dinner.”
“What?” I push back on his chest. “No.”
This time the smile on his face is humorless. “Why?”
I don’t miss the defensive tone lacing his voice.
“Because I’m sure your whole family hates me.”
Maverik’s tight expression relaxes into a smile. “Actually, you’re wrong. They’re the ones that told me to go for you, especially Granddad. He hasn’t been well and I know he’s been worried about you.”
“I don’t know.”
His mouth curves up again with tenderness. “You’re like family, Ella. Once a Slatter, always a Slatter.”
The sound of my shrilling ring tone interrupts our conversation. I know it’s not him, so I don’t race to answer it. Whoever is calling can just wait until I have a moment to talk.
“You going to get that?”
“No, it’s not important.” I shrug.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
“I’m positive. I’m staring at the most important thing right now.”
I’m rolled up on his belly in one swift movement. I plant my hands down on either side of Maverik’s face and let my hair drape down, curtaining us in.
“So, I take that as a yes to dinner.”
“Damn you, Mav, you’ve always been a slick talker.”
My gut aches with just the mere thought of facing his family, shame floods me wondering what I’ll say or even how to act. The Slatters are as tight as they come, and you don’t mess with one without messing with all of them.
“Quit worrying.” Mav pinches my nose as he rolls us up into a standing position. “They’re all excited to see you.”
I want to argue but know it will do absolutely no good.
“Let’s go on a quick ride before dinner. I have to health check a herd of calves in the back pasture.”
“I don’t think any of the twenty skirts or dresses I packed will work for me to ride in.”
Mav takes two long steps to his dresser, pulls out the top drawer, and holds up a worn pair of blue jeans. “Think you can still fit in these?”
“Oh, my God.” I gasp in shock and cover my mouth. “You still have them.”
“Of course. I didn’t get rid of anything or move on without you, Ella.” He tosses them in my direction and heads for the bathroom. I stare at his bare ass walking away. “Just have to see if you can still squeeze into those bad boys.”
Shame erupts in me, threatening a complete meltdown. How in the hell am I supposed to spend five more days with Maverik when he’s saved everything, wants me back, and seems willing to do anything for me? My cards have been dealt, and there’s no way I can stay here with him, even if it’s what my heart and soul desire. I’ve made my bed elsewhere and that’s it.
Fuck, burying my own mother is nothing close to this pain.
“They fit?” He hollers from the bathroom, snapping me from my trance.
I hurry and throw my legs in and scurry them up until they’re around my waist and don’t even have to suck in to button the bad boys.
“I’ve got them on.”
I slide my hands down in the pockets and feel a sliver of pain in my right hand when it rams into a cold piece of metal.
“Ouch,” I whisper to myself as I pull out the diamond ring, and nothing can stop the flood of memories. It’s the ring Maverik proposed with our last month of our senior year. It was going to be us forever. The night I left I snuck in his room while he was out on the ranch working and slid it in my riding jeans. Clearly he never found it.
“Let me see.”
Without a second thought, I tuck the ring in the top of my jeans, hiding it from him. That’s the last thing he needs to see. I raise my hand and do my best acting job as I twirl around for him.
“Damn, baby’s got her blue jeans on.”
“I’ll be right back.” I race to the bathroom and tuck the ring way back in a corner of his medicine cabinet that looks as if it hasn’t been touched in years. “Sorry, had to use the girls’ room.”
I hear his roar of a laugh. “Just call it like you see it, Ella. You’re not in the city
“What?” I push back on his chest. “No.”
This time the smile on his face is humorless. “Why?”
I don’t miss the defensive tone lacing his voice.
“Because I’m sure your whole family hates me.”
Maverik’s tight expression relaxes into a smile. “Actually, you’re wrong. They’re the ones that told me to go for you, especially Granddad. He hasn’t been well and I know he’s been worried about you.”
“I don’t know.”
His mouth curves up again with tenderness. “You’re like family, Ella. Once a Slatter, always a Slatter.”
The sound of my shrilling ring tone interrupts our conversation. I know it’s not him, so I don’t race to answer it. Whoever is calling can just wait until I have a moment to talk.
“You going to get that?”
“No, it’s not important.” I shrug.
“Are you sure?” he asks.
“I’m positive. I’m staring at the most important thing right now.”
I’m rolled up on his belly in one swift movement. I plant my hands down on either side of Maverik’s face and let my hair drape down, curtaining us in.
“So, I take that as a yes to dinner.”
“Damn you, Mav, you’ve always been a slick talker.”
My gut aches with just the mere thought of facing his family, shame floods me wondering what I’ll say or even how to act. The Slatters are as tight as they come, and you don’t mess with one without messing with all of them.
“Quit worrying.” Mav pinches my nose as he rolls us up into a standing position. “They’re all excited to see you.”
I want to argue but know it will do absolutely no good.
“Let’s go on a quick ride before dinner. I have to health check a herd of calves in the back pasture.”
“I don’t think any of the twenty skirts or dresses I packed will work for me to ride in.”
Mav takes two long steps to his dresser, pulls out the top drawer, and holds up a worn pair of blue jeans. “Think you can still fit in these?”
“Oh, my God.” I gasp in shock and cover my mouth. “You still have them.”
“Of course. I didn’t get rid of anything or move on without you, Ella.” He tosses them in my direction and heads for the bathroom. I stare at his bare ass walking away. “Just have to see if you can still squeeze into those bad boys.”
Shame erupts in me, threatening a complete meltdown. How in the hell am I supposed to spend five more days with Maverik when he’s saved everything, wants me back, and seems willing to do anything for me? My cards have been dealt, and there’s no way I can stay here with him, even if it’s what my heart and soul desire. I’ve made my bed elsewhere and that’s it.
Fuck, burying my own mother is nothing close to this pain.
“They fit?” He hollers from the bathroom, snapping me from my trance.
I hurry and throw my legs in and scurry them up until they’re around my waist and don’t even have to suck in to button the bad boys.
“I’ve got them on.”
I slide my hands down in the pockets and feel a sliver of pain in my right hand when it rams into a cold piece of metal.
“Ouch,” I whisper to myself as I pull out the diamond ring, and nothing can stop the flood of memories. It’s the ring Maverik proposed with our last month of our senior year. It was going to be us forever. The night I left I snuck in his room while he was out on the ranch working and slid it in my riding jeans. Clearly he never found it.
“Let me see.”
Without a second thought, I tuck the ring in the top of my jeans, hiding it from him. That’s the last thing he needs to see. I raise my hand and do my best acting job as I twirl around for him.
“Damn, baby’s got her blue jeans on.”
“I’ll be right back.” I race to the bathroom and tuck the ring way back in a corner of his medicine cabinet that looks as if it hasn’t been touched in years. “Sorry, had to use the girls’ room.”
I hear his roar of a laugh. “Just call it like you see it, Ella. You’re not in the city
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