Eric
was struck by how comfortable he felt with her. There was no awkwardness, but
there was an occasional glance at each other that made him think their
relationship was possibly heading into real relationship territory. He liked
her laugh and how direct she was about everything. She jumped into life with
both feet, and being with her energized him.
Of course, she was also exasperating. She was
regaling him with a tale of living in the city and being out late at night by herself.
She found it hilarious that she'd almost been caught by a guy lurking near
where she'd lived. He found it appalling. She was so certain her martial arts
skills could handle anything, he was afraid she'd never realized there were
times when it might not be enough to protect her.
"Maggie, don't you see how reckless that
was?"
"What was I supposed to do? I had to walk
that way to get to my home. And he was this slob of a guy that I could have run
circles around and he still wouldn't have caught me."
"My point is why didn't you take a cab home,
right to your door?"
"I was perfectly capable of walking, and I
could have handled myself if something had happened."
He shook his head at the thought, and wanted to
shake some sense into her. "You need to be more careful." As she
opened her mouth to retort, he continued. "I wouldn't like it if anything
happened to you. You're becoming too important to me."
Which effectively shut her up. There was a kind of
wonder in her eyes and face as she stared at him. Then she shook herself and
pointed out the window, speaking briskly about the community that would grow
there.
He thought about what he'd just discovered. She was
important to him. And he wanted her, more every time he saw her. But he could
be patient. He smiled at her, which caused her to get flustered for a moment.
Yes, he could definitely be patient.
* * * *
Maggie was aware of the way Eric was looking at
her. There was a glint to his eyes that made her stomach quiver with anticipation. The inside of the car suddenly seemed too close
and intimate a setting.
"Would you like to get out and walk around
the area?" she asked.
"No, I don't think so," Eric replied,
his gaze pinning her in place.
"I guess we should go see some more of the
town."
"I think we're fine right here, for
now."
"Eric, I--"
"Maggie. Come here." He moved toward her
on the big front seat. There was no separation between them in this kind of
vintage car. He was next to her and she felt like she couldn't catch her breath,
until she realized she had stopped breathing. She took a gulp of air.
"Eric, what are you doing?"
"I'm about to kiss you."
"But--"
"Maggie. Hush." He bent his head to hers
and kissed her, igniting her desire for him. They were entwined in each other's
arms, kissing passionately for what seemed to her to be forever. Or maybe she
just wanted it to be that long. The kiss ended and Eric was running his hand
through her hair.
"I've wanted to do that all day," he
said.
She rested her head on his shoulder. "We
barely know each other, but I feel so connected to you. Do you feel that
way?"
"Yes, like I've known you forever."
She ran her hand over his chest, the feel of the
soft sweater and his warmth making her feel as if she'd like to spend the day
there. His nearness acted like a drug on her, making her relax for what seemed
like the first time in days, making her feel content and safe and cared for in
his arms. "Can we stay like this all day?"
He chuckled. "For a while anyway. Remember,
we have dinner at your brother's house later on."
She sat up abruptly. "He'll know! Sam will
take one look at me and know something is going on with us."
Eric burst out laughing. "Maggie--that's what
you wanted him to think all along."
"Oh. Yeah. Right." She shook her head
and began to laugh.
"No more pretending, okay?"
"Agreed. But I still can't quite believe this
is happening."
He leaned in. "Believe it, darling," he
murmured, right before his lips pressed against hers.
was struck by how comfortable he felt with her. There was no awkwardness, but
there was an occasional glance at each other that made him think their
relationship was possibly heading into real relationship territory. He liked
her laugh and how direct she was about everything. She jumped into life with
both feet, and being with her energized him.
Of course, she was also exasperating. She was
regaling him with a tale of living in the city and being out late at night by herself.
She found it hilarious that she'd almost been caught by a guy lurking near
where she'd lived. He found it appalling. She was so certain her martial arts
skills could handle anything, he was afraid she'd never realized there were
times when it might not be enough to protect her.
"Maggie, don't you see how reckless that
was?"
"What was I supposed to do? I had to walk
that way to get to my home. And he was this slob of a guy that I could have run
circles around and he still wouldn't have caught me."
"My point is why didn't you take a cab home,
right to your door?"
"I was perfectly capable of walking, and I
could have handled myself if something had happened."
He shook his head at the thought, and wanted to
shake some sense into her. "You need to be more careful." As she
opened her mouth to retort, he continued. "I wouldn't like it if anything
happened to you. You're becoming too important to me."
Which effectively shut her up. There was a kind of
wonder in her eyes and face as she stared at him. Then she shook herself and
pointed out the window, speaking briskly about the community that would grow
there.
He thought about what he'd just discovered. She was
important to him. And he wanted her, more every time he saw her. But he could
be patient. He smiled at her, which caused her to get flustered for a moment.
Yes, he could definitely be patient.
* * * *
Maggie was aware of the way Eric was looking at
her. There was a glint to his eyes that made her stomach quiver with anticipation. The inside of the car suddenly seemed too close
and intimate a setting.
"Would you like to get out and walk around
the area?" she asked.
"No, I don't think so," Eric replied,
his gaze pinning her in place.
"I guess we should go see some more of the
town."
"I think we're fine right here, for
now."
"Eric, I--"
"Maggie. Come here." He moved toward her
on the big front seat. There was no separation between them in this kind of
vintage car. He was next to her and she felt like she couldn't catch her breath,
until she realized she had stopped breathing. She took a gulp of air.
"Eric, what are you doing?"
"I'm about to kiss you."
"But--"
"Maggie. Hush." He bent his head to hers
and kissed her, igniting her desire for him. They were entwined in each other's
arms, kissing passionately for what seemed to her to be forever. Or maybe she
just wanted it to be that long. The kiss ended and Eric was running his hand
through her hair.
"I've wanted to do that all day," he
said.
She rested her head on his shoulder. "We
barely know each other, but I feel so connected to you. Do you feel that
way?"
"Yes, like I've known you forever."
She ran her hand over his chest, the feel of the
soft sweater and his warmth making her feel as if she'd like to spend the day
there. His nearness acted like a drug on her, making her relax for what seemed
like the first time in days, making her feel content and safe and cared for in
his arms. "Can we stay like this all day?"
He chuckled. "For a while anyway. Remember,
we have dinner at your brother's house later on."
She sat up abruptly. "He'll know! Sam will
take one look at me and know something is going on with us."
Eric burst out laughing. "Maggie--that's what
you wanted him to think all along."
"Oh. Yeah. Right." She shook her head
and began to laugh.
"No more pretending, okay?"
"Agreed. But I still can't quite believe this
is happening."
He leaned in. "Believe it, darling," he
murmured, right before his lips pressed against hers.
Similar Books
