by J. L. Wilder
He stole glances through the rearview mirror, keeping an eye on them, but also making sure she didn’t back out. It wouldn’t be the first time she ran away.
When he pulled into his driveway and parked, he just sat behind the wheel of his truck for a moment and tried to gather himself. He wouldn’t freak out. He would go in calm and stay that way. At least that was what he told himself.
Maggie stepped out of her car, the flowing skirt she wore dragging the ground. The slit up the side exposed her long leg like a burlesque show, there one moment and gone the next. Her oversized sweater hung off one shoulder, and a leather belt sat on top, showing her narrow waist. Her sun-kissed hair hung down her back, and her hazel eyes moved to Maverick as soon as she stood up.
His stomach clenched painfully tight; he crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his chin just the slightest bit. He could handle facing her and his kid. He had to.
Without saying anything, Maggie opened the back door and leaned in to grab Milo. He tried to ignore the way her skirt hugged her ass when she bent over that way, but it was hard. It got less hard, however, when she stood back up with their child in her arms.
He wasn’t sure how many punches to the gut he could take in such a short span of time, but they just kept coming. He looked closer at Milo and saw how clearly he looked like his father. The same eyes, the same mouth and nose...it was like he was looking at a picture of his younger self.
“The dogs...can they come inside? Bash and Bully are usually better behaved than they were at the gas station.” She sounded so unsure and nervous that it drove Maverick to anger.
“Well, I don’t expect you to leave them in the car, Maggie. I’m not a monster.” He whistled and the dogs sprinted out of the car, narrowly missing Maggie’s legs. Staring down at them, he shook his head. “A dragon with dogs for pets. It’s weird, Maggie. And they don’t listen to you. Dogs. Not listening to a dragon. It’s ridiculous.”
She narrowed her eyes, and for a second, he thought he might see the Maggie he remembered. Instead, she blew out a slow breath and shrugged. “I’m not much of a dragon.”
Milo let out a big puff of smoke and giggled. The sound hit Maverick so hard that he felt his knees weaken. That giggle was the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. The boy was big, but that was typical for dragons. They grew fast. Milo still seemed pure and innocent, the sound of his giggle untouched by the world.
Looking at Maggie, Maverick gestured towards Milo and then let his hands fall helplessly at his sides. “How could you keep him from me?”
Tears peppered Maggie’s eyes, but she blinked them away and shifted Milo on her hip. “Can we go inside? He’ll get tired of being held soon.”
On cue, Milo started wiggling and shuffling around in his mom’s arms. He liked to be free and run around, no matter where he was. He’d never met a stranger or anything that gave him even an ounce of fear.
“Let him down.” Maverick’s voice gave away the emotion he was feeling, but he couldn’t help it. Especially not when Maggie put Milo down and the boy wobbled directly to him and grabbed at his leg.
Kneeling in the gravel, he let out a choked laugh when Milo reached out and touched his face. Glancing up at Maggie, he saw pain in her eyes that tormented him.
Milo was unaware of anything happening around him. He just grabbed two fistfuls of Maverick’s beard and tugged. “Shit!”
Maggie gasped and hurried to kneel beside Milo. “Firestarter, we talked about that. That’s a Mommy word.”
Milo turned his body into Maverick’s and wagged his finger at his mother. “Mommy word.”
Maverick was unsure as he gently placed his hand over Milo’s little belly, holding him ever so softly. Milo just leaned into him harder and his little hands played with Maverick’s fingers.
Maggie stood up and took a few steps away from them. “He wants you to hold him.”
“How?” Clearing his throat, Maverick met her eyes. “I don’t want to hurt him.”
She gently snorted. “You won’t. He’s practically a brick. Just wrap your hands around him and lift.”
Doing as she said, he found himself standing with Milo held out in front of him. Then, Milo grabbed for his beard again and he held him closer, until Milo’s body was right against his. He smelled like Maverick, but it was the sweeter scent of Maggie that Maverick bowed his head to inhale. Looking at her, he shook his head again. He didn’t know what else to do.
