Ella started to walk that way, but as much as he wanted to show off his work, the house tour was going to have to wait until later.
Until…after.
He tugged on her hand, directing her to the front door. Unlocking it, he led her inside. The second it closed, he twisted her, pushing her against it, resuming the kiss that had been interrupted in the pantry.
Now, like then, Ella was right there with him.
His body remembered hers. Too well.
When they were back in school, Maverick was hard-pressed to keep his hands off her, always needing to hold her, kiss her,breathe her in like the air he needed to survive. He hadn’t been able to stand even the tiniest bit of distance between them.
That hadn’t changed.
God, that desire was amplified now by a million percent.
Ella must have felt the same, because she sank into his arms, her body soft, relaxed. Despite all the years and distance, she still trusted him. He’d always felt that from her, and he was so grateful that it was still there.
Maverick softened the kiss, though he didn’t move away. He drew in a deep breath, filling his lungs with her soft floral scent. She smelled like roses and lime and springtime.
Ella’s kisses had been his drug of choice back in school, his addiction.
“Maverick,” she said, slightly breathless.
He recognized the tone, could hear the traces of regret and guilt. There was no place for that here. Not now.
“Firefly, we’re gonna have a long, long talk about everything, I promise you. Because I have things I need to say to you, too.” Mainly that he was still in love with her, wanted to marry her, make babies with her, and live happily ever after. “But that’s not happening right now.”
She frowned. “It’s not…”
He shook his head. “After.” Then he gave her a wink to let her know exactly what that conversation was coming after.
Ella giggled, playfully rolling her eyes as if she was humoring him. “I guess I can wait.”
Maverick burst out in loud laughter. “Oh, you guess, do you? Obviously, I need to remind you exactlywhyyou can wait.”
He kissed her again, dialing up the passion and the heat while reaching behind her. He slowly pulled the skirt of her sundress up to her waist. Holding it there, he grasped her ass, groaning as he broke the kiss.
Younger Ella wore very basic, very virginal white cotton panties.
ButthisElla…
He pressed his forehead to hers. “Dirty girl,” he murmured, as he stroked the soft globes of her ass, bare thanks to the thong she was wearing. “No more cotton panties?”
Ella cupped Maverick’s cheek with one hand, her thumb brushing over his beard. Her heavy eyelids and husky tone told him just how much she liked being a dirty girl. “Those were my mom’s preference, not mine.”
“Perfect,” he said, resuming the kiss. Using his grip on her ass, he lifted her until both her legs wrapped around his waist, nothing but his hands and the door at her back supporting her weight.
Maverick pressed his cock against her pussy, and he knew he needed to free the poor bastard soon or risk a serious injury.
Mercifully, Ella seemed just as hungry and desperate as he was. If she kept gyrating her hips against him, there was a good chance this would feel even more like high school than either of them liked, because he was dangerously close to coming just from all her dry humping.
“Put your legs down for a minute,” he said, pushing away from her. Ella’s eyes had been closed, but her lids fluttered open when he released her, her gaze cloudy with need.
Jesus. She was just as close as him.
Maverick kept a hand on her waist until she was steady, then pulled her sundress over her head in one fell swoop.
“Fuck,” he murmured, as he took in her skimpy, lacy bra. It was one of those types that pushed her breasts up, and this one was just barely covering her tight nipples. Maverick slipped the straps over her shoulders before pulling the cups down with one finger, traveling through the valley of her gorgeous tits.