“And your deal breaker?” he prodded.
“Jeremy slept with a married woman while we were still together and knocked her up.”
“That right there is a dick move.”
“It was more than a dick move. She already had two kids with her husband.”
Maverick was trying to figure out what kind of guy would toss aside someone like Charlie Samuels when she nudged him in the shoulder.
“My turn.”
“Sure. What else do you want to know?”
“How long are you staying here? In Fisherman’s Landing?”
And just like that, the ease of the moment fled. Maverick took a few moments, trying to come up with the right answer. But then he realized the only right answer was the truth. And the truth was…
“I don’t know, Charlie. I came out here because I needed to shake things up. I thought a change of pace was what I needed. But the thing is, I’ve got obligations that I can’t ignore and right now my home is on the other side of the country.”
“And did it?”
“Did what?”
“Are things better?”
“It’s getting there.” He dropped a kiss onto her nose. “It helps when you have inspiration.”
“Is that what I am?” she said the words softly, eyes on the piece of thread she’d pulled from the comforter. “Inspiration?”
“You’re a hell of a lot more than just inspiration.” He said the words slowly because he knew he needed to get this right. “Look, I had no intention of getting involved with anyone out here. That wasn’t my plan. I have a film to score this spring, and I’m working on some songs for Donnie.
That was it. I was going to push through my mental block and get some work done. But then you walked into that diner and…”
Could he sound anymore like a damn Hallmark card?
“I’m surprised you didn’t run the other way.”
“I thought about it,” he replied wryly, thinking back to how prickly she’d been.
For a few moments there was silence and then Charlie took a good long pull from her beer can. She set it on the table beside the bed.
“Eventually you’ll leave.” Charlie glanced up at him. Her expression was shuttered and he couldn’t get a good read on her. And for a guy who made a living penning lyrics, he was lost.
What the hell did he say to that?
“Jesus, forget I said that,” she said in a rush. “This conversation is getting way too serious. Of course you have a life to go back to. I know that. Hell, I’ve got my own stuff to deal with.”
“Charlie, whatever this is between us, we’ll figure it out.”
She held his gaze for a few moments and then smiled. “Of course we will.”
She set the popcorn bowl on the floor and snuggled up against him, her head near his heart. She felt so good, right there beside him. Solid. Real.
“Just so you know…before when we…” She squirmed a bit as if she was uncomfortable. “And just now when we…”
He chuckled. “When we did IT.”
That earned him a fist in the chest. “Yes. When we did IT. I…”