Chapter Five
Julie
I should be packing my things and running for the hills. Instead, Maverick sits beside me on the couch, his hand on my knee as we both stare blankly ahead. I’m not sure if he regrets telling me all he just said in the hallway, or if he’s feeling awkward about letting his emotions be so free. Either way, I’m confused. Not only about his reaction, but about mine. I’m awkward as hell, and probably not in the right emotional state to be falling head over heels for someone, but here I am—falling hard. I want him all over me, his hands, his lips, his breath.
My clit throbs and pulses, desperate for something I haven’t had in ages.
“Is everything okay?” I squeak out the words then clear my throat.
He turns toward me. “Absolutely. Everything is great. I’m just trying to figure a way to kiss you again.”
A swarm of butterflies takes over my chest and I lift on top of him, straddling his lap before leaning into his lips. His hands wrap around me and drag down the thin fabric of my nightgown, my hair falling onto his shoulders as he kisses me gently. I want to know more about him, about his life, about his heart. I want to make everything better, and I want to know what he feels like against me. Desire builds until the hard ridge of his cock presses up against me as I grind into his lap. I hadn’t intentionally made this motion, but as he grows harder, I realize I’m doing it.
Maybe that should make me stop. Slowing down would make sense given how little we know about each other. Neither of us want to get hurt, but this thumping between my legs edges me forward, and the kiss deepens until our tongues are intertwined and his hand is fisting through the back of my hair.
My eyes close and my hand falls back. “It’s been years since I’ve been with anyone, Maverick. It may be close to ten at this point. I’ve stopped keeping track after it got to the point of pathetic.” I’m not sure why I’m telling him this now that the words have slid from my lips. The timing is all off.
He groans, his lips pressing into my neck softly, dragging them along the vein that moves up toward my ear. “You’re not alone there. It’s been years for me too. We can slow down if you—”
I don’t want to slow down. I kiss his lips again, his beard brushing against my face as I move, his inked arms running over top of me with the same desperation that’s in our groins. My panties are thin against his jeans, his bulge only growing harder. I’m anxious to unbutton the fabric and pull out his cock, stroke it in my hand, and lick it wet before sinking my body on top of him. But before I get my hand in place, there’s a knock on the patio door.
When I look up, my stomach falls. The last person I needed seeing me grind all over Maverick was my brother.
“Is that Henry?” Maverick says, lifting me off his lap. “This isn’t the impression I was hoping to give him. Why don’t you go get dressed, and I’ll see what he wants.”
I shake my head and toss a blanket over my shoulders. “It’s fine. I’ll talk to him.”
Henry had better hope this is something serious. Because if this is some bullshit search party for me, a thirty-six-year-old woman, then I’m going to read him the riot act. I love my brothers dearly, but they fail to see me as an adult.
I flip open the patio door and snarl. “What are you doing here?”
He stands taller and smiles. “Nice to see you too, little sister.”
“I mean, how did you know I was here? This is supposed to be a secret get away.”
“Are you two dating?” Henry’s questions obviously aren’t meshing with my own.
I sigh. “I asked you first.”
“I called you all night and got no answer. I went by your cabin looking for you and you weren’t there, so I stopped to see Angie because she keeps close tabs on you, and she said you’d gone to City Line for some odd reason and never got back to her last night after she called Maverick here to check on you. Then I called City Line, and they said you weren’t in your room anymore. I was hoping Maverick found you before something bad happened so my last viable option was to come up here. Care to tell me what’s going on?”
I narrow my brows. “I don’t owe you an explanation, Henry. You’re my brother, not my father.”
“A concerned brother,” he says. “I got a weird call last night that I thought you should know about. That’s why I was looking for you to begin with.”
Henry, Maddox, and I have always been close, but since our parents passed away and we took over most of the land here in Rugged Mountain, we’ve gotten even closer. There’s something about holding onto a legacy that keeps us a close-knit family. It’s nice most of the time, and if I had been in real trouble, I’d have my hands around his neck in thanks right now. Except, he might have just ruined my chance with Maverick leaving me wanting to put my hands around his neck for other reasons.
“Anyway,” Henry continues, “I set out looking for you initially because I got this weird next of kin call from the hospital and I thought maybe something was wrong.”
My heart begins to pound, and right on cue Maverick’s hand lands on my lower back.
“They’re probably just checking on me. I rushed out of there pretty quickly yesterday.”
“Why? Are you hurt? What happened? Jules, I know you’re trying to keep your personal life private with the election and all, but you should’ve called if you were headed to the hospital!” There’s a twinge of anger in his tone, but I know it’s just worry. He and Maddox both have always been overly protective of me.
“It’s nothing,” I say. “I just went to visit a friend, and I left fast, so they were probably checking on me. Maybe I left something there. I’ll call them back.” I realize as I speak this whole thing sounds like the lie it is, but I can’t help myself. I don’t want to talk about the failed adoption. I want to move forward, and I know Henry is going to pry if I give him an inkling of the truth.
“Something tells me you’re full of it,” he says. “Maybe you can at least be honest about why you’re shacked up here with Maverick then?”