Every Summer Has A Story

Ch. 11 - Snitches Get Stitches

Maverick helped Eve down from the Gator and began walking cautiously toward the sound of the creek. The ground had turned almost completely to mud with large puddles of standing water covering either side of the trail. Eve gave herself a mental pat on the back for having the wherewithal to put on her boots. Maverick plunged on ahead, his knee-length Muck Boots providing all the protection he would need from deep mud and the vicious stinging nettles. Eve followed closely behind, appreciating once more Maverick's mountain man frame and enjoyable backside. He looked so at home with his dark Wranglers, camo boots, and machete he'd lovingly dubbed Thor. She couldn't help feeling slightly out of place in that moment. Despite her farm raising, Eve was all thumbs when it came to some aspects of camp life. On Maverick it all looked so natural. As if reading her thoughts, Maverick suddenly unsheathed Thor and swung at a half-hanging branch, dragging it down with his free hand and tossing it easily aside. Eve practically salivated at the show.

"I may be a strong independent woman who don't need no man," she thought, "but damn I love seeing men doing manly things."

Maverick looked over his shoulder with a confident smile,

"We need to get you a knife."

Eve cocked her head and motioned toward her back pocket,

"Sugar, who said I don't have one of my own?" She sassed, patting the pocket knife Asher had given her for graduation.

Maverick blinked a few times before dramatically dropping to one knee,

"I'm gonna have to marry you."

Eve threw back her head and laughed as the deep mud sucked in the better half of Maverick's knee. He looked down at his mistake and frowned.

"Well shit," he murmured.

"You're a hot mess," she drawled, reaching down to help pull him up from the muck, his strong fingers curling around her hand.

He grew still for a moment as their gazes met, making her heart do something strange. Momentarily distracted, Eve recognized the familiar mischievous glint in Maverick's eyes a split second too late.

"You son of a -" she sputtered as Maverick pulled her face-first down into the mud.

She lifted her chin at the last moment, sparing herself a mouth-full of dirt, but she still ended up covered head-to-toe as she landed with an impressive wet splat.

Maverick was roaring, tears streaming from his eyes,

"I'm sorry Goose, but the moment was perfect. You should see yourself I can't -"

Eve sprang up from her belly and threw all of her weight against Maverick's brick-house form. He was taken by surprise and immediately toppled backward into the mud with a holler.

"Payback's a bitch!" she announced proudly, her body flushed against his.

Maverick blinked up at her with surprise, his blue eyes electric,

"You're going to pay for that, Goose."

She placed a brazen kiss on his forehead with a resounding smack,

"Bring it on," she dared him, hopping up from the ground in one swift motion.

Eve glanced down at her body and laughed. She was completely caked with mud.

"It looks like I just went muddin' without actually having any of the fun!"

Maverick heaved himself up next, groaning as he swiped at the dirt down his font,