by Kennedy Fox
Getting your heart broken is one thing, but breaking someone else’s heart is torture.
Chapter Eighteen
MAVERICK
Today is so fucking bittersweet, but it feels like a black cloud is hanging over me. Soon, I’ll be back in Los Angeles, and it will be the end of Olivia’s and my road, which she reminded me of at the signing. It passed by in a blur. I faked a smile and laugh, but her words fucking destroyed me. Olivia, in her typical fashion, put up a brick wall, and she won’t allow me through. I’m hurt, and I’m pissed, and I wish for once she would just stop with the act. The way she kissed me last night meant something. We weren’t just fucking. It was more emotional than that, and when I looked into her eyes, I know she felt it. I refuse to allow her to deny it and deny me.
After the signing, I go up to my room and pace around, wondering what I’m going to say. This isn’t over. The smell of her body still lingers in my room, and I’ve got to escape it before I drive myself crazy. I pack my shit, then go downstairs to wait before she feels the need to send me a reminder text. At the beginning of this trip, I was ready for it to be over, but now I don’t want it to end. And I don’t think she does either.
I sit on a bench by the front door and wait for her, and I can’t seem to shake this feeling. It’s almost like an elephant is sitting on my chest. The days have been passing by so quick, and tomorrow when I wake up without Olivia, things will be different. And I’m not so sure that’s a good thing. I’ve never felt this way about someone before. She’s so fucking special, and forcing myself to forget her would be one of the greatest regrets of my life.
She eventually makes it downstairs but barely looks my way. I follow her out to the car, and the strain between us practically smothers me. Once we’re on the highway, I randomly glance over at her, and she’s paying zero attention to me as if I don’t even exist. The tension is so thick it could cut through steel, and I hate it. Regardless of all my attempts to talk to her, she’s purposely ignoring me. Olivia has already blocked me out, and it pisses me off because our time together is limited. It’s not supposed to be like this. We shared something so intimate, and by the way she’s acting right now, she’s already erased it from her memory.
She’s buried herself in her work, something I’ve learned she does when she’s trying to avoid me. With one swift movement, I snatch her planner and roll down the window. I know I’ve already threatened her with this once, but I’m more serious than ever.
“Maverick. I swear to everything holy that if you let go of that planner, I will never forgive you.”
I hear the pages fluttering in the wind and can tell she’s overly annoyed, but it’s the first time I’ve held her attention all day. I pull the planner inside and throw it in the back seat. When she turns around to grab it, I place my palm on her face and force her to look at me. With everything I am, I try to keep my attention on the road, but she needs to hear what I have to say.
“Olivia. Just stop for five minutes, okay?” I look forward and notice we’re heading straight into standstill traffic. Just what I need to tell her what I have to say. Once we’re stopped, I let out a deep breath. Taillights go on for miles, and while it’s annoying, I’m thankful for the extra time I’ll get to spend with her, even if she isn’t. There’s always traffic crossing the border to California, and it could take anywhere from thirty minutes to three hours to get through it, and by the look on Olivia’s face, I know she wasn’t prepared for it. Considering I drive everywhere, I was well aware, and for the first time ever, I’m happy to be waiting.
“After I lost my dad, I promised myself I wouldn’t live my life with regrets, and that’s why I take so many risks. But I know that if we head back to LA and go our separate ways without me telling you exactly how I feel or hearing you admit that our night together meant something, then I’ll drown in the what-could’ve-beens. Olivia, I like you, okay? Like really like you. And I think you like me too.” I look at her, and her eyes soften.
“I’m sure you tell that to a lot of women,” she tries to joke, but I don’t crack a smile.
“I don’t. That’s the thing. You have this made-up version of me where I’m this playboy who just wines and dines all these women, and it’s not true. There’s not been anyone worth my time who has made me feel like this until you. Last night was something really fucking special. I’m not going to sit here and let you run from that. I refuse.”
She swallows hard, and I watch as she tucks her bottom lip into her mouth. Gently, I place my thumb under her chin and lean forward, pulling that lip into my mouth and sucking on it. At first, she tenses, but not even she can deny how she truly feels. Olivia breaks down and kisses me back, pouring herself into me. Her tongue swipes against mine, and I want to devour her. As our kiss deepens, honking horns pull us apart, and we both laugh as I drive forward.
“If Rachel…”
“I don’t give two shits about what Rachel thinks. We’re consenting adults and can do whatever we want. It’s not her business what anyone does behind closed doors, especially you. Stop letting her run your life outside of work. Stop using her as an excuse to run from your feelings, okay? I’m not ashamed of what happened, Olivia.”
“I’m not either,” she says, and I almost see her crack a smile.
“The difference between us is, I want the world to know how I feel about you, but you’re okay with keeping me as a secret, tucked away to be forgotten as soon as you get on that plane to Chicago.”
She shakes her head. “It’s not like that, Maverick. I do have feelings for you, but we live a world apart. And who’s to say, once we’re not on the road, that things would even work out between us? I have my job and life in Chicago, and yours is in LA. So where does that leave us?”
