by Raye, Cyndi
Maggie made her way to the tiki bar. She really liked Jake and certainly wanted to get to know him. She was having a good time, something that hardly every happened to her and she was getting much needed research in too. Most of all, she was enjoying the lure of this place. The bar was filled with people waiting for their drinks. She watched two girls who were on the bar stools next to her, already pretty pie eyed, lick their hand, down a shot and suck on a lime slice. “What are you drinking?” Maggie asked, curious.
The two girls raised their hands in the air. “Tequila!” they shouted and the people around them hollered and clapped. They were having fun and Maggie figured she’d join in. She wanted to try some Tequila.
“I’ll have one of those,” she told the bartender. The girls introduced themselves as Faith and Charity, twin sisters who were down from Miami. Maggie chatted for awhile and they showed her how to drink Tequila like an expert.
“Body Shot! Body Shot!” someone in the crowd cried out.
Charity looked at Maggie. “Did you ever do a body shot?” She didn’t wait for Maggie to answer. “Here, I’ll show you.” She ordered a shot from the bartender and said to Maggie, “This is what you can do to that guy you keep watching over there.”
Maggie couldn’t help it. Jake seemed to be spending a long time with his brother’s friends. Perhaps it just seemed that way, she supposed. It even looked like he was trying to turn and leave a few times and then Cari would grab his arm again. Maggie actually felt sorry for him and thought perhaps she should go rescue him! But, first she wanted to find out what this body shot was all about. As a writer, curiosity always got the best of her. She may like her privacy but was always open to learning new things.
Charity said, “OK, let’s give this crowd a show,” and winked at Maggie. “Now, put the lime wedge in your mouth with the juice side out.” Charity then sprinkled some salt on Maggie’s neck and exposed shoulder.
“What are you doing?” Maggie laughed, mumbling, the fruit hanging out of her lips.
“I’m going to lick the salt, drink my shot and then suck the lime out of your mouth.” Maggie giggled, because the crowd was starting to get rowdier, clapping as Charity yelled out. “You want a body shot?”
She licked the salt from Maggie’s neck, downed the shot in her hand and then smacked her lips on Maggie and sucked on the lime while the crowd cheered.
The girls laughed and laughed. “Now you do one to me,” Charity said. “We got this crowd going and I think your mans attention too.”
“He’s so not my man,” Maggie mumbled. The bartender set them up again and the crowd started banging on the tiki bar and yelling louder. It seemed as if everyone within eyesight came over to check out what all the noise was about. Maggie doused some salt on Charity’s neck and held the shot in her hand. She placed the lime wedge in her new friend’s mouth and looked around to see everyone at the bar laughing and shouting and cheering her on.
“I can’t believe I’m doing this?” Maggie slurred. She was feeling the effects of the Tequila already.
Maggie took her tongue and quickly licked the salt from Charity’s neck, then downed the shot and leaned in to suck the lime. She almost tipped over and the two grabbed each other.
That’s what Jake saw when he appeared out of nowhere. The crowd cheered and then went about their drinking and Maggie and Charity and Faith were laughing and trying to keep Maggie from toppling over. She turned to him and laughed. “Did I tell you what a great time I’m having?”
“Tequila? Seriously?” He shook his head. “Come on.” He grabbed her hand and practically drug her away from the bar. Maggie turned and waved to her new friends.
“We’ll do this again Charity and Faith!” Maggie slurred again. Then she pointed to Jakes butt and gave the girls another thumbs up!
He walked her to the water’s edge. “How much did you drink?” he asked gently.
Maggie shrugged. “I only had a few of those little glasses. There couldn’t be possibly enough in them to hurt. Although, I do feel a bit high. I may be drunk, Jake.”
“Very much so,” he said. “I’m sorry I left you alone for so long. I couldn’t seem to get away from Cari. You didn't have to leave so quick, I didn’t want to talk with her. She’s having trouble with my brother and wanted to talk, but I told her I’m staying out of that.”
