Authors: Debra Elise
Kelsey couldn't believe her ears. Not only was she being shanghaied into spending even more time with the charming Maverick Jansen, now her job, her future position with a major league franchise, was in jeopardy if she didn't play nice and act like a lovesick fool for the national media. Damn, how was she going to turn this around? Her mind searched for another plan, anything to get them to see this would not work. She didn't want to be cozied up to a ballplayer in public no matter how he made her body hum in private. How every time she thought about his caresses she desperately wanted to be in his arms.
She looked into Mav's eyes and saw sincerity and hope. There was just enough bad boy twinkle to dare her not to help. But there had to be another way. She tore her gaze away and met T.S.'s narrowed glare.
Bracing for a fight she addressed T.S. and Maverick. “Gentlemen, I suggest we take a step back and weigh some other options, and we could meet tomorrow to discussâ”
“
Kelsey, unless you have an alternative to this plan today, then I'm going to have to find someone else. You're already in place. Whether you want to continue or not, you put yourself in the position of love interest. The question is how important this job is to you and can you follow it through to the end?”
She tipped her head back and closed her eyes. This couldn't be her life. She'd endured one scandal with a former client just to be thrown into another one.
She looked at Maverick and found him watching her. He was studying her intently, his blue eyes dark and turned on. She felt claimed in that moment, as if she were his already.
Her heart pounded not because of the corner she'd been backed into, no, the man sitting next to her did that to her, and the desire she saw in his eyes matched her own. Damn. Damn. Damn. Apparently her body was making the decisions for her today.
“You have yourself a deal, boys, but I get to make the rules. I get to decide when and how this pretend relationship plays out and more importantly how it ends. We should probably plan on the whole season, but don't expect me to act like a lovesick fool giving interviews. This is about Maverick and ensuring his success with the team.”
She angled her body toward her new boyfriend. “I'll play along, be seen with you on your days off and probably some charity events. But I'm in charge.” Lord help her, she was in deep now. Kelsey picked up her purse and made her way out of the office.
“I've got some other things to work on, Maverick. I'll be in touch.”
“I'm counting on it.” He rose to follow her, but T.S. stopped him.
She lingered in the hallway to hear what T.S. had to say.
“Maverick?”
“Yeah, Boss?”
“
You're a dead man if you break her heart.”
She smiled to herself and hurried toward the elevators. T.S. was definitely the brother she never had. He was also as grumpy as a grizzly looking for a meal or a woman. Maybe when things calmed down with Mav, she'd do some matchmaking of her own.
By seven p.m. that night, Kelsey was beyond pissed. This time, Maverick hadn't returned any of her calls or texts. He'd had another session with Caris directly after T.S. had performed the forced handfast. She wanted to feel him out for any breakthroughs and discuss the volunteer opportunity at the Children's Club.
She'd been fielding requests all day for an exclusive interview as a couple. She'd called her assistant in L.A., and had her send out an official statement to all the media outlets confirming that she and Maverick were a couple, but not engaged. She hadn't made up her mind if doing an interview now would be a smart move.
She'd had enough waiting by the phone. When he hadn't responded by nine o'clock, she decided to drive over to his condo. Looking around the parking garage for his black pickup she spied it at the end of the row. Well, at least his truck was here, so hopefully that meant he was too. She checked her hair and lipstick in the rearview mirror and stepped out of the parking garage and into the brutal winter night air.
The ground floor of Mav's condo building featured trendy shops and local businesses geared toward the tourist crowd. On the opposite side of the street was the brick and stone building that held her favorite bookstore. Maybe she could swing in after she saw Maverick and
pick
up that new novel she'd been dying to read. Her only orgasms as of late had been vicarious, and from reading the latest hot romance by her favorite author, Cathryn Cade.
Her low heels were a smart choice. The steps that led up to Maverick's condo were made of aggregate. Pretty, but lethal to high heels. She knocked on his door and waited. One minute passed. Then two. She knocked again. Still no response.
