by Megan Bryce
“It doesn’t have to be so adversarial, Maggie. It doesn’t have to be that way.”
He took a wide step apart, leaving his boys hanging and unprotected.
“I deserved it. But I know you won’t hurt me unless I do. I know you’re fair.”
“So, you’re not afraid of me?”
“My testicles are trying to climb into my stomach right now. I’m afraid of you. But I trust you. I’m trusting you with my most important possession. You can trust me with yours.”
She looked into his eyes. “I’d like to make some comment here about men and their most important possession. But all I’m thinking is that was kind of…lovely.”
“I’m a lovely man, Empress.”
“You’re not. You’re a man who deserves it when a woman knees you between the legs.”
“I’ll try not to deserve one in the future.”
Maggie said, “You won’t from me if you do one simple thing. That you’ll always do what’s best for Caldwell.”
He ran his hand down her arm, wrapping his fingers around her wrist. “I’ll always do what’s best for you. If that means tearing apart Caldwell with my teeth, I will. If it means bringing down your wrath, I will. You are not less important than a piece of paper. That’s what a company is, an entity created by paper. Those ancestors of yours didn’t create that company to make you a slave to it. They created it to give you the best chance, the best future. They created it to channel resources to you, not the other way around.”
“I’d like to think they created it to channel resources beyond me as well.”
Cole said, “As long as it’s not right through the middle of you. Or your sister. Ginny sees that her best chance, her best future, is outside of Caldwell. Let her chase it. Stop torturing her.”
“I’m not torturing her. I haven’t seen her since Friday.”
“She looked pretty tortured when I went by the ranch house tonight.”
Maggie tried to tug her wrist away and he held on.
He said, “You got a few people you need to kiss and make up with, Margaret.”
“No. I’ve got a few people who need to kiss and make up with me.”
He smiled. “Okay. As long as there’s kissing.”
He yanked on her wrist hard enough to slam her into his chest. He kissed her hard and whispered softly between breaths, “We’re sorry that what we did hurt you, Maggie. Sorry that what we need hurts you.”
She kissed him back and his balls climbed back down. His stomach stopped its wringing. He stopped worrying that he’d finished what was between them before they got to the end. Again.
He gentled his kiss, turning it slow, cupping her face in his hands to keep her right here tucked into him.
She opened her eyes, the blue clouding the green. And he wanted to take her, tuck himself into her, heal all their wounds.
But he wasn’t going to take her now, right here in a parking lot.
So he kissed her lightly on her cheek and whispered into her ear. “If you’re going to kiss and make up with your sister, please God, let me watch.”
She ran her hand down his side, down his pants, and cupped him. “Why do you say things like that when they’re right here? Unprotected.”
He said under his breath, “I think it’s because I’m a stupid shit.”
She gave him a little pat and pushed herself away. “That’s probably it. I assume you need your truck out in Midland.”
“I’m not driving out there in your little go-kart. I’ll pick you up at nine.”
“That late?”
“We’ve got a ring to buy first.”
“Of course. Because a bunch of roughnecks care about that sort of thing.”
“Yep. You’re the only who doesn’t.”
She got in the car, reaching for the door and he planted his hip against it to keep it open.
He said, “Where are you sleeping tonight?”
“In my own bed.”
“Want company?”
“No.”
“What about tomorrow night?”
She cocked her head at him. “I guess it depends on how happy you make me tomorrow morning.”
“Tit for tat?”
“Sounds about right.”
He said, “Sounds like a business transaction.”
“That’s what this is, Cole. A business transaction.”
He closed her door, making sure he didn’t slam it, waited for her to start the car and roll the window down.
“Right. That’s why we’re getting naked, why we’re pissing each other off, why I’m so anxious to get a ring on your finger. It’s just business.”
“I don’t know why you are so hung up on the ring, Cole.”
“And I don’t know why you are dragging your feet about it.”
He hopped back in his truck, backing up so she could pull out.
He leaned his elbow out the window. “Nine o’clock. And it’s going to be big enough that everyone in Dallas can see it from Midland.”
“See what, Cole? That you bought a Caldwell?”
He looked a long minute and finally nodded. “Yep. I want everyone to know I bought me a Caldwell.”
By the time he picked her up in the morning, he’d cooled down some.
It didn’t hurt that she was standing in the morning sun, waiting for him, when he pulled up. Looking beautiful and dressed to kill, her blond hair framing her face, sunglasses hiding her eyes. Wearing a skirt that nearly hit her knees and nude platform heels that made her legs look like they went on for miles.
She didn’t wait for him to get out, just opened the door and hefted her suitcase into the backseat, then climbed into the front.
He said, “I was hoping you’d be wearing that zombie t-shirt.” He looked at her skirt, at the dark space right above her knees. “But I guess you needed to punish me some more.”
She crossed her legs, her skirt sliding up even more. He lifted his eyes to hers, found her watching him. The dare plain for him to see.
What are you going to do about it, Montgomery? What are you going to do about the miles of leg tempting you, teasing you?
He knew what he wanted to do, knew what she’d do if he tried it.