Maggie nodded. “Well, I did miss you. We were having so much fun, weren’t we?” She swayed back and forth on the beach and then kicked off her shoes. “Let’s dance on the beach Jake, just you and me.”
He grabbed her hands and placed them around him. The subtle sounds of a DJ playing soft music lingered in the background. There was so much going on around them, crowds hanging at the tiki bar, partners lying together on the beach, small gatherings of friends in little groups talking and laughing around bonfires. But to Maggie it felt as if her and Jake were the only ones there. The full moon cast shadows on the water.
They swayed to the beat of the slow rhythm and Maggie snuggled closer to him if that were possible. Then she giggled.
Jake relaxed his arms around her waist. “What’s so funny?”
“Want to do a body shot?”
“I’m afraid no more Tequila for you,” he cautioned, his breath barely touching her skin.
“Don’t need any. You just lick,” she whispered, lifting her head up and sliding her tongue across his neck and up his chin. “Then you suck,” she mumbled and found his mouth.
Jake didn’t need an invitation because he devoured her once again, leaving her clinging to him. Maggie struggled to stay upright and yet she couldn’t seem to get enough of him. She leaned harder into him, trying to get closer.
Then she just passed out.
Chapter Three
Maggie was not going to open her eyes, not yet. She could smell the ocean and hear the sounds of morning but she wasn’t ready to face life after a night of Tequila. She had indulged, that she knew, but was afraid to find out how badly. She could feel a body next to her and knew without looking it was Jake. Funny how she knew that. His arm held her close to him and she leaned in a bit wanting to snuggle. When she did so, everything moved all at once.
“It’s OK, don’t open your eyes yet,” Jake mumbled sleepily. “We’re in a hammock. Any movement with closed eyes and we’ll both go toppling to the ground.”
“We’re in a hammock on the beach? I remember dancing with you and then my mind is just blank.” She tried to lift her head. It hurt. “Oh Jake, what have I done?”
“I think you let your hair down, really down,” he said. “I'm just glad I was here. Who knows what else you would have done if I hadn’t come to your rescue.”
She groaned. “You probably should tell me everything so I’m not shocked when I find out later.” Maggie flung her arm over his stomach. She wasn’t ready to move yet. “Did we make out?”
“You made out that’s for sure. Just not with me.”
“What!” Maggie shifted and tried to sit up. She had one hand on Jake’s shoulder and one on his other arm, hanging on to him for fear of upsetting their bed. “Tell me Jake Hatfield! What are you talking about?”
“Your friends at the tiki bar, don’t you remember doing body shots with them?”
Maggie’s face turned bright red. She closed her eyes. “I think I do remember that, kind of.” Her shoulders started shaking and she layed back down. She laughed again because even though she was totally not herself, she had ventured out and did things that maybe her heroines would attempt. That should account for something. “At least the night wasn’t a total disaster, it gave me some material for my novel, if I can just remember everything.” She shaded her face with her arm. If only she had the energy to get up, but laying here beside him felt good at the moment.
Jake started swaying the hammock back and forth, then looked at her and winked. “Is that what you are looking for Maggie McCoy, novel material?”
“Kind of,” she replied a bit sheepishly.
“I
can give you novel material, Maggie,” he replied. “If that’s what you want.”
“What I want is for you to stop rocking the hammock,” she teased and then rolled off of it onto the white sandy beach, landing with a plop. She reached up and grabbed the edge of it just at the right time toppling him out too.
He rolled over on top of her. “Maggie, Maggie, that’s not playing nice.” He pinned her arms up over her head and nuzzled her neck. “If romance is what you want, I can help you get that novel started,” he murmured. He nipped her earlobe then traced small kisses across her face. Stormy eyes looked into hers, his face so very close.
“Jake,” she whispered back. “If you don’t get off of me, I’m going to throw up on you.” He rolled. She ran up the beach, sand flying in the air as she headed for the ladies room.
<>
When Maggie finally emerged from inside, her face freshly washed and feeling a bit more alive, she found Jake at one of the outside tables sipping coffee. She sat down. “I’m so sorry, kind of.”
