Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Mommy: Will you and Maverick be joining us for dinner tonight?
It was my turn for my cheeks to heat.
Looking at Lily, I asked, “How does she know we’re together?”
She shrugged and gave me a quick kiss on the lips before she crawled off the bed and started to gather up her clothes.
I sat up on my elbows. “Did you tell them you were coming over here?”
“No. I just said I was heading out for the day.”
“So what made your mom think you were with me?” I asked again, sitting up and getting out of bed. I reached for the T-shirt on my nightstand and slipped it on, followed by a pair of sweats.
Lily stopped getting dressed and looked at me. “Are you upset about them finding out?”
“I’m not upset. It’s more fear than anything. Your dad will kill me.”
Laughing, she shook her head. “We’re both adults, Mav. And my father adores you. You know that. You’re worrying over nothing.”
I rubbed at the back of my neck. “Am I?”
She finished dressing, then turned to face me. A look of worry crossed her beautiful face. “Did you want to keep this a secret? Because I don’t.”
“You want people to know we’re together?”
Lily walked over to me, wrapped her arms around my neck, and lifted onto her toes. “If I could stand on top of the tallest mountain in Montana and shout out that we’re together, I would. I haven’t felt this…this…cherished, ever. The way you kiss me, touch me, make love to me. I couldn’t be in the same room and attempt to hide my growing feelings for you if I wanted to, Maverick. So yes, I want people to know. But it’s just dating. It’s not like you asked me to marry you.”
I sighed. “I just don’t want your parents to think we’re moving too fast.” When she frowned, I rubbed my thumb over the faint line between her eyes. “Why are you frowning?”
“You do want to be exclusive…right?”
I know what I told her earlier, but a rush of anger hit me at the idea of any other man even near her. “Hell yes, I do! If I actually saw another man touch you, I’m pretty sure I’d want to break his arms.”
A wide grin erupted on her face. “There you go, then. We’re dating, and I want my parents to be the first to find out.”
“Okay, well, if your dad asks to talk to me outside, it’s all on you what happens after that.”
She laughed again and kissed me. “I’m not worried. I saw you clock Ben, I think you can hold your own with my dad.”
After I got dressed and Lily fixed her hair in my bathroom mirror, we headed out to my truck.
“How did you get here?” I asked.
“Nathan dropped me off on his way to baseball practice.”
“You little scamp. That’s how your mother knew you were with me.”
She winked at me and climbed up into my truck. With a shake of my head, I mumbled, “Minx.”
Less than five minutes later, I was parking in the same place I parked any other time I had dinner at Tanner and Timberlynn’s house. The only difference was their daughter was climbing out of the truck, and I had a hand on her lower back, guiding her up the steps. I could only hope she didn’t look like I’d had her in bed with me all damn day.
When the door opened before we reached the top step, Timberlynn stood there, a wide grin on her face. She looked at Lily, then at me, then back to her daughter.
“Don’t you look…happy.”
Lily grinned. “I am…happy.”
And I wanted to turn and run. Die right there on the spot.
Timberlynn pinned me in place with a look and said, “I see you two have had a good day.”
My mouth opened to say something, but nothing would come out.
“We have,” Lily stated as she took my hand and dragged me into the house after Timberlynn stepped back inside, leading us toward the kitchen.
“You’re just in time. I pulled the meatloaf out of the oven right before I saw you drive up.”
“Please tell me you made mashed potatoes. I’m starving!” Lily said as her mother glanced back—but not at Lily, at me.
“Starving, huh?”
I was pretty sure my face was beet red. And I never uttered a word.
“You know what they say, when you have an amazing—”
“Timberlynn, did you happen to see Tesoro today at all?” I quickly asked because, Jesus, I had to change the subject.
Lily gave me a wicked smile before she walked on ahead and into the kitchen.
“I did. She walked up to me and let me give her a quick scratch. I tried to pet down her neck, but she stomped her foot and thrashed her head around, letting me know that was off-limits.”
“She’s come a long way, and I think being with Juniper has helped.”