Chapter 33
I’ve not seen Holland or my little darlin’ for three days, not since our heart to heart. She’s been avoiding me with every ounce of sneakiness the girl possesses. I had not been ready to answer her question if I wanted to pursue us because it’s still wrong. No, fuck that—it’s worse than just wrong. It’s forbidden—taboo.
But I can’t have her disappearing on me the second I pull into the driveway. I tiptoe up the stairs and gently knock on the door. I remember when Scott was a baby, it never failed, I’d get him down for a nap and the postman would ring the doorbell or a solicitor would stop by to sell me something useless. And it would upset his entire schedule for the day.
With a little rasp, Holland appears, her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head. She whispers, “Scottie is down for a nap.” I love her calling her baby what I’d called my own Scott.
“Can we talk?” I ask with my hands in my jacket pockets.
“Um, sure, but not in here, wait for me on the steps. Give me a second, let me grab the monitor.” She shuts the door practically in my face. Moving down the last step on the ground floor, I sit and wait for her. I don’t turn when footsteps approach me from behind. A cold bottle touches my hand when she passes it to me. “I figured if we are going to have this conversation, we both might need something stronger than soda.”
I take one of the Coronas and turn my back to the wall of the stairs, able to look at her as she does the same thing two steps above me, but on the opposite end, to face one another. “Can you drink?” I ask.
“Yeah, I’ll pump and dump, no biggie.” She says this as if I know what the hell she’s talking about. Before I can question, she begins, “So, the floor is yours.” She moves her eyes everywhere and anywhere to avoid direct eye contact with me.
“I miss you. You’re purposely avoiding me.” I’m staring at her as if it will command her to look at me.
She doesn’t turn her head as she stutters, attempting to take the time like she’s making sense of what is indeed in her heart. I’ve been around this girl enough. She’s silently berating herself.
“I won’t deny it, Maguire.” She’s still looking anywhere but at me.
I take in a deep breath, not sure I’m ready to say the words that need to be said. Or maybe it’s more that she’s not prepared to hear what’s in my heart. I’m about to speak. “You asked me a question and I’m not sure I have a clear answer, not at all, but I want to try.”
Her voice is barely audible. “And what was it I asked?”
“You asked—was I willing to pursue what’s between us.” I wait for a response. I take this as some sort of indication she’s ready to hear what’s deeply embedded in my soul, I can’t stand one second away from her presence.
“And? What’s your answer?” Her tone is sincere, it’s aching for permission as though I can go to the other side and ask my son’s blessing to be with his wife.
“I honestly don’t know if there’s a clear cut answer, darlin’, it’s out of the realm of normal but hell, I hurt—I can’t breathe when you’re not near me. I need you like I need oxygen.”
She moves down one step, right above me, leaning forward. “You don’t think I want this, too? Your affection and dare I say, love for me, gives me the strength to put one foot in front of the other. But, it’s not just me I have to think about, I have Scottie. What will she do when she finds out her mother’s boyfriend is really her grandpa?”
Oh, how I love the sound of her referring to me as hers. “It’s not conventional, but she’ll be loved and it’s the most important thing a child needs. I’ll be there for her like I couldn’t be with Scott and I’ll love her mom deeply.”
She’s so close to me and rests her forehead against mine. “If it were that simple.”
I won’t lie to her. “You’re right, darlin’, there’s nothing normal about this. It’ll be hard. But we lost the most important person to us. A second chance at love rarely comes around. And we have it within arm’s reach.”
She’s quiet, her one hand rubbing her temple and the other one dangerously close to my one hand as though she’s warring with herself to take the plunge.
I break the awkwardness enveloping the whole garage. My gaze falls on the truck, Scott’s truck parked near us, threatening to permeate my mind, shouting at me. “Do you think I want to love you, Holland? Do you think I want to crave you with my next breath, my next thought? I’ve tried to fight this, but hell, the heart wants what the heart wants.”
It’s with those last words I utter, she leans over and catches me unaware for a brief second as her lips crash to my own. Without thinking, I match her force, taking over as we find a rhythm, while my hands find the back of her head. My fingers work through her long brown curls. It’s not long before her hand is around my waist. Without breaking our connection of our lips, I lift her gently, bringing her down the last couple of steps.
