Turbulent Desires(9)

But her muscles froze when she saw who had grabbed her. The immediate  relief turned into frustration. She didn't want to be relieved. She  wanted to fight.

"Maverick?"

She was shaking from the boost of adrenaline before seeing it was only  Maverick. Only Maverick. Ha! Those words just didn't go together.

"I thought that was you, Lins," he said with his mega-wattage bright smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. She hated that she didn't want to  rush past him, hated that she felt safer with him blocking the rest of  the people from her protective bubble.

"I came down with some of the guys from the base, and I saw you walk past. You know I can't let you get away so easily."

Of course he couldn't. She didn't fully trust that it was a coincidence  he was there. But she wasn't going to call him out on it because if it  was just an instance of wrong place wrong time, she would be embarrassed  to have assumed he was following her.

Before she could say anything, someone passed behind her and pushed her  into him. His arms automatically came around her, and her body responded  automatically. And it didn't respond in a negative way. She inhaled his  sweet scent before letting out a sigh. She almost wished she'd feel her  normal reaction of horror at being touched. Why did it have to be  Maverick that made her feel safer?

"I'm on my way out," she told him, back to being in a hurry to get out  of there. She was afraid she might do something stupid if she didn't  leave, especially with how her head was currently buzzing from the  liquor. She'd had enough of being stupid to last her a lifetime. She  wasn't going to do anything with Mav again. He was forbidden. She had to  remember that.         

     



 

"Why don't you join me for a drink first?"

The purr in his tone, the heat in his eyes, and the flexing of his abs  pressed against hers told her he was thinking about a lot more than just  a drink. She wasn't a naïve woman. She knew when a member of the male  population had sex on the brain. It just so happened to be on their  minds quite a lot, but Maverick was looking to score, and it appeared  she'd just become the center of his target.

Tempted. She was so dang tempted. It shocked her to feel such a taboo emotion when all she'd felt was fear for a year.

Somehow, even in her muddled state, she managed to pull herself away.  When he released her, she was a little disappointed, but it truly was  for the best. She ran through all the reasons why she shouldn't be with  Maverick.

"I have a test I need to study for," she said as she took a step back  and then another. He followed her. "I really do have to go." Her  breathing was growing more and more shortened by the second.

When Mav set his mind to something, it was more than obvious he didn't  back down. She needed to tell him that it wasn't going to happen with  them. But for some reason she couldn't get the words past her closed  throat, so instead of being brave she decided once again to retreat. She  spun around and practically ran from the club, not stopping until she  was on the sidewalk.

"It's much better out here. Not nearly as noisy or crowded."

The sound of Maverick's voice in the quiet of the evening air made her jump nearly a foot into the air.

"You didn't need to follow me out," she told him too breathily, wishing her head would quit spinning.

"I want to make sure you get home safe and sound," he told her. "After  all, we're going in the same direction." There was too much excitement  in his gaze at those words.

"I'm hailing a cab. You really don't need to leave so early," she said  with desperation. "Go back in with your friends." She began walking away  since there weren't any cabs out front. She'd go to the corner and then  keep on walking if she had to. Hell, she'd walk all night if it meant  getting away from the man who tempted her so much.

She really should have known better, though. He was right at her side.  She would bet money he wasn't taking any of the pain meds he'd told her  he was on. He didn't need them. Pain wasn't something he even thought  about.

"Do you really think I would let you wander Seattle alone at nearly  midnight? Not you, Lins," Maverick said before reaching out and taking  her hand.

She had to control her breathing. It wasn't that he liked her. She was  just a part of his family now-the best friend of his sister-in-law, to  be more precise. Without her giving him permission to be her escort, he  was doing it anyway.

She would've thought the cool air from outside would be enough to calm  her nerves and ease the buzz she was feeling, but the touch of his  fingers in her hand as she moved down the street hoping to find a  cab-which were nonexistent at the moment-was making her feel even more  drunk.

She was afraid if she didn't get away from this man really soon, she  would most certainly do something she would surely regret. When she  finally spotted the bright yellow cab, she rushed to the curb, Mav not  letting go of her fingers as he stayed practically glued to her.

"How did you get down here?" she asked.

"My buddy picked me up," he told her as the cab pulled over.

"Shouldn't you go back in?" she said as he opened the door.

"Nope. They will figure it out."

Of course they would figure it out. They would assume he'd found a girl  to hook up with. It wasn't unusual, or so she'd heard. The thought made  her unusually sad. But it was just one more reason she couldn't give in  to how she felt about this man.

She wasn't strong enough to have an affair with someone like Maverick Armstrong. Not anymore, she wasn't.

Her fingers were trembling as she turned to tell him good-bye. But he  followed her into the cab and gave the driver the address. He started  the meter and they moved out into traffic.

Lindsey was silent as she turned and caught Maverick staring at her. The  heat in his gaze had her throat tightening as she tried to suck in air.  When his hand moved to her neck, the fire in his eyes only intensified.  And then he was rubbing her cheek, and she was trying to remember all  the reasons why this was such a bad, bad idea.

Her nipples hardened and her core grew wet and hot as she continued  looking at Mav. She needed to pull away from him, scoot to the far edge  of the seat, and forget this entire evening, but she couldn't quite  manage to do so.         

     



 

"I should have done this months ago. I've given you too much time as it  is." That was her only warning before he pulled her tightly against his  chest and then his head descended.

His kiss was exactly like she remembered from their one magical night  together. It was full of confidence and ability, and any and all  protests dried up as he turned the burning inside of her into a blazing  inferno.

Somewhere in the back of Lindsey's mind, she knew this needed to stop,  but she couldn't quite find the strength to pull away from him. His  tongue learned her mouth, and she was just as greedy to reacquaint  herself with him as she reached around his neck and clung to him.

Maverick's hand slid across her hip, and then skimmed up her dress until  he was squeezing her breast, making her nipples painfully erect as his  palm brushed over the material. She wanted to be naked beneath him, feel  his hands on bare skin. Everything else in her mind went blank except  for this moment in the back of a cab with the only person who seemed to  be able to reach her.

A crackling over the cab radio reminded Lindsey of exactly where she  was. Mortified, she broke the connection of their kiss and pushed away  from him just as they pulled up to the gate at Cooper's driveway.

"I . . . uh . . . I . . ." She was at a total loss for words.

"Lindsey . . ." He began and then stopped. Regret seemed to shine in his  eyes, but she wasn't sure. He leaned over her and punched the code in  for the gate to open. The cab driver said nothing as he made his way  down the driveway.

Mav had him pull around to her cabin. Lindsey's cheeks were burning. How  much had the driver seen of what they'd been doing in his backseat? She  didn't even want to think about that.

Mav paid the driver and he turned around and left. Lindsey rushed to her  front door, but her fingers were trembling too badly for her to be able  to open it up. Mav took the keys from her and then the door was  swinging open.

"I have to go," she said as she tried pulling away from him.

"Invite me to come in with you," he practically demanded as he tried to get close to her again.

"That's so not going to happen," she said, her head spinning as she fought with her desire for this man.

He frowned at her as he once again tried to get close. Damn, for one  minute she wished she were someone else-someone who could do what she  wanted and not live in fear of the consequences. She wished she could be  reckless for just this one night. But she knew she couldn't.

"Good night, Maverick. Thanks for getting me home."

She didn't give him a chance to respond, just slipped inside her door  and quickly shut and locked it. Lindsey could swear she heard a thump  against the wood-maybe his head hitting it, or maybe his fist-but then  all was silent.