by Jeannie Moon
At that moment, she was tempted to ask for her job back. At least it would be something to do.
“Hey.” Taking the seat next to her was Will.
“Hi.” She could barely look at him she was so embarrassed.
It was a tight squeeze, but it was nice, his warmth was comforting. There were no words exchanged as Will draped his jacket over her shoulders, and adjusted his big body on the small bench.
It was a simple, lovely gesture that showed what a good man he was, and after what had just happened, his kindness proved to be too much for her emotions to handle. Maggie broke, crying for the second time that day.
“Oh, God… I… thank you. I…” That was the last thing she said before Will’s arm wrapped around her shoulder and pulled her into the strong, solid wall of his chest.
Once that happened, Maggie gave into the sadness and despair that had been hovering just beneath the surface for the past few months, and let it go.
* * *
CRYING WOMEN AND babies were two things Will never knew how to handle. He liked both, women and babies, but when tears were part of the deal, he tended to step back.
Not this time, though. This time he knew exactly what to do, so he pulled Maggie close, holding her tight against his body as the tears swamped her. Never in his life had he felt someone else’s sadness, but listening to Maggie’s quiet sobs, feeling her body tremble in his arms, made his heart hurt for her. And it brought out every protective instinct in him.
He wanted to fucking pummel the asshole who had been so damn cruel.
Feeling her soft hair in his hands, he pressed her head into his chest, and rocked her gently as he held her. “Let it out. It’s okay, just let it out.”
“I’m sorry, I… I hate crying, but… dammit. Why do the crazies always find me? Why? Just when I’m starting to feel better, someone says something that… I don’t know. It just stings. I did everything I was supposed to do. He wasn’t in the blasted plane. He doesn’t know me.” She wiped her eyes. “I hate this. I wish I knew what I was supposed to do.”
“Guys like that are assholes. They have nothing going for them, and it becomes everyone else’s fault. The only thing a guy like that can do is take cheap shots. As far as the other stuff, maybe being home will help you figure things out.”
“Like what?” She sniffled and wiped her nose with her sleeve before looking up at him with tear filled eyes. She was a mess. Her hair was mussed, her make-up was blotchy, and her eyes were red and swollen. Maggie cried ugly… but he’d never seen anyone more beautiful in his life.
“What comes next? You’re young. What are you, thirty? There’s a whole life ahead of you.”
She nodded, but her lip trembled as she spoke. “I thought that life would include a husband and kids. That’s not going to happen now. Stan was crude, but he’s right, who would want me?”
Hearing that made him want to hit Stan even harder. Will wished he could tell Maggie that men would line up to be with her. She had the face of an angel, but beyond that he’d seen a brilliance, an inner fire, that identified her as a special soul. So when that line formed, and it would definitely form, he’d fight to be first. She was extraordinary.
“I don’t think that’s something you have to worry about.” He brushed a strand of hair off her face and tucked it behind her ear. “You’re really very…” He hesitated, then looked right in Maggie Benson’s big brown eyes and spoke the only truth he knew. “You’re beautiful.”
Her eyes stayed on his, searching, questioning. “You really think so?” she finally whispered.
“Oh, yeah. I really do.”
Maggie’s arms slipped around his waist and she hugged him, resting her head on his chest where it fit perfectly. Will held on, knowing this could be opening them up to a whole slew of problems, but he didn’t care. She needed him, this felt right. That was the only thing that mattered.
Moving slowly, she glanced up and he lost himself in her face—the creamy skin, the rosy, full lips, the eyes that held all her pain—it all grabbed his long quiet heart and made it beat stronger. When her fingers brushed his cheek, Will was in more trouble than he ever imagined.
“You’re a very nice man, Will Fitzgerald.”
“I’ll tell my mother you said so.”
He was trying to put her at ease, to make light of a tough situation, but each minute that passed revealed a truth Will wasn’t prepared for. Given half a chance, Maggie would own him, and he’d be okay with that.
“I’m scared,” she choked out.
“Of what?”
“I don’t know. Everything. Life. I mean, what’s going to happen to me?” With all the changes in her life, she had good reason to wonder. He wished he could help her, but the answers Maggie was looking for had to come from inside.
“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” It was one of his favorite quotes. When his basketball career ended without warning, and his marriage went south almost as quickly, Will was facing a new future and he was completely unprepared for the changes. On some level, he could relate to what Maggie was feeling.
He smiled as she tilted her head to one side, thinking about what he’d just said. “Interesting advice.”
“Joseph Campbell. He understood the mysteries of the ancients, I think that gives him some credibility.”
“So, I should face what scares me?” Maggie had faced so much already, she had to be getting tired of facing her demons. But he also knew the woman was made of very tough stuff, and it was time to leave the past firmly in her rearview mirror.
“Sometimes I think it’s the only way. Our fears often define us, and I don’t think we should let them. You might find what you’re looking for when you get past whatever is holding you back, and more than that, you have to look for your happiness.”
Biting down on her lower lip, she looked away, and Will wished he could read her mind. When she tilted her face to his, everything about her moved him—from her bright eyes, to the questions he saw lurking beneath the surface.
