Saving Maverick

by Debra Elise

  “Okay, TMI, but good to know he’s so hot for you he can’t wait to get you, the what, ten feet from the front door to the bedroom? See, that’s what I need in my life, a man who is so in to me, he can’t hold it together when we’re alone and the first vertical surface is fair game.” Lara smiled and reached over to pat Kelsey’s knee. “I’m hoping this is the one for you, Kels. He may be everything you thought you didn’t want, but I think he’s exactly what you need.”

  Kelsey remained silent. She didn’t know how to respond. Lara knew her so well. Well enough to know her issues with her father and mother and how she felt about baseball players.

  The sex was phenomenal, but she also found herself looking at Maverick as something other than another cardboard ballplayer. Out for good times and moving on when the next skirt showed up.

  “Lara, it’s strange. I can’t explain why I’ve thrown all my rules out the window with Maverick. It’s a physical thing, or an elemental need, you know?”

  Lara giggled.

  “But he has his good points, out of the bedroom,” she added. “Get your mind out of the gutter. And he seems to be coming around where the PR strategy is concerned. But this whole new act we’re supposed to be putting on is getting a bit deep for me. The more I pull away and want to keep it simple, the more he’s sending me flowers and taking me out to be ‘seen,’ but then acting like we’re the only two people in the restaurant. He doesn’t look around a room to see who’s watching us, or if there’s a photo op to be had. In fact, he seems irritated when a photog shows up and I point out that we should pose for a picture. It’s getting to be a bit too much for me.”

  “Okay, so what about tonight?” Lara asked.

  “I’m hoping tonight to show him I’m okay with just scratching that itch when we’re in private and it’s all play acting when we’re in public,” Kelsey said.

  “Have you talked to him about how you feel, I mean really feel, about this pretend relationship?” Lara asked.

  “Not really. If I’m not kissing him he’s yanking my blouse off, and we spend much of our time together in bed, or on the couch or . . .”

  “Again, I get the idea. You’re having a ton of sex and I’m not. Okay, so he’s having to buy you new clothes to replace the ones he rips off you, but what about after?”

  “You mean the afterglow where we have hours of pillow talk and share our deepest desires, hopes, and dreams?” Kelsey asked drily.

  “Yeah. That.” Lara smiled.

  “Doesn’t happen. It’s usually late by the time he’s free after practice, and I, well, I don’t exactly stick around after it’s over.” Kelsey looked out the corner of her eye waiting for some snide remark from Lara. It never came.

  “Okay, so you don’t stick around for pillow talk. Probably smart if you don’t want to get close emotionally, but how do you feel the next morning? Are you able to go about your day and not wonder what he’s thinking or how he really feels about you?” Lara asked.

  “I told you, Lara, that’s not the type of relationship we have. The type I want. I’ll do what I do best and enjoy this new side to myself. When his image is back on track, we can both move on and look at it for what it was.” Kelsey, you’re such a liar. Of course you want more. And it was scaring the crap out of her.

  “And what exactly is that?” Lara asked.

  Kelsey looked from Lara to the entrance of the casino and back again to Lara before she cruised into a parking spot. “I’ll let you know.”

  Chapter 21

  Maverick kept looking at the entrance to the casino. Where the hell was she? Thirty minutes had come and gone. He couldn’t shake the anger he felt over the photo he’d received today, but he’d decided to wait and tell Kelsey after they had a night of fun. He stepped away from the bar when Kelsey and Lara strolled in. Laughing and carefree, their energy took over the room. Every eye shot toward the two gorgeous women.

  He wanted to stake his claim before some hometown guy decided to take the initiative and make his move. He noticed Luke had also perked up when they entered, but he soon forgot his buddy and made his way to greet the woman who’d tied him up in knots.

  “Hey, Doll Face. About time you showed up. We were going to send out a posse.” Maverick cupped her face, leaned down and captured her lips, staking his claim. He sucked in her bottom lip and pressed into her while his hands captured her curves.

