Page 57 of Teasing

“I live twenty-seven feet away, Mav.” She yawns. “I need to go home.”

“I have bigass feet, and I’m telling you it’s more than twenty-seven feet,” I argue.

“Walk the woman home, Maverick. I’ll stay with Rosie,” Jamie groans as he moves out of the kitchen and up the stairs.

Asshole.

“Yeah... I’ll be back in a few minutes.” I set Emmie on her feet. “Do you have a bag?”

She looks around, still half asleep. “Somewhere. I’ll come back and grab it tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to?—”

She silences me with a soft, dazed glare. “Don’t say it again. Because if you do, then I’ll stay. And if I stay, I know what’s going to happen, and that’s not happening tonight, Mav.”

She didn’t say it wasneverhappening. I’m counting that as a win.

I pull her against me and press my lips to the crown of her head. Sweet-smelling, soft hair tickles my nose and makes my mouth water.

Goddamn, I want this woman.

In my bed. In my life.

But I want her to want it too. On her time.

“Time to get you home, baby.”

Emmie laces her fingers with mine and doesn’t argue when I follow her outside. “I can’t wait to hear all about your adventures while I was gone,” I joke, knowing between my mom and aunts and Rosie, Emmie must have had a crazy-filled thirty-six hours.

“Tomorrow.” She yawns again. “I’ll fill you in on everything tomorrow.”

When we get to her front door, I hold out my hand. “Keys.”

She looks at me with wide eyes. “Shoot. I left them at your house.” She moves around me down the porch and lifts the cushion on her swing, then comes back with a key in her hand. “You didn’t see that, got it? Can’t have you knowing my secret spot.”

“What the hell, woman? You can’t keep a key to your house outside.” I fight hard not to yell at her. How the hell does she think this is safe?

“We’re not doing this tonight, Mav. I’m tired.” She tilts her head back to look at me and smiles. Just fucking smiles, and I swear to God, every other thought I had vanishes.

I lift my hands to her face and drag my thumbs along her jaw as I press her back against the cool, damp siding.

“What are you doing?” she asks on a quiet sigh but doesn’t push me away.

“What I should have done already,” I murmur, and lean down slowly, brushing my mouth over hers, groaning when her sugary taste explodes on my lips for the first time. She tastes like cherries and vanilla dipped in sunshine and sin.

She tastes like mine.

Emmie moans, and electricity sparks to life between us, arcing and firing like a live wire striking the street. My cock twitches, and I lean in against her, letting her feel me. I slide a hand to the back of her head, tangling my fingers in her hair,the way I’ve been dying to since the first time I saw her. I tilt her head as she moans into my mouth, taking the kiss deeper. Devouring her.

I slide my rough hand down her back and under her cropped top, pressing against her soft skin and dragging her closer.

“Maverick,” she moans my name, and it’s the most satisfying sound I’ve ever heard as she drops her head back against the house and arches against me.

Both of us needing more.

Fuck. Take it, Em . . . take everything.

Trailing my mouth along her jaw, I grind against her while she claws at my chest, trying to get closer.

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