I glanced over to him and used one hand to pull the jacket up my torso, but still, I didn’t say anything.
The gates opened wide enough for the SUV to fit through, and Maverick turned us out onto the road. We drove for barely a beat, when he spoke again.
“You’re scared.”
It was dark outside. All I saw were the faint lights of houses as we passed. “No,” I told the glass.
“Yes you are,” he accused and turned left. “You’re practically shielding in yourself from me right now.”
Sighing, I closed my eyes and whispered, “I don’t want to fight with you.”
He ignored me. “What are you so afraid of all the time?”
Maybe it was a moment of weakness. Maybe I was caught off guard by his kindness. I answered him honestly. “Everything,” I whispered, and my breath fogged the inside of the window.
“Hell of a way to live your life, walkin’ on eggshells.” His deep voice rolled through the cab. “Life ain’t all that scary, Princess.”
My eyelids grew heavy.
“Life’s not that scary, Charlie bear.”
So I’d been told.
I felt a brush of cold and I shivered.
“Come on, Princess.”
The sound of my seatbelt being unbuckled stirred me briefly, and my eyes opened to see Maverick standing in the open door of the SUV. “Are we here?”
He nodded and I closed my eyes again.
I was someone who fought waking like it would be the last time I ever slept.
Arms came around my back and under my knees, and I was heaved into the air with a grunt. I curled into the heat and heard the door slam shut behind us.
Women my size were rarely carried by a man, and it felt nice to feel small, even in my somewhat incoherent state.
“Access code,” he demanded, but I was already falling back asleep.
I heard him swear and smiled.
“Princess,” Maverick whispered into my ear, shaking me in his arms a little. “What’s your access code?”
“Five. Two. Eight. One. Four,” I rattled off in protest.
He growled. “You shouldn’t give your passcode to strangers.”
“You asked,” I argued into his neck.
He swore again.
I heard the subsequent peep of him punching the numbers into the keypad, and then I was enveloped by warmth again as he took us into the lobby.
“Can you walk?” he asked.
I burrowed into his chest, but said, “Mm-hm.”
He set my legs down and held me as I leaned into the wall by the elevator.
I was so, so tired.
The elevator pinged and he half guided, half lifted me inside. Pressing the number three on the panel, I swayed into his side as the lift ascended, and felt his arm squeeze around my waist.
I was too tired to question why that felt as nice as it did.
We stepped out onto my floor and he led us down the hall.
“Time to wake up now,” he said, positioning me against the wall.
I grumbled, taking my purse from his outstretched hand and fishing through it until I found my keys. After two failed attempts, Maverick took over and unlocked my door. He set the keys on the entryway table and I stumbled inside.
Dropping my purse onto the floor, I hung onto the open door.
“You’ll be okay from here?”
“Yeah.” I nodded, my eyes falling closed for a brief second. “Thanks.”
He looked at the door and scowled. “Make sure you lock the door.”
I rolled my eyes and shut the door, sliding the deadbolt in place. “It’s locked, you tight ass,” I quipped through the copper.
There was no response, just heavy footfalls moving down the hallway.
I smirked at the closed door. Charleston, one.
Bypassing the kitchen, I didn’t turn on any lights and walked directly towards the bedroom. Losing both my coat and my jeans along the way, I unhooked the back of my bra and tossed it somewhere into the abyss that was my floor. Padding half asleep into the bathroom, I turned on the shower and removed the rest of my clothes.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
I looked at my naked reflection in the mirror and widened my eyes.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“Hold your horses. Jesus,” I muttered, and grabbed the kimono from the back of the door.
I slid it over my arms as I moved, wrapping it around my middle as I hit the living room.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“I’m coming!” I hollered, doing up the tie on my robe.
The knocking started again, and now, a little pissed off and a lot tired, I threw the deadbolt back and yanked the door open.
“What?” I yelled into the wall of Maverick’s chest.
He growled. “Did you even look to see who it was?”
I rolled my eyes. “What are you doing back here?”
He held a pair of women’s sorrels with the cute fur around the top up to my face. “You left your shoes in the car.”
“Oh.” I grabbed them and tossed them onto the floor behind me.
“You’re messy.” He shook his head.
I scowled. “You’re rude.”
He smiled.
“Well, goodnight. Thanks again.” I slammed the door and flipped the lock.
Knock.
Knock.
Knock.
“Oh, for the love of God!” I stomped back down the hall, threw the lock again, and almost fell backwards when the door was pushed in.
He stalked towards me.