\[Maverick’s POV\]
I stare at Serenity, watching and waiting as she processes what I’ve said. From the look on her face, I know that she is still uneasy, but some of that unease is certainly replaced by acceptance.
“Okay,” she whispers, twining her arms around my neck and tugging so that our mouths meet again. “I believe you.”
Instantly, the rest of the world disappears as a bubble of bliss surrounds us, locking us together in this place and time, erasing anything else except the emotions that we both have for one another. However, when the urge to explore her body hits, I gently pull away, breaking our connection.
“We should stop before...”
“Why?” Serenity breathes, her eyes darkening. “Are you afraid?”
Was I afraid? She couldn’t be serious right now. Of course, I wasn’t afraid, I was the opposite of afraid. I was excited—so excited I was certain that she could feel my bulge—but now just wasn’t the time. Our relationship was still too new and our emotions too shallow to take that step.
“I’m keeping you from regretting it come morning.” I chuckle, sitting up so that she is forced to release me. “So be good and stop tempting me.”
“And if I don’t want to?” She challenges me, giving a defiant look that is so damn adorable it almost kills me. “Be good,” I repeat, kissing her one last time and then standing. “I should head to my room now.”
“Coward,” Serenity huffs, propping herself on her elbows.
For a moment, I don’t speak as I examine her, taking in her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes, her heaving chest, and her half-open legs that are just fucking beckoning me. I knew that she was intentionally doing this, purposely tempting me with all that she had, and for a second, just a second, I consider saying fuck it and attacking.
“Call me what you want.” I sigh. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The next morning, I wake up with memories of the day before flashing in my mind. They’re so damn realistic that they cause a raging hard on that is so damn painful. I head into the bathroom and turn on the shower, then step in.
Closing my eyes, I let myself remember the feel of Serenity’s body against mine, the soft noises that she made while we kissed, and her scent of arousal. As I do, I wrap my hand around my shaft and begin to pump while using my other hand to keep myself propped up.
“Fuck,” I groan, pretending that it was Serenity doing this to me instead of me doing it to myself. “That’s it.”
With each pump and each image, I can feel myself growing more and more feral until the urge to rush to Serenity’s room and take her hits me. But I don’t act on it; instead, I just continue to pump myself until finally, I’m cumming, spurting every last drop onto the wall in front of me while I breathe heavily and am left not feeling satisfied enough.
“Get it together, Maverick.” I grunt, washing up and then getting out of the shower. “You can’t become a fucking animal just because you’ve found someone.”
Pushing aside any further thoughts of Serenity, I get dressed in a pair of sweats and a wife beater, then head out onto New Moon’s grounds in hopes that a bit of fresh air and exercise will help me relax.
After a few stretches, I begin to move, starting at a jog as I move around the compound, getting a good view of it. After one rotation, I pick up the pace, breaking into a run so the world around me begins to blur. Soon, the sound of my feet hitting the ground and the feel of the wind against the skin clears my head until I spot some movement near what I realize is a workout area.
Stopping, I watch as a single figure moves, attacking a punching bag. With each thrust of her fists, her body shakes, showing just how much force she is using to hit the bag. And as she does, her breath bursts out in puffs.
Smirking, I watch the scene while wondering if she is picturing me as she does it given the fact I rejected her just the night before.
Looking around, I find a tree and begin to climb toward the top. Once I’m there, I move, using the limbs of neighboring trees to move overhead so as not to disturb Serenity while she goes about her workout.
Once I’ve found a good place to watch, I get comfortable and fix my gaze on the woman below me, watching while she switches from the punching back to a sit-up bench where she does a few reps. When she finishes, she moves to the pull up bar and begins to lift herself.
One after another she moves from one piece of equipment to another, and when she reaches the last she starts over again.
“That frustrated, princess?” I murmur, watching it all take place. “You must really hate me.”
“If you’re going to talk shit, you should come down here.” She calls, causing me to laugh.
Of course she could sense me above her, but instead of calling me out, she just let me watch.
“Seems I’ve been found.” I sigh, jumping down from the limb I’m on and easily landing on my feet in front of her. “Why didn’t you call me out sooner?”
“I was busy,” she shrugs, crossing her arms so that her breasts bulge out of the top that she wears.
Frowning, I look from her chest to her face while trying not to imagine other men walking up on her instead of me.
“What?” She smirks, not missing the shift in my mood. “Is there a problem?”
“There is,” I confirm, my frown deepening. “You’re inappropriately dressed.”
“Am I?” She asks, looking down at her chest and then back up to me. “But I’m wearing pants and a shirt. What’s so wrong with the way I’m dressed? It isn’t like anyone is going to do anything since they’re too scared.”
Opening my mouth, I prepare to argue, but stop as I realize that she is attempting to get a rise out of me. And honestly, I shouldn’t be surprised since she was her father’s daughter; when they wanted something, they’d go to any means to get it.
“Careful, princess.” I warn, moving forward so she is forced to move backwards until she is collapsing on the sit-up bench, and I’m leaning forward to pin her there. “Otherwise, you’re going to make me angry.”
Even though she was clearly doing this to try to entice me, just the thought of another man seeing her pissed me off beyond belief.
“Get mad,” she huffs, lifting her gaze and jutting out her chin. “You’re clearly not mad enough if you aren’t acting.”
“Not acting,” I repeat, “And what exactly is it that you want me to do? Do you want me to attack you and take you right here?”
At my words, Serenity’s eyes widen with shock, but she quickly collects herself once more.
“And if I do?” She says slowly, attempting to touch me but stopping as I let out a growl of warning.
“Listen carefully,” I announce, trying to keep it together. “I’ve already made it clear that I don’t want to rush things. I want to properly care for you, but even I have my limits.”
“Then stop holding back.” She huffs in annoyance.
As she speaks, she breaks free and wraps her arms around me, tugging me closer to her so that she can kiss my neck, causing a tingle of electricity to zip through my veins and my dick to throb in anticipation.
“Don’t you realize that tomorrow isn’t promised for us, so we should take full advantage of the present?” She asks quietly. "So please, don't make me continue to beg."