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Maverick shrugs and puts an are soon and we need to get the guys home”

Tony shoots a lasses off “Get Jackson and Steve in here,” he says to soht now”

A burly bald man comes into the room and says, “Hey, boss”

“Good toain soon” He waves at the bald guy “Hit ame, Jackson”

Looking sheepish, the , man”

Tony hisses so at Jackson in a low tone and Jackson says, “Sorry, boss, but I love hockey I searched hiirlfriend”

Maverick quickly walks us out of the house, and once out front, we break into a jog

“What the hell was that?” he asks e Rover He unlocks it with a button on his key fob

“Let’s get in the car first”

Once we’re inside and the doors are locked, Maverick starts the car and drives away froain

“How did you get in there?” I ask him

“Gave Jackson a couple front row seats to the next gaainst Nashville That’s his team”

I exhale hard and say, “Thanks”

“What was going on in there, Gia?”

“A private poker game”

“Why was the guy in sunglasses so pissed at you?”

I shrug, pretending I’ ns at these private gaht I wasn’t smart

“I won too much”

Maverick sighs heavily “Why aren’t you playing in a poker room on the Strip, where they have cameras and security?”

“Look, I can take care of ht and I appreciate you co But don’t lecture me, okay?”

“I don’t mean to lecture, but you scared the shit out of me”

“I’’s fine now” I reach over and put a hand on his knee “Thank you”

He looks down at my hand, and then over at me “You’re welcome”

As soon as we get back to the house, Maverick tosses his car keys on the kitchen counter and I walk over to the refrigerator to get some water

After I thanked him, we drove home in silence, tension thick between us And now, I don’t knohat to say I stand at the kitchen island withthrough the s

I hear hi to walk up to his bedroo else Instead, I hear his heavy exhale as he gets closer, and then he wraps his arainst my back

Everything about hie of excite in his ar my eyes

“You okay?” he asks, his lips grazing my ear