  He was tempted to just pick her up and carry her to one of the rooms above, but caught himself and ended the kiss. He placed his forehead on hers and whispered, “Later.”

  “So sure of yourself, cowboy? I came here to gamble and drink.”

  Hell, he couldn’t care less about hanging out with their friends and gambling. He wanted her all to himself.

  A flash exploded to his right followed by the sound of shuffling. The photogs had found them. Shit. She stiffened, but he wasn’t going to let them ruin his evening. Or hers.

  “Damn, you look good, Kelsey. Are you sure I can’t interest you in a little . . . ?” he murmured just for her ears.

  If she didn’t stop rubbing herself up against him, he was going to haul her over his shoulder and drag her sweet ass upstairs. To hell with all propriety, photographers, and even the elusive stalker. He wanted her—now.

  But Kelsey recovered her senses first and pushed slightly against his chest. “Maverick, it’s been less than twenty-four hours. I want you too, but maybe later, okay? The photographers aren’t going to go away. You want to take a breath? Then we can turn around and give them a picture or two.”

  “Dammit, Kelsey, is that what tonight is about to you? I thought we could let loose and enjoy being with each other. With our friends.” Maverick stepped back farther and swiped a hand through his hair. His erection gone, he tried to make sense of his anger at her refusal to play it his way for once.

  He wasn’t sure he liked her setting the pace. He’d never met a woman who acted like a guy before where sex was concerned.

  “I’m done with pictures.” He grabbed her elbow and guided her away from the bar. “C’mon, there’s some slots you might like.” He marched her through the flashing and beeping machines until they were tucked in the back of the casino, out of direct view from prying eyes.

  “Maverick, wasn’t the point of going out to be seen—together? I know you’re getting tired of the press, but I don’t think we’ll have to do this much longer. There haven’t been any new texts or pictures the last couple of days and now that the season is about to begin, I’m sure your pitching is only going to improve and—”

  “I need to ask you a very important question, Kelsey.” Maverick didn’t give her a chance to respond, let alone breathe. He backed her into a slot machine and braced his hands on either side of her. “Do you like me?” he whispered.

  “Wha-what?” Kelsey stumbled over her words.

  “It’s a simple question. Do you? Like me?” Maverick held her gaze and dared her to look away.

  “Sure, but why are you so concerned all of a sudden? Mav, really, I’m only looking for a night to relax, have fun. Today was a not so fun day with my mom and I’d like to blow off some steam.” Kelsey pushed him back, or tried. He stood firm.

  Concern feathered his features, with worry lines. “What about your mom? I didn’t know she lived here. Maybe I can help?”

  “You can’t and she doesn’t. Live here, that is. She tends to . . . drop in when she feels like it or when her latest boyfriend kicks her out, or cheats on her. Sometimes both.” Kelsey tried again to move out of the cage he’d created. He wasn’t letting her go. He was over her evading him just when things turned personal.

  “That’s too bad, maybe she only needs a place to regroup. I’m sure she appreciates you letting her stay till she figures things out,” he said.

  “Yeah, well, you’ve never met my mom. She hasn’t had things figured out since before I was born, if even then.” She took a deep breath and looked over his shoulder, not meeting his eyes. “Look I’m sorry I eve
n mentioned it. I don’t want to talk about her right now. Let’s get back with the group and have some fun. Nothing heavy tonight, okay?” She pushed herself even closer and gave him another shimmy.

  “Why do you keep doing that?”

  “Doing what?”

  “Pretending there isn’t something special going on between us? Jesus, Kelsey, you must feel it too?” Maverick stepped back from her and ran his hand through his hair, then placed both hands on his hips, feet shoulder width apart. Like a soldier, ready to strike. “It’s not just great sex for me. I think you feel the same way.”

  “Oh, I felt it all right.” She reached for him and he took another step away. She let out a short, throaty growl. “Look, we’ve only known each other for how long? A couple of weeks? I have a hard time believing you could feel anything for me beyond the initial spark of passion. I told you that first night, Maverick, I don’t have it in me right now to make this anything but a short-term thing.”