He liked a little fight in his woman but not when it was hiding a little bit of hurt, and he said, “I’m sorry.”
“For what this time?”
“For rising to your bait.”
She took off her sunglasses, folding them and putting them in her lap.
“I don’t want a ring. And it’s not because I don’t want everyone to think you’ve bought me. It’s not because it’s you buying the ring.”
She looked at him then and her eyes were bright turquoise, her emotions riding high.
He leaned against his door, turning his body toward her. “Then what is it?”
“A ring is…permanent. What do you do with it afterward? Sell it? Keep it? You can’t wear an engagement ring when the engagement ends. It meant something. It means something.”
“And you don’t want what it means.”
“It’s just a step too far. It’s just too real for something that’s not. Too real for something that’s temporary.”
“That’s okay then. ‘Cause this means something. Maybe not what an engagement ring normally means but it doesn’t mean nothing. And you’re not getting rid of me after, Maggie. Not now that I have shares in Caldwell.”
“Yes. Thank you for reminding me.”
He pulled out of her driveway. “We’ll get you something you’ll want to keep.”
“It won’t matter if I want to keep it, I won’t be able to. Can you think of anything more pathetic than a woman wearing her engagement ring after the engagement’s been called off?”
He shrugged. “Then we won’t call it off. I’m happy just as we are.”
Or he would be tonight, just as soon as he got her back in his bed.
When he glanced at her, her face was blank, her arms crossed.
“This i
sn’t real, Cole.”
“It is, Maggie. It turned real in your pool.”
“Is there something about men and sex that makes them lose all their brain cells?”
He chuckled, watching the road. “Yes.”
He drove and she stayed silent and finally he said, “Why can’t it be real?”
“Why can’t I marry you for real?”
He nodded and she leaned across the seat, angling forward as far as she could to see his face. He flicked his eyes to her and saw confusion clear on her face.
She said, “Are you asking me to marry you?”
“It’s more of a discussion than a question. Why couldn’t we get married?”
She blinked a few times and sat back.
He lifted his fingers off the steering wheel, counting the reasons. “We make good partners, we’d both be an asset to the others’ business, we like each other–”
“Sometimes.”
“Probably about as often as married folks like each other.”
When she nodded in acquiescence, he continued. “We have mind-blowing sex, and don’t think I’ve forgotten about the handcuffs. I still need to return the favor.”
He glanced at her, at the small smile on her mouth.
He said softly, “We make each other laugh, we make each other happy.”
She turned to him, still smiling. “We make each other furious.”
“There’s no one else I’d rather fight with. There’s no one else who makes me wonder if I’ll lose.”
“And that’s a reason for marriage?”
“Uncertainty is the spice of life.”
“And you must like life spicy.”
“I do. We’re a matched pair, Maggie.” He wiggled his fingers. “I’m driving with my thumbs here. I say that’s enough reasons to think about marriage. Think about making this real.”
He pulled into the parking garage, driving around until he found a spot to fit his truck in. She slid out as soon as he turned the engine off and he met up with her around the tail of the truck. His lips twitched when he realized her heels put her taller than him.
“Four-inch heels, Maggie? You must really hate rings.”
“I do when they’re fake.”
He slid his hand into hers. “I’m sure everything here is real.”
“But we aren’t, Cole.”
“Not yet.”
She looked at him and he couldn’t tell what she was thinking. Couldn’t tell what she really thought about marrying him.
He didn’t know why he’d suddenly found himself wanting everything from her. Accept who else was there for him? Who else would he want to make a dynasty with, make children with, pass his legacy on to?
She said, “Maybe not yet, but definitely not right now.”
“We’ll carry on with our original plan. And we’ll just think about it for awhile.”
She let out a long breath and he said, “We’ll just put Maggie Montgomery on the back burner for awhile.”
She looked down that one inch at him and said, “Or maybe Cole Caldwell.”
His lips lifted in involuntary revulsion. “Ugh.”
She laughed. “I think we could probably come up with two handfuls of why we shouldn’t think of marriage.”
He said, “Spicy,” and she chuckled.
She said, “Let’s go get a temporary engagement ring for now. You’ve definitely made that less daunting at least.”
“It’s going to be big and sparkly, just in case.”
“I know. It has to be seen from Dallas.”
“No. It has to go with your man-eater outfits.”
She slid her hand through his arm and whispered, “Why do you think I wore four-inch heels?”
“And the skirt?”
“Oh, that was just to torture you.”
He smiled at her and wondered how he could ever want anyone after having her.
‘Cause, boy, did he like it spicy.
The ring was big and sparkly.
A pear-shaped, five-carat diamond set between two platinum bands paved with even more diamonds. It was striking and bold and it just might distract enough eyes away from her legs to make Cole happy. He kept reaching across the table to take her hand and make it sparkle.
He hadn’t wanted to leave without a ring so they’d waited, had a long lunch, and when her ring had been delivered to them at the restaurant by the well-paid saleswoman, he’d gone to his knee.
He’d opened the box and said, “I want a yes.”
She glanced between him and the ring. “I didn’t hear a question.”