Traffic begins to move more quickly, and soon we’re crossing the border into California.
“It leaves us trying. Isn’t what we have worth that, at least?”
She looks out the window, and I catch a glimpse of her reflection. Somber, it’s the only way I can describe it. I don’t push it any further, because I want to enjoy the time I have left with her. The clock is ticking, and with each passing second, I feel her slipping through my fingers.
Eventually, we make it to Los Angeles, two hours past when we were expected to arrive, which isn’t surprising. I drive to my condo, and when I pull into the driveway, I look over at her.
“Well, I guess this is goodbye,” she says, her tone flat.
I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “It doesn’t have to be. Just one more night, Olivia. Please.”
“But I have a hotel reserved already,” she reminds me as if that matters. She’s still trying to push me away, still trying to avoid what she’s feeling. Her words can spew lies but her body can’t.
I lean forward and whisper softly across her lips. “Cancel it.” She parts her lips just slightly before closing her mouth again. “I’m only asking for one night. Say yes, Olivia.” Her breath hitches before I close the gap between our lips.
“Okay,” she says, breathlessly. “Yes.”
The electricity streaming between us is so strong, I know she can’t deny it. I turn off the car and pull the keys from the ignition. We both step out and grab our bags. I only asked her to stay one night, so this feels like a final goodbye, but I push the thoughts away. She grabs her laptop bag, but I take it from her hands and place it back in the trunk and shut it.
“Not tonight.” I refuse to let her ignore me because of work.
She lets out a laugh. “I kinda like this side of you. Almost like a real-life Ian.”
“Yeah? Well, hang on to your panties, sweetheart. There’s more where that came from.”
I punch in the code to my door, and we walk inside. She leaves her bags by the door and looks around.
“Shall I give you the grand tour?” I ask, smirking.
“I’d love one,” Olivia replies with a grin. She follows me into the living room and looks at the photos of my family on the mantle. “Thi
s is your dad?”
I stand behind her and wrap my arms around her body, nodding. “Yeah. This is the plane we used for all our family trips.”
“Wow. That would've been amazing.” Her voice sounds so sweet.
“It was. Some of the best times of my life were in that plane.”
She sets the picture down and picks up the next one. “This is your brother and sister?”
I glance at it, and we’re all standing in front of a Christmas tree. “Yep. It was taken a few years ago.”
“Holy shit! Is your entire family beautiful?” She laughs, glancing at the picture of my mom and all of us.
I set the picture down and spin her around until she’s facing me, and I hold her close. “Are you hungry?”
“For you,” she whispers. I pop an eyebrow at her before she stands on her tiptoes and steals a kiss.
“Hi there. My name is Maverick,” I tease, and she playfully smacks my chest.
“If you introduce yourself to me one more time…” Olivia warns.
With one swift movement, I lift her into my arms.
She lets out a scream followed by a laugh as I walk us toward my bedroom. “Put me down!”
“No can do, sweetheart.” I set her down on my bed. Blond hair cascades around her head, and at this moment, she’s picture perfect. She props herself up on elbows and watches me as I unbutton my shirt. When it drops to the floor, she stands and walks toward me.
“Need some help?” she asks, unbuttoning my pants. I love it when she takes control, and I willingly allow her to.
I run my fingers through her hair and lean down to kiss her, wanting to inhale her—all of her. Pulling back, I peel her shirt off her body and toss it to the floor. My fingers brush across her soft skin as I reach around and undo her black lacy bra, causing goose bumps to surface.
“Fuck, Olivia. You’re so beautiful.” I lean down, taking her nipple in my mouth. Her head falls back on her shoulders as she runs her fingers through my hair.
“I need you,” she whispers, and I smile as my lips memorize her body, loving her admission.
Carefully, I unzip her skirt and slide it down her body along with her pantyhose. She kicks off her heels, and I hook my fingers in her panties and help her step out of them. Olivia stands naked and confident, and I take a few seconds to soak in her flawless curves.
She reaches for me, scooting my boxers down my body and wraps her hand around my erection. A moan escapes me, and this only encourages her to continue stroking me. I’m putty in her hands, and she knows it.
Before I lose control, I move Olivia back to the bed. Her eyes flutter closed as I kiss up her calf, between her thighs, and find her sweet spot. Gasps and moans fill the room as my tongue twirls against her clit. Olivia rocks her hips against my mouth until her breathing increases.
“Not yet,” I growl. She’s a greedy little thing, and I love it. As I pull away, she releases an annoyed pant, and I chuckle, teasing her with flicks of my tongue. Pushing herself up on her elbows, she glares at me, which only causes me to burst out laughing.
“You’re so damn sassy,” I tell her.
“You’re teasing the fuck out of me on purpose,” she says with a sexy smirk. “Just wait. I’ll get you back.”
I hum against her clit, which only causes her to writhe against me. As she becomes greedier, I grab her ass cheeks and pull her closer to my mouth. I take all of her, licking and flicking and sucking her clit, watching her come undone beneath me. With arched hips, her body tenses, and within moments, she’s losing herself against my tongue. I taste her, not wasting a drop as she rides her release.
