CHAPTER TEN

Liam

 

It was close to eleven when I got home from the restaurant, and I found Maggie’s father on the couch, half-asleep, watching TV. My plan to accidentally fall asleep on the couch and avoid confronting that kiss for a little while longer was shot to hell.

“Hey, that’s not so bad. When you said late, I was picturing long after midnight,” Mr. Grant said.

“Well, benefits of a small town. Things close down relatively early. At least during the week. I hope you enjoyed your meal.”

“It was great. Really. Nice job.”

I smiled my thanks and walked through towards the stairs. I went up slowly so as not to make too much noise. With any luck, she’d be asleep. I eased open the bedroom door and the lights were off, the room quiet. I breathed a sigh of relief and went in, grabbing a shirt and heading for the bathroom.

When I came out, I saw the mattress had already been pulled out. I noticed the first night when she got into her own bed she’d decided not to fight me on the sleeping arrangements. I got in and pulled up the sheet, staring at the ceiling and wondering how to handle this situation.

That kiss had been more than I’d expected. Bluntly, it had knocked me off my feet. I was finding it hard to even look at Maggie without wanting to touch her. It killed me to think that she disliked the idea of sex. That someone, or more than one someone, had so completely fucked it up with her that she actually thought she was better off without it. She’d been so damn responsive to that kiss I knew I could prove her wrong. And I had only five days left to do it.

I had a moment of moral contemplation. She was innocent. I was not. Could I really get involved with this woman for five nights without worrying she’d read something more into it? She, of the ‘oh, I want a romantic love’ mentality?

“Em,” I whispered. “You up?”

It was quiet for so long I figured she was asleep.

“Yeah, I’m up.”

“Can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead.”

“Have you ever had an orgasm?”

I heard the blankets rustle as she sat up in bed.

“What?”

“You heard me. Have you ever had an orgasm?”

“Well, of course. What kind of question is that?” she demanded.

“So, you’re saying another human being made you come, and you didn’t enjoy it?”

There was a long pause.

“I said I’d had an orgasm. But only the self-inflicted kind.”

I laughed out loud and sat up, looking for her in the dark.

“Jesus Christ. Self-inflicted? You make it sound like a wound to avoid at all costs.”

“Well, you know what I mean,” she said.

“I suppose. So you do masturbate?”

“Liam, I don’t like you enough to get into this line of questioning.”

“Research. Answer the question.”

I heard an exasperated sigh and smiled to myself.

“Yes, I masturbate.”

“And you enjoy it?”

“I do.”

“So what makes you think that you wouldn’t enjoy the same activity with a partner?”

“Why won’t you let this go?” There was almost a pleading tone to her voice.

“Because I think you’re a great writer. And you could be a great romance writer. You just need to spice it up a bit.”

“That’s what I need. A man telling me how to write romance books that other women will read.”

“Fuck, Maggie, that’s not what I meant.”

“Anyway, it’s irrelevant. I’ve never been with a man that’s touched me the way I touch myself.”

My dick sprang to attention. I tried to swallow over the lump that had suddenly appeared in my throat. I was grateful for the darkness.

“Why don’t you show me?” I asked, trying my best to sound casual.

“Excuse me?”

“If you show me how you like to be touched, I bet I can make you come. And it will be just as good, if not better, than what you can pull off on your own.”

“No. That’s ridiculous.”

“Don’t be so quick to turn me down. Think about it. I’m offering you a no-strings-attached orgasm. In a few days, you’ll never have to see me again. Imagine what it could do for your writing.”

She didn’t say another word, so I lay back down and stared up at the ceiling, waiting for her to fall asleep.

*

When I woke up the next morning, I could hear Maggie in the shower. We had still not been alone together, face-to-face in daylight hours, since the kiss. I contemplated slipping out of the room but decided not to be such a fucking coward. Two nights were already gone, I had four to go. If I was going to get anywhere with her, it was time to man up.

