Page 40 of Reckless Hearts

I don’t want to be the reason Maverick gets hurt.

I’ve stayed away so long.

Worked so hard.

Was I naive to think I could come back here? To think I had control over this?

First injury… and I’m already a blubbering mess.

I rest my head against his chest, letting the steady beat of his heart soothe me.

I know it’s not fair to keep this to myself.

I know I should have told them years ago.

Even knowing that, I still don’t want to.

“I can feel your thoughts spinning,” Maverick murmurs, rubbing circles into my back.

He falls silent, letting me rest while he works through his own thoughts.

Then, always giving me exactly what I need, he says, “You don’t need to explain. I don’t need that from you.”

My grip tightens on his shirt, then loosens as his words settle into me.

One day, I’ll tell him.

Tell them both.

But for now, I’m okay.

I don’t know how I survived without Maverick’s steady, unshakable support.

Even as a kid, he was my anchor.

He still is.

My neck stiffens.

Oh.

He definitely knows.

Someone who understands me this well couldn’tnotknow.

And his willingness to let it go, to not dig, has my heart aching.

As my head clears, mortification creeps in, heating my cheeks.

I know he’d never make fun of me… but that doesn’t stop the embarrassment from flooding in.

Oh my God.

He kissed me.

I jerk away, ready to flee, but his arms band tighter around me, keeping me in place.

That was the only way he could snap me out of it.

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