“I know how close you were to your grandfather,” she continued. She started to move her hand away—and Maverick reached out, despite his better judgment, placing his on top of hers to hold it in place.
Ella applied a bit of pressure, but when he didn’t relent, she relaxed, leaving her hand where it was. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles.
“He passed away just over six years ago. Lung cancer. He and Grandma Sheila died within hours of each other. She’d been suffering with dementia for a few years, so Granddaddy’s time at the winery had gotten less and less as he spent a lot of timewith her. Grayson had started working there by that time, so Granddaddy gradually handed more of the responsibilities off to us.
“Those first few years without him were rough. He’d built that winery, poured blood, sweat, and tears into it until it felt like an extension of him. For a while, we tried to keep everything exactly the same, but that was hard. Because winemaking is a very personal thing. Eventually, Grayson and I realized we were both feeling stifled by traditions Granddaddy never asked us to maintain. In fact, if he’d been alive, I’m sure he would have kicked both of our asses for doing it.”
“And now?” Ella leaned the tiniest bit closer. He was touched by her genuine interest.
“Now, we put our own spins on the wine. We take more risks, get creative. I call Grayson our mad scientist, because he’s always coming up with incredible blends, combining different grapes in a way I wouldn’t have even imagined doing.”
“Do I have him to thank for the rosé Edith and I had the other day at the tasting room?” she asked.
Maverick shook his head. “Actually, that blend was mine.”
“I bought two bottles of it right before we left. I’m determined to figure out a way to pack it in my luggage when I go home. If it lasts that long,” she added with a laugh. “You’re very talented, Maverick. You truly found your calling.”
He nodded once in thanks. “And it sounds like you have too. The girls haven’t stopped talking about your books since they found them.”
Ella flushed slightly at his compliment. “It took me a while to get there. I started out as a journalist, but in the end, I realized I wanted to write my own stories, not someone else’s.”
Maverick was tempted to confess he’d read a couple of her books, but doing so would open the door to things he was trying to keep locked away.
Their conversation was cut short when Theo, Gretchen, Boone, and Mila returned to the table. The guys—hungry—decided to order a big platter of bacon cheese fries, and the rest of the evening passed in the comfortable, fun company of his family.
Ella finished her third margarita and was indeed tipsy by the time the night ended. She left with the girls, Boone offering to drop her off at Edith’s on their way home, even after Ella insisted it was only a few blocks and she could walk.
Maverick would have offered if Boone hadn’t beat him to it, and while he appreciated his friend making sure she got home safely, it chafed as well. Because Maverick couldn’t shake the feeling that Ella was his to take care of.
He kept that thought to himself, sitting quietly as Grayson and Jace chatted in the front seat of the car during the drive back to the farm. Once there, Maverick said good night and climbed the stairs to his bedroom, anxious to get back to the current Grace Decker book he was reading.
This story was even spicier than the first two he’d read, and when he got to a scene where the hero—some morally gray Mafia dude—kidnapped the heroine from her unhappily arranged marriage and dragged her back to his mansion, where he tied her to his bed, once again, Maverick had to close the book.
His thoughts took him back to that last afternoon he’d spent with Ella at the cabin.
“Please don’t hurt me,”Ella cried, as Maverick pretended to tighten the knots of the scarves binding her to the headboard. The knots were loose enough that she could pull her hands free if she wanted, but Ella didn’t attempt it, too excited by the scene they’d created.
“I’ll do whatever I want,” he growled, deepening his voice. “You’re mine now.”
She shivered in response, her nipples rock hard. He’d stripped her out of her clothing before tying her up, Ella putting up a fight, just as they’d agreed upon.
He’d assured her all she had to do was say stop and he would. So far, that word hadn’t crossed her lips once. She’d begged for freedom, for mercy, even said no…but not once had she uttered the word stop.
Maverick reached down to adjust his cock, the denim of his jeans cutting into the damn thing. He’d never been this fucking hard in his life. When they’d decided to try bondage, and started discussing making it a full-blown role-playing game, he hadn’t had a clue how much this scene would impact him.
Given the shiny juices glistening on Ella’s inner thighs, he’d say it was a fair bet she felt the same.
“Please,” she said again, so breathlessly Maverick wasn’t sure if she was still playing the role or if she was begging for more.
“I’m never going to let you go, my little captive,” he murmured in her ear. He was still fully dressed, something he’d done on purpose, as he suspected it would make her feel more vulnerable and add to the fantasy.
He climbed over her body, fighting hard not to grin at the way her hips lifted from the mattress, seeking some sort of stimulation. Though he’d stripped her and tied her up, he hadn’t touched any other part of her. He knew his Ella well enough by now to realize that her patience was probably at its end.
Foreplay wasn’t something they’d mastered yet, simply because Ella could never wait, always anxious to get to the good stuff. Of course, if he was being honest with himself, Maverick would have to admit he was exactly the same.
When they’d discussed trying this, he’d told himself he would draw out the experience, make it good for them. He could see now that he was going to fail in that endeavor.
Because she looked too fucking gorgeous, lying here naked beneath him, her arms outstretched and bound above her head. Her entire body was flushed, shimmering with a light sheen of sweat from her exertions. The role-play had begun with her walking into the cabin, and Maverick—an intruder—jumping out and chasing her around. When he caught her, he dragged her to the bedroom.