Page 89 of Mine to Take

I shake my head, feeling even worse for him. “That’s not true at all. Men have feelings just like women, and it’s okay to express them. In fact, it’s necessary. Healthy. There’s so much strength in being able to do that,” I say lightly.

His lips press together, and I can almost see him turning over my words. “I’ll think about it,” he finally concedes.

“Good.”

As we reach the edge of campus, he throws out the invite. “Come home with me?”

I really shouldn’t.

The more time I spend with Maverick, the more layers I peel back. There’s an unexpected depth buried beneath the surface that continues to draw me in.

“Sunshine?”

For better or worse, the endearment is enough to send the last of my walls crumbling.

“Okay.”

27

Maverick

Hayes flicks a look our way as I walk through the front door of the hockey house with one arm thrown around Willow’s slender shoulders. All I want to do is keep her anchored to my side for safekeeping.

More than that, I want to know she’s mine.

I’ve never wanted to belong to someone else, but with her, I do.

I want her to claim me.

The thought should knock me back a step and have me reevaluating everything. Instead, something inside me settles. It’s like the tumblers of a safe finally falling into place.

I’m still mentally tripping about all the things I’ve shared with her this evening. When we’re together, everything I normally keep tightly contained or try to ignore pours out of me. I have no idea why I’m so comfortable in her presence. She manages to smooth out all my rough edges.

She really is like pure sunshine in a bottle.

And when I’m with her, I feel the warmth of it radiating on my face. I just want to bask in her light.

I give Hayes a quick chin lift in greeting. He returns the gesture before his gaze slices to Willow. His brows pinch as his easy-going expression turns inscrutable.

The tension that fills the atmosphere is almost enough to give me pause.

Willow doesn’t make eye contact with him. Instead, her attention remains focused on the staircase.

A minute or so later we’re in my room and I’m locking the door behind us, shuttering away the rest of the world.

But still…the weird energy downstairs circles through my brain.

“Do you know Hayes?” The question is out of my mouth before I can rein it back in.

She glances away before her gaze resettles on mine again and she straightens her shoulders. “We attended the same high school.”

My brows shoot up at that bit of information. “Huh. I didn’t know that.”

She shrugs. “We were never close.”

A strange silence descends as she unzips her black jacket. I consider asking a few more questions, wanting to lay the matter to rest, but I’m more interested in getting my hands on her.

Within seconds, my arms slip around her body and my lips are descending. There’s something about the feel of her that quiets all the static in my brain, making it impossible to think about anything but her.

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