Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23483 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 94(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
She points toward the kitchen. “I’ll just eat something from the fridge.”
I scrunch up my nose. “Your choices are fruit, lettuce, and water.”
She laughs like I’m being funny when I’m being for real.
“I’m on a diet.”
My head whips up. “Excuse me? You’re on a diet?”
She is back looking at her computer, but she isn’t typing. The way her eyes move across the page, I know she’s reading.
I step onto the porch and order food. The person on the other end of the line tells me about their famous apple cinnamon Blaze cake, and I order two slices of it.
I sit on the porch, determined to not interfere in Maya’s work, and when the food finally gets here, I take it inside and put it on the kitchen counter. Maya is glued to her computer, and when I set everything up on the dining table, I call out to her, “Come on, don’t make me eat alone.”
She looks up, and I’m not sure if I should be offended or not because she looks as if she didn’t even realize I came back in. “I told you—”
“You have to eat, Maya. Please come eat with me.”
She sets her laptop to the side and comes to sit with me, taking in all the food I ordered. “Uh, are you expecting guests?”
I unfold a napkin and set it on her lap. She grabs on to it, and I don’t miss the little spark when our hands touch briefly. She notices even though she’s trying to act like she doesn’t. “I guess you missed the part where I was on a diet.”
I shrug and try to keep the anger out of my voice. How does she not know she’s perfect just the way she is? “I heard you.”
She chuckles. “I guess you just chose to ignore me.”
“I like the way you look.”
She is putting green beans on her plate, and she stops with the fork in midair. “What?”
I shrug. “I like the way you look. I mean, of course, I’m not telling you what to do.” I smile cheekily at her. “I wouldn’t do that. But I just thought I should tell you… I think you’re perfect the way you are.”
She points her fork at me, and even though she’s trying not to smile, she can’t seem to keep it off her face. “I think I might like having you around here, Legend.”
I swear my chest puffs out until I almost have to scoot back from the table to make room. At least until she realizes what she just said. She starts to stutter. “I mean, not that I want you around.” She rolls her eyes. “That sounds bad, I don’t mean that. I just mean, I know you’re just here now and then later, you’ll be gone.”
The redness on her face travels down her neck and disappears under her shirt. She grips the fork in her hands. “I’m sorry. Obviously I’m not used to interacting with people.”
I help her pile food on her plate. I start with the meatloaf and a big helping of mashed potatoes to go with her green beans. And then I open the carton with the cake and set it next to her plate. “Neither am I. Today is probably the most talking I’ve done in weeks,” I confess.
I can tell she doesn’t believe that by the doubtful look she gives me. I shrug. “I just came off a mission where I was protecting a famous singer. I probably said ten words to her the whole time. You’re different. I like talking to you.”
She gulps and lowers her eyes to her plate but not before I see the satisfied, happy look in her eyes. It may take some effort, but by the time this is over, I’ll make sure that Maya sees herself the way I see her. She’s a special woman… there’s no doubt about it.
We eat our dinner, and I do my best to ignore the little moan she gives when she enjoys what she’s putting in her mouth. “Uh, so how’s the book coming?”
It was the wrong question to ask because she gets all serious and tenses up. “Fine.”
Determined to put her at ease, I talk about myself and Maverick, regaling her with stories of her brother and me together on all our many missions. I leave out the dangerous stories and instead tell her about the fun times we had and how Maverick could always make me laugh.
By the time we’re finished eating, she’s wiping her eyes from laughing so hard, and I fall for her even more.
6
MAYA
I’m sitting at my desk, and I lean back and stretch my arms over my head. I’m mid pose when I remember that Legend is still here and lying on my couch. I turn, and sure enough, he’s watching me with hooded eyes.