My jaw almost dropped to the floor. “I did not lead you on—”
“You follow me to a bar on my birthday, dressed like you’re trying to torture me, and then you give me a photograph of my mother?” He tilted his head as he examined me with cold eyes. “Don’t backpedal. That’s exactly what you did.”
“I’m not backpedaling. I was being a friend. That’s what we are, right? Maybe you’ve never had a relationship with a woman that wasn’t straight sex, but that was me being more than just a quick fuck.”
He still looked pissed. “I would have preferred the fuck.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re a pig.”
“I’m a man.” He stepped toward me, crowding me into the banister of the stairs. “I’m a man who likes to fuck beautiful women. If you don’t want to be one of those women, then stop with the bullshit. Just stay out of my way and pretend you don’t exist.”
“So, it’s one or the other?” I asked incredulously. “I either sleep with you or live under a rock?”
“That’s a good way to put it.”
I wanted to slap him again. “I didn’t sleep with you because it would complicate things. Would it be a one-time thing? Would we forget it ever happened? Would we keep doing it? Would we continue to see other people? It’s just easier if we don’t go down that road.”
“You are my wife. Husbands are supposed to fuck their wives. You’re overthinking it.”
“So just casually?” I asked.
“Yes. You were fucking Dante casually. How is that any different?”
I didn’t want to talk about the man who dumped me. “Leave him out of this.”
“You told me you were going to have lovers. Why can’t I be one of those lovers?”
Maverick wasn’t like the men I took to bed. He was more handsome than all of them combined, but he was also a huge dick. Sometimes he was kind, but sometimes he was equally cruel. “Because I don’t like you.”
His eyes fell, as if the words actually hurt him.
“You’re nice to me once in a while and then a dick to me ten seconds later. Like right now, you’re a completely different guy than the last time we were together. Our relationship is already complicated enough. Add fucking into the mix, and it’s gonna be a shitshow.”
He kept staring at me with eyes as strong as espresso. “It’s not complicated—you’re what’s complicated. We could fuck like every other man and woman out there, no strings attached. Sometimes we screw, sometimes we don’t. No big deal.”
“It never works that way. Every man I’ve ever been with always wants more.”
His eyes narrowed before a sarcastic laugh exploded from his mouth. “You won’t have that problem with me. The only reason I want to fuck you is because of the way you look in a tight dress. That’s all I’m ever going to want from you—so get over yourself.”
Now I really did want to slap him so hard his cheek would be red for a week. “I’m just telling you—”
“You’re the one who’s going to want to fuck me. I see the way you look at me, I feel the way you kiss me. You’ll get sick of boys like Dante and want to be fucked by a real man. Don’t wait too long…because I might lose interest.”
“Wow…you’re the one who needs to get over yourself.”
He grabbed the stack of mail from the table and tucked it under his arm. “Stay out of my way.” He moved toward me as he approached the stairs, his shoulder coming close to mine. “I mean it.”
“You weren’t kidding when you said I would change my mind.” I turned and watched him reach the first step of the large staircase.
He stopped his progression but didn’t turn around to look at me.
“You were right. I do hate you.”
An entire week passed, and I did what he asked—stayed out of his way.
I had breakfast in my room, went to the gym when I knew he was finished with his workout, and I minded my own business.
It got lonely after a while.
He had a large swimming pool with a beautiful deck that overlooked his property, so I spent time in the sun while reading. When it got too hot, I dipped in the water for a cooldown. Having servants that would refresh my drink and bring cheese platters and bowls of fruit was a dream come true.
But I still felt empty inside.
Now that Dante was gone and my father was dead, I felt like the only person on the planet. I didn’t realize how much I talked to Maverick until that bridge had been burned. We’d had a great night together at the bar for his birthday. He seemed to like the present I got him. But things went south…and now our friendship was gone too.