The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 60: Chapter 60
You are reading The Maverick Pride Tales, Chapter 60: Chapter 60. Read more chapters of The Maverick Pride Tales.
“Sorry, I should have rented something nicer for you,” Reg began.
Gretchen shook her head, stopping his apology in its tracks. It was strange, but she wanted to reassure him. Honesty was something she tried for in all things, and whatever this turned into, she was not going to start it with silly little games most people played. She liked Reg and his car and she wanted him to know it.
“No way,” she began, touching his forearm lightly and watching in surprise the way the big man seemed to shudder at her touch.
Interesting.
“I really like Jeeps, Reg. This one is fantastic, especially the color,” she explained and ran her hands over the armrest of her warm leather seat.
The exterior was a deep, blood red that she rarely saw on this kind of vehicle, and the interior was black with that same dark red trim. It was a helluva a car and it suited him, big as he was. She could not see him driving a Prius.
“Really? Thank you. Some of the roads out here can get bad in rough weather, and I’m a big guy and I work in construction, so it helps to have something like this.”
“That’s right, you work for Elissa’s husband,” she replied and nodded at him.
“Yes, I do. I’ve been with Maverick Development since I was a cu-, uh, a kid.”
Gretchen was fascinated by that line of work. She was great with scissors but couldn’t do crap with a hammer or screwdriver.
“That is so cool. What do you do exactly?” she asked as he turned the corner.
“I guess, I’m a jack of all trades. I work in demolition, masonry, ironwork, and I’m a certified electrician as well. We have some local government contracts, and do a lot of roadwork, but we’ve been known to take on private projects.”
“That’s awesome that you can do all that. And I had no idea Maverick Development was so big,” she said, impressed by his skill set.
“You don’t think I’m just some dumb contractor?” he asked lightly, but she sensed his tension.
“Of course not,” she replied without hesitation. “Why? Do you think I’m just a dumb hair stylist?”
“What? No way! If I gave you that impression—” he almost shouted. The poor guy was tripping over himself apologizing, and she felt bad for teasing him.
“Reggie, relax. I was only kidding,” Gretchen said and placed a hand on his arm. She liked the feel of his muscles beneath her fingers, and even better the way he glanced at her, one eyebrow raised as he maneuvered the vehicle down the street.
“Reggie?”
“Oh, sorry. I have this habit of shortening names. Do you mind?” she asked and bit her lip.
“Not at all, but you’re the only one who can call me that,” he replied, and winked.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of a posh steakhouse and her eyes widened. This was a really nice place for a first date. One could say Reg was trying to impress her, and she wondered if that were true.
Gulp.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, it looks great,” she returned shyly.
“I am happy you like it. Hold up,” he said when she reached for the handle. “Let me get that door for you, shona.”
Gretchen cocked her head at the strange word, but she didn’t mind it. She was so nervous he could’ve called her anything at all, and it would’ve been fine.
Gretchen tried to stop her body from reacting to him, but it was a losing battle. She got shivers all over just from being near his large, muscular frame.
Reg helped her out of the car, his big hand engulfing hers. He kept hold of it while they entered the establishment. After giving the hostess his name, he guided her to their table, ignoring the server’s rapt expression as she looked Reg up and down in his black pants and blue button-down shirt.
Gretchen could hardly blame the woman. He was so freaking hot. She was ready to swoon just from having his hand on her elbow.
Imagine her swooning?
Yeah, she was definitely overdue for a little adult playtime. If the evening went well, maybe she would get to see more of Reginald Cray. A lot more.
They seemed to talk about everything, work, movies, music, food. He was funny and bright, and so damn intense with his long dark stares and the way he kept finding excuses to touch her.
She was wound so tightly, her body seemed to light up like the fourth of July from the slightest brush if his fingertips against her hand as he held a menu out to her. She wanted him, and she was woman enough to admit it to herself.
That was a first for Gretchen. Usually, it took a while for her to feel comfortable enough to consider sex with a man. But for some reason, Reg made her want to run right into his arms.
“You do eat meat, right?” he asked, interrupting her naughty thoughts as he looked over the evening’s specials.
“Oh, yeah. You never have to worry about that, Reggie. As you can see, I eat everything,” she motioned to her body and shrugged.