He’d been on his way out of town for a few weeks. The clan had just gotten news that he’d hated, and he’d wanted to skip town. Instead, there he was, holding a child he hadn’t known he’d helped make.
Just the thought of that night had him studying Maggie even more closely. She was still so beautiful. There was never a time in his life that every other woman around him hadn’t been compared to her, and they’d always fallen short. But she’d left him. She’d left him, and she’d chosen to keep their child a secret from him.
“I’m sorry, Mav.”
He grimaced but schooled his features as Milo patted his cheeks. “Shit.”
Maggie groaned, but Maverick found it endearing. There wasn’t a chance that Maggie’s kid wouldn’t come out cursing. She’d had the mouth of a sailor growing up.
“Come on. Let’s get you both inside.” Maverick walked up the steps to his porch, doing his best not to think about how he’d taken Maggie against the railing the last time she’d been there. Clearing his throat, he pushed open the door and motioned her in first. “Are the dogs house broken?”
“Yes. They’re good dogs. You just caught them at a bad moment.”
Maverick grunted. “Caught you all at a bad moment.”
“I was a little frazzled.”
He whistled to the dogs and watched as they raced each other inside and then sat at his feet. He nodded to them and motioned to the rest of the house. “Go on. Just don’t chew on anything.”
The dogs, both big creatures that reminded Maverick more of a pony than anything else, were beautiful. They seemed to appreciate his leadership as they walked over to the rug in front of the fireplace and laid down. The brown one that Maggie called Bash flopped down with his head on top of the other one’s back and looked at Maverick with a raised eyebrow.
“Is your dog giving me a look?”
Maggie tried to hide a smile by looking away. “Bash is sassy, and he has an expressive face.”
“Do they need anything? Does Milo need anything?” Maverick caught her gaze. “Do you need anything?”
She looked around the house and bit her lip. “Um...water. Milo will need his nap soon.”
“And you?”
She looked back at Maverick, and there was a reckless edge to her gaze that took him right back to being a teenager with her. His dragon purred, something it had only ever done for her. Like a giant kitty cat, the beast wanted to be stroked by the dragon in Maggie. The only problem was Maggie didn’t let her dragon out. She never had.
“N-nothing. I’m good.”
3.
***Maggie***
What was she thinking, letting herself slip into that same old exchange with Maverick? Words were never needed. It was just the knowing looks. She’d so easily let her control slip and given him a glimpse of her thoughts. She was enticed by the caring side of him that was showing, despite the fact that she didn’t deserve it. That, plus being surrounded by the very surfaces that they’d used to create Milo, was intoxicating. She just needed to get her head on straight and then go. The sooner, the better.
“Just...just tell me where your bowls are and I’ll get water for the dogs. Milo looks happy in your arms.” She could understand. Maverick was big and strong, made for holding people. She’d always been happy in his arms, too.
“Over the sink, on the right.” He looked down at Milo and cleared his throat. “Why Milo?”
She grabbed a bowl and filled it with water before looking back at him. “My parents always wanted a boy. Mom told me that she would’ve na
med him Milo because it means beloved. Naming him with them in mind...it was the least I could do.”
Maverick’s face darkened for a moment. “The least you could’ve done was to let me know, Maggie. How could you keep our child a secret? I’m his father.”
Putting the water bowl down with shaking hands, she chewed at the tip of her finger and then blew out a big breath. “Let me put him down for a nap first. I know he can’t understand the significance of what we’re saying, but I would feel better if he wasn’t here for it.”
Maverick sighed and nodded. “Sure. Of course.”
She walked closer and reached for Milo, who was already looking sleepy after his long drive and all the excitement. He tugged at Maverick’s beard again and pouted when his mom gently and carefully took him from his father, being extra cautious not to touch the man too much.
When Milo immediately started crying, she pulled him into her chest and gently rocked him. “He can get a little cranky when he’s sleepy. He’s a good boy, though.”
