Wild Bear (8 page)

“As a human, that must have hurt,” he said, studying her with those dark, piercing eyes.

Was him not calling himself human just a coping mechanism for dealing with his hurt? She decided not to poke at it. Maverick was astonishingly normal compared to how his childhood had apparently gone, so she was even more willing to put up with his idiosyncrasies.

“It did hurt,” she said. “But I didn’t know him that well.”

“It still hurts, right?” he asked. His face was impassive, as if he were talking only about her situation.

“Yeah, it does. It did. I’m mostly fine now,” she said. “I’ve had a good life with my mom.”

“I wish I’d had more years with my dad,” Mav said. “But he gave me everything. This life with the horses. The ranch. My brothers. I’m grateful.”

He did seem incredibly peaceful, especially out here in nature.

“It is beautiful out here,” she said. “I can see why growing up here would be amazing. I think I could even live in the woods alone.”

He stopped at that, looking disturbed once again. Then he turned to look at her, a curious expression on his face. “Can you sing again?”

“What?” she asked.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard in the world,” he said. “It soothes me.”

Her heart thumped and she felt warm down to her toes. She’d never heard something so nice about her voice in her life. Who would have thought she and Maverick could talk so easily like this? Who would have known quiet time alone with the big man would prove to be so bonding?

So she did as he asked. She sang a song her mom had sung for her. “You are My Sunshine.” A simple song, a light one, but appropriate as they were riding though a beautiful, shady trail.

She was barely through the first verse when they came out of the shade and onto a plateau overlooking a beautiful vista in front of them. Rolling plains, long trails, gorgeous bushes and trees, and huge mountains rising in the distance.

“
T
his is my secret place
,” Maverick said. “Too good for the New York guys. Not too good for my mate.” He jumped off his horse and held out a hand for her. She took it, and he helped her off the saddle, putting a hand at her waist.

When he settled her in front of him, she looked up into his eyes, feeling more bonded than ever before. Already, those dark eyes were starting to feel like home.

It was crazy. Was this what her friends had been feeling when they’d decided so quickly to settle down with the McAllister brothers?

He looked away from her and went to tie the horses to a nearby fence where they could graze on some soft, green grass. Then he took her hand and the picnic basket and led her to the edge of the overlook.

He let go of her to open the basket and take out a wide, woolen blanket, and she missed the feel of his warm, calloused palm.

She felt she could spend her whole life trying to figure out the mysteries behind this odd man and never quite do it. But maybe it would be worth a try.

Still, a part of her couldn’t ignore it wasn’t really a good match. Not logically.

He helped her down onto the blanket and opened the basket to start pulling out lunch.

She grinned. It was all clearly made by Fanny and was fairly simple. Sandwiches. Bottles of milk. Chips. But then he pulled out a lumpy, misshapen chocolate cake, and Harmony grinned.

That part had to be all him. The slanting, off-kilter shape was kind of romantic.

“What?” he asked gruffly, noting the direction of her gaze. “Looks good, right?” He handed her a sandwich. “But you have to eat the healthy stuff first.”

She scowled. “Why? Afraid I’ll get fat?”

He gave her a long, slow look. “Hell no.” He grinned and took a bite of his own sandwich. “But I’m told it’s best to eat the healthy shit first so by the time you get to the dessert, it’s even tastier.” His brow crinkled. “Plus, I’m a little nervous I messed it up. I’d rather you ate other stuff first, just in case.”

She laughed. She didn’t want to mention to him that anything Fanny made, healthy or not, was going to taste amazing and probably wouldn’t help him by comparison when they got to his dessert.

But she was so touched that he’d made it that she decided it was going to be delicious no matter what. She’d plow it down even if it tasted like sawdust.

Or worse.

When he’d finished his sandwich and was nibbling his chips, she noticed he was staring at her again. She couldn’t help but burn with a sizzling heat whenever he did that. Her whole body seemed to buzz with awareness.

“What?” she asked self-consciously.

“Why wouldn’t I want you to get fat?” he asked, raising one dark brow as a muscle ticked in his jaw. “You made it sound like a bad thing.”

“Um, it is,” she said. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I like me the way I am, but I don’t want to be unhealthy.”