Olivia is panting, her chest rapidly rising and falling, as I crawl onto the bed and hover above her. She leans up and kisses my lips, tasting herself.
Slowly, I enter her, filling her with my length. With sharp nails, she scratches down my back as I rock back and forth, enjoying the moment. We’re slowly falling in the abyss together where the only thing that matters is us. Time makes no difference—only the right now. I need her as much as she needs me. We’re two broken people mending together to create a whole, and I don’t ever want to let her go.
Emotions roll through me, and it feels like an out-of-body experience as I look into her hooded eyes. Is it too soon to have these types of feelings for someone I met only two weeks ago? I could love her if she’d let me. If she’d tear down her walls and let me inside, I’d give her everything.
Her body tenses and tightens as her mouth ravages mine. Our tongues twist together, and there’s nothing in the world that I want other than her.
“More,” she demands. I increase my pace and ram into her harder, giving her exactly what she needs. Soon, she’s bucking beneath me, screaming my name for all of LA to hear. The orgasm builds so quickly that soon, I’m losing control too. I feel as if I’m free-falling straight into Olivia’s heart as she holds me tight against her warm, soft body. I wish we could stay here forever, but I know that’s not an option in her eyes.
After we clean up, I pull her into my arms as she lays her head against my chest.
“I’m really going to miss you, Maverick.”
It feels like the end, but I refuse to let it be. “I’m going to miss you, too, Miss Priss.”
She lets out a laugh as she playfully slaps my chest. I kiss her on the forehead, and we lie together in silence. The past two weeks flash through my mind, from the moment we first met until now, and a smile fills my face.
Eventually, I fall asleep with Olivia in my arms, and I hold her as tight as I can, almost afraid she’ll disappear if I let go.
I sleep without dreaming, and when the sun peeks through my curtains, I roll over and reach for her. My eyes flutter open, and I realize she’s gone. The bed is cold where her body once was, and I’m hurt she didn’t wake me before leaving, but then again, I know it might’ve been too hard to really say goodbye.
After everything we shared during our trip, I just don’t know how I’ll be able to move on from Olivia—or if I’ll ever want to.
Chapter Nineteen
OLIVIA
“I need a tuna salad wrap to go, please,” I tell the cashier, pulling out my card. “And a skinny vanilla latte.”
Once I pay and grab my order, I rush down the street in a maze through the crowd of people. With my messenger bag slung over my shoulder, carrying my planners and shoes, I’m jogging back to Rachel’s house before she scolds me for being late. I’ve already been working on her next year’s book signing tour among a dozen other tasks. It’s only been a week since I returned from LA, but it already feels like a distant memory.
Except for Maverick.
Everything about him is front and center in my mind. The way he smells, the taste of his lips, the sound of his laughter...
He texted me the day after I left to make sure I made it home safely. After I told him I did and thanked him for checking on me, I apologized for not saying goodbye because I didn’t want to wake him so early. It wasn’t a complete lie, but I also couldn’t stand to see that hurt look in his eyes. I also knew if I had to say goodbye, I might change my mind. I couldn’t risk hurting him.
Maverick said he understood and hoped we’d keep in touch.
I didn’t text him back after that.
“Here you devil,” I whisper, throwing Angel her treat so she won’t bark at me as soon as I walk into the apartment.
I walk into Rachel’s office, set her food and coffee down, then head back to my desk and start going over my to-do list.
When I’m finally able to check my phone, I see two new messages from Maverick. I don’t know why I feel all giddy inside from just seeing his name on my screen, but my heart is racing as I anticipate what he said.
Maverick: Do you think my spray tan is too dark? I have a photo shoot tomorrow.
The next message is a picture of him holding up his shirt and showing off his too-perfect abs. I snort and shake my head at his obnoxiousness.
Olivia: Considering you�
�re only showing a small part of your body, it’s too hard to tell.
Maverick: Fair point. Hold on.
Oh God. What does that mean? He’s not going to send me a nude, is he?
Would I want him to?
Maverick: What about now?
He then sends me a picture of a mirror shot of his backside, naked. Bare ass and all.
Olivia: Are you going to be showing that part of your body in the shoot?
Maverick: No. But I got a full body spray tan, so my question still stands.
I swallow, thinking how to respond. This is the playful side of Maverick I enjoy. Granted, he was usually poking fun at me, but I can’t deny that he made that road trip an experience I’ll never forget.
Olivia: I think it looks satisfactory. No complaints.
Maverick: Satisfactory? Okay, thanks, Grandma.
Olivia: What? It looks great. There, better? I’ve never had someone show me their ass before to ask how their tan was, so forgive me.
Maverick: Apology accepted.
Olivia: So wait. You do spray tans naked? Like naked naked?
Maverick: Yep. Even my dick has a nice tan. Wanna see?
Olivia: No! Don’t you dare send me a dick pic.
Maverick: Oh yeah, forgot you’re a prude. Better delete my abs and ass picture just in case ;)
Olivia: Why do you live to torture me?
Maverick: I got so used to doing it every day, and now I’m going through withdrawals.
Olivia: Funny.