“I don’t know if I believe that completely,” she responded.
“It’s true. Face it, and move on. You’re doing that with the kids we’re going to be working with. Right?”
“It’s not the same.”
“Fears are fears. They hold us back from what we really want.”
“So I should go after what I want. Is that what you’re saying?”
“Absolutely.” He believed that was true for everyone. Especially for someone like her, who had so much to give.
She was quiet for a bit, thoughtful, but when her glinting eyes softened to a smolder, Will took notice.
“Don’t hate me for this,” she said quietly, struggling a bit, but finally kneeling up so they were face to face. “Okay?”
“Hate you? For what? I don’t…” He got his answer when she leaned in and kissed him.
It was gentle, tentative, just a light brush of her lips against his.
And it changed everything.
He saw a spark, a question in the chocolate depths of her eyes, and now it was his turn to answer. Cupping her face in his hands, feeling the incredible softness of her skin, Will didn’t hesitate as he covered her mouth with his. Immediately, heat shot through him, and if the first kiss between them was a whisper, this one exploded.
There was no shyness on her part either; Maggie went all in. Pressing against him, her mouth opened slightly, allowing him to explore, to taste, and to get completely lost in the feel of her. Her arms were around his neck now, her fingers in his hair, and they were so physically close there was no way she wouldn’t feel his erection and know how much he wanted her.
But he also knew she was vulnerable, hurting from the harsh words, scared of the future she was facing, and he didn’t want to take advantage of a woman who was walking such a fine line. He wasn’t that guy. Pulling back a little, Maggie nipped at Will’s neck and he let out a long breath, praying for some self-control. “Maggie.”
/> “God, you feel so good, Will. So good.” Overcome, she dropped her head on his shoulder while Will pulled her arms from around his neck and held her hands. He knew they had to put the brakes on, but he didn’t want to let her go just yet.
This had the potential to turn bad very fast, so he wanted to talk to her to see what had been going through that head of hers. The kiss was great, but talk about out of the blue. “Maggie, listen…”
“What the hell are you two doing?” Glancing over his shoulder, he saw that Sabrina Killen and her friend, Cassandra McKinnon, had come looking for Maggie. Sabrina was not happy. “Were you two kissing?”
Maggie looked up at him and mouthed ‘sorry’, but he didn’t really care what Sabrina, or anyone else for that matter, thought about them. He discovered he liked kissing Maggie Benson, and if there was any way to make it happen again, he was all for it.
“Well?” Bree asked again. When neither he nor Maggie answered, Sabrina walked forward, shoved a jacket and a purse at Maggie, and started to guide Cass to a waiting car. “My dad’s here. Are you coming back to the house, or are you leaving with Will?”
“I’ll be right there,” Maggie said, her voice laced with annoyance.
“Dr. Ed’s here?”
“We all wanted to drink, so he drove us tonight.”
Will smiled, pushing a strand of hair caught by the breeze off her face. “I can drive you home if you want.”
“No, I’m staying over there tonight.”
“A sleepover?” Will dropped his head and chuckled. “Will you talk about boys and paint your fingernails?”
Smacking his arm lightly, Maggie joined in the laughter. “You’re fresh. And the answer is maybe, but only if there’s enough wine.”
Making sure Bree and Cass were safely in Dr. Gervais’ car, Maggie smiled at him and his heart jumped. “Thank you for coming to my rescue. It was very sweet of you.”
“Don’t thank me, I feel like I should be apologizing.” Kissing her like that wasn’t right, but at the same time, if he could have taken her to bed, he wouldn’t have hesitated. So much for his moral compass. Will had bought himself a one-way ticket to hell. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like that. It was wrong.”
“Wrong?” Her eyes dropped from his.
“You were upset… I took advantage of you.”
“You took? I guess I’m not remembering correctly, then.” Maggie stepped away and glanced toward the car. “I’m sorry if it made you uncomfortable.”
“No. That’s not what I meant.” Shit.
“It’s fine,” she touched his hand and smiled as best she could. “Goodnight, Will.”
As she walked toward the car, he didn’t stop her. Why didn’t he stop her?
Maggie climbed into the back of the Lexus SUV, and if he could have managed it, Will would have kicked himself. It wasn’t like Maggie hadn’t been through enough, and now Will had embarrassed her. It was never his intention, but that’s exactly what had happened.
And he’d hurt her as a result.
Yeah, he was just a fucking prince.
Chapter Four
‡
THERE WERE FEW things more uncomfortable than not talking to your best friend about something you really should talk about. Unless, of course, it was kissing a gorgeous, sweet man and listening him apologize for it.
Currently, she was on a treatment table at Sabrina’s physical therapy practice, stretching her hamstrings with the help of an athletic trainer who was showing her no mercy.
“Aw, jeez, that hurts.”
“I need to do this, Maggie. Your muscles have gotten short. Don’t be a baby.”
He did not say that. Did the man actually call her a baby? “Scott, have you looked at my chart? I’ve been going through this shit for two years. I am many things, but I am not a baby. And how did my muscles get short? I stretch all the time.”
“You obviously suck at stretching, and you are being a baby, so suck it up, Buttercup.”
