The two of them lay there in silence for a long time.
Words unnecessary.
Unfortunately, when Ella did break the silence, she managed to say completely the wrong thing.
She lifted her head, resting her cheek on hand.
“I know you said we’re going to talk, but…” She bit her lower lip. “I’ve never had a one-night stand, so if that’s all this is, you’ll have to explain how these one-and-done things end. Do we get dressed now? Make food?”
Maverick shook his head, huffing out an exasperated breath. “Seriously, Ella?”
She frowned. “What?”
“You think this is a one-night stand?”
She shrugged. Maverick might have been annoyed, but it was clear she genuinely hoped that it wasn’t. “I didn’t want to assume. After everything that happened between us… I mean…I just… It’s been a long time and people change and…”
Maverick sighed. “You had fifteen years to get yourself a one-night stand, and you didn’t. Time’s up on that now. You werenevergoing to get one night from me, Ella. Only forever.”
“But I never explained, never told you why…”
Maverick rolled to his side, facing her. “So tell me now. But just know, nothing you say is going to change my plans for us. I told you that summer we were together how our life was going to go. And I stand by that.”
Chapter Twelve
Ella hoped Maverick meant what he said. She’d been shocked and thrilled when he’d pulled her away from Jeff—who had somehow managed to get even dumber with age—and dragged her to that pantry.
It hadn’t even occurred to her to question him or put up a fight. She’d learned when she was seventeen years old that she would follow Maverick anywhere, willingly.
He’d declared himself her boyfriend that first day in the hall, and she rolled with it because she wanted to be his girlfriend.
He told her to say goodbye to Edith earlier, and away she went.
He said they’d talkafter, and all she could think washell yeah.
She’d only sort of been joking about the one-night stand, because while she’d been praying, praying, praying that she was different, too many years had passed for her to assume the way thingshadbeen, were the same now.
Ella bit her lower lip. She’d had way too many years to think about how she’d explain that letter and her family’s rapid departure from Gracemont, but now that she was here…the words were hard to say.
She’d worked overtime to put past childhood trauma behind her. In truth, she should probably be in therapy, but money had always been tight, and she’d put Gigi’s medical needs before her own.
Maverick sat up, pulling her with him. “Let’s throw some clothes on and move to the couch. It’ll be more comfortable.”
She nodded, though she hadn’t felt uneasy in her nudity. It was amazing to her how comfortable she was being naked in front of him. She’d dated Silas for five years and always threw on a robe or pj’s immediately following sex.
With Maverick, she felt comfortable in her own skin. Probably because, even now, he was looking at her like she hung the moon and the stars. A girl could get used to that.
Rising, she tossed her sundress back on, not bothering with her thong or bra. Maverick wiggled his eyebrows, clearly approving of her choice.
He pulled his boxer briefs on but left the rest of his clothing on the floor by the front door.
Even though she’d been here a good half hour, she hadn’t even looked around.
“This place is incredible,” she said, purposely stalling.
Maverick’s lopsided grin proved he knew that, but because he was a kind man, he let her get away with it. “My family has been slowly updating the older cabins. They let me take charge of the renovations for this one.”
With that piece of information, Ella took another look around…a better look. “You broke out that back wall,” she said, recalling Maverick’s seventeen-year-old vision for this cabin.