He grinned. “Ah Maggie, it’s been interesting. Here I thought this was just another night out in the keys and then you came along stirring up my whole world.”
“I stir up your world?” she asked, intrigued. “Really, Jake?”
He smiled and pushed a cup filled with red liquid towards her. “I did have fun, especially right before you passed out on me.” He leaned back in the chair, watching her.
“What’s this?” She picked it up and tasted it to avoid his stare. “Tomato juice?”
“Drink it down quick, you’ll feel better in no time.”
Maggie wrinkled her nose but drank it down. There was other stuff added to the tomato juice. She looked over the beach to see several others chilling in the sand. “I see we weren’t the only ones too drunk to drive.”
He leaned forward. “I was fine to drive. It was my passenger who was living a fantasy romance who was too drunk to put on the bike.”
Her head shot up. “Living a fantasy! What are you saying, Jake?” She sat forward in her chair and stared right back at him.
“After you passed out, I placed you on the hammock and you kept talking in your sleep or induced state, I should say.”
“What did I say?” Maggie shifted. Her stomach was starting to feel sick but not from the booze.
His brow shot up. “You were glad it was me who was going to be the hero in your new novel. You said there was plenty of material that you think you could write a whole series.”
Maggie shot out of her chair. “You’ll have to excuse me again,” she told him, her face crimson. She couldn’t look him in the eye. She needed to make a fast break away for a few minutes to compose herself.
“Maggie,” he said softly and she turned slightly because his voice was so serious all of a sudden.
She waited. “Hot man will be right here waiting,” he dead panned. She ran, once again through the sand, heading for the bathroom she was beginning to know way too well.
<>
Maggie hid in the stall for a few minutes, furious with herself for over doing it. She heard some others enter the ladies room talking away in familiar voices. It was Charity and Hope. They sounded like they were ready to start their partying again.
“Well, if it isn’t the two entertainers of the month,” Cari’s voice suddenly rang out. “You two put on quite the slutty show.”
Charity and Hope laughed. “Drop dead, Cari. You’re just jealous. Look at you, what are you still doing here? Boyfriend kick you out again.”
That seemed to make Cari furious and Maggie heard a commotion. The girls started yelling at each other. Maggie flew out of the stall. “That’s enough!” She stood between the three of them before they wound up hurting each other when the girls noticed who she was.
“Hey Maggie. You survived!” Charity and Hope gave her a hug. “Just ignore this one, she wishes she’d be half the woman we are.”
Cari and furious seemed to go arm in arm, then she spotted Maggie. “Aren’t you a piece of work!” Cari yelled. Her battle seemed to shift all at once.
“What’d I do?” Maggie was not in the mood for a fight, verbal or physical.
“It’s not what you did, it’s what you will never do and that’s have Jake! He’ll just toy with you and then toss you out like the piece of trash you are.” Cari slammed the stall closed as Maggie turned to go into the stall after her. Little did Cari know calling her dirt was not a wise move.
“Come on, Maggie, she’s the one who's dirt. Don’t give her the satisfaction of getting angry. She’s not worth it. ” They looped arms and led her out of the bathroom but she was steaming by now.
“I want to go back in there and kick her righteous ass,” Maggie said, furiously. #”Dirt, I’m not dirt.”
Jake was walking towards them when he saw how mad Maggie looked. “What’s wrong Maggie?” He stopped in front of her and reached out to touch her.
She turned and headed towards the parking lot. “I’m ready to go Jake. Obviously, not all the witches live in Boston!”
Charity and Hope’s goodbye’s rang out as Maggie stomped through the parking lot and Jake, taking long strides, tried to keep up. Calling her trash brought up an old childhood memory. She thought she was over it, but that just wasn’t the case.. She stopped and turned, Jake almost running into her. “I know she is your brother’s friend or girl or whatever, but I don’t have to take that from anyone!”
Jake hooked his thumb in his jeans. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. What happened in the ladies room?”
“Your friend Cari cornered the twins and then when I jumped in she called me trash.” She didn’t tell him what else was said.
