Page 599 of Dark Love

“Then maybe it’s time for you to bake him a brownie cheesecake.”

***

A few excruciatingly long minutes later, I step out the door to meet Vex—Maverick. I like the new name so much better than the old one. “The gig is up.Mom knows.”

“She told me last night.”

I should be mad at him for not warning me, but I wouldn’t let him utter a word when he walked into my bedroom. “And she knows you snuck in last night.”

“How? My entry was flawless.”

Like I’m going to give away her secrets. I might need some of her tricks later on. “She’s a mother. They know everything.”

“Noted.” He grins down at me. “Why did you come to your parents’ house for the weekend?”

“For the same reason you bought me a frightfully expensive house a few doors down from my parents’, because I want this to be forever. So, I was going to tell her… But she already knew.”

Maverick wraps his arms around me. “That means we don’t have to hide anymore.”

“It does.” I hug him back with a smile.

“So, what would happen if I kiss you right now?”

Hmm, good question. Mom is already planning our wedding. “She’ll probably start decorating a room for her grandchildren.”

“One for every kiss at the front door?” He leans down.

“Possibly.”

“A big family sounds good to me.” Maverick presses his lips to mine as the curtain shuts.

A big family… sounds perfect.

***

The last time I walked up to this doctor’s office, my stomach was full of dread even with my mother at my side. Today is a good day. I’m going in strong enough to handle what needs to be done.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Maverick’s voice makes me jump out of my skin.

“There aren’t any general practitioners in this building. They’re all surgeons. Where do you think you’re going without having said a single word to me?”

I spin around to face him. “You said you don’t do doctors.”

“For myself. For you, I do whatever needs to be done. And why exactly are we standing in front of a medical building full of surgeons without you having said a single word to me about it?” He takes two steps forward until he gets right in my face. “Everything. I need to know everything about you so that I can protect and take care of you.”

Isn’t that sweet? “I can take care of myself. And that means going to the doctors on my own whenever I feel the need to.”

“Dahl.” He lets out an exasperated sigh.

The poor man can’t handle even the idea of me being ill. He looks about ready to pass out. “Would you like to come with me today?”

“Yes. Yes, I would.”

“If I hadn’t let you come, would you have asked Shock to hack in and find out what the appointment was about?”

Maverick shrugs. “Probably.”

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