Page 107 of Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places
“I wouldneverdo that.” He sounded sufficiently offended, so she switched up her tone.
“You say that now, but one day little Maverick might get tired of your shit and take over. Repressed sexual desires can lead to people makingwilddecisions. I’ve heard lust plays you all for fools.”
“That’s not gonna happen,” he said. “Also…it’s not little.”
“I haven’t seen it. I wouldn’t know,” she teased.
“I’m telling you it’s not.”
Lucky paused, checking in with herself to see if she felt repulsed, which could happen occasionally…and nope. She was still good. “How big are we talking, then? Have you measured it? CanImeasure it?”
“Lucky.”
“I’m asking scientifically. For science.” She laughed. “I’ll even use official scientific tools—like my hands.”
He laughed. “You’re ridiculous.”
“I’m proficient. Give me a chance to prove it,” she countered. “I’m not going to judge you for being too sexual, especially since you’ve been nothing but good to me. You wouldn’t believe the shit people say about aces and you haven’t said any of it. Not a word, not an insult, not even on accident. If I can’t handle it, trust me to tell you and we’ll go from there. As soon as you’re ready, I’m ready.”
“I’vebeenready. I have been struggling since the day I met you.” He laughed. “You were wearing overalls and a sweatshirt, but you might as well have answered the door naked.”
33
After yet another difficult night with Specter-Reggie, Lucky needed a power nap. Two more weeks had passed, and while the days sometimes blurred together, the nights absolutely didn’t. She was sound asleep when her alarm blasted her back into consciousness.
“Shut up,” she muttered, silencing it. She’d set it to go off every morning at twenty minutes before sunrise—the average range of time Hennessee House consistently flatlined.
Her eyelids felt like sandpaper scraping against her eyeballs. The rest of her body wasn’t faring any better. Skin too tight, mouth dry, and if she stretched too hard, she knew a charley horse would take her down screaming.
Emotionally drained and feeling like she’d been visited in the night by a desiccation demon, the only solution was to take a bath. Maverick called right as she entered the water, sliding down until the bubbles reached her shoulders.
“Good morning.” Early-morning Maverick had a deeper voice that felt as rich as chocolate mousse.
“I’m alive.”
“Good to know.”
Lucky began opening the previous day’s flower. Every day at noon, a slender white box arrived in the mail from Maverick. Keeping her mind blank, she brought them up to her room for safekeeping, not thinking about or opening them until their sunrise call.
“Gardenia, oh, it smells wonderful. But I don’t think it quite makes it to my potential favorites list.”
“I think you’ll like today’s flower. I have a good feeling about it.”
She bit her lip at the familiar sound of the smile in his voice, briefly imagining what he looked like. “Can I have a hint?”
“Nope. How did you sleep?”
“Not the best. I’m trying to relax by taking a bath.”
“You’re in the bathtub?” He paused. “Right now?”
“They usually make me feel better.”
Maverick sighed. “Why did you have to say that? You’re trying to ruin me, aren’t you?”
“Never intentionally, but if it happens…” She trailed off with a shrug. “Is it the bath itself or because I’m naked?”
“Both.”