  Kelsey was wringing her hands and he could tell she was on the edge of throwing in the towel with him. She’d pushed all the wrong buttons with him and he was pissed. But if he wanted any type of chance with this woman, he realized he needed to back off now.

  “You’re right. We don’t have an exclusive, or hell, even a permanent situation here. Maybe I’m confusing you with someone else. We can continue having hot monkey sex for all I care. If that’s all you want from me, you got it. No problem. I’m sure by October we’ll both be ready for new adventures.” He threw out his arm and waved her back toward their group. When she stood there with her mouth hanging open, and not moving, he didn’t know what else to say, so he walked away.

  She didn’t want the romantic or personal side of him, fine. He’d deal. He’d also get her so worked up and addicted to his brand of loving that in the end the only choice she would have left was to be his.

  Chapter 22

  Different day, same shit. Maverick was staring at the doctored photo he’d received two days ago. But now he was staring at it on a gossip website. He closed his browser and called Kelsey. Guess he should have told her about it when he’d first received it. Shit.

  But before he could place the call, his line rang. T.S.’s name appeared on his screen. Double shit. He couldn’t avoid the call, but he really wished he had a chance to talk to Kelsey before he dealt with an irate T.S.

  “I know why you’re calling and it’s a fake.” Maverick didn’t even give the team owner a chance to speak first.

  “It better damn well be, Mav. I’m not sure if your rep can take anymore bad press. I think it’s time to bring the police in on this and put it out there that you’re dealing with some type of crazed fan. If not an outright stalker.”

  “Yeah, Kelsey had already brought that up the other day after the last two text messages, but I told her it was some delusional girl who just wants my attention,” Maverick said.

  “So, how many text messages have you received?” T.S. asked.

  “Half a dozen. They’ve all been pretty tame, really. I thought it might even be some teenager who hacked into the cell phone company to get my number or some shit like that, but I guess I was wrong.”

  “You’re damn right you’re wrong. You should have let me know about this crap sooner. And why aren’t you listening to the expert, Maverick? I didn’t hire Kelsey just to be your goddamned personal assistant. She knows how to combat crap like this and all I see you two doing is going out to dinner and playing nice in front of the cameras,” T.S. said.

  “Now hold on a minute, T.S., that’s what you wanted too. You were all fired up about us pretending to be a couple. Hell, it was your idea, remember? Don’t worry about this latest picture, I’ll handle it. Kelsey and I will handle it.”

  “Maverick, I know you’ve been working hard on the rehab and in your sessions with the counselor. But if you and Kelsey can’t figure out what to do with these pictures, I will, and you won’t like it,” T.S. shot back. He hung up and Maverick pitched his phone against the wall.

  Staring at the shattered screen, he began to laugh. Looked like he needed a new phone.

  Later that morning Maverick walked into the clubhouse and looked around for something else he could smash. Destroying his phone had been expensive, and unsatisfying. He needed to let off some major steam.

  Someone was tipping this creep off about his every move and the more he thought about it, that someone was probably close to him. The fact that some low-life had taken their treasured moment and sold it to the highest bidder made him ill. He was determined to find out who it was and pin their ass to the wall.

  Luke and a few of his other teammates walked into the locker room. Good-natured, off-color ribbing flowed. He didn’t hear any indication they’d seen the latest photo online. Fuck, this shit was getting old.

  “Hey, you wish you’d met her first. Man, she’s smart.” The third baseman held out his palms in front of his own chest indicating how “smart” his current girlfriend was.

  Luke smacked him up the back of his head, knocking the ball cap to the ground, and pushed the third-year player into a locker. “You guys are gonna find out one day, a woman’s cup size doesn’t matter anymore than the size of your Johnson does. Besides, aren’t you tired of basing your dating choices on how big a girl’s tits are instead of how she treats you or if you can actually hold a five-minute conversation without wanting to run the other way?”

