Page 60 of Reckless (Adventures in Love 3)
“They really are,” Cybil agrees just as quietly, and Claire giggles her agreement. “Okay, enough drooling. We have work to do.” Cybil heads into the store carrying Claire, and I walk in behind her and Mom, then put down Claire’s walker, which she doesn’t walk in yet, since she’s not quite big enough to move around on her feet, even though she wants to be. As soon as I set it up, Cybil places Claire in it, and she starts to bounce and make music with the buttons that light up.
“So tell me what you want me to do,” Mom says as Maverick walks in, his eyes meeting mine, and my stomach flutters when he winks as he sets down the stack of boxes he is holding. I drag my eyes off him, then look around at all the boxes already stacked up against the walls.
“I say we just start unpacking books and getting them on shelves.” I carefully open one of the boxes closest to me and pull out a stack of books that all have the same title. “Once we have everything unpacked, I’ll go back through and organize.” I look at Cybil. “When are the girls going to start bringing their stuff over?”
“I think today and tomorrow.” She opens another box and starts helping me stack books while Claire giggles and dances to the music. “Do you want us to try and set up the register today?”
“We should. We also need to talk about the opening.” I look at the plastic sheet that is still taped up between the stores even though all the work has been completed. “I know that Everly invited me to the lake house for the wedding and the weekend, but with all the stuff happening here, I don’t feel comfortable being gone for that long. I’m thinking that I’ll head up Saturday night so that I’ll be there for the wedding Sunday; then Monday, if you agree, we can have a soft opening, get all the kinks worked out throughout the week, then have the grand opening Friday. And maybe when we close, we can have a small party here with the girls who are going to have their stuff in the store, along with all of our friends and family.”
“I love that idea, but I don’t want you to stay here working while we’re all up at the lake house relaxing and having fun.” She looks around. “And really I think that we should be able to get everything done and set up this week so we can all leave Friday.”
“I don’t mind staying behind if I have to,” I say, and she rests her shoulder against mine.
“I know that you don’t. I also know you were used to doing everything on your own at your shop, but you’re not alone here. This place is just as much my responsibility as it is yours. We’ll get everything done this week; then we’ll take a few days off before we open this place up. Okay?”
“Okay,” I agree, and she nudges me with her shoulder. Then, for the next few hours, we open boxes and put stuff on the shelves while Maverick and Tanner work on setting up the register for us and Claire plays with the ever-growing pile of empty boxes.
And as I step out onto the sidewalk later that evening with Maverick waiting for me, I take one last look at the space before I flip off the light. There is still a whole lot to be done, but it is already better than I even envisioned it could be. Really, my whole life is better than I envisioned it could be, I think as I take Maverick’s hand and walk down the sidewalk at his side.
With my head pillowed on Maverick’s biceps, I wake when I feel him move behind me. I turn my head to try and look at him over my shoulder through the dark.
“You’re not leaving, are you?” I ask him, and his hand on my hip slides up ever so slightly, then moves across my belly and under the waistband of my shorts.
“No.” He presses his hips forward into my ass, and his cock throbs against my backside.
“Oh,” I whisper as my stomach muscles contract and my core clenches at the reminder of what it’s like having him inside me.
“Maverick,” I breathe as his fingers slip lower over my pubic bone, then down between the lips of my sex. On instinct I rock into his hand, wanting more of his touch, and he nips the back of my neck while his fingers freeze.
“Hold still.” I do: my muscles tighten, my breath gets trapped in my lungs, and I wait for his next move, knowing it will be worth it for me in the end. “Good girl.” He skims two fingers over my clit, and I bite back a moan as I become even wetter.