“I’m not sure I get what you mean,” he said, eyes flashing at her. “If that was meant as some kind of dig about your body, I don’t understand it. From where I am sitting, you look perfect,” he growled, and cocked his head to the side as he nailed her with his steady blue stare.
It was meant to be a joke. Something she did to relieve any pressure from those around her to feel like they had to either avoid her fluffiness or make excuses for it. Gretchen liked food. She was a big healthy girl and made no apologies for it.
The way he continued to watch her was unsettling. What was he playing at? Surely, the man had eyes. Gretchen loved her body, but she wasn’t unaware of it. She was a big girl and definitely not the standard of beauty in today’s world.
“I just meant, it’s obvious that I like food. I’m a big girl, and I know it,” she said unapologetically.
“I know we just met,” Reg began, and leaned forward, crowding her in the small booth they shared. “But I need to tell you a few things, just to set the record straight,” he continued, and she saw the muscles in his neck tense as he spoke. Fuck, that was hot.
“A, you’re a beautiful woman. So beautiful, I can’t stop thinking about you. Your sky blue eyes, those pink pouty lips, and those crazy sexy highlights in your hair. B, you are the perfect size. Every dip and curve of your body is a fucking work of art. I have not been able to get it out of my head all day, and I tried, shona, but it was no good.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, I did. But I can’t stop thinking about you. I want to get you alone so bad I can taste it. I want to explore every single inch of that delectable body of yours. I want to kiss, lick, and touch every inch of you until you are screaming with pleasure. Wait a second, please,” he raised a hand, halting her speech before she could comment.
“Don’t think I have any intentions of taking advantage of you, or that I expect to be paid for a meal in that way. You are in control here, and I will do anything you want. I mean anything, shona” he continued in a voice so low, it sent tendrils of need straight through her body.
“And C,” he said, still not finished. “You should know, this is not just about sex. I’m head over heels absolutely crazy about you. I know it is fast, but that’s how I am built. I promise, Gretchen, if you let me, I’m going to prove myself to you before this night is over,” he stated bluntly.
Gretchen swallowed.
Gretchen shook her head, stopping his apology in its tracks. It was strange, but she wanted to reassure him. Honesty was something she tried for in all things, and whatever this turned into, she was not going to start it with silly little games most people played. She liked Reg and his car and she wanted him to know it.
“No way,” she began, touching his forearm lightly and watching in surprise the way the big man seemed to shudder at her touch.
Interesting.
“I really like Jeeps, Reg. This one is fantastic, especially the color,” she explained and ran her hands over the armrest of her warm leather seat.
The exterior was a deep, blood red that she rarely saw on this kind of vehicle, and the interior was black with that same dark red trim. It was a helluva a car and it suited him, big as he was. She could not see him driving a Prius.
“Really? Thank you. Some of the roads out here can get bad in rough weather, and I’m a big guy and I work in construction, so it helps to have something like this.”
“That’s right, you work for Elissa’s husband,” she replied and nodded at him.
“Yes, I do. I’ve been with Maverick Development since I was a cu-, uh, a kid.”
Gretchen was fascinated by that line of work. She was great with scissors but couldn’t do crap with a hammer or screwdriver.
“That is so cool. What do you do exactly?” she asked as he turned the corner.
“I guess, I’m a jack of all trades. I work in demolition, masonry, ironwork, and I’m a certified electrician as well. We have some local government contracts, and do a lot of roadwork, but we’ve been known to take on private projects.”
“That’s awesome that you can do all that. And I had no idea Maverick Development was so big,” she said, impressed by his skill set.
“You don’t think I’m just some dumb contractor?” he asked lightly, but she sensed his tension.
“Of course not,” she replied without hesitation. “Why? Do you think I’m just a dumb hair stylist?”
“What? No way! If I gave you that impression—” he almost shouted. The poor guy was tripping over himself apologizing, and she felt bad for teasing him.
“Reggie, relax. I was only kidding,” Gretchen said and placed a hand on his arm. She liked the feel of his muscles beneath her fingers, and even better the way he glanced at her, one eyebrow raised as he maneuvered the vehicle down the street.
“Reggie?”