Where could he be if not home? She'd already tried the stadium. No one had seen him and they were prepping for the trek to Arizona and the new spring training location T.S. had secured. She and T.S. had a brief talk about her joining the team on the road so she could get to know the rest of the players and begin working on a PR package for the whole team.
It had been an awkward talk since they skirted around the issue from their earlier meeting. He was going to leave it up to her, but T.S. was disappointed with her, no doubt. She was hopeful their friendship would survive.
The trip also meant she and Maverick wouldn't have to play phone tag as they would if he was down south and she remained in Pineville. Win-win for both of them except she still wasn't sure how she was going to keep him from pursuing her for real.
After the third knock and still no answer, she turned to head back down the stairs and stumbled when the door finally opened to Maverick, dripping wet, holding onto a towel slung low over his hips.
He reached out to steady her and brought her in close. She put her hands on his hard wet pecs to keep from falling over and froze. He smelled . . . lord, he smelled good. Sandalwood drifted up to tickle her nose. He was so warmâso hotâand hard. Her fingers itched to massage his exposed bronzed skin.
Mesmerized
by the look he pinned her with, she watched as blue fire and lust exploded from his hooded eyes. She melted on the spot.
“Don't overthink it, Kelsey.” Maverick pulled her in tighter and rubbed his hard cock against her hip. Her legs threatened to fail her and she grasped his neck and held tight.
“I won't. I can't deny the attraction between us. But you need to know that for me . . . it's all about right here, right now. I can't give you more than that.”
“Shouldn't that be my line?” Maverick lifted his sandy blond eyebrows.
“I have my reasons. But God . . . there's just something about you.” She rolled her neck and looked toward the ceiling for strength. “I . . . hell, even with my promise to . . .” Kelsey struggled to keep herself from blurting out her lifelong issues with baseball players.
“Hold on there, what promise? Do you already have a boyfriend? Someone back in L.A.? Because believe it or not, that's where I draw the line.” Mav pulled back and let his arms drop to his hips.
“No. No, dammit, I'm messing this up. I want you to know that you don't have to promise me anything. I'm not looking for anything other than you, buried deep inside me.” She looked up at him, took in the shock on his face and used it to her advantage.
“I believe you promised me I'd be screaming your name at some point in the future.” She stood on tiptoe and slammed her mouth on his and gave over to the wanton side she'd only felt with him.
She was pressing into Maverick just as hard as he was her, trying to find some relief for the ache he had created in her sex, the fire only he could stoke and quench.
She
pulled back slightly and spoke in a hushed tone. “I'm here to collect. I even brought my own protection. Nowadays a girl can never be too careful or too prepared.” Oh my lord, did she just say that?
He wasn't the only one shocked by her words, her behavior. She'd never been the aggressor when it came to sex. Always waiting for the guy to make the first move and then being let down when the promise of heat and passion wasn't fulfilled.
She knew it would be different with Maverick. The intense hot spark of attraction was firing on all cylinders, for both of them if his erection was any indication. She was ready for the ride of her life. She'd deal with tomorrowâtomorrow.
Maverick's world felt like it was off its axis and he sure as hell didn't want a repeat of “the kiss” that was now being splashed on every entertainment channel in the western hemisphere. He yanked Kelsey out of the doorway, slammed the door, and pressed her body up against it. He couldn't get enough of her. Or her sultry promises.
She was making the hottest noises he'd ever heard while running her leg up and down the back of his thigh. “You ready for me, baby?” Maverick asked in between taking nips along her smooth neck. He could feel her involuntary shivers.
“Mm-hmm” was the only answer he heard and that was enough for him. He bent down and gathered her into his arms and strode down the short hallway to his room. He tossed her on his bed where she bounced once while her gorgeous auburn hair flew into her face.