“Slave driver.”
Smiling, he stretched her leg across her body to one side, pressing it down, and she felt the pull in her hip. Then he brought it perpendicular to the table and started pressing back, causing her to wince. It really did hurt, but truthfully, it hurt no matter what. She’d been living with a certain degree of pain since the crash, and she shouldn’t have to. Sabrina and her team were one of the best around, so coming home had the added benefit of finishing her recovery.
Once Scott finished with her stretches, she got on the bike and set it for fifteen minutes. Five minutes in, Sabrina came over and checked her progress.
“Are you going to talk to me about what happened the other night?” Bree had laced into her about the public display when she slid into the backseat of Dr. Ed’s car, but Maggie tuned her out. Will felt good. Being held, kissing him, and being kissed so thoroughly, and with such care, made her happier than she’d been in a long, long time.
“Are you going to continue to be a judgmental mother hen? Because I need a friend, not someone who is going to scold me.”
Sabrina looked away. “I’m sorry, but you just got home, you’ve been through a trauma, and I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“Bree, it’s too late to avoid being hurt. And I’m going to be traumatized for the rest of my life. It’s time for me to get on with it.”
“I guess, but… Will? I mean he’s nice, and very well liked in town, but he’s a lot older than you.”
“Is he? I didn’t ask. Remind me. How many years are there between you and Jake?”
That stopped Miss Know-It-All in her tracks. There were a good seven years between Bree and her husband. And Maggie wasn’t going to be pregnant at nineteen. “Nothing to say about that?”
Bree grimaced, and Maggie continued pedaling. “Look, I like him—granted, I don’t know him that well, but…” She paused thinking about what exactly she wanted to say. “I feel like I do. I feel like I’ve known him forever. Is that weird?”
“Maybe. It’s hard to say. How was the kiss?”
“The kiss was… a surprise. It was just so good to be held again.” She drew a shuddering breath. “He felt right. Everything felt right for a change.”
Dabbing her eyes, Bree sniffled. Mother Hen was having a bit of a moment. “I want you to be happy.”
“I want that, too. It’s been a long time. That’s why I came home for the holidays. I figured it was my best shot.”
Maggie stilled, giving Bree the chance to hug her hard. That felt good, too. “So what’s the problem with Will?”
“He apologized for the kiss, for taking advantage of me when I was upset. I think he regrets it.”
“Damn. I hate when they go all honorable. You haven’t heard from him?”
“No, he doesn’t have my cell number, and I doubt he’d call the house.”
“Aw. That sucks.” Bree looked away, probably overthinking. Maggie was doing the same.
“I have his number, though. And I did promise to help him with some Paralympic runners he’s coaching.”
Sabrina smirked. “You do? You definitely want to follow up on the kids.”
“Right. He said I could really help.” Maggie couldn’t help but grin. “I guess I could send him a text. You know, to say ‘hello’.”
Whispering conspiratorially, Bree leaned in. “A dirty text?”
“No! Oh, for Pete’s sake. I barely know him, and you want me to send a dirty text? I wouldn’t even know what to write.”
There was very little that made Sabrina blush, but suddenly her cheeks flamed red. “Jake and I do it sometimes when he’s on the road. It’s fun.”
“Oh, sweet Jesus.” Maggie pulled her phone from her pocket and opened a text. “Okay. What do I write? And keep it clean.”
“Flirt,” Bree said. “You should flirt.”
“No shit? Really? I never would have thought of that.” Maggie knew how to flirt. Well, she used to know how to flirt. “I need to be subtle.”
“Subt
le. Right. Dear Will. I need to get laid. Are you in?” Bree’s eyes went wide and she burst out laughing, covering her mouth as her voice carried through the office.
“I cannot believe you just said that. Are you in? That’s awful.”
Turning the phone away from Bree because she didn’t need that kind of help with the text, she started typing.
Hi Will, it’s Maggie. Please answer. Please answer.
Hey. :)
I wanted to tell you that I know you regret that we kissed, but you shouldn’t. I don’t.
Okay.
I hope you don’t feel awkward about Thanksgiving, because the whole family is looking forward to you being there.
There was a pause as she watched him start to type, then stop. Then start again.
Even you?
Oh. Her heart started beating a little faster. Did she write the first thing that popped in her head? What the hell. Especially me.
You just made my day.
:)
And Maggie?
Yeah?
I don’t regret kissing you either. I’ve been thinking about it for two days.
You have? Me too. Over and over.
It was nice between us. And I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.
Oy, could he tell? You didn’t.
Liar.
Okay. Maybe a little, but it doesn’t matter now. I’ll see you Thursday.
Thursday. Can I text you before that?
Sure. I’d love it.
Call?
Absolutely. You have to tell me more about your runners.
Right. Yes, I do. I’ll call soon, then. Have a good day.
The man drove her crazy. How did he do that? Sure, he was movie star gorgeous, but he was so nice. And God, could he kiss. She might never be able to kiss anyone else because she’d been completely ruined by him. He was older, considerably, than she was, but maybe that was part of what made him so attractive. He was quietly confident, not cocky. Settled, but still looking to grow.