I got up and pushed the mattress back under the bed. I pulled on a pair of shorts but no T-shirt. I knew my assets. I made the bed for her, then sat down to wait for my turn in the shower.

She came out a few minutes later, wrapped in a terry robe, hair up in a towel. There was nothing between her and me but the soft white belt looped around her waist. One tug—

“You need the shower?” she asked.

I snapped out of it and stood up, grabbing my clothes and heading into the bathroom.

“What’s your schedule?” I asked.

“I’ve got to be at the hotel in an hour. You?”

“Restaurant at noon. Toni’s doing the prep this morning.”

“Okay. I’ll go down and start the coffee, we’ll put on a little show for my folks, then go our separate ways?”

“Sounds good.”

“You working tonight?” she asked.

“Just through dinner. I should be back by eight.”

 

*

When I got down to the kitchen, the Grants were seated around the table, eating their breakfast and discussing plans for the day. Maggie was at the counter, buttering some toast. I walked up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and kissed her behind the ear.

“Good morning,” I whispered.

I saw the goosebumps rise along the back of her neck and smiled to myself. I ran my hand up her back, squeezing her shoulder before going to grab a cup of coffee. She shot me a little side-eye, but I ignored her, chuckling to myself. While in the shower, I’d devised my plan. I had made my offer, and she’d shot me down. Now it was time for her to come to me. And I had no qualms about playing dirty.

I opened the overhead cabinet and reached up for a mug, flexing my bicep in the process. They said women had tools at their disposal? So did men. I learned that secret a long time ago. I filled my cup and joined the Grants at the table, reaching for a bagel and taking a bite.

“So? Hiking? Is that what I’m hearing?” I asked, chipper as fuck.

“That’s the plan. Maggie tells us there’s a flat trail around somewhere?” Mr. Grant said.

“Yup. Leads right to the beach. Perfect for a day like today. Bring your swimsuits and you can cool off when you’re done. Just be warned—the lake is freezing this early in the season.”

“Oh, I don’t think we’ll be swimming,” Mrs. Grant laughed.

I looked at her appraisingly.

“Come on, Mrs. G. You must look smoking in a bathing suit.”

She blushed and buried her face in her newspaper. Her husband looked at her, studying her as if seeing her for the first time. Finished creating her toast Picasso, Maggie grabbed her plate and walked over to the table. Before she could get to her seat, I reached out and pulled her onto my lap. A surprised look flashed across her face, but she recovered quickly and settled in, taking a bite of her toast.

Her father glanced over his newspaper, gave me a quick look, then turned back to his news. Her mother was going on about some particular birds she was hoping to see on the trail. I was occupying myself with Maggie’s freshly-shampooed hair. She smelled fabulous.

I put down my coffee cup and casually placed my hand on her leg. She stiffened but kept eating her breakfast, trying her damnedest to ignore me. She couldn’t fool me. I could feel her pulse quickening through her back, against my chest. I wrapped the arm around her waist a little tighter, drawing her even closer. Then I let that other hand trail up her thigh.

She took a sharp breath in, then shifted in my lap. Bingo. She casually put down her toast and placed her hand on top of mine, firmly pressing down to stop me from progressing any further north. I leaned forward and whispered in her ear, “The things I could do—”

She shot up, causing the cutlery by her plate to fall to the ground. The loud noise caused both her parents to look up.

“What is it, dear?” her mother asked.

“I just realized I’m late for work. I’ll see you all later. Mom, Dad, have a great afternoon. We’ll meet up here for dinner. Liam? You’ll be in later tonight?”

I gave her a salute and a smile and she turned to the door.

“Don’t I get a goodbye kiss?” I asked, mischievous as hell.

She flashed me a look that would’ve left me cold if I hadn’t been running so damn hot. She walked back over and bent down gingerly, planting a soft kiss on my lips. I grabbed the back of her head, not letting her pull away until I got confirmation that the first kiss hadn’t been a fluke.

It hadn’t.

She pulled away, swallowing as she looked me in the eye.

“I’ll, uh, see you later.”