I Dare You (The Hook Up #1)(30)

She stands there watching me as I dash back to the boxing area and grab my gym bag.

I jog back to where she waits. “Now, let’s go find Han Solo.”

A smile briefly appears on her face and she gives me an odd look. “Are you sure? You’re…” She clears her throat, her gaze lingering on my pecs. “You’re half-naked and it’s cold outside.”

I grab my North Face off a hook and slip it over my bare chest. “I’m fine, Buttercup.”





Delaney



Maverick ushers me out into the cold and straight to his truck, a Toyota that looks like it’s seen better days. He opens the passenger door for me and gives me a hand up into the cab. He gets in on the other side, looks over at me, and squeezes my hand, surprising me. He’s being so…sweet and helpful. “You okay?” he asks.

I nod. I’m worried about Han, but I’m also discombobulated by seeing Maverick at the gym, even though Skye casually mentioned this week that she heard a lot of the football players come to Carson’s during the off season to take advantage of their programs.

Part of my reason for taking the yoga class here was hoping I’d run into him—so stupid, but I can’t help myself.

“Why were you boxing?” I ask.

He shrugs. “My dad used to work there and was able to get me a few lessons when I was growing up. I’m pretty good at it.”

“Is there anything you’re not good at?”

“Nope.” He sends me a grin and I try to reciprocate, but it fails. Things are still strange between us. I sigh and look out the window.

We pull up to the fine arts building, and I’m out the door before he even gets us parked. My gaze scans the horizon, looking past trees and landscaping and buildings, trying to catch a flash of black and white fur. It feels futile, and I don’t see anything that looks like him. At least it’s the weekend and campus is dead, so there aren’t a hundred bodies to look around.

“Han, where are you, little man?” calls Maverick as he takes the north side of the building and I take the south. Ten minutes of fruitless searching goes by as I make one more pass and then two across the quad in front of the surrounding buildings. Nothing is out here except for a few crazy squirrels and blackbirds.

I feel lost. Han #1 left, and now Han #2.

“Over here!” It’s Maverick’s voice, and I flip around to see that he’s holding a squirming Han about fifty yards away. Pure joy fills me as I take off running toward them. Breathing heavily from my jog, I come to a stop, take the fighting Han, and pet him until he calms.

“Maverick! Oh my gosh, where did you find him?”

He shrugs. “Would you believe he was in the dumpster behind the building? He must have crawled in there for food and couldn’t get out. I heard a tiny meow, opened it up, and there he was.”

I rub his head the way he likes, and he nips at my hand then purrs.

Looking back up, I notice Maverick’s jacket is torn and his shorts look askew. My mouth opens. “You got in the dumpster?”

He grins. “Dumpster diver, at your service.”

I throw my arms around him, somehow managing to not squish Han in the process. My lips graze his cheek for a second and he turns his head to meet them, but I pull away before that happens.

I react by looking down at my runaway cat. “What if no one had seen him all weekend? You probably saved one of his lives.”

“Undoubtedly. I hope he’s worth it.”

I sigh. “He’s all I have.”

“Well, you have me now.” He clears his throat. “He looks a bit frazzled. Let’s get you both home.”





We pull up at my house and it’s nearly dark. Skye’s car is gone, and I recall a text from her earlier saying she was staying at Tyler’s place tonight.

I’m still holding Han in my arms and he’s anxious to get down, so I get to the front door in a hurry. Maverick follows me, taking my keys from my bag and unlocking my door.

As soon as he gets it open, I plop the cat down and he takes off. “Now don’t run away again,” I scold him as he flounces toward the kitchen where his food and water are.

I gaze back at Maverick, who’s watching me.

“What?”

He shrugs as he leans against the doorjamb and brushes those gorgeous eyes over me. “Just like looking at you. I’m glad we found him.”

“Me too,” I sigh. “Well, thank you for taking me there and finding him.”

Maverick starts, straightening up. “Oh, I just realized we didn’t go get your car at the gym.”

I shrug. “Don’t worry about it. I’m not going anywhere else tonight, and Skye will be back tomorrow.”

He chews on his lip. “Don’t you have plans?”

“Nope. You?”

“No.”

He watches me, studying me, and before I can stop myself, I blurt out, “Do you want to stay for dinner? I can cook for us—you know, as a thank you for helping me find Han. I don’t think I would have been able to get him out of that dumpster even if I had heard him in there.”

“I’d love that.” An almost shy expression crosses his face. “I don’t think anyone’s ever cooked for me…you know, since my mom.”