Falling for the Playboy (Bedtime Reads Book 2)

by Kennedy Fox

  Maverick: I try. So how’s it been back to work in the office? Missing my rock ’n’ roll music, aren’t you?

  Olivia: Torture as always. Rachel’s on my ass about everything, so nothing new. No actually. It’s been stuck in my head for days, though.

  Maverick: It’s washing out your classical sleepy crap.

  Olivia: I beg to differ.

  Maverick: I like it when you beg.

  Olivia: Maverick. Don’t.

  Maverick: If I recall when I had you bent over, it was “Maverick, don’t stop.”

  Olivia: I’m going to smack you.

  The next message is the same picture of his ass except now it’s zoomed in.

  Maverick: I’ll be ready for it.

  “Olivia!” Rachel’s voice snaps me away from my phone, and she looks like she’s about to pop a blood vessel. “Can you get me that email now?”

  “Yes. Yes, of course.” I scramble to my laptop and search for the email she told me she wanted earlier. I can’t get the stupid, goofy grin off my face thinking about Maverick and his text messages. I can even hear his voice reading them, and it has me blushing all over again. “Just sent it to you.”

  “Pay attention next time, please.”

  You’re welcome, I’m tempted to say but keep my mouth tight-lipped. Saying the words thank you might actually damage her throat.

  I finish the day with an achy back and sore feet as usual, but I wait until I’m home to take off my shoes. Deciding to take a bath, I start stripping my clothes as I walk to the bathroom and turn on the water. I glance down at my phone to check the time and set it on the edge of the tub. It’s been such a long week. Rachel has me working even longer days, so I’ve had zero time to recover since returning from the tour. I wish she would’ve given me a few days off, but that’d be too convenient.

  Just as I’m sliding into my tub, I hear my phone ding, and my stomach flutters with anticipation. I didn’t have a chance to reply to Maverick’s last message, and I’m not convinced texting is a good idea, considering our feelings for each other.

  Regardless, I grab the phone and smile when I see his name.

  Maverick: What are you doing right now?

  Deciding to mess with him, I send him a snapshot of my feet poking out of the bathwater.

  Maverick: Are you seriously in the tub right now?

  Olivia: Yep. Long day. Everything hurts.

  Maverick: So you’re naked?

  I chuckle, knowing he’s focusing hard on that very fact right now.

  Olivia: That’s typically how you take a bath.

  Maverick: And I’m sorry you had a long, hard day. I’d rub your muscles for you if I could.

  Olivia: I’m sure that’s all you’d do.

  Maverick: Well, I was trying to be a gentleman, but if you want to know the truth…

  I bite my lip and send him another text.

  Olivia: Okay, tell me…

  Maverick: I’d give you a full body massage with some scented oils and make sure to cover every inch of your incredible body. I have big, strong hands, so you’d be moaning and begging for more—of the massage, I mean. I’d rub out all your knots and take care of all your soreness. Then I’d flip you to your back and take care of all your other needs.

  Fuck, that sounds like heaven. I could really use all that right now.

  Olivia: I like the sound of that. Too bad you’re like a million miles away.

  Maverick: That doesn’t mean I can’t help you relax in other ways.

  Olivia: Oh yeah? Enlighten me.

  Maverick: Slide your hand between your thighs.

  Olivia: Are you serious?

  Maverick: Do it, Olivia. Don’t you trust me?

  I sigh.

  Olivia: Of course, I do.

  Maverick: Then tell me how tight you feel. Slide your fingers inside. Are you wet?

  Olivia: I’m in the bathtub. My whole body is wet.

  Maverick: Funny.

  Olivia: I thought so. *shrugs* Fine.

  Maverick: Rub your clit.

  Olivia: I am. It’s really sensitive tonight.

  Maverick: Good. I wish I could suck on it. Taste you. Slide my tongue inside your pussy and feel your body tighten around me.

  Holy shit. How are his words making me so incredibly hot? Is this sexting? How does Maverick make me feel so damn comfortable in just a matter of hours? It’s like no time has gone by, and we are right back to where we were before our awkward last day together.

  Olivia: I’d like that, too.

  Maverick: I know you would, sweetheart. But for now, just picture I’m there with you. Imagine it’s my fingers inside you, fucking you and making you scream.

  Oh God. Yes, I want alllll of that.

  Olivia: I’m close, Maverick. My body is begging for it.

  Maverick: Let go, baby. I’m right there with you.

  My breathing picks up, and as I picture his hands and lips on me, I increase my pace until I’m riding a wave of intense pleasure. Fuck. That was definitely needed.

  Olivia: Thank you.

  Maverick: Are you seriously thanking me right now?

