Page 59 of The Cupcake Cottage

She shrugged.

“No, seriously. Why?” She’d had that since she was seventeen and had won a pageant after singing The Yellow Rose of Texas.

“It didn’t fit my image any longer. It felt kind of trashy.”

“I liked it.”

“Most men did. That and the tight shirts.”

“Then I hope having it removed wasn’t too painful or expensive.”

She gave him a kiss that grew deeper until they were making out like teenagers, sprawled on the floor by the tree, wrapped in each other’s arms, the scent of pine needles filling the air.

“When was the last time you were with someone?” she asked when they came up for air, stroking his cheek with a finger.

“Intimately?” He was suddenly very aware of every soft curve of hers that was pressed against his body.

She nodded. He exhaled, thinking. It had been a long, long time. Embarrassingly long. He wasn’t sure he wanted to admit the truth to Daisy-Mae.

“A year?” she asked, her tone tentative.

He didn’t answer.

“Two? Three?” Her tone was becoming more incredulous. “Five?” She was laughing now, half sitting up.

He tried to act casual as he rolled onto his back, hands clasped behind his head. “Does it matter?”

Janie, about four years ago, had been his last.

Daisy-Mae straightened, obviously giving that some thought. “No,” she said decisively. “I guess I was expecting that with so many women throwing themselves at you that you’d be a little busier in that department.”

He watched her puzzle out his dry spell. A lot of men on the team took advantage of their popularity, but one-night stands and quickie relationships had never felt right to him.

“Why?” she asked softly, coming back to the floor to rest against him, her fist stacked on his chest as a prop for her chin.

“I don’t give my trust freely. It has to be earned. And to me”—he pushed a strand of hair off her cheek—“intimacy is an act of trust. And it’s difficult to build that level of trust during one date.”

“Right. The One-Date Wonder,” she said thoughtfully.

“I’m not great on dates, okay?” He sighed, realizing he sounded defensive.

“I’m just figuring you out.”

“Sleeping with someone isn’t an act I take lightly. There are consequences, and I don’t ever want to find myself attached toa woman I don’t like very much while we try to do something important like raise a human being together.”

She nodded. Her expression was thoughtful again. “I like that. A lot.”

“I’m not a prude.”

“I know.”

“Making love means something to me.”

“There are a lot of reasons to love you, Mav. And every day I just keep on finding more.”

CHAPTER 10

Daisy-Mae had to be crazy. And so did Maverick.

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