With us standing, I find the nearest wall or support, which happens to be a little supply closet in the middle of the garage and push her up against it. My hand roams her silky smooth legs. With her short shorts on, it’s not long until my hand wraps around to her ass and it strays along her curves. A low guttural moan escapes Holland’s mouth and she’s given me all the permission I need. My hand travels up her back, and it’s with only my fingertips. I unhook her bra. Another moan leaves her precious lips as my hand finds the front of her body and I dip my hands between the fabric of her bra and her breasts. They’re soft to the touch and this time, I’m the one whose moan can be heard. I lean back, her eyes connecting with my own.
“Maguire.” Her desire drips from her own mouth and my fingers move, beginning to unbuckle her shorts.
My gaze stays on her when I unzip her pants. “Darlin’?” I ask. She knows what I need, with my question.
“Sarge, do it. I want you. I’ve wanted you for a long time.” I push down her panties, moving down her body. I’m in front of her, and I smell her arousal.
Her hands work through my hair, and I use one finger to open up her pussy. “Shit, you are beautiful.” The wetness, she has to hear it as my finger works her clit.
“Sarge, please. Don’t torture me. Please.”
But this isn’t how I want our first time. I want to sling her over my shoulder, taking her upstairs, making love to her the right way. But I can give her what she needs right now, a preview—an appetizer before the main course.
My finger circles her clit and her body shudders a little. I need to taste her. Hell, I want to burn it to memory. The second my tongue reaches her clit, she lets all the apprehension roll from her body. “Sarge, yes, right there. Don’t stop, please don’t stop.”
“Hell, darlin’,” I say as I pull away for just a second, “I have no plans of stopping.” But with my tongue away from her clit, my fingers enter her. I plan to be inside of her in less than ten minutes when I can make love to her the way she deserves to be.
“Yeah, right there. Yes, right there,” she continues to scream when my tongue finds her clit again. It’s at this moment, her entire body begins to quake and I taste her release on my tongue. This is the start. It’ll be hard, but the two of us together will be unstoppable.
She melts into my arms and I hold her on the bare floor of the garage, her bare and beautiful ass in my lap. Kissing her forehead, she turns her face to me, only smiling at me. “Do you regret this, darlin’?”
Before she can answer, a sound from the baby monitor has us both stopped in our tracks.
It takes a second to come out of the coma we’re both in, to realize it’s not Scottie crying. In one fluid second, the passion drains from my body like a flat tire.
“Do you smell that?” I ask, and we stand quickly, Holland pulling her shorts up to her waist.
It’s more than the fire alarm piercing through the monitor. It’s the smell of smoke that now billows and escapes through the bottom of the front door. I grab Holland before she can s
tep on the stairs.
“Meet me below Scottie’s window. I got her.” I’m already up the steps, opening the door, the flames biting at me. I look back for a second as my mind is only on one thing—getting my girl, my baby. My heart is beating a million miles a minute. With one glance of the fire, I understand I’ll not be leaving the way I came. Looking down at Holland, she opens her mouth to argue. “I need you underneath Scottie’s window, now.” I can’t read the flashes of her eyes, but she runs one direction and I continue through the door.
I take one last look at Maguire running toward the fire. Flames are spreading through the front part of the house, in the living room. I’m below my daughter’s room, there are no flames, though it’s working its way toward the back, too fast. My heart is hammering. I pull out my phone I’d forgotten I stuck in my back pocket when Maguire had knocked on the door.
I’m screaming toward the room when the 911 dispatcher answers the phone. “My baby, she’s in her room, there’s a fire,” I begin. “No,” I reply to her questions on the other end. “My father-in-law ran in to get her. I’m below her window.” As I’m giving her the address and the details, I hear something, a tap above. I look up to see Maguire, he’s yelling something, pointing at me. Taking the phone away from my ear, I move from the window and out of the way, my view is on the glass when a massive crash hits against it. My breathing hitches when I turn left of Scotland’s room, where my bedroom is, and the flames are moving quick. With one more crack of the glass, one of Maguire’s old end tables I’d stolen from him flies in the air and crashes ten feet from me.
He says nothing when the screams of my daughter permeate the early night sky. She has a sheet tied around her waist and crossing at her front, securing her at the shoulders, too. More sheets are wrapped at the back of her grandpa-made harness. I stop breathing, watching her suspended twenty feet in the air. The flames are less than ten feet from her as Maguire lowers my baby. The last ten feet, the progression speeds up. I grab her the second my outreached arms make contact with her.
“I got her, Maguire.” I look up at his face, it’s pitch black, as is my daughter’s. Sirens barrel along the path to the house. I back up, he’s got to jump. He has no choice as the flames are right at the window.
“Watch out, darlin’!” he yells. I wait for him to jump out when his body disappears from my sight. With my daughter in my hands, I look up to where the man I love was. In a split second, it looks as though the floor has enveloped him. He’s no longer there.
