by Vella, Wendy
He could kiss her all day, but there were other areas that demanded his attention. A body that had tormented him for years needed to be worshipped. He’d had more cold showers because of Maggie Winter than any other woman he’d met.
“Take off your clothes, Fin. I want to see you too.”
“Bedroom,” he rasped. Gripping her waist again, he pulled her close, and she wrapped her legs around him.
“I could walk.” She sank her teeth into the lobe of his ear. “But this is better.” She then blew hot air onto the damp skin, and his body jerked. He was so hard, he hurt.
Throwing open the door to his bedroom, he took two steps, then dropped her on the bed. She bounced and giggled. Even through his pain, he found a smile at the sweet sound.
He began to take off his sweater and felt her hands on his waist as he pulled it over his head. She’d moved to the edge of the bed and was unzipping his jeans.
“I always wondered what you would look like.” As her eyes were on his groin, he wasn’t sure how to answer that. “All of you.” She slid the zipper down, and there he was, pushing against his shorts. “Nice chest.” She lifted her eyes and ran them over his skin. Fin swore he felt everywhere they landed.
“Not nervous, then,” Fin muttered, pushing her back so he could reach for her exercise tights.
“Not everything makes me nervous, Fin. And this… well, I missed it, and I have wondered what it would be like between us. So I’ve decided to give up and find out.”
He stripped her, then looked at her soft, pale legs. She wore pink panties. He stripped those off too.
“Are you sure about this, Fin?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Never been surer, in fact.”
She was exquisite. Not sculpted with muscles or toned like other women he knew. Maggie was curves and softness. He wanted to lose himself in her.
“You’re beautiful.”
“So are you.”
“I’d prefer hot, or handsome.” He climbed over her until his body covered hers.
She didn’t speak, just grabbed his hair and tugged until their lips met. The first feel of her pressed beneath him made his head spin.
Finally. The word slipped into his head as he crushed her.
Their lips met, and the kiss that started out soft, an exploration, grew into something fierce. He rolled slightly so he didn’t squash her, but she didn’t let him, her fingers digging into his shoulders holding him in place.
He moved to her breasts, needing to taste all of her. Licking the soft slope of one, he heard her moan and kept tormenting her.
“So good,” she whispered.
“Hold on, baby, there’s more where that came from.”
Her giggle had him raising his head. She lay there like some kind of pagan sacrifice, lush curves and red curls, and Fin felt that pain in his chest again.
“I’m not sure you should be giggling when I’m doing some of my best work.”
“Sorry, but that was a cheesy line.” She clamped a full lip between her teeth to stop herself talking. He’d seen her do this before when she wanted to speak but thought the words were better left inside her head. Fin rose up and kissed it free.
“I want to hear every word you say.”
Returning to her breasts, he lavished attention on both of them. Maggie’s breath hitched, and when he took her nipple into his mouth, she arched off the bed.
“Not giggling now, then?”
Fin moved down her body, licking and nipping, tasting the salt on her skin from the exercise she’d done before he’d found her. One of her hands drove into his hair as he kissed the softly rounded curve of her belly.
“I’m not sure I can handle too much, Fin.”
“You will.” He placed a hand on her stomach as he moved lower, and she writhed. He inhaled her, the essence of woman, and licked the soft damp folds.
“Holy crap!”
He smiled, then ran his tongue over her. She moaned, panted, and begged him to stop and not to stop. He grazed his teeth over the hard little bud between her thighs as he slipped two fingers inside her, and she exploded. Tremors rocked her body, and Fin lifted his head to watch.
Maggs had her eyes closed, hands clenched, ecstasy etched in every line of her face. The thought of another man seeing that settled in his head, and everything inside him roared no!
“You doing okay there, sweet cheeks?” Fin climbed back up her body.
“I don’t know.” The words were whispered.
“Well now, let’s just see if we can help you out.” He grabbed the foil packet from his nightstand and sheathed himself, kissing her again, fierce and hard. She clung to him, grabbing his hair as her legs opened. He then drove inside her slickness and surrendered.
Never had he felt like this, the furious need to claim a woman, to imprint himself on her. It was almost primitive, and if he was thinking clearly he’d be pretty damn scared right now.
“So good.” She chanted the words over and over as he thrust in and out of her. He was close, so close his vision wavered with the intensity of it.
“You better come for me soon, Maggs,” he gritted out. He then swallowed her moan as her release swept over her. Shuddering, Fin followed. His head felt light, body limp as he fell down half on top of her and half on the mattress.
Her arms were still around his neck, holding him close.
“Let me move. I’ll crush you.”
“I can’t feel my limbs anyway.”
He managed a grunt, then rolled sideways, taking her with him, her face pressed to his shoulder, his arms around her. Snagging a blanket, he covered them.
“I’ll move soon.”
“Sssh.” He stroked her hair as she grew limp in his arms.
What the hell had just happened, Fin wondered. He’d found her scars, made her talk to him, and that still rocked him. How close he’d come to losing her. Or they’d come, he amended. They all could have lost this vivacious woman who was so much a part of him… them.
