I can barely focus on the conversation at dinner. While it’s comfortable and fun, with Maisy and Mila shooting each other wide smiles and having entire conversations through their facial expressions, I can’t tear my eyes away from the gorgeous goddess beside me.
Maisy looks incredible in her flirty sundresses and sweet cardigans. But she’s a vixen in leather, and my plan to take this slow, to be measured and practical, folds the more I drink in her sleek, straight, honey strands. And big blue eyes framed by the sootiest lashes I’ve ever seen. The straps of her sandals encircling her ankles and the hot pink polish on her toenails hypnotizes me. Everything about Maisy screams tonight.
And fuck, I want tonight.
But I also want tomorrow night and the night after that and… I can’t think that far into the future. I just know that whatever story Devon is sharing doesn’t hold a candle next to the sound of Maisy’s laughter, or the flash of excitement in her eyes, or the way she tosses her hair over her shoulder.
God, she’s mesmerizing. Breathtaking. Mine.
No, not mine yet. But I want her to be.
Devon kicks my shin under the table and I grunt. “Huh?”
“Is Lola coming to the Hawks game?” Mila asks. By the way her eyes dart to Devon’s, I know this is the second, hell, maybe third, time she asked.
I shift in my seat, glancing at Maisy who looks at me curiously.
“She is.” I direct my response to Maisy. “If you come, you can sit in the family box with her.” The second the words are out of my mouth, a blaze of panic burns through me. Am I ready for this? Is Maisy? Mixing Maisy and Lola. Concocting opportunities for them to spend time together. I search her eyes; I don’t want to push her.
“That’s a great idea!” Mila’s enthusiasm diffuses some of the nerves bundling at the base of my throat. “I’ll be there.”
“I’d love to.” Maisy’s voice is quiet, laced with her usual sweetness.
“It’s next Thursday,” Devon tosses out helpfully. He lifts his beer to his lips and takes a swig. “They’re going to slaughter us, but at least you both will be there to cheer us up afterwards.”
Mila rolls her eyes. “You might win.”
Devon and I exchange a glance and I shake my head. “Maybe next season. But the Hawks are a well-oiled machine. We’re going to go out there, play good hockey, and give it our all, but Austin Merrick has been leading the Hawks for years. They’re not working out kinks the way we are.”
“But the Bolts do have phenomenal leadership,” Mila volleys back, her eyes locked on Devon. Our team captain.
“We do,” I agree, tipping my head toward Devon. “And we’ll get there.”
“We will.” He flashes me an appreciative smile.
As Mila pulls the conversation away from hockey, referencing some mutual friends of hers and Maisy’s, I turn my focus back to my woman. My woman.
Tonight, I couldn’t wait to get here, bring her to a hotel room, and see what unfolds between us.
Now, I can’t wait to get out of here. I want to drive her home to my house and lay her down in the center of my bed and savor the hell out of anything she gives me. In my house. With her perfume infusing my sheets and strands of honey splayed on my pillowcase.
Shit. I shift again in my chair, uncomfortable as fuck. How the hell are we still on the appetizers? How long is this dinner going to last?
I glance at my beer bottle, still half full. If I’m going to take Maisy home tonight, I need to stop drinking. But will she want to go? Home with me? Tonight was about a double date, having fun with Mila and Devon. Right now, I couldn’t care less about them. I just want the woman sitting beside me, shooting me sly grins with a pouty, full upper lip, to take me out of misery and let me try with her. All in, all the way.
“Here are your entrees,” our server announces.
“Oh great!” Mila exclaims. “Wait till you see their dessert menu, Mais.”
Maisy groans. “The turtle cheesecake.”
“To die for,” Mila agrees, thanking the server for her plate.
Across from me, Devon snickers. “Gonna be a long dinner, man,” he mutters quietly.
The fucking longest.
We say good night to Mila and Devon in the lobby of Premier, a swanky hotel I’ve never been to before. With hockey, I’ve stayed in some pretty nice places. But this, tonight, is different. Because I don’t do this—drop money on five-star hotels for some type of staycation. I barely venture into Knoxville, preferring to stay close to the UT campus in case Lola needs me.
“You okay?” Maisy asks, her eyes shadowed with concern.
I let out a breath. “You’re going to think I’m crazy.” I take her hand and lead her away from reception, settling us onto two chairs in a seating area.
“What’s wrong?” she whispers.
Our bags are still in the truck. I need to get them. I need to check in. But I want to take her home, to my home; fuck, I want this woman in my bed.
“You’re having second thoughts,” she murmurs.
“What?” I shake my head, trying to understand her words.
“You’re not into this”—she gestures between us—“and you don’t know how to tell me nicely that you don’t want to stay here tonight.” She stands up, wobbling slightly on her heels as a flash of anguish hits her eyes. “It’s okay,” she mutters. “We can go now and still be professional. No hard—”
“What are you talking about?” I nearly explode from my seat standing so quickly that I surprise Maisy. She stumbles back and I grip her upper arm to keep her upright. “You think I’m not into this? That I don’t want you?” I shake her elbow a bit. “How the hell can you think that?”
Her mouth drops open, her eyes widening. “I, you, what?”
“Shit.” I tug her back down, both of us sitting in our chairs. “Maisy, I want you so badly, I can’t think straight.”
“Then why would you not want to stay—”
“I want you in my bed,” I practically growl. “I wanna wrap you up in my sheets. Spend the whole fucking night lost inside you and kiss you tomorrow in my kitchen over coffee. Not at some random hotel. Not for our first time together.” I pause, trying to collect my thoughts. I never share this much, but I need her to understand. A wild, uncontrolled feeling rushes through me. I need her to understand that this isn’t just casual.
I’m not fucking casual. I don’t know what the hell I am, but with her, it’s more than anything I’ve ever been in the past.
When I look up, blowing out a ragged sigh, Maisy’s pupils are dilated. She’s staring at me like she’s never seen me before.
I’m messing this up. Coming on too strong. She just got out of a complicated relationship and isn’t ready for this. For me going all caveman on her, laying shit out. I shouldn’t do that anyway. Not when I could be a damn rebound to her and I’m sitting here wanting to be not casual.
“Fuck,” I swear again, screwing my eyes closed. “Maisy, I—”
“Take me home, Axe,” she cuts me off, her voice quiet but strong. Sure.
I open my eyes, wanting to confirm I’m reading this right. Does she mean my home or her home?
“Your home,” she states, reading the question in my eyes.
A relieved puff of air leaves my lips and I pull her toward me, pressing my mouth against hers. The kiss is hard, with an edge of need and a hint of desperation.
When I pull back, I stare into her eyes. “Are you sure, Maisy? Because if we do this, I can’t keep things casual.”
“I don’t want casual.”
“What do you want, sweetheart?”
She licks her lips, her chest rising and falling faster than it was a minute ago. “Everything. I want it all, Axe.”
Her words light my blood on fire and my eardrums roar. My fingers feel like live wires, my entire body tuned and alert. My heart rate doubles. Concern flairs to life in my mind, a warning, a voice of reason.
Don’t get in over your head. Take it slow. There’s no need to rush.
I war with my thoughts, my head reaching for logic, my body pleading for now, this moment with this woman.
In the end, Maisy makes the decision easy. “How fast can you drive?”
I stand again, pulling her with me. “Let’s get out of here.”
Body wins, blocking out my mind. I escort my gorgeous date to my truck and drive home, my fingers laced through hers for the entire ride.