  Olivia: Yes. Thank you for helping me relax.

  Maverick: LOL... it was my pleasure. Let me know if I can help you with anything else.

  Olivia: I’ll talk to you later, Maverick. Good night.

  Maverick: Night, Olivia.

  That night, I go to bed feeling more relaxed than I have in months and with a big, stupid smile on my face.

  Maverick: I can’t believe you watch this crap.

  Olivia: It’s my guilty pleasure. Shut up.

  Maverick: Kendall is seriously the dumbest chick I’ve ever seen. Cooper is a tool for even hooking up with her. This whole setup is crazy.

  I can’t help the smile on my face knowing Maverick is watching Bachelor in Paradise with me even though he claims to hate it. He secretly enjoys it, though he’ll never admit it. This has been our Sunday night tradition for the past few weeks. We text during commercials, and he tells me how annoying everyone is.

  Olivia: That’s why it’s called a guilty pleasure. Reality TV is always crazy! That’s how they get their views.

  Maverick: Well, it’s killing brain cells. Also, Kendall’s tits are totally fake.

  Olivia: Obviously. They don’t even bounce. That’s how you know.

  Maverick: They probably feel like bags of rocks.

  Olivia: You’d probably know.

  Maverick: Yours felt real to me. *Shrugs*

  Olivia: Not me, asshole! Isn’t LA full of fake boobs and nose jobs?

  Maverick: Stereotypical.

  Olivia: Not when I’m right.

  Maverick: Isn’t Chicago full of gangsters and sugar daddies?

  Olivia: That sounds mostly right, though technically it’s home to the best pizza in the world. Have you ever tried Chicago-style pizza?

  Maverick: I have in LA, but I’m sure you’re going to say it’s not the same?

  Olivia: Hell no! You need to experience it for real. In Chicago.

  Maverick: Maybe someday.

  Maybe someday. I know what that means.

  It makes me sad when I think about how we’ll probably never see each other face-to-face again. I don’t plan to fly to LA anytime soon, and unless he plans to drive almost forty hours to Chicago, this is all we’ll ever have. Even though it hurts to know that, I’d rather have his friendship like this than nothing at all. It’s nice having someone to talk to who isn’t barking orders at me all day long.

  Olivia: I’d like that. OMG, Kendall just kissed Josh? WTF?

  Maverick: Told you. She sucks.

  Olivia: Hahaha... yeah she does.

  Maverick: You owe me twenty bucks now!

  Olivia: Ugh. Now you suck.

  Maverick: Pay up, baby.

  We make a bet every episode on who’s going to “cheat” on their love interest, and I’ve lost every single week.

  Olivia: How about I pay you another way?

&nbs
p; Maverick: ...I’m listening.

  Olivia: Take off your pants.

  Maverick: It’s cute you thought I was wearing pants this whole time.

  Olivia: Argh. You ruined it.

  Maverick: You’re even more adorable when you get all flustered.

  Olivia: I’m just gonna send you the money.

  Maverick: LOL… there’s my uptight city girl. I’m in my boxers... tell me what to do next.

  Olivia: I want you to show me.

  Maverick: I’m sorry. Have we met? I’m Maverick. And you are?

  Olivia: Not funny.

  Maverick: I’m laughing my ass off, so I beg to differ. Also, dick pic coming at you.

  Olivia: Maverick, wait!

  Too late.

  And there he is in all his thick, hard glory.

  I swallow then lick my lips, wishing I hadn’t seen it.

  Actually, that’s a lie. I want all of it.

  Chapter Twenty

  MAVERICK

  Texting with Olivia has been the only thing keeping me going since she left. I’m not much of a texter, but I can’t get enough of it with her, and I look forward to it every day. I know she told me things could never work out between us, but these past few weeks have me hanging on to the hope that she’ll change her mind and we’ll figure something out together.

  Between shoots and trying to keep up with my emails, I check in with her to make sure she’s having a good day, and I look forward to making her smile or laugh at night when it’s just the two of us. I don’t even mind watching her ridiculous TV shows if it means we have something fun to talk about.

  Maverick: I had a dream about you last night. You were wearing a naughty nurse outfit.

  Olivia: Was it Halloween?

  Maverick: Nope.

  Olivia: Then it was definitely a dream.

  Maverick: A dirty fantasy.

  Olivia: Keep dreaming, playboy.

  Maverick: You’re the star in all my dreams, so if I drift off…

  Olivia: You’re relentless.

  Maverick: It’s why you like me.

  Olivia: Debatable.

  Maverick: So I have a shoot this afternoon. Do you want to FaceTime after?