Maverick frowned. “I’m not going to think poorly of him for crying, Maggie.”
“Of course. Of course, you’re not.” She blew out a burst of air and then looked at him over Milo’s head. “Sorry. I’m just...in over my head right now. Can I use your bedroom to put him down?”
With a nod, Maverick let her slip away. She closed the bedroom door behind her, needing the space and time to regroup. Resting on the edge of the bed, she kept her eyes on Milo. She wasn’t sure what she’d see in Maverick’s bedroom and she didn’t want to find out anything that would just make everything harder. Like, maybe he’d found a mate and settled down.
Milo pushed against her chest, and she realized she’d been holding him a little too tightly. He pushed until she let him go and watched as he crawled onto the bed and moved to the top. He pressed his nose into one of the pillows and immediately settled there, his little butt in the air. Like magic that Maggie had never seen before, he was out in no time at all. He’d never been that easy to get to sleep; apparently, all he needed was the scent of Maverick.
That thought gutted her as she stood up on shaking legs and went back out to face him. Sitting on the edge of the couch, he had a beer in his hand and he was staring into the fireplace with a faraway look in his eyes. Hurt. He was hurt, and she’d put that look there.
“Need a beer? Water?” He waited to hear the bedroom door close again before speaking. “He goes to sleep that fast?”
Sitting on the other end of the couch, she wanted to curl her feet under herself and ball up. With her boots still on, she was limited to crossing her legs and nibbling at her nails. “I don’t drink anymore. If you have a bottle of water, that’d be great, though.”
“You don’t drink?”
“No. I stopped a long time ago.” She’d had to, to control her dragon. “And yeah, Milo is already out. He curled up with your pillow. He likes your scent.”
Maverick walked back from the kitchen and handed her a bottle of water. Their fingertips brushed as he did, and his eyes flared with heat before he hurried back to his side of the couch. “You drank that night. The night at the bar.”
She looked into the fire and felt that untouched part of her, her dragon, stir at the sight. “Nothing alcoholic.”
“I thought you were tipsy.”
“Not on alcohol.” She shook her head and twisted her fingers together. “I should’ve told you. I’m sorry, Maverick. I found out I was pregnant when I was almost five months along, and then I told myself I’d tell you after Milo was born. It’s not like you’d need to be there for the pregnancy. And then he was born and things were...overwhelming. I kept putting it off. I told myself I’d come and tell you. I just...it’s so fucking complicated, Mav. It always has been.”
“This is different, Maggie. He’s my son. I deserved to be a part of his life.”
“You’re right. I know you’re right. I really am sorry. I’ve had the conversation in my head so many times, but now...I don’t have a clue what to say.”
“Are you staying? Now that I know about him, I can’t just pretend like he doesn’t exist. Things have to be different.” He sat forward and put his beer down on the floor. “I want to be in his life.”
She rubbed at her eyes and nodded. “I’m staying. Sasha has breast cancer.”
“Shit. How bad is it?”
“Early stages. She’s going to be fine. With Jake gone, she’s going to need help, though. I’m going to stay with her and help out.” She unscrewed the cap of her water and took a long drink before looking over at him. “This is weird. I feel terrible, but I also feel like running away. I’ve never been good at facing my mistakes.”
Maverick surprised her with one of his rare chuckles. “It is weird. I’m angry and hurt, but I’m also so fucking happy to see you that I don’t know what to do with myself.”
“Don’t say that.” She stood up and paced around to the fireplace. “I don’t want to make a mess of things here again. I have to stay for Sasha, and I know that I hurt you and your brothers before. I don’t want to mess anything up. Plus, with Milo...”
Maverick smiled. “I just meant I’m happy to see you, Maggie.”
Her cheeks burned, and she narrowed her eyes at him. He’d always been able to tease her into action. The controlled part of her wasn’t strong enough to stop her from reacting. “Don’t.”
He stretched out on the couch, looking comfortable. His big hand rested along the back, his fingers stroking over almost the exact spot he’d bent her over before. “Don’t what?”