“She’s trouble Maggie. I’m sorry you had to deal with her. My brother has been trying to get rid of her for awhile, but nothing seems to work. Of course, she lays a little loving on him and then he gets sucked right back into her web.”
“Your brother is no where around, Jake. I think she wants you.”
He nodded. “I was afraid of that. I can go talk to her, tell her to leave you alone.”
She shook her head. “No way! Let’s get out of here. I’m ready to go back to my little bungalow.”
The ride back was uneventful and Maggie clung onto Jake a little tighter than usual. Her body felt as if it worked for two weeks without sleep. “I’ll never drink again,” she shouted to him over the loud roar of the harley.
He nodded and reached back and patted her thigh as if it were the most natural thing to do. She was getting used to his touching her like that. Jake was starting to rub off on her, even if they only knew each other for a day. How could that be, she wondered. She never, ever let anyone get too close to her. Writing was all she knew, it was all she cared to do, at least that’s what she thought.
When they finally got back to his house Maggie thanked him for taking her and then ran for the shelter of her bungalow. At first while they were riding the rain had come down in tiny drops but now it poured down in a steady stream. As soon as she got inside, she headed for a much needed shower.
Twenty minutes later, Maggie was curled up in her bed, covers to her chin. She just needed to rest, it had been a wild night for a girl like her. She never went out, hadn’t drank since one night in high school and that was quite awhile ago. Maggie McCoy was one sick woman in need of a bit of pampering. She was going to sleep until everything she had done in the last twelve hours wore off.
Chapter Four
Sunlight filtered through the wooden blinds and Maggie shifted the bedspread to cover her face. How long had she been sleeping? She snuggled into her covers until a hard knock on her door made her leap out of bed. Man, she was so jumpy lately! Grabbing her short robe off the bathroom hook, Maggie opened the front door. No one was there until she heard a little doggie sound and looked down.
She laughed and shifted herself to Jax’s level. He sat there on his hind legs, tongue hanging out, his ears perked. “What’s going on, little fellow? ”
Maggie instinctively reached out to pet him and then saw the little bag attached to Jax’s collar. “What’s this? What is your master up to?” She reached in the bag to retrieve a note.
Maggie smiled when she saw who it was from. She sat on the floor in front of Jax and read the note while he tried to jump on her.
Maggie McCoy...you have just been invited to breakfast on the veranda. I’ll see you in twenty. Take the steps to the second floor balcony. Don’t say no, the view is amazing up here! Jake Hatfield
Exactly twenty minutes later Maggie was taking the steps one at a time smiling. She felt pretty good today, her mind was clear and focused. Breakfast with Jake would be just the thing to start her day. When she got to the top of the steps she stopped dead in her tracks. Set out before her was a very romantic scene overlooking the bay. A white cloth was draped over the round table, it’s edges hanging a bit on one side, but that’s what made it so crazy cool. Jake put a lot of time and thought into staging a romantic themed breakfast. The table was set for two with square yellow plastic plates and matching plastic flat wear the color of a bright sun. A bunch of flowers of different varieties in purple, pink, white and orange were plopped in a glass vase, a bit crooked but to Maggie it was perfect. Two small candles sat on a large saucer, it’s light flickering back and forth the wax dripping here and there..
“Very nice Jake,” Maggie gushed. He pulled out a chair that was covered with another white sheet tied with rope to keep it in place.
“Sit,” he ordered. “It’s my treat today to make up for the way you were treated the other night.”
Maggie looked at him. “The other night? You mean last night?”
He shook his head. “I’m afraid not. You slept for about a day and a half.”
Maggie groaned. “I don’t think I ever slept that long in my life,” she mumbled. She reached for the cup of coffee he set down and took a sip. It had a slight taste of hazelnut. “This is good Jake, thanks.”
He winked at her. “You haven’t seen anything yet, Maggie. I’ll be right back.”He grabbed their plates from the table, letting the screen door slam as he went inside. She sat looking over the deck at the beautiful sky. The clouds were so white and big and seemed so close she wanted to reach out to touch them. It truly was paradise and he was making it even more so by his kind gesture this morning.