“Will you wear my ring?”
She laughed, rolling her eyes, and said, “Yes.”
He’d slipped it on her finger to clapping and whistles and had kissed her long and hard to even louder clapping and more whistles.
The waiter came over to offer congratulations and ask about dessert.
“Oh, there’ll be dessert,” Cole said and Maggie didn’t even blink. She’d learned by now there was no use fighting him about this, and Cole could see she was filling her clothes out a little bit more.
Halfway through raspberry cheesecake, halfway through Maggie making love to her spoon with every bite, Simon Blackwood waved to them from across the room and made his way over.
He smiled cheerily at them, taking his eyes off Maggie’s chest long enough to glance at the ring. “Finally got a ring on her finger, did you?”
He pulled a chair out, ignoring the fact that no one had invited him to sit, no one had even acknowledged him. Cole wondered if he was just drunk or just stupid, then stopped caring.
“Go away, Blackwood.”
Maggie put her spoon down and leaned back in her chair. Simon moved toward her, reaching for her hand, and she held it up in front of her face, showing off the ring.
Cole checked his forward motion, not sure what he’d been intending to do, just sure that if Simon touched any part of her, he would be losing a hand. Even if Cole had to use the butter knife to do it.
Simon nodded. “Nice. But I’ll warn you, you give a woman whatever she wants in the beginning, she’ll keep expecting that. I gave Paula the smallest rock I thought she’d accept.” He winked. “Expectations.”
Cole could see Maggie’s eyes twinkling and they shared a private, silent laugh at the other small expectations Paula probably had to accept.
Cole said, still looking at Maggie, “Margaret always get what she wants; I didn’t start that expectation.”
The trick was to get her to want what he wanted.
She smiled at Cole and said, “Go away, Simon.”
“But I wanted to invite the two of you to a little dinner. To celebrate.”
Cole said, “No,” and Maggie said, “We’re not interested in your little dinners.”
“It’ll just be us. No one else.”
Maggie turned her head to look at Simon. “We’re not interested.”
Cole looked between them and Maggie caught his eye. She said, “No one goes home with who they came with at Simon’s little dinners.”
Simon giggled. “Not normally.”
Cole didn’t bother to say no again. He wouldn’t have gone to dinner with the man anyway.
Simon leaned toward Cole and whispered, “You must still be in the honeymoon phase. Can’t imagine wanting to share, can’t imagine that one day you will look at her and want to puke. Would rather fuck a toaster in the bathtub than see her naked one more time.”
Cole looked at Maggie and thought no, he wasn’t ever going to think that.
“I’m not going to swap with you, Blackwood, just because you picked poorly.”
Simon put his hand on Cole’s leg and said, “I was thinking more of sharing. Wouldn’t dream of making you settle with what I could trade. We could make a Margaret sandwich.” Simon giggled again, leaning forward. “Or a Simon sandwich. Can’t have anyone thinking I’m not up for new adventures.”
Cole turned away from the tightening of Maggie’s face and leane
d toward Blackwood. He said softly, “Have you thought about a Margaret sandwich before?”
“Oh, Jackson Harwood and I have discussed it.” He winked at Maggie. “Wondered if perhaps the two of us could loosen her up a bit.” He ran his hand up Cole’s thigh. “But anyone can see she doesn’t need any loosening up with you around.”
Cole grabbed Simon’s thigh, making him jump.
Simon started to smile and Cole started to squeeze, harder and harder. Simon’s smile turned to a frown and he tried to pull his leg away. Cole squeezed even harder, digging his fingers beneath the muscles and turning Simon’s frown into a grunt.
“Are you listening, Blackwood?”
Simon grabbed Cole’s wrist, tugging, and Cole said again, “Are you listening, Blackwood?”
When he nodded, Cole said, “No sandwiches. Don’t talk about her, don’t think about her. Don’t talk to her again.”
Maggie leaned forward. “That goes for Cole as well. He’s mine, and I don’t share.”
Simon stood abruptly, bumping the table and making it wobble, knocking his chair back. Cole dropped his hand and the restaurant stilled as everyone turned to stare.
The waiter came rushing to help and Cole stopped him with a shake of his head.
Cole scooted his chair back but didn’t rise. He stared at Simon Blackwood and waited. His muscles tensed, ready, his vision getting sharper and tunneling in.
He took a deep breath, counting, trying to remain in control.
Maggie watched him, her eyes turning blue.
Simon Blackwood opened his mouth and Cole interrupted. “Don’t talk again. Ever.”
Simon closed his mouth with a snap. He looked at Cole, then at Maggie. He looked at the waiter, hovering a few tables away, everyone’s eyes on Simon. He adjusted his tie, then turned away.
He said, loudly, as he walked away, “Animal.”
Maggie reached across the table to Cole, holding her hand out to him. He let out a long breath, taking it, the ring cutting into his hand as he gripped her hand.
Cole pulled out his credit card, nodding to the waiter and handing it to him when he came to the table, telling him to pay for everyone’s lunch for the disturbance.
The waiter took one look at the expression on Cole’s face, took the card, and turned away to get the manager.