“Naw,” he said. “Fat is healthy. It helps keep you safe through the winter.” He winked at her rakishly. “Plus, it’s sexy as hell.”

“Yeah, the ass and boobs,” she muttered. “Obviously.”

“No,” he said, slowly running a hand over her stomach, her hips, her thighs. “It’s all sexy.”

“Thanks,” she said, leaning back and giving him a look until he took his hands back to himself. After all, how was she supposed to eat with him doing that?

Instead, he began unwrapping the cake. He cut a large piece, and she gulped, hoping it was edible.

“Fanny taught me this,” he said. “But it was a long time ago. I hope I still know how to do it right. Fanny said it looked like a pile of crap, but it should taste all right.” He handed her the plate and watched her with expectant eyes.

She was already a little full, and the food had been rich and delicious. But Maverick looked so intent on her trying it that she decided she should just indulge.

And it was nice—no, beyond nice—that he seemed to think curves were ideal. She could definitely get used to that. Not that she would stop being active and eating good food, but it’d be nice to only think about how she was feeling rather than the size of her jeans.

She forked a bite of the cake and popped it in her mouth… and groaned in astonishment. It was amazing. Fudgy, melty, thick, and rich.

Sinful.

Maverick’s eyes darkened as he watched her eat, and then he moved forward, taking the plate and fork from her.

“Hey—” she said but was cut off when he shoved another piece into her mouth. She grinned around the huge bite because it was amazing.

And because Maverick seemed just as intense about giving her pleasure with food as he was with sex.

She put up a hand so she could finish chewing, because he was already ready with the next bite. “That’s amazing,” she said, finally swallowing. “But so rich.”

“I know,” he said. “Like you. Dark and rich and amazing,” he said. “That’s what I taste when I kiss you.”

Her eyes widened as she accepted another piece.

“Down there,” he clarified. “When I kiss you down there.” He nodded at her pussy, and she felt wet heat clench there. She pushed aside the cake and pulled him in for a kiss.

He came gladly, and the kiss tasted of chocolate, velvety and intense as their tongues swirled together.

Harmony had never felt anything this amazing in her entire life. The fresh, cool air around them heightened the sensual heat between them, and she was more aware than usual of her body. Of the wind over her ears and neck, of Maverick’s hand on her waist, gently stroking, of the taste of him, the scent of him.

Cinnamon and cloves. Fire. Heat.

He deepened the kiss, thrusting into her mouth, around and past her tongue, licking every part, owning her completely, behind her teeth, on the roof of her mouth. When he went inside her, he really wanted inside her and was determined to be everywhere at once.

She moaned against him, aching with anticipation for what she really wanted, after this.

But then he pulled back, breathing heavily. “Are you really going to leave after this?” he asked, resting his wide forehead against hers. “Go back to New York?”

“I haven’t decided,” she rasped out. “I have a lot waiting for me there.”

“Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you,” he said. “I’ll build you a nicer house. I’ll buy you time at a recording studio. Just don’t leave.”

She heard his plea and knew now why it meant so much. Because he’d been left before, in one of the most painful ways possible.

But she couldn’t let pity be a reason to stay.

And if she was coming to love him, and he couldn’t love her, then a life together would be awkward, filled with one-sided resentment.

He could be romantic and sexy and protective. But none of that really mattered if he couldn’t truly open up to her when she was fully open to him.

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s all so complicated.”

“I’ll give you whatever you want,” he said. “Stay.”

“I’m not leaving yet,” she murmured softly just before he took her lips in a kiss again. She kissed him back, their lips fighting for position, meeting and parting again and again, gently embracing with soft touches of tongue.

She pulled back, wiping her lips and trying to get a few deep breaths of mountain air so she could think.

Maverick took a bite of the cake and sat back with a sigh.

She gave him a little growl, and he handed it over and then cut a piece of his own, and for a moment, they just sat there watching the clouds roll by in the bright blue sky and trying to calm themselves from the intense sexual heat that seemed to build anytime they were together.

If only everything else could be as easy as the sex.

When he kissed her, when he touched her, she felt she had everything she needed. It was everything else that made her wonder if a life here would be awkward or lonely.

What if, once he was sure she wouldn’t leave, he just left her in the cabin all the time? What if he only wanted her for sex, and once he knew she would be available, he just came to her for that and didn’t fulfill any of her other needs? Like the need for snuggling or conversation or just getting out with friends?

