Magnolia and Moonlight

by Iris Abbott

  She hesitated for a brief second. It seemed ridiculous for both of them to drive to Folly Beach. “Perfect. I have two lessons that day, one at three-thirty and another at four-thirty.” She could be home by six, which would give her an hour to freshen up and change clothes.

  “Can’t wait to see you, for now, I’ve gotta go. Jeremy’s back in town and is getting ready to brief us on Ben. Says he’s got a big announcement to make, don’t want to be late for that.”

  “I have to get going myself. Hope all is well with Ben. Talk to you later.” She disconnected the call before he could.

  Maggie hugged the phone to her breasts. She did it, accepted a date with Marcus. She lifted her chin, tipped her head backward, and settled her gaze on the rolling clouds above. The date was a step toward complete healing from the emotional scars of the beating she took at the hands of her ex. Excitement fizzed inside her.

  She hit speed dial number one, knowing her sister was probably in a lab, working on the next best scent. Maggie was a little surprised when Savannah picked up instead of voice mail.

  “Hey, sis.” There was a slight hesitation in Savannah’s voice. “I hope nothing’s wrong.”

  “Nope, but I’ve got some good news.” She bounced on her toes, barely able to contain her excitement.

  “Do tell,” her sister sounded more upbeat.

  “Remember the guy I told you about yesterday?”

  “Marcus Easton? Of course, I remember telling you he sounded like a keeper.”

  She and her sister talked on the phone for almost two hours the night before. Savannah filled her in on the progress she made toward the move. Maggie told her all about Marcus and their long and enlightening conversation at the coffee shop.

  “Well, you’re not gonna believe what he did this morning?” She told her sister all about Marcus’s latest attempt to get her attention.

  “Wow!” her sister let out a dreamy sounding sigh. “Yep, he is definitely a keeper. I hope you said yes! Please tell me you said yes!”

  Maggie giggled. “I did, and it feels like I’m taking a giant leap forward.”

  “You are, and taking a step up from the wimpy men you’ve dated since you were attacked by he who shall not be named. Wimpy is boring and not your style,” Savannah continued.

  Maggie ignored the comment and changed the subject. “Surprised you answered, I was going to leave a message.”

  “Yeah, took the afternoon off, needed some me time with the craziness of the move and all that.” She cut off the conversation before Maggie could ask about the ‘all that’ her sister referred to. “Hey, my doorbell just rang. Gotta go, talk to you later.”

  The call was disconnected. Maggie shrugged, slipped the phone in her purse, and practically skipped to her car. Things were looking up, way up.

  ****

  The beach looked different at night. Gone were the giant colorful umbrellas, the assortment of beach towels that cover the sand, and most of the sun worshippers who enjoyed a day by the ocean. Instead, a fat moon rose on the horizon, bathing the sand and water in golden light.

  “That big announcement I mentioned the other day. Looks like Barrett Security is expanding.”

  Maggie walked next to Marcus. They held hands and slowly strolled from one end of the beach to the other. “Yeah, what’s going on? Rose didn’t mention anything yesterday during practice.”

  “Jeremy hired a dog trainer, former military like most of the rest of us.” Marcus told her the story of how he met Waylon Knight. “It’s a smart business move for the company, and I think he’ll fit in with the group.”

  “Sounds wonderful. As soon as Savannah arrives, we’re moving into our grandmother’s old house together. Maybe we should get a dog. One that barks and growls at intruders.”

  “Not a bad idea,” he agreed. “A well-trained dog could keep y’all safe. We’ll talk to Knight and get his professional opinion as soon as he’s settled. He had a few things to wrap up back in Texas before coming out here.”

  Suddenly, Maggie tugged on his hand and stopped. She tilted back her head and spun around in a circle. She took a deep breath, expanding her chest.

  He turned to face her, and his gaze eagerly traced Maggie from top to bottom. She had the willowy, athletic build of a dancer. Her delicate, oval-shaped face with its dainty chin contained the most mesmerizing pair of large blue-green eyes he’d ever seen. Her long, curly dark blonde hair fell midway down her back.