She
pushed a hunk of it out of her eyes and sent him the sweetest smile. “In a hurry, Mav?” She scrambled up onto her knees and reached for the bottom of her knit sweater and yanked it up over her head while he tossed his towel to the floor.
She stilled when she saw the evidence of his desire. He swore. Hell, if she kept looking at him like that, he was going to lose it before he even touched her.
His cock jutted out proudly and he let her look her fill. “See anything you like?” he asked. “You realize you have too many damn clothes on, Kelsey? Need some help?” He itched to touch her soft creamy skin and reached out to help her, but she held him off with a silky shake of her head. She kept him spellbound as she trailed her hands behind her back and undid the hook of her bra. Before he could blink, she gave it a shimmy and tossed it to the floor.
She then threw his words right back at him. “See anything you like . . . Maverick?”
He let out a short growl and stalked toward her. Slow and with clear intent, he pushed her backward and stretched his body over her, hovering inches above her. “You forgot your skirt and panties.”
“I did? Well, I guess you'll have to let me up, then.” Kelsey rose, arched her back, and rubbed her hard nipples on his chest. Temptation and sass all rolled into one delectable treat. He couldn't take much more of her teasing and reached down and tugged on her skirt.
“Wait.” Kelsey put a shaking hand on top of his and said, “The zipper's in the back.”
“Babe, I'm not sure I'm steady enough to take care of it without tearing it from your body. I think you better do it.” He cupped her neck and kissed her deeply. He broke off the kiss and rolled to his side. “Hurry.”
She made short work of yanking off her skirt and panties, but she was taking too long for him. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down to the bed and tucked her into his side.
“
What, not fast enough for you?”
“When it comes to getting you out of your clothes, time will never go fast enough for me.” He rolled her onto her back and captured her pouty lips. This time he took it slow. Playing with her tongue and sucking on her lower lip as his left hand traveled to her breast and began tugging on a hardened nipple.
Her moan washed over him as he continued to devour her lips and battled his body's dictate to take her fast and quick. He needed this first time to be right. Memorable. For both of them.
He wanted to hear her scream his name before he gave into his own needs. Maverick pulled away from her sweet mouth to make his way down to her breasts. He placed hot, openmouthed kisses along her pulse points and ran his hand down her hip, kneading her warm flesh along the way.
When he reached her stomach he swirled his tongue inside her navel and took a small bite. Kelsey cried out, and he kissed it better.
“Oh my, that felt good. Who knew having your belly button kissed and bitten could feel like that.”
“Like what?”
“Like you touched me from the inside and ignited a thousand tiny fireworks.”
Maverick liked that he could bring her new sensations and had many more in store for his ice princess turned sultry siren. “Kelsey, I want you so damn bad.” His voice broke as he swept a few strands of hair away from her face.
He held her gaze, noticed her flushed face, her bright eyes. Lord, she was beautiful. She nodded and the piece of hair he'd tucked behind her ear fell back into her face, covering one eye.
“
I want you too.” Her whispered acknowledgment did him in. He never wanted this moment to end.
She was sin-wrapped perfection and it made him all the more eager to see how she looked as she came.
Maverick turned his attention back to her body. He leaned down and gave one last kiss to her belly as he opened her legs and placed his hands under her thighs. Looking her in the eyes, he dipped his head and kissed one inner thigh, then the other. He stopped and looked at her again. “Baby, you're so wet for me. I can't help myself, I need a taste.”
He speared her female lips and ran his tongue inside her. He did it over and over again as she began to squirm and moan. His cock grew harder at hearing her cries of pleasure.
“Maverick, please.” She grabbed his head and held on tight. She began rotating her hips, asking for more.
“Harder,” she pleaded.
He didn't disappoint.
He thought she might be close, so he placed a finger at her entrance and started pumping her channel while he sucked her clit.
Kelsey groaned and he felt her body stiffen, then spasm as she rode out her orgasm. He didn't want it to end for her too soon, and he continued his intimate kisses and rubbed her clit with his thumb.