“Oh, sorry. I have this habit of shortening names. Do you mind?” she asked and bit her lip.
“Not at all, but you’re the only one who can call me that,” he replied, and winked.
A few minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of a posh steakhouse and her eyes widened. This was a really nice place for a first date. One could say Reg was trying to impress her, and she wondered if that were true.
Gulp.
“Everything okay?”
“Yes, it looks great,” she returned shyly.
“I am happy you like it. Hold up,” he said when she reached for the handle. “Let me get that door for you, shona.”
Gretchen cocked her head at the strange word, but she didn’t mind it. She was so nervous he could’ve called her anything at all, and it would’ve been fine.
Gretchen tried to stop her body from reacting to him, but it was a losing battle. She got shivers all over just from being near his large, muscular frame.
Reg helped her out of the car, his big hand engulfing hers. He kept hold of it while they entered the establishment. After giving the hostess his name, he guided her to their table, ignoring the server’s rapt expression as she looked Reg up and down in his black pants and blue button-down shirt.
Gretchen could hardly blame the woman. He was so freaking hot. She was ready to swoon just from having his hand on her elbow.
Imagine her swooning?
Yeah, she was definitely overdue for a little adult playtime. If the evening went well, maybe she would get to see more of Reginald Cray. A lot more.
They seemed to talk about everything, work, movies, music, food. He was funny and bright, and so damn intense with his long dark stares and the way he kept finding excuses to touch her.
She was wound so tightly, her body seemed to light up like the fourth of July from the slightest brush if his fingertips against her hand as he held a menu out to her. She wanted him, and she was woman enough to admit it to herself.
That was a first for Gretchen. Usually, it took a while for her to feel comfortable enough to consider sex with a man. But for some reason, Reg made her want to run right into his arms.
“You do eat meat, right?” he asked, interrupting her naughty thoughts as he looked over the evening’s specials.
“Oh, yeah. You never have to worry about that, Reggie. As you can see, I eat everything,” she motioned to her body and shrugged.
“I’m not sure I get what you mean,” he said, eyes flashing at her. “If that was meant as some kind of dig about your body, I don’t understand it. From where I am sitting, you look perfect,” he growled, and cocked his head to the side as he nailed her with his steady blue stare.
It was meant to be a joke. Something she did to relieve any pressure from those around her to feel like they had to either avoid her fluffiness or make excuses for it. Gretchen liked food. She was a big healthy girl and made no apologies for it.
The way he continued to watch her was unsettling. What was he playing at? Surely, the man had eyes. Gretchen loved her body, but she wasn’t unaware of it. She was a big girl and definitely not the standard of beauty in today’s world.
“I just meant, it’s obvious that I like food. I’m a big girl, and I know it,” she said unapologetically.
“I know we just met,” Reg began, and leaned forward, crowding her in the small booth they shared. “But I need to tell you a few things, just to set the record straight,” he continued, and she saw the muscles in his neck tense as he spoke. Fuck, that was hot.
“A, you’re a beautiful woman. So beautiful, I can’t stop thinking about you. Your sky blue eyes, those pink pouty lips, and those crazy sexy highlights in your hair. B, you are the perfect size. Every dip and curve of your body is a fucking work of art. I have not been able to get it out of my head all day, and I tried, shona, but it was no good.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, I did. But I can’t stop thinking about you. I want to get you alone so bad I can taste it. I want to explore every single inch of that delectable body of yours. I want to kiss, lick, and touch every inch of you until you are screaming with pleasure. Wait a second, please,” he raised a hand, halting her speech before she could comment.
“Don’t think I have any intentions of taking advantage of you, or that I expect to be paid for a meal in that way. You are in control here, and I will do anything you want. I mean anything, shona” he continued in a voice so low, it sent tendrils of need straight through her body.
“And C,” he said, still not finished. “You should know, this is not just about sex. I’m head over heels absolutely crazy about you. I know it is fast, but that’s how I am built. I promise, Gretchen, if you let me, I’m going to prove myself to you before this night is over,” he stated bluntly.
Gretchen swallowed.
End of The Maverick Pride Tales Chapter 60. Continue reading Chapter 61 or return to The Maverick Pride Tales book page.