  Marcus wanted to see all that glorious hair spread out on his pillows. He wanted to feel the silky soft strands glide across and caress his naked flesh during sex. He needed to touch and taste every inch of her. His body fairly vibrated from the need that assailed him.

  A flush of warmth spread from his groin outward. His heart raced. A pleasurable ache flooded his body. His breathing sped up and was loud enough to be heard over the crashing waves.

  “I love the ocean,” Maggie’s soft voice penetrated the fog of lust that clouded his brain.

  “Me too, something about the sea and sand soothes the soul.”

  Her eyes popped open. She looked at him with her mouth agape. She intently stared at him for several seconds.

  He broke the awkward silence. “What?” He tilted his head. “Don’t think I’m a beach kind of guy?”

  She gave him a sheepish look. “Didn’t think you’d be so poetic about it is all. I couldn’t have found better words, and I’m a songwriter.”

  He grinned. “I have my moments.”

  She stared at him. “I bet you do.”

  Bathed in golden light with the foaming mist of seawater behind her, Maggie was too tempting for him to resist. He was not above taking advantage of moonlight and the salty ocean breeze. He shuffled his feet forward, moving closer to Maggie.

  Her eyes fluttered shut. She swayed toward him. That was all the invitation Marcus needed.

  His gaze zeroed in on her plump, shiny lips. He cupped her face between shaky palms and lowered his head until her beautiful face filled his field of vision. Marcus brushed his lips over hers.

  Aware of her wariness, his mouth was tender, his embrace light. The kiss was long and leisurely. Maggie warmed to him. Her pliant body pressed against his, molding to him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and she held him close.

  Arousal surged through his blood. His body zinged. His heart raced. His growing erection pushed against the zipper of his pants. He could not remember the last time he was turned on so fast.

  The kiss pushed all thought from his mind. He forgot to be careful and let the passion take control. He moved a hand to the back of her head to deepen the kiss. He nipped at her bottom lip and thrust his tongue inside her now open mouth.

  Maggie did not push him away. She tangled her fingers in his hair and moaned.

  Desire sizzled through his veins. He wanted to taste more. He kissed his way down her neck, licking and sucking on the tender skin. Maggie shuddered against him. Her arms drifted down his back and hugged him tightly.

  Voices and laughter penetrated his senses. He broke the kiss and took a step away from her. Maggie stared at him with wide, passion-glazed eyes. Marcus reached out and traced the outline of her luscious lips and kiss-swollen mouth.

  “Why’d you stop?” she asked in a hoarse voice. She rested her forehead against his chest.

  “Public beach,” he reminded her. “We’re not alone.”

  She turned to see the other couple who strolled closer with every second. “Figures,” she muttered under her breath.

  “Follow me to my place, and we’ll take up where we left off,” he promised. He held his breath, hoping she would agree.

  Maggie sucked in her bottom lip. He could tell she was mulling it over. He sensed she wanted to but was still holding on to some of her reservations. He clasped their hands together. “You’ve got the ride back to town to think about it,” he suggested.

  Of course, it was not to be. Before Marcus reached the turnoff point for either house, his phone rang. The
call was from Jeremy. A new client called to request help after a break-in and assault. They needed immediate protection, and Marcus was the closest Barrett Security employee who was not on an assignment already.

  “Guess we’ll never know how tonight could have turned out,” Marcus groused as he pulled into the parking area in front of her duplex.

  Maggie turned in her seat and caressed his jaw with her hand. “I would have chosen your place,” she said in a husky voice that heated his blood.

  He groaned. “Raincheck,” he insisted.

  “Definitely!”

  He palmed her face, claimed her lips, and kissed her deep. Both were breathing hard when they pulled apart a couple of minutes later. “Another taste of how good we are together, so you don’t forget.”

  She touched her lips. “No chance of that. Go save lives and stay safe. Call later if you want,” she shyly added.

  “As soon as I get the chance,” he promised. No one other than his mom had worried about him for so long. Her concern eased the disappointment of the night’s ending and warmed his heart. She cared, and that meant something to him.