He’d then made love to Maggie Winter, and it had rocked his world. The feel of her body pressed to his, the touch of her hands and lips, the fierce need he had for her, it all added up to… hell, what did it add up to? He was no wiser when he felt his eyelids lower.
He’d just take ten minutes; it was still early. Kissing the top of her head, he closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. A man could get used to this, not that he would, but still, he could.
…
When Fin woke, he knew she’d gone because he was cold and his arms empty. The window showed him it was still early, and the clock on his bedside confirmed that it was closing in on ten. He had the day off, so he wasn’t late for anything. What he was, was really pissed off that she’d run out on him. Especially as he’d had plans to keep her in his bed all day.
Throwing back the covers, he walked through the cabin to confirm what he already knew.
“You can’t run far, Maggie,” he said, stalking to his bathroom.
Showering, he pulled on jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a sweater. Stomping into his boots, he grabbed a jacket and his keys. Looking skyward, he thought it would be snowing by day’s end.
Now he’d calmed down, he knew why she’d walked out on him. Knew that she was scared, and who could blame her. The woman had been shot, for fuck’s sake! Fin exhaled slowly; he didn’t think he’d feel calm about that anytime soon. Those scars had made his blood turn to ice.
She’d been wrong not telling people about what happened, but he planned on changing that, starting today.
Pulling up outside her house, he was hammering a fist on the door seconds later. No one answered. Walking around the property, he peered in windows, but the place was empty.
“Where are you hiding?” he muttered.
“Problem?”
“Jesus, Dylan!” Fin pressed a fist to his chest. “You scared the crap out of me.”
“Fin said crap, Daddy.” Grace was swinging her father’s hand, looking cute in a puffy p
urple suit and matching hat.
“Heard him, baby, and let’s just say that Uncle Fin was a bit surprised to see us and leave it there. You know crap is not a good word, Grace, so don’t try and fool me otherwise.”
Her smile was angelic.
“So, Fin, why are you playing peeping Tom?” Dylan asked him.
Well, hell.
“Fin likes Aunty Maggie, Daddy, that’s why.”
Dylan laughed at the shock on Fin’s face.
“How observant of you, Grace, and yes, you’re right, he does,” Dylan said, pulling his phone out of his pocket as it started ringing.
“Howard,” he answered.
Fin took the time to get his shit together and work out how he was going to get out of this. Grace thought he liked Maggs, which he did, but he wasn’t sure how she knew. Added to that was the knowing look in Dylan’s eyes.
“Fin can give us a lift, Pip. We’ll see you there,” Dylan said before finishing the call.
“So, get my daughter being intuitive.”
“About?”
“You and Maggs.”
“She was guessing,” Fin said.
“Aw, come on, Fin, you and Maggs have been dancing around each other for years. Kids pick up on that kind of thing.”
“No, they don’t. Kids are mimics. She got that from the adults around her, and let me just say that I don’t like being the recipient of your matchmaking, as I’m sure Maggs doesn’t.” He was being too defensive, and Dylan knew it, but unlike the Trainers, he wouldn’t push.
“Denial is not just a river in Egypt, it seems” was all Dylan added. “You can take us to the bake-off.”
“What?” Fin looked at Maggie’s front door, which was where he now stood. He didn’t think she was hiding inside.
“The bake-off is today. You can take us. Pip’s already there with Blake. We were just about to head there when we saw you pull up. It starts at noon, and we get to eat what they make.” Dylan opened Fin’s car door for Gracie, then belted her in before climbing in the front beside Fin.
“What bake-off? I thought it was a muffin thing?”
“Mom decided to change the name so it’s catchier. They’re doing the judging today on the main street. Mayor Gripper and Joe; not sure how he got to judge.”
“He’s a suck-up.”
“True that. Those two, plus Buzz and Mrs. L are the judges. So that’s probably where Maggs is.”
“Sure. I just had something to drop to her.”
“You’re pathetic. You know that, right.”
“What?” Fin looked at Grace, who was singing to herself in the back seat.
“If you want her, go after her. Why all the denial?”
“Can we just go with it’s complicated and you leave me alone?”
“Anything worthy in life is complicated, Fin, you just have to work out whether you want to uncomplicate it to get to the goal.”
“Hell, bud, you’re starting to scare me.” Fin shot Dylan a look. “You got a talk show slot or something in your future?”
“Just calling it as I see it.”
Fin thought about that as he drove to town. Thought about Maggs and what he felt for her. It was deeper than anything he’d felt before, he could admit that, if only to himself. It had become more so lately. But was it just a bad case of lust, or did he want more with her? He guessed he’d find out if he got her to stop running away from him.
Pulling into a parking spot, he saw the crowd had formed further up the street. Minutes later, he was walking with Gracie’s hand in his as she skipped at his side. His feet faltered as he found Maggs. She was standing with his father and Mallory.
Fuck!
Chapter 24
Maggs had woken in Fin’s arms, looked at him, and felt a flutter of panic so fierce she’d had to muffle the sound in her hand. It was a different panic to the type that had started after the shooting, but no less scary in some ways. Looking at his face softened in sleep, emotion almost choked her.