  “Whoa, Luke settle down, man. No need to go all Dr. Phil on us. Besides, you’re pissed off because Syndi started hanging out with Jenner instead of you.” Yagasaki, the rookie pitcher, stepped in to add his two cents.

  “Man, you don’t know the bullet I dodged with that chick. She’s out for a ring and has some serious daddy issues. If anything, I should be warning Jenner to find another ball girl to spend his nights with. She’s not worth the shiny packaging she comes in.” Luke continued walking deeper into the locker room and raised a hand to Maverick.

  “Hey, Mav, you hear the latest about Jenner? Syndi’s sunk her two-inch nails into him now and these assholes think I’m jealous,” Luke said.

  Maverick nodded his head at Luke but ignored the other players. “Luke, you done for the day?”

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  “I could use a ride. My truck’s in for a detail and I didn’t think I’d need a loaner. Could you drop me off downtown?” Maverick asked.

  “No problem, let me grab a quick shower and I’ll meet you in the garage.” Luke turned down the hallway and was halfway there when Maverick called out.

  “Do you think you could skip the shower? I really need to get downtown and I don’t want to call a taxi.” Luke looked at him for a moment but didn’t question the urgency. Maverick was sure he didn’t mask it very well.

  “Dude, it’s your nose. Anderson was a drill sergeant today and I must have tagged fifty runners. Worked up a good sweat.” Luke turned to the players he’d walked in with and said to the third baseman, “Make sure you tell Jenner what I said. She’s bad news.”

  Maverick grabbed his team bag and they walked out of the locker room toward the player area of the underground parking garage. He grabbed his shattered phone, pulled up the website, and shoved it toward Luke. “My number one fan has struck again.” He kept walking toward Luke’s sports car but soon found himself standing next to it all alone.

  Luke had stopped a few yards from the car and was staring intently at the screen. He looked up at Maverick. A tight expression on his face.

  “Hey, what’s the holdup? I really need to see Kelsey and work out what the hell I’m supposed to do,” Maverick said.

  “I know who this is,” Luke said.

  “What? Seriously, how can you tell? The woman’s face is half covered with hair and there’s a dark shadow on the rest.”

  “Yah, but she didn’t do a very good job hiding her tattoo. I know that tattoo. It’s a fairy with pink wings. Believe me when I say I know who this is because I’ve rolled around naked with those boo
bs,” Luke said.

  He swore, looked at the picture again and back up at his best friend. “It’s Syndi.”

  A flashbulb went off at the same time Luke said her name.

  “Maverick, Maverick. Who’s the new ball girl?”

  “Was she another stripper?!”

  “Did you make Kelsey Sullivan wear a blond wig?!”

  “C’mon Mav, your public wants to know. Did you and Kelsey break up?” The last reporter dared to get within a few feet of him.

  Maverick didn’t want to give the idiots a sound bite that would be played over and over on another trashy website or cable show, so he remained silent. Luke jogged the last few feet toward his car and spoke for Mav.

  “Sorry guys, you’re gonna have to get back. My car’s got a full tank of gas and a need for speed. I suggest you get out of the way if you don’t want to be eating exhaust.” Three men weighted down with cameras and sound equipment didn’t budge, kept snapping pictures. Pricks. The reporter who’d asked the last question was smart enough to get out of the way.

  They climbed into the Camaro and Luke cautiously backed out, but as soon as he saw it was safe, he floored it and provided the fumes he’d promised.

  “Fucking vultures,” Maverick said. He leaned back on the headrest and glanced over at Luke. “Syndi?”

  “Yeah,” Luke said.

  Maverick punched the dashboard.

  Kelsey sat staring at the photo. She needed to explain to an information-hungry society why Maverick seemed to have another woman in his life. They’d barely begun playing their parts. Love at first sight. Mad for each other to the point they couldn’t control themselves in public and now this.

  She’d written down the words Maverick said had accompanied the photo when he’d received the text a couple of days ago. The one she just found out about a couple of hours ago.