Still, he was trying.

She leaned in against his strong arms, and he extended them so she could rest against him. He was sturdy and steady, and it was nice to just sit there with him and look out over the world below.

A good feeling. A spiritual one almost.

Like there was something greater than all of this, and here, together, they were a part of it.

Maverick moved his hand over until it was covering hers, and despite everything he’d said before, Harmony couldn’t help feeling truly loved.

“This was an amazing date, Maverick,” she said.

He gave her a pleased look, and she realized he liked when she used his full name.

“You like when I call you Maverick, don’t you?” she asked.

He nodded. “Everyone calls me Mav. So I wanted you to be different.”

“Do I mean more to you?” she asked, knowing it sounded stupid.

“Of course,” he said. “You’re my mate.”

She shook her head. “You know I don’t understand what that means.”

“You will someday,” he said, sounding sure. Though Harmony still felt nervous. Mate sounded awfully a lot like something animals did. Something strictly sexual. Something that wouldn’t ever make her happy.

“It’s been a good day,” she said. “I’m glad to learn more about you. And Cornflake.”

“He’s a good horse,” Maverick said. “For the most part, I trust horses more than people. They’re honest.”

“Yeah,” she said.

“So tell me about what you do at home. When you sing. Your family.”

She was surprised. They’d talked a little about this sort of thing, usually after sex, when getting dressed. But he seemed genuinely interested. Perhaps there was hope after all.

“My mother is dead now, but she raised me as a single mom. I never wanted for anything.”

“Except a dad,” he said intuitively.

“Yes,” she said. “I did miss that. Somewhat. But I had the most amazing mom, and some kids don’t have that. So I’m grateful.” She put her arms around her knees and was surprised when she felt his hand on her back, gently stroking. “Anyway, it was hard to lose her. That was three years ago. But I still feel like she’s with me, so it’s okay.”

“It’s not okay,” he said, studying her with that handsome face. “But I get it. You move on.”

“Yup. And my singing? She always encouraged that. I guess we both thought I’d go further than I did. I started at that restaurant because I thought it’d be a good way to build a resume. I studied music at school but dropped out to take a job. I had an agent for a while, but when nothing panned out, he dropped me.”

Maverick’s face tightened in anger, and she raised a hand. “No, that’s just how it works in the music biz. Any biz, really. No one wants to waste time on someone they can’t make money off of.”

“More people should hear your voice,” he said in a growly tone as his hand stroked possessively over her back. “We’ll make sure they do.”

She smiled sadly at that because she didn’t know if she would be around him long enough to see. He was being sweet, but he had no idea what it took to have studio time. And he probably didn’t have any money either.

Which was fine. She didn’t need a lot of money to be happy. She wasn’t even too worried about the album. As long as she could sing, as long as someone enjoyed her voice, she could be happy. And Maverick seemed to enjoy it.

“So do you sing for men?” he asked. “At the restaurant?”

“Yeah, of course,” she said.

“Do they come on to you?” he asked.

She frowned at him. “Of course.”

He growled. “I don’t like that.”

“You don’t get a say in it.”

He grumbled something about “mate,” but she just laughed. He was so odd sometimes, but that was what she loved about him.

Right. She was coming to love him.

Who was she kidding? It was already too late.

Should she tell him? Give him a chance to change their arrangement? See if his feelings had changed?

“Mav?” she asked, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze.

He turned his face to her, a serious gaze in his dark eyes. Now that she was looking at them close, in the sunlight, she could see they were the darkest shade of brown with almost a little bit of a purple tinge to them at the center and tiny gold flecks interspersed throughout.

That’s what made them sparkle sometimes, she guessed.

“What?” he asked, putting a hand up to stroke her cheek. “What is it?”

“Take me home?”

His brows raised. “You’re done with the date?”

“I want to go back and get ready. Take a nap. See Bonnie and Ruby. And then come over to your place. Spend the night with you.”

His eyes widened, sparkling in the sun. “Really? You’ll stay tonight?”

“Yes,” she said, closing her eyes slowly against his touch and then opening them. “I’ll stay tonight.”

“Yes,” he said, taking her lips in a quick kiss. “That would be amazing.”

Harmony thought so as well.