She didn’t love him. It couldn’t be that, surely?
It had been cowardly, but she’d wanted to get out of that cabin before he woke and saw her panic. So she’d run. What they’d shared had terrified her because it felt so right and good, and any number of similar words. Maggs wasn’t ready for that.
“So these are baked by locals, and the judges will pick a winner, then we get to eat them,” Mallory asked from beside her.
“That’s right. Originally it was a muffin contest, but that changed last minute.”
She’d gone home, showered quickly in case he came after her, and then gone to watch the bake-off today. She’d be in a crowd if he did find her, and that would work for now, at least until she didn’t feel so emotionally raw. Fin’s family had been here, so she’d joined them, which was also cowardly, as Fin wouldn’t want to.
“Ryker Falls loves to run events. We have the Santa run soon, and the musical chairs for adults.”
“Have you seen my son, Maggie?”
How did she answer that? “I have, Mr. Hudson.” A lot of your son.
“Call me Jonathan. Any tips on how I can get him to talk to me, considering you and he are close?”
“Oh, well, we’re not that close.”
“Certainly seems that way to me.” He gave her a gentle smile.
“Fin is a good man, Jonathan.” Maggie thought about her words carefully. What happened between Fin and his father was no business of hers, but she didn’t like to see him hurting either. Would talking help him resolve things or make them worse?
“I know he’s a good man. I’ve talked to people in this town who were happy to speak about the man he’s become. His friends warned me, gently, that if I hurt him I’d have them to deal with.”
“They care for him very much.”
“I understand that, and it makes me happy and proud that my son can create such fierce loyalty in his friends.” Jonathan sighed. “I just want to talk to him, Maggie. One to one. Please help me achieve that.”
“I really don’t think—”
“If not for me, then Mallory. She deserves to know her brother.”
She felt herself wavering.
“Please, Maggie. I don’t want to leave without at least trying to reach him.”
“I-I, he hikes most mornings, early before the sun fully rises,” Maggie said quickly.
Jonathan sighed again. “I’m fit, but hiking is Mal’s thing.” He looked at his daughter in front of him as she craned to see all the baked goods on the table. “But if it gets me some time with my son, I’ll do it. I’d do anything.”
“I don’t want him hurt.”
“I’ve hurt him enough.” The words were solemn.
“He’s special to this town. A man we all, ah—” Maggie cleared her throat. “—love.”
“I love him too; he’s my son. But we don’t know each other, and I want to change that.”
She nodded. For now, that was enough.
“And there’s my girl.” Luke looped an arm around Maggie’s shoulders as he joined them. “Mr. Hudson.” Luke’s greeting was polite, but held no warmth.
“Hi, Luke.” Mallory shot him a smile. Luke’s smile was warmer now it was directed at the girl.
“You see my brother doing the judging, Mallory? He’s the town’s biggest suck-up, and that’s the only reason he’s sitting up there.”
“I’ve heard that about him,” Jonathan said.
He had Fin’s dry humor, Maggs thought. In fact, the more time she spent with the man, the more she saw his son in him.
“Uncle Luke!”
They turned and saw Gracie holding Fin’s hand. His eyes were on her, then went to his father.
“Hey, baby girl.” Luke took his niece as she lunged at him.
Fin’s eyes were cool and guarded.
“Son,” Jonathan said.
Fin nodded, but moved by his father to talk to Mallory. He bent, listening to something she was saying. Maggs saw Mallory’s smile as she looked up
at her big brother.
“She’s loved him her whole life,” Jonathan said so only Maggs could hear. “We talked about him, had pictures around the house. She always wanted to know more about him, and because my wife and I are not getting younger, we wanted her to know Fin in case she ever needed him.”
“You have a daughter too.”
“Yes, and she would care for her, but I want Mallory to have both her siblings in her life.”
Maggie understood that completely, because she’d feel the same way.
“Excuse me for a minute, Maggie. I see my wife looking for us,” Jonathan said.
Fin left Mallory to come to her side as soon as his father had gone.
“Where’d you go this morning?”
“I had things to do, Fin, and you were still sleeping. No big deal.” She kept her eyes on the judging table. Mayor Gripper was about to speak.
“We made love, and you told me about England, Maggs. What we shared was in no way just sex and definitely a big deal.”
She shot him a look and knew she’d been wrong to downplay what they’d shared. “I know,” she sighed. It was cowardly not to admit that much at least. “But I’m such a mess right now, Fin, and you, like me, aren’t into anything more, so I left to save it being awkward.”
“Or you were scared and ran.”
“Or that.” She looked into his blue eyes, tried to work out what he was thinking, but the shutters were down.
“And you have no idea what I want, Maggie,” he said softly.
“If I could have your attention, please!”
“Don’t tell anyone about what happened in London, please, Fin. I will in my own time.”
His eyes held hers. “You’re doing it over the next few days, and I’m not negotiating on this, Maggie.”
She bristled.
“It’s not fair to them. They love you.”
“I know they do, and I’ll tell them, I promise.”
“Good girl. Now, where is he?”