  Maggie unfastened her seatbelt, opened the door, and got out of his SUV. She ran to her duplex, stopping to look back at him once she reached the door. He waved and waited for her to unlock and enter before he drove away.

  Marcus loved his job. He really did. Tonight, though, it sucked!

  He pushed aside thoughts of Maggie in his bed and focused on the task at hand. Good things came to those who waited. Marcus could be as patient as Maggie needed him to be.

  SEVEN

  “Come at me! Give it your best shot!” The man clapped his large hands together and wiggled his fingers, taunting her to attack.

  Maggie rubbed her hands down the front of the loose-fitting workout shorts she wore. She did not move. “I don’t want to hurt you. Not that I could,” she muttered under her breath.

  “You won’t,” Josh Heath, a bodyguard at Barrett Security, insisted.

  Maggie hoped she would not regret the impulse to volunteer for the demonstration. She glanced over at Marcus. He watched her with alert eyes. Marcus nodded, urging her to give it a try.

  Maggie used her forearm to wipe away the small amount of perspiration gathered on her forehead and tossed her ponytail over her shoulder. She yelled and charged toward the self-defense instructor. She kicked out at him too early. He grabbed her foot and tripped her up. Maggie lost her balance and fell onto the thick mat that covered the otherwise hard floor.

  She landed with a whoosh. The air was knocked from her, but Maggie was not hurt. She stared up at the ceiling until Marcus’s handsome face came into view. He extended a hand. She laced her fingers with his, and he helped Maggie rise to her feet.

  Her heart raced. Her breathing was ragged. Maggie’s muscles were rigid with tension. “Well, that went well,” she sarcastically informed Marcus and the room at large.

  Rose, Lily, and Holly giggled. Maggie did not even have to look their way to know they were the guilty party. She did not blame her friends. Seeing her tossed onto the mat was probably hilarious. She was not injured, so no harm was done.

  “Thanks.” She flashed Marcus a grateful smile.

  He winked at her. Maggie’s face flushed. She hummed under her breath and skipped back to rejoin her friends in the circle of ladies seated around the boundary created by the exercise mats. His attentive and flirty behavior made the tumble worthwhile.

  Josh clapped his hands together. “All right, ladies, that was a good try from Maggie. She remembered to make noise to try and intimidate her attacker,” he praised. “But,” he held up a finger. “She forgot what I said about not kicking out because it gives your attacker plenty of opportunities to throw you off balance. Which is exactly what I did, without breaking a sweat.”

  Marcus stepped in front of the group. “Remember the first rule. Avoid confrontation if you can. Run, find help, and be loud,” he instructed.

  “Also, be aware of your surroundings at all times. Park and walk in well-lit public areas. If someone seems suspicious, listen to your instincts. Run into a public place like a coffee shop and ask for help. Don’t go home right away in case you’re being followed. If you are attacked and manage to get away, find a well-lit public area and call the police.”

  “Also,” Josh reminded them, “carry protection such as pepper spray.” He rubbed his hands together. “Next week, we’ll get down to the nitty-gritty. Marcus and I will show you some moves.”

  “The good stuff,” Marcus agreed. “We’ll teach you the hammer strike, where you use your car keys as a weapon. Also, the groin kick where you use your knee instead of your foot and have less chance of getting thrown to the ground. We’ll also teach you how to escape from a bearhug and side headlock amongst other modes of defense.”

  A lady near Maggie fanned herself. “They can show me some moves at any time.”

  Her friends giggled.

  “You’ve got that right,” one replied.

  “Yep, I’m a hands-on kinda learner,” yet another added.

  Maggie glared, but the women were too busy ogling Marcus and Josh to notice her displeasure.

  Rose did. She lightly elbowed Maggie in the side. “She doesn’t stand a chance with you around. Look.” She tilted her head toward Marcus. “He can’t take his eyes off you.”

  Maggie grinned. “Good to know.”

  “You guys wanna meet Violet over at the club for a drink before we call it a night?” Lily asked.

  Rose and Holly quickly agreed.

