Page 28 of Fumbled Love

I laughed. “When I first moved there, I saw it all and did it all. After a while, the excitement wore off.”

“What do you do on the weekends for fun?”

I shifted my eyes to the display of holiday decorations and thought about that for a minute. “Nothing too exciting. I like to go to the outdoor markets in the city when it’s nice out. Chad and I will buy some fresh vegetables and browse the tents. Sometimes I’ll pick up a few handmade soaps and scented candles.”

“Chad, huh?” His jaw ticked at the mention of my friend’s name.

I pointed a finger at him. “Don’t start. We’re having a nice afternoon and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Fair enough.” He held his hands up in mock surrender. “I’m not a farmer’s market guy, but I’ve always wanted to check out the Christmas Village at Bryant Park.”

“That can definitely be arranged. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice being back here and I am enjoying the warmer weather, but there is no place on the planet that’s as magical as New York City during the holidays.”

“Maybe you can show me around next time I’m in town. We can play tourist for the day.” He flashed me that boyish grin that didn’t have a trace of innocence to it. “Maybe catch a show on Broadway.”

I tilted my head to the side. “Are you a fan of Broadway?”

“Fuck no.” He snorted. “The only show I half enjoyed wasSpiderman, and even then I ended up falling asleep before intermission. My buddy JP is a huge Marvel fan. We were literally in town for two days, but if you ask me, it was two hours of my life I’ll never get back.”

I chuckled because I could totally picture it. “Then why did you suggest it?”

“Because I thought it would be something you would enjoy doing,” he said without missing a beat. “Spending the day with you sounds a hell of a lot better than watching drills from the sidelines or shooting the shit with the guys in the locker room.”

“Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel special.”

“You didn’t let me finish.” He winked. “I suggested it because there is no one else I’d rather spend time with. When I’m with you, I don’t give a shit about my career and neither do you. I don’t have to put on a mask and be who the fans expect me to be. I don’t have to worry about your intentions. Around you, I can let loose and relax.”

I was not expecting that.

“You really are a smooth talker,” I said, trying not to read too much into that comment. I could handle confident and cocky Maverick, but sweet and charming was pushing it. Especially after the night we shared because it only made my feelings for him grow stronger.

Maverick leaned forward, braced his forearms on the table, and licked his lips. “Funny, because being with you makes me feel off my game.”

I rolled my eyes at the ridiculousness of that comment. “Trust me, your game is just fine.”

He tilted his head to the side. “Is that your subtle way of saying you’re into me?”

“What if I am?” I wasn’t usually this bold, but I was slowly testing the waters. I blamed it on the pregnancy hormones. Not to mention, the way he kept looking at me was messing with my head. The man could have any woman he wanted. Why on God’s earth would he want me?

“Then I’d say we’re off to a great start, because I wouldn’t mind one damn bit if you were. In fact, it would make my year.”

Both dimples poked out, and I pointed my finger to his cheek. “Don’t go flashing those. I’m hormonal, so you can’t hold it against me if I start making a fool of myself.”

His grin only widened. “You probably shouldn’t tell me that.”

I was swooning hard. “Back to the topic at hand. We’ll skip the theater and the museums next time you’re in town.”

“Thank you.” He blew out a relieved breath.

I was worried that things would be awkward between us, but between breakfast this morning and the impromptu meal tonight, things felt nice.

“How did you end up in New York in the first place?” he asked before plopping a tortilla chip into his mouth.

“I picked New York because I wanted to live in a place where I could be free to be myself and not worry about who I was in the past. In a city of eight million people, no one knows your parents, cousins, or all the stupid stuff you did growing up. It felt like freedom. So, I applied tothe Stern School of Business at NYU. I fell in love with the city immediately and decided that’s where I wanted to stay.”

“That’s impressive.” There was pride in his voice as he spoke. “Do you see yourself living there forever?”

It was pretty obvious where he was going with this. I couldn’t blame him, even if I wanted to. We were going to be co-parents living in two different states. He had every right to ask and be concerned.

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