Chapter 20

Grace

"Good night, Mommy. I love you." Sophie smiled and hooked her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly.

Accepting her hugs was the best part of every single day, and I closed my eyes to inhale her sweet little girl scent, her coconut-scented hair, and I loved her little contented sigh. "I love you too, baby girl, to the moon and beyond. Sweet dreams." I lay her down and pressed a kiss to her forehead before tucking her in.

"I'm gonna dream that we can stay here forever!" She flashed a wide smile and drifted off to sleep.

My heart kicked against my breastbone at her words. She wanted to stay here, which was a problem because we were leaving in three days. I planned to leave in two days, but I was stalling, and the big sexy biker downstairs was the reason why. I needed to get my head out of my ass and get going. Soon, I told myself, and glanced at my daughter one last time before pulling the door almost completely shut.

I shook off all thoughts of Maverick and headed back to the kitchen to clean it up. It was the most relaxed meal I'd shared with a man in a long time. Maverick appreciated my cooking and was effusive in his praise. No one had thrown any dishes—or tantrums—about the shitty food, and so I only had to wash and dry the dishes instead of cleaning up the whole room. Not much else has changed, I reminded myself since I spent all day cooking and cleaning, at two houses rather than one. I still felt bad about having to leave Mabel, but if there was a chance that the attempted break in had anything to do with me, then I couldn't put her at risk. Though by all accounts she was having a great time entertaining the prospects at night.

I came to an abrupt stop in the kitchen and frowned at the delicious sight before me. Maverick stood at the counter loading leftovers into containers. My heart gave a little flutter, along with other, more southern parts. "You don't have to do that!"

Maverick looked up and cocked one brow in my direction. It shouldn't have been as sexy as it was. "It's my kitchen, of course I do."

I shook my head. "No. What I mean is that I was coming back to do it, I just needed to put Sophie to bed. You worked hard all day," I said, and rushed towards the counter, taking the bowl of vegetables from his hands. "I can do it."

"Yeah, well, you worked hard all day too," he said, and reclaimed the bowl. "This is the least I can do."

"What are you talking about? You're letting us stay here, keeping us safe in case…" I let my words drift off because I couldn't bring myself to say what I was thinking. In case Trent finds us. I took the bowl back, smiling at the surprise on his face and at myself. This was something I never would've done to Trent, at least not without consequences.

His big hands covered mine to still them, and when I looked up, he looked annoyed. Instinctively, I took a step back, but he grabbed my arm and pulled me back. "Dammit, Grace."

I flinched and closed my eyes on instinct.

"Open your eyes." His command came out on a harsh whisper, and I obeyed immediately. Maverick's broad shoulders relaxed, and his grip softened. "Two things."

I nodded obediently, my heart racing so loud there was a whooshing sound pulsing in my ears. "I'm sorry, I'm listening."

"First," he said, and released me, "You have nothing to be sorry about, I am not going to hurt you. Period. I will never lay a fucking hand on you. Got it?"

"I know that," I shot back and gave his chest a shove. "I can't help how I react. Not yet. You looked angry."

"I was angry at the bastard who hurt you. I know you won't tell me what happened, but try and understand, you're safe here," he replied in a calm yet firm voice.

"I'm working on it," I snapped. Did he think it was easy to undo years of conditioning?

Anger flashed in his blue eyes again, but I knew it wasn't directed at me, but my situation and what Trent had done to me. "The second thing, which I have already told you at least twice, is that there are no strings attached to you staying here. I mean it." His gaze drilled into me so hard, so intense it was like a visceral touch. "Understood?"

I nodded. "Got it." My voice was low and breathy. His nearness had a strange effect on my ability to breathe, to think clearly. My heart raced and my nipples hardened, and the low clench in my belly told me this wasn't strange at all. Oh no, it was the world's most inconvenient attraction.

"Good."

"Great," I shot back for no reason other than to stop the surge of arousal that shot through my body.

"Grace." His lips descended, but it wasn't quick, it was a slow move meant, I guessed, to give me time to pull away. To reject him.

As if that was even possible. I tilted my head back and waited for the spark to ignite between us the moment our lips touched, and Maverick did not disappoint. The instant his lips met mine, it wasn't just a spark, it was a lightning storm of feelings and sensations. The kiss wasn't sweet or tender or any of that nice shit that women like me were told kisses should be.

When Maverick kissed me, he devoured my mouth with an intensity that had me vibrating. His lips were velvety yet firm as they controlled the speed and the rhythm of the kiss. His tongue swept back and forth along the seam of my mouth until breathlessness forced me to open. He slipped between my lips. One arm hooked around me and pulled me close enough to feel just how hard and how big he was.

I let out a long, low moan and my knees gave way when our tongues touched. He tasted like dinner, like beer and man, and something I suspected was uniquely Maverick. I pushed in closer to him, pressing my chest against his and wrapping my arms around his broad shoulders. This kiss was unlike any I had ever experienced in my whole damn life. It was hot enough to blister my skin, so intense that tears pricked the spaces behind my eyes.

It was too much.

It wasn't enough.

It was everything.

No man had ever kissed me this way, like I was his moon and his stars and everything in between. Not Trent. Not the high school boys before him. Not one damn person. But this big, sexy biker slid one hand up my back before it tangled in my hair and the other slid down until his big hand gripped my ass.

He groaned and leaned over, tilting me back so he had total control of me and the kiss. A small part of me thought that maybe I should be scared or worried that he had me in such a vulnerable position, but my hard nipples and my libido told that small part to shut the hell up. The kiss was so hot and so delicious that I never wanted it to end, I just wanted to stay like this with my lips locked against his until the end of time.

I groaned again and, feeling bold, let my fingertips dance in his soft, thick hair. Our bodies pressed so tight together that not even a breath of air could pass between us, and the answering tug between my thighs told me everything I really and truly needed to know about this man. He's going to be my undoing.

Shit. I pulled back with wide eyes and stared up into dark blue eyes because I needed to see what the devil looked like. "I'm sorry," I stammered out. "I didn't mean for this to happen." I put my fingertips to my tingling lips and my body shook with a shiver.

I turned away because I felt foolish. What was I doing kissing a man like him? It didn't mean anything, and it couldn't go anywhere.

I was a fool.