  “Not me, going out with Marcus,” Maggie informed her friends just as the group was dismissed, and he made his way toward them.

  The nearby ladies batted their eyelashes and made googly eyes at him as he passed. Marcus, however, strode toward her and didn’t stop until he was standing in front of her. Once again, he leaned down, grasped her hand, and pulled her to her feet.

  “Lucky bitch,” she heard one of the other women mutter under her breath.

  Maggie ignored the less than flattering name. She glanced over her shoulder and called out to her roommates. She made sure to be loud enough for everyone close by to hear. “Don’t wait up.”

  Rose grinned and waved bye. Holly wiggled her eyebrows and giggled. Lily smiled and called back, “have fun you two!”

  ****

  Marcus had not been this nervous around a woman since his junior prom. Maggie was under his skin. She mattered. That made this date different from all the others.

  The crisp breeze that cooled the skin on contact stopped it from being a steamy southern summer night, though, Marcus expected things were going to get scorching hot soon enough. “I can give you the grand tour of the inside later if you want. The patio and screened porch are my favorite places,” he confided in her.

  He led Maggie to a spot in the middle of the patio that gave them an unobstructed view of the rest of his backyard and the lagoon beyond. “I thought we’d enjoy the view in the open area of the patio instead of the porch tonight.”

  “Weather’s perfect for that,” she agreed. “There’s enough of a breeze to keep bugs away too,” she wrinkled her nose at the pronouncement. “My only complaint about the Lowcountry is the insects. There are so many.”

  “Guess I’m too ornery. They don’t bother me,” he admitted.

  “I get a pass too when Holly is around. You’d think her blood was made of sugar the way she attracts insects.”

  She touched his shoulder and squeezed. “It’s beautiful out here. Look at the moon!”

  The lunar orb was full and bathed his backyard in golden light. He didn’t think it was half as beautiful as Maggie, though, and he told her so. “The moon pales in comparison to the beauty of the creamy, delicate, petals of a magnolia.”

  He didn’t need the moon to see the pink flush that spread across her face.

  “There you go getting all soulful on me again. Better be careful, I’ll be tempted to put you in a song.”

 
; “Only if it’s a happy one. I’m a hero kinda guy who doesn’t make the women cry.”

  She tilted her head. “Are you?” She did not look convinced.

  Marcus slapped a hand over his heart. “Your doubt wounds me! I save the damsel in distress and kick the villain’s ass. Every! Time!”

  He unfolded the thick sleeping bag he carried and spread it out on top of the stonework. They sat down next to each other. Their legs brushed together. His nerves tingled from the jolt of desire that sizzled through him.

  Marcus took a deep breath. He shrugged the shoulder straps of the small cooler he carried off his shoulder. He unzipped the container and pulled out a bottle of red wine and two goblets.

  Maggie glanced at the bottle. “You remembered my favorite wine!” It was what she ordered when they had dinner at Folly Beach the other night. He had taken note and bought a couple of bottles the next day.

  “I’m in security. Details are a part of the job,” he played it off and immediately regretted it.

  “Oh.” Her face fell.

  He tensed. “But, even if it weren’t, I would have remembered. Everything about you is memorable.” He flashed her a cocky grin.

  She returned the smile. He slumped as unwanted tension fled his body. “Want some?” he asked, even though he already knew the answer.

  He poured the ruby red liquid into the wineglasses and handed one to Maggie. He raised his glass and clinked it against the one she held. “Cheers to the future and the adventures yet to come.”

  “Cheers,” she repeated.

  She sipped the deep red liquid. Her unique blue-green eyes stared at him from over the rim of her glass. His gut tightened. Blood pooled in his sex. Marcus wanted her bad enough that he ached.

  “This is the kind of backyard I’ve always wanted,” Maggie stated.

  “Yeah?”

  She nodded. “You have neighbors, but not so close as to be on top of each other. Best of all, your property backs up to a large lagoon. It’s tranquil and beautiful enough to get my creative juices flowing. I could happily write songs here.”

  “Help yourself anytime,” he offered.