Pilar stared at the screen, feeling her stomach twisting. She did have to put her trust in her little sister. It was just hard to let go.
If you don’t agree, I’m going to keep texting weirder and weirder shit, I promise,Lydia threatened. Pilar laughed and sent a few laughter emojis.
She sighed, hating the idea but knowing that she had to give Lydia some freedom.
Okay. Once a day. Starting now.
Thank you, sis,popped up on the screen, followed by a red heart.
Pilar was about to put her phone back in her pocket when it pinged again.
Just in time! My drug dealer just got here. I can’t have you checking in every five seconds. He’s SOOO paranoid.
Pilar took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and refused to take the bait. She shoved her phone into her pocket and strode determinedly toward the living area, only realizing that she had traded one impossible situation for another.
Maverick.
He was at the door, accepting the food. She was pleased to see there were quite a few bags because she really was starving, and she hadn’t been sure that Maverick took her seriously when she said she needed to eat a lot.
She tried to walk to him to help with the bags, but his scent became mingled with that of chargrilled steak, and her mouth watered so badly, she had to stop and swallow, covering her lips. Instead of helping, Pilar turned away and sat on the nearest chair, hoping she could get through the next few minutes without making an utter fool of herself.
“So, what do you like?” Maverick asked, sitting on the couch across from her. He started pulling out small cardboard boxes and opening them, setting them on the table.
There were spicy buffalo wings, crispy fried chicken pieces, small pieces of perfectly barbecued scotch filet steak, lamb chops, mountains of fries, and a selection of steamed vegetables. Pilar slipped from the chair to the floor, her eyes fixed on the food. She reached out and grabbed a buffalo wing, munching the flesh off the bones in seconds and grabbing another.
She was on her third before she looked up and saw Maverick watching her.
“What?” she mumbled. “I warned you.”
“Yeah, you did,” he laughed. “You just moved a lot faster than I expected. Can I get you a drink?”
“Sure, yeah,” she said, reaching for a piece of lamb. “Any soda is fine.”
Maverick headed to the kitchen, returning with bowls, cutlery, cups, and a bottle of mineral water. By this point, Pilar had slowed down enough to use a bowl and spoon.
“The food bill might be worse than the retainer,” Maverick said, laughing. Pilar shrugged.
“That’s how it is with shifters. Sorry, Nick should have warned you.”
“It’s okay,” he laughed. “I’m just happy that your agency could help … I tried to do some research into it myself, but I couldn’t find a single trace. I have no idea who could be doing this.”
Pilar shrugged, tearing the meat from another wing and tossing the bone into a nearby carton.
“Nick didn’t tell me much. I know that their investigation department is really fantastic, though. They will have their best people on it. They’ll figure it out.”
She paused with the food, wiping her hands and lips so she could give Maverick a comforting smile. His heart was beating steadily, and his breath was only a little shallow. She could tell he was fairly relaxed, only a little tense. He returned the smile, his brown eyes dancing as he looked at her with something like affection.
“Thank you,” he said, his voice low with emotion. “I didn’t expect you to be so nice … you don’t have to try to make me feel better.”
“Oh, I wasn’t … I mean,” Pilar floundered for a second, looking at the floor so she wouldn’t be distracted by the emotion in his eyes. “Nick’s just very good at his job,” she finished
lamely. “It’s a full-service company, and I am at your service.”
Pilar realized that she’d said too much … or the right amount, just in the wrong way … and looked up to try to cover it. Immediately, she fell into Maverick’s chocolate eyes again. He reached out with a hand, and Pilar watched as he got closer to her.
It was as if time had slowed down. Her hands were resting neatly on the low table, and she was still sitting on the floor, very close to where he sat on the couch. His hand moved steadily toward hers, finally covering her fingers and giving her a gentle squeeze.
Pilar felt the touch like a bolt of lightning that shocked through her skin right into the center of her chest. She couldn’t move … if she did, she’d tackle him off the couch and onto the floor with her.