Page 23 of Maverick
“We’ll catch up with you later.” Lexie grabbed Bear’s hand and they headed toward the stage.
“That’s better,” Mav whispered in my ear as his slid in front of me. “I like having you all to myself.” He wrapped both of his thick arms around my waist. The bulge in his jeans pressed against me through the thin fabric of my dress.Was it hot in here?He leaned down, his gorgeous lips closing in on mine and I literally heard the screech of my brain as it short circuited.
“Sorry guys!” the deejay’s voice boomed through the room. “My bad. I’m still figuring this shit out.”
“Michael!”
“Ugh. Sorry, Lex. Still figuring thisstuffout. Anyway, welcome to the Exiled Reapers’ Bar. I’m DJ Archangel. Tonight we take it all the way back to the early 2000s. When phones had cords and emails were cool. But they had good beats, so enjoy oldies night!” The lights went dark and strobe lights and lasers danced around the room.
My brows furrowed. I wasn’t sure if I was more offended by the oldies reference or the fact that my moment with Mav had been broken. “This song came out when I was in elementary school.”
“That’s alright, Kitty Kat. I like my women a little bit older.” Mav winked and I groaned.
“You’re older than I am.” By two years. Which I knew because I might have engaged in a little light Internet stalking. Totallynormal since we were selling guns to the man and entrusting my dad’s pets to him.
He smiled and guided me to a booth away from the stage. He ushered me into the seat, then sat next to me with his arm draped over my shoulder. It was nice, almost like a date.
“I was surprised to see you here.” He leaned in so I could hear him over the music. “Didn’t think this was your kind of scene.”
I gulped, trying to stay cool while the world’s sexiest man was inches from my face. “It’s not, usually. Well, not for City Kat, but right now I’m Country Kat.”
“And there’s a difference?” He raised a hand and the guy from the bar brought over a pint and another martini.Nice trick.Mav took a sip of his beer, licking the foam from his top lip.
Fuck me.
“Yes, Country Kat is relaxed and chill.”
Mav cocked his head.
“It’s a work in progress.” I laughed. “Lexie invited me and she’s too sweet to ghost. Plus I couldn’t take another episode ofThe Unit.”And maybe I wanted to show up looking cute for a certain hot biker…
Mav chuckled. “I keep telling Larry he should cancel his satellite service since all he ever watches are those blu-rays, but he’s stubborn. Doesn’t want to change his routine even though it’s not working for him anymore.”
I snorted. “You got that right.”
His hands danced along my shoulder, sending bolts of electricity pinging through my body. “A trait he passed along to his daughter, perhaps?”
I shrugged. “Maybe.” I needed a few more martinis before I got into that conversation. “Tell me more about you. I know you have a gun shop and your cut says you’re vice president of the club. But what else? Surely there’s more to my dad’s favorite neighbor than that. What’s your toxic trait?”
Mav raised an eyebrow. “I’m his favorite?” He drank from his beer, nodding. “Of course I am. Let’s see, toxic trait… I like reading spy novels, even though I don’t have time for them. But just in case I find a few minutes, I leave books everywhere.”
I bit back a grin. A bad boy who likes to read? My teenage heart would have exploded.
“I’ve got a book here at the bar, one at the shop, one in my office, my room.” He shook his head as he took another sip. “Even at the mechanic shop although I’m rarely there.”
My breath caught. He’d told me stopped by there a couple times a week. Was my oil change a lucky coincidence? Or did he stop by because he knew I would be there? That didn’t freak me out as much as it should. In fact, it made my silly heart swoon. “That seems practical,” I managed to say without panting like a horny school girl.
“In a way, yes. But that also means I’m in the middle of six books that I may never finish.” I couldn’t remember the last time I’d read a book for pleasure. He offered to loan me some of his spy novels. I agreed, not because I was particularly interested. I just wanted a reason to see him again.
16
Kat
When Michael’s set was up, Mav stood up and dragged me from the booth.
“Time to dance, Kitty Kat.”
“Woah, woah. I do not dance.” I tried to pull back, but he held me close.