Holland and Maguire’s story continues in Different as Night and Day releasing August 8th.
Pre-order it now: https://amzn.to/2SgUWIu
A Note from the Author
What I’ve Learned Along the Way
Whisky, it’s a drink I love immensely. But as I’ve used it as a refreshment for many of my characters in recent books, I’ve learned it takes on different spellings. Scottish whisky does not have the “e” in its name but Irish whiskey does. When the Irish immigrants brought whiskey to America, the “e” stayed. In this book, Maguire has Canadian whisky with Ned in his office. Canadian whisky too does not have an “e”. But when he has Jim Beam, the American whiskey will be seen with an “e”. But, all these crazy spellings won’t deter me from having one of my favorite drinks.
~Leigh
It Takes a Village!
First and foremost, to the women who take the very rough draft of my words in the rawest form and treat it with the utmost care and respect. Nancy George—you’ve become my friend and I treasure you! Kymberly—you and your eagle eyes—I can’t thank you enough for your help. Kelly Green—you are a great addition to my beta team! I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the time and effort you took to help make this book a success.
Auden—you are my writing bestie and I couldn’t do this without your support! I absolutely adore you. Thanks for being the voice of reason when my imaginary friends take over.
Amie—Holy Cannoli! I adore you so much! Thanks for your friendship and without you, I’d not be St. Leigh—I love it!
Ellie McLove—Thanks so much for the help on this book—with your guidance as I improved Holland and Maguire’s story.
Emma—You are amazing! I’m so glad to be working with you again!
Julie Deaton—I’m in awe of your professionalism. I consider it a true honor to be able to work with you each and every time. Your work is top-notch! I couldn’t write any books without you.
Najla Qamber—You continue to blow me away with each and every cover you design for me. I say it every time but this is the best. Thanks so much.
Give Me Books—Thanks for all the outreach you do for my books! It’s fun working with all of you great ladies.
Angela—What can I say! I feel like I’ve found a gem in you and look forward to working with you more in the future!
Kelly—You’ve come in and blown my mind with all you do for me! You are such a help to me in so many ways. Thanks so very much!
Elizabeth—I tell you every story so many times, you know my characters as well as I do. This book has been no different. You are so encouraging, knowing how much my writing means to me.
Dawn—My best friend after twenty-five plus years! I love how much I shock you by my subject matter and how my ideas make you laugh. You always have my back and I can’t imagine this life without you.
Succulent and Sassy Reads! You all are so awesome and I am humbled you follow me and encourage me to continue writing.
Thanks so much to my incredible arc team and to everyone who read an advance copy and posted a review. You ladies are so valuable to me!
I want to thank my readers because without you, this would not be possible!
Of course, none of this would be a possibility without the Hubs and our little ones who call me mom. I love you more than I can express.
~Leigh
About the Author
Leigh Lennon is a mother, veteran and a wife of a cancer survivor. Originally with a degree in education, she started writing as an outlet that has led to a deep passion. She lugs her computer with her as she crafts her next story. Her imaginary friends become real on her pages as she creates a world for them. She loves pretty nails, spikey hair and large earrings. Leigh can be found drinking coffee or wine, depending on the time of the day.
Other Books by Leigh Lennon
The Unbreakable Stand-Alone Collection:
Unfiltered (Justine and Nick’s Story) https://amzn.to/2MalyI4
Unacquainted (Rose and Brody’s Story) http://bit.ly/2Dz4kz1
Unwanted (Emma and Tyler’s Story) https://amzn.to/2HlidXZ
Unknown—coming soon (Ryan’s story)
A Jake Davis Novella Series:
The Holiday Package https://amzn.to/2D4SL4u
The Sweetest Package https://amzn.to/2Haj4KN
The Breathless Series:
The Last Breath https://amzn.to/2AFkWWg
Continue Breathing (coming soon)
Stand Alone Books:
Stockholm https://amzn.to/2FpqVlS
Fans of Football Series:
Color Blind https://amzn.to/2wVfBbF
Rules of Submission https://amzn.to/2Hhbezg
The Power of Three Love Series:
Foundations https://amzn.to/2skCrGM
Fahrenheit https://amzn.to/2YEpF4z
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Table of Contents
Dedication
Playlist
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
<
br /> Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
A Note from the Author
It Takes a Village
About the Author
Other Books by Leigh Lennon
Please Stalk Leigh Lennon on Social Media
Like Father Like Son Page 20