“Maverick. What are you doing?”
He stood up and walked around to the back of the couch. Bracing his hands on it, he dipped his head low and looked up at her through his thick lashes. His honey-colored eyes glowed with mischief. “I’m not doing anything. I don’t know what you’re talking about, Maggie.”
Anger bubbled up, threatening to shatter her control. “Stop it. You’re trying to bait me into reacting and I’m not going to do it. I’m not a kid anymore, Mav.”
“You weren’t a kid three years ago, either, Mags. You were all grown up.” He straightened and walked back around the couch, coming closer to her. “Did you miss me? He has the same color eyes as me. Did he make you think of me every time you looked at him?”
Her mouth parted on a gasp and she took another step backward. He was hunting her, preying on her, the beast clear in his eyes. “Of course, I didn’t miss you.”
His mouth lifted on one side. “Liar. I can smell it on you, Maggie. You’re fighting so hard to resist this thing that’s always between us, but I’ve always been able to read you.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and frowned. “Weren’t we talking about my sister’s cancer?”
He nodded and reached for her. Catching her and tugging her into his big chest, he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. “We were. Let me comfort you.”
Tears peppered her eyes, but she bit them back. She couldn’t cry. “Things can’t be the same as always.”
Leaning back and looking down at her, he shrugged. “You can’t change some things. Some things are bigger than you or me.”
She furrowed her brows and looked harder at his face, trying to figure out what he was implying, or saying. “Mav, you should be angry at me. You should be raging. I did something horrible. You shouldn’t be doing...this. Whatever this is.”
He shrugged. “This is me going with what I feel. You’re the only woman I’ve ever felt like this for. Looking at you is hard as hell if I can’t touch you, too. It’s always been that way. And now you’re here. So, maybe I’ll be mad at you later. Or maybe I’ll get over it because you’re letting me have a relationship with him now. Right?”
Nodding emphatically, she cupped his face. His beard blocked her from touching much of his actual skin, but she liked it on him. He looked like a wild man. “I’m not going to keep him from you. I want you to have a relationship with him. He needs you, too.”<
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“Then, I’m fine. I can’t stay mad at you for long. Never have been able to.”
“Dammit, Mav. I didn’t come here for this. I didn’t come here to do this with you. I’m different now.”
He nodded. “Okay. Just kiss me once and then I’ll sit on my hands if I need to. I just need one kiss, Maggie.”
She licked her lips. “One kiss, and then you’ll go sit down?”
“One kiss.”
4.
***Maverick***
Maggie looked up at him with heat in her hazel eyes, and he felt everything shift into place. She was always supposed to be there, with him. Maybe he was wrong for asking for one kiss because he knew it was never going to be just one kiss, but he needed her. He needed to feel her fire against his and know that it was still there, burning hotter than any flame he’d ever felt.
He ran his hands up her back and tangled his hands in her hair so he could use it to angle her face up to his. He wanted her willing and eager, just as desperate for him as he was for her. His body ached at her closeness with a physical pain that he wasn’t sure hadn’t been there since the last time he’d seen her.
Her eyes burned brighter, the edges of the hazel being licked with a glowing green that he only ever saw when she was close to the edge of her control. Her dragon was reaching up for him. He tightened his grip on her hair and held her tight against his body, letting her feel what she did to him.
When her lips parted and a soft moan slipped free, he leaned down and kissed her. He wasn’t a soft or gentle man, so he didn’t pretend to be in his kiss. He nipped her lip and then sucked it into his mouth before releasing it and kissing her deep. He stroked his tongue into her mouth, tasting the freshness of peaches in the summer. She was always sweet for him.
Maggie’s hands gripped at the front of his shirt, her nails biting into his skin. He could feel her losing her control and slipping free. To help her along, he used his grip on her hair to tilt her head to the side so he could kiss away from her swollen lips and to the spot just under her ear. That spot had always driven her wild, and he’d found himself shoved down and ridden hard more than a few times because of it.