  We’ve only strictly texted up to this point, but I want to see her face. I miss the cute little quirky expressions she makes. The way she bites her lip, wrinkles her nose, and scolds me with narrowed eyes. I wouldn’t mind seeing her O face again either.

  Olivia: Um... maybe.

  Maverick: C’mon, Olivia. Don’t you miss my adorable face?

  Olivia: No, because it’s normally talking and saying arrogant things like that.

  Maverick: Can’t turn the charm off, baby.

  Olivia: So I’ve heard. What time do you want to chat tonight?

  Maverick: How’s 6 your time?

  Olivia: I’ll be here.

  I smile victoriously when she finally agrees. I’ve loved texting back and forth with her, but nothing compares to actually seeing her gorgeous face. Olivia Carpenter is my girl, and I’m going to do whatever’s possible to prove it to her.

  “Maverick, shirt and jeans off. Mess up your hair a bit too,” Jeannie orders five seconds after I walk into the studio.

  “What? Not gonna even buy me dinner first?”

  “Cute. I have thirty minutes, Mav.” She waves a finger at me to start stripping.

  I’ve done several shoots with Jeannie before, so I enjoy messing with her and getting her worked up. She’s doing new shots for me so my agent can send them to agencies for magazines for their winter issues. I’d really love to be able to do another campaign for Calvin Klein or Levi’s again, but that’s part of the job. I’m never sure when my next gig will be, so I just keep going, hoping someone picks me up.

  “Great, let’s do some head shots. Put a shirt on and give me your best smolder,” she directs after twenty minutes of full body shots in various angles and positions.

  She reminds me a little of Olivia. Blunt and direct. Always to the point. It’s so much hotter when it comes from Olivia, though.

  Once we’re done, I thank her and head out. I’m dying to talk to Olivia again. I’ve never been this lovesick over a woman before, but I know she isn’t just “some girl.”

  Maverick: I’m gonna grab something to eat and then I’ll be ready to chat. You?

  I watch as the dots jump on the screen as she replies, but then it stops. Finally, a minute passes, and she replies.

  Olivia: Sure, I can make that work.

  Something feels off, and I’m not sure what it is, but either way, I’m excited. Not seeing her after a month has been way too damn long.

  Maverick: You should eat with me. Are you hungry?

  Olivia: What are you talking about?

  Maverick: I want to eat with you. Have you had dinner yet?

  Olivia: No. Been running around for Rachel all day. Just about to walk into my apartment.

  Maverick: Perfect. Change into something comfortable, and I’ll take care of dinner.

  Olivia: Wait. What?

  Maverick: Do you trust me?

  Olivia: *Sigh* Yes. Fine.

  Maverick: Good. I’ll call you in twenty.

  I do some Google searches on my phone and am soon placing an order for delivery. She never lets anyone take care of her, and I’m about to change that.

  Before I head home, I pick up an order of Chinese food, and once I get the notification that Olivia’s food has been delivered, I grab my laptop and call her.

  “Hey,” she answers with a smug grin. “You didn’t have to do that.”

  “I wanted to. Plus, I knew you’d skip dinner if I didn’t feed you,” I reply, holding my plate up for her to see. “And now we can eat Chinese together.”

  “It’s delicious. If you weren’t watching me, I’d be stuffing my face right now.” She chuckles, getting comfortable on her couch with a plateful of food.

  “Uh, when has that ever stopped you before? I’ve seen you inhale a bacon double cheeseburger.”

  She laughs, and the sound is like music to my ears. “To be fair, that was a damn good burger.”

  “I love seeing you smile, Olivia. I’ve missed it,” I tell her sincerely.

  “It’s definitely been a long time since I’ve felt like smiling. Rachel just finished going through the plotting and outlining phase, so she’s not sleeping much, which makes my job even more hell than usual. She even called on my day off to ask if I knew where her coffee filters were. THEY WERE LITERALLY ON TOP OF THE COFFEEMAKER,” she shouts, but the face she makes with it has me bending over laughing my ass off.

  “Tell me why you put up with her again?” I ask, genuinely wanting to know. Olivia is amazing, and I hate that she gets treated like scum. “You’re smart, babe. You could run your own PR marketing company.”

  She looks down and shrugs. “I know she means well. I can’t afford not to have a job, and the pay is great. Rachel even offers full benefits and holiday pay. That’s a hard thing to walk away from. I’d love to start my own company, but I’d never have enough to cover the start-up costs.”

  “Plenty of new business owners take out loans for that type of thing. I think you should do it. You have so much knowledge about publishing and that whole community that you’d have clients in no time. Then you’d have to start hiring people to help with the workload. I can see it now.” I flash her a bright smile, wanting her to know I mean every word.