."

"It's beautiful out here. Look at the lights! And, oh! The moon! Maverick, I understand why you say you'll never move from here. I wouldn't either if I lived here. The city of Charming doesn't have views like this."

I give her a quick kiss. "Are you warm enough?"

"I'm perfect."

I take a breath, going over the words I had been repeating in my head for the last week. Of course everything I want to say is escaping me, so I kind of just lead from the heart. "Remember when you asked why I was ruining dates on purpose?"

She looks over her shoulder at me quickly before turning back to the lake. "Yes. I actually overheard Maria mention it to my other cousin, and I wondered why you would do that. I figured it was just because you wanted to sabotage my class." She purses her lips and turns around in my arms to look at me.

"Well, that was the first idea I had." When she rolls her eyes, I give her a squeeze. "But it ended up being because they weren't the ones for me."

"How did you know? You didn't even give those women a chance!"

I shake my head. "They weren't for me because none of them were you." I brush her hair back from her face. "Maybe it was about winning or proving you wrong in the beginning, but with each class, I found something new I liked about you. And I needed to know more. Until you gave me all of you, I didn't know how much I was missing out on, Ava." She blinks quickly and smiles at me.

"I feel the same, Maverick. I didn't know I was allowed to have fun or let my guard down. You showed me all that."

"I've been drifting through life, sometimes being seen, most times not, but until you, having a woman challenge me and make such an impact on my life has never been so rewarding. You told me the goal is not to score each time, it's to not quit when something doesn't go the way you planned. You wanted to throw me out of the class, and I couldn't have that without getting to know the frustratingly beautiful author that had me thinking about her day and night."

"People can be lovers and enemies at the same time you know. It makes for really great make-up dates."

"Ava!" I act shocked, but I'm not shocked at anything she does anymore. I've come to expect the unexpected from her and it feels right. "There're so many things I want to say, but I can't find the words. Maybe one day you'll write them for me, but for now, I hope you'll be okay with three simple ones." Her eyes are glassy and her lips tremble and she shakes her head back and forth. "No? What are you trying to deny now, princess?"

"Because this doesn't feel real, Maverick. You've made me feel things that are only written about. If there's something stronger than those three little words, I don't know what it could be."

"How about six words?" When she furrows her brows, I smile. "I'm in love with you, Ava. You're the one I didn't see coming, but I can't be without you now. After our first meeting during the book event in Magnolia Point, I had no idea you'd become so important to me. I won't promise that every day will be perfect, but I need you to know this small-town guy will do his best to be perfect for the girl who's perfect for him."

"Maverick," she whispers my name and kisses me softly. A tear slides down her cheek and I wipe it away. "You're the best thing I never planned for. I love you too."

"You've no idea how much I needed to hear you say that." I kiss her again, never wanting this moment to end yet I can't wait to live every new moment with her.