Page 82 of You Saw the Best In Me

“You were incredible, Karina,” Mav grabs me, lifts me off the ground, and kisses my lips.

“Thank you, Angel,” I kiss him once more before he puts me down and opens the passenger door for me.

“Ready to hear what I’ve got in store for us tonight?” he asks, squeezing my thigh as we drive through town.

“Hit me,” I smile, imagining the wildest possibilities.

I want to photograph this moment in time, saving it for when we’re old and restless.

Maverick’s eyes gleam in the golden sun as he looks at me, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting comfortably on my thigh.

The traffic light turns red, and we almost miss it because of the intensity of our locked gaze.

“Jesus Christ, kitten, what are you doing to me,” he laughs, returning his attention to the road.

“Waiting for you to tell me what we're doing tonight,” I tap the imaginary watch on my wrist, laughing.

“Impatient little lady,” he sucks his teeth, rubbing his hand further up my thigh, creating the slightest friction in my jeans.

“Fine. I don’t want to know,” I cross my legs, essentially trapping his hand in place, and he breaks.

“Okay, okay, death grip. I need my fingers,” he pleads, and I uncross, allowing his hand freedom.

“First, we’re picking up a pizza. After that, you’re going to take me to the store, pick out everything needed for a girl’s self-care night, and we’ll do everything you choose until you feel relaxed and at ease,” he finishes, and my heart is about to melt into a puddle.

Or maybe that’s my panties. Either way, this man can’t be serious.

“You’re volunteering yourself to a full-on girls' night?” I ask, and he nods, explaining a bottle of tequila's role in his compliance.

My smile might be contagious if it weren’t just us in this truck, and I can’t get enough of this extraordinary man beside me.

He follows my lead in Target as I browse the beauty section for face masks, nail polish, and the perfect bath bomb.

Once I’m sure of my selections – besides one Veto on the bath bomb scent, Mav didn’t like the lavender, and we had to agree to disagree on strawberry vanilla – we pay for our items and head back to the apartment.

I can’t wait to put a face mask on him; only the manliest man will allow their woman to treat them in self-care practices.

I’ve always been down on myself, harboring the blame for being involved with Asher, but now, with Maverick, I feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

I chose a good man, and he proves me right every day.

MAVERICK

There’s a cucumber lime mask on my face, tingling my skin underneath, and I couldn’t feel any better if I tried.

Karina is happy, laughing, and smiling. After the news about the arrest, I was afraid she’d be a mess, but she proved that resilience is stronger than fear.

Now, I’m painting lilac purple polish on her toes while she downs another tequila shot, forgoing the lime.

We devoured the pizza we had delivered and a ton of snacks. The final phase of girls’ night is a bubble bath with the bomb thingy she picked out.

It’s supposed to be invigorating and relaxing, but I'm all in as long as I can hold her in the tub.

“Your time’s up,” she says, turning off the alarm on her phone.

“Help me get this damn thing off, baby girl. I don’t want to rip my skin off,” I plead, fearing that this mask has permanently clung to my face.

“Come on, broody. I’ve got you,” she teases, leading the way in her skimpy PJs she insisted we change into.