She finally stopped thinking when he pressed his lips firmly against hers and embraced her, his tongue running along the seam of her mouth. She gasped and that was all he needed to slip inside and claim her.

The heat was almost too much to bear. She couldn’t help her pleasurable moan from escaping, which made him press even harder against her.

His hand was in her hair as he explored her mouth. She couldn’t get enough of his taste. She was ready to lose herself in this man she professed to not even like most of the time.

Just as his hand traveled down the side of her body, a sharp bark broke her out of the spell she was under. Mav pulled back, fire burning in his eyes.

“Sorry about that, sug. I was only going to give you a little good-night kiss. You make me lose control,” he said. He was trying to joke, but for once, his voice was as breathless as hers.

“Um . . . well, I gotta go,” she stuttered as she reached behind her and found the doorknob. She twisted it and then almost fell backward into the cottage.

Mav’s hand shot out and steadied her. That small touch almost sent her over the edge into the abyss.

“I’ve got it. Thanks,” she told him as Princess wound her way between them and darted into the house. The dog was making sure Lindsey didn’t leave her again.

His eyes burned and it looked as if he wanted to say something more, but he stopped and turned, took a few steps, then turned back around.

“Tomorrow. Six. Wear something comfortable—pants, tennis shoes.”

With that, he turned and began jogging back up the path to his brother’s house. Feeling almost like she was in a dream, Lindsey shut the door, then found Princess looking up at her with those sad eyes.

“Yeah, Princess, we both have problems, don’t we?” Lindsey said.

When she walked into the kitchen, she found the dog bowls with water and food all set up. That must have been what Mav was doing when he disappeared for a little bit earlier in the evening. She couldn’t help but be touched.

When she climbed into bed a bit later, though, Princess barked at her from the floor. Lindsey smiled. The dog wanted nothing to do with the beautiful purple bed set up in the corner of the room.

To tell the truth, Lindsey wanted her with her as well. She picked up the dog, who insisted on getting beneath the covers. Even though she was confused about Maverick, she fell asleep without worries for the first time since the attack. There was definite comfort in having Princess with her, snuggled up at her side.

That night she didn’t have nightmares for the first time in a year.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Maverick was a few minutes early, and Stormy was by his side at the door, insisting on babysitting Princess. She’d been at the house most of that day and Princess liked Stormy and little Aaron. Princess had snuggled up next to the baby and the two of them had napped together. The only thing keeping Lindsey’s jealousy at bay was that when Princess got tired it was Lindsey’s lap she came to curl up in.

With reluctance, she agreed to go with Maverick and felt guilty when Princess whimpered as the two of them walked away.

“What if she panics while I’m gone?” Lindsey asked as they climbed into his truck.

“She’s in good hands. And I know Stormy has already gotten her treats for when she comes up to the main house,” Mav said with a laugh.

“But what if she doesn’t want to leave there with me when I come to pick her up?”

“She’s already attached to you. She’ll go anywhere you do,” he said before turning to her. “But you know you don’t have to be in a hurry to leave, right? Cooper and Stormy really do love you and want you to stay. I’ll tell you that over and over again until you believe it.”

“I don’t want to be a burden to them,” Lindsey insisted.

“It would be so much more of a burden to them if you left before you were ready,” he said, and there was so much truth shining from his eyes it was impossible for her not to believe him.

“Thanks, Mav. That does make me feel better,” she told him.

They chatted as they left the harbor and got on the freeway. He still wasn’t telling her where they were going, but when he pulled up to a nearly empty parking lot at Safeco Field, she wondered what he had up his sleeves.

“Engine trouble?” she asked.

“Nope. We’re gonna play some baseball. Hope you have your swinging arm ready.”

She waited for the punch line but one didn’t come.

“I thought we had a meeting about the fund-raiser,” she pointed out.

“We do. We’re meeting with the manager of the team, who is a huge supporter of the organization, and then we’re playing with the team.”

“But I really don’t get it,” she said, confused.

“Part of fund-raising is friendships. People want to support organizations for causes they empathize with, but they also need to like the people they work with. However, most of what I do is about making people feel relaxed and appreciated. We all help each other out.”

“I really don’t understand this. I’m so not the girl to chair your event. All I see is that this is a pro-ball field. We can’t just go in there and play,” she told him.

He laughed before he leapt out of the truck and came around to open her door. “We’re not sneaking in. We’re having a meeting and then playing with the team.”

He was so matter-of-fact she almost felt silly questioning him.

“Normal people don’t get to go and play with a major league baseball team,” she said, hoping to knock some sense into the man.