Broken Dreams Boxset

by Rebecca Barber

  “Getting more light in here isn’t quite as simple, though.”

  “I didn’t think it would be.”

  “What are your thoughts on a skylight?”

  “Really?” When I’d suggested getting more light in there, I was thinking of changing the heavy wooden door to a glass sliding one. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined putting a skylight in. That involved getting on the roof and cutting a hole in the ceiling. And there was no way in hell I was going up a ladder. I’d use the light on my phone if necessary to give me extra light before I even considered it.

  For the next hour we walked around the house tossing out random ideas. Drew had a notebook and he was keeping a list. Some of them were pipe dreams I knew we’d never go ahead with. Like the fake gas fireplace I wanted in the lounge room, but some of the more practical and cost-effective ones we agreed on quickly. The one thing that scared me though was the commitment this would require. If any of those plans ever saw the light of day, it would take time, money and effort. Something I wasn’t sure we had right now. Given I wasn’t even living here and our marriage was in shambles, I wasn’t convinced taking on something of this magnitude was the right thing to do.

  By the time we’d circled back into the lounge room and were staring at the skeleton of the house, I knew I had to bite the bullet. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Always.”

  That didn’t calm my nerves. Not one little bit. “Would it be okay if I stayed here for a while?”

  Drew stepped backwards and tripped over nothing at all, stumbling until he was able to reach out and grab the window frame. My question must have posed more of a shock than I’d thought it would. “You… you want to stay here?”

  Back peddling fast, I tried to hide my disappointment. “It’s fine. If you’d prefer I didn’t…I can stay in the spare room. I don’t want to make things awkward or anything… It’s just Mum’s driving me up the wall. As much as I love her, if I have to stay there much longer, I may kill her. But if it’s awkward or weird or whatever, I can stay with Kristie until I can find somewhere more permanent.” I was rambling. When I was nervous, I turned into a babbling idiot.

  Righting himself, Drew stalked towards me like I was prey caught in his web. “Maggie.” My name came out as a growl. “You’re staying here. That’s not fucking negotiable.”

  “Oh.”

  Not once in all the years had Drew played the part of possessive caveman. I didn’t think he had it in him. Obviously I was wrong. Very, very wrong. Not only did he have it in him, but he could play the role as well as any of those guys in the books I read, tucked up under the covers at night.

  “Why do you think I sabotaged you finding an apartment? I want you here. I always wanted you here. It’s your home and it’s where you belong. Is that what you came over today to talk to me about?”

  DREW

  Please say yes. Please say yes.

  I could barely believe my ears. Maggie, my Maggie was standing in front of me, with her hair hanging in wet ropes down her back, her face clean of makeup, asking me if she could come home. It was a dream come true. My dream come true. The only problem I had with the idea of sleeping under the same roof was how the hell was I going to keep my hands to myself? Even today when we’d been working side by side, she’d had cobwebs in her hair and smelt like sweat, dirt and Maggie; my body was reacting in ways it most certainly shouldn’t be.

  “Ah, yeah. I guess. But then I got here and you’d started pulling everything apart, and I just wanted to help, I didn’t even ask if you wanted me to help. God! Did you want me to help? Sorry, I should’ve asked. Then I forced my opinions on you and….”

  She was freaking adorable when she got worked up, and I realised it’d been too long since I’d seen her wound this tight. Despite my tired and aching muscles, there was one part of me that was sitting up and paying attention. He was raring to go. Ignoring what my dick wanted; he always wanted the same thing anyway—Maggie—I stepped towards her and crushed her lips under mine. The plan had been to stop her babbling and get her out of her own head. But when she moaned into my mouth, I realised how very little control I had when this woman was around. She had more power than she knew. She had the power to drop me to my knees and turn me to mush. And I wasn’t even a little bit embarrassed to admit it.

  When her tongue darted out and traced my lips, I opened up for her and let her take the lead. While our tongues duelled, my hands roamed. With her hair hanging down her back, I tangled my fingers in it. There was something about Maggie’s hair that had always intrigued me. It was thick and curly, and it contained some kind of magic voodoo power. Just having my hands in it, the smell of her favourite vanilla shampoo overriding my senses and suddenly it seemed all was right in the world. Today though, it wasn’t calming me. If anything, it was egging me on. Challenging me. Demanding I push harder to take control.

  I tore my lips from Maggie’s, and she whimpered in protest briefly before I found the spot just below her ear and sucked on her neck. As soon as I did, I knew I’d hit the right nerve when Maggie rubbed herself against me, her boobs squished against my chest. Her warmth and scent was overriding every single one of my senses and driving me bat shit crazy.

  Untangling my hands, I found myself grabbing her arse and holding her tight against me. I could feel the warmth of her body against mine as I ground myself against her. Instead of pulling away, Maggie’s head fell backwards, exposing her long, delicious neck. I couldn’t stop myself even if I wanted to. While she writhed against me, I licked and nipped and suckled.

  “Drew.” When my name fell from her lips with a pant, I pulled back just far enough to take her in. Her cheeks were rosy and her eyes heavy with lust. This could go horizontal very quickly if we weren’t careful. And I’m not thinking that would necessarily be a bad thing, the way my cock was pressing against my zipper, weeping for attention. I was pretty damn certain it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. But it wouldn’t be right.

  Loosening my grip, I slid my hands from her arse to her hips, refusing to let go. I couldn’t afford to risk Maggie taking this the wrong way. The last thing I needed was her feeling like she was being rejected. That I didn’t want her. My balls were heavy and my whole body buzzed with want from her, I just had to be smart here. For once, I had to think with my head, not my dick.

  “Maggie. We’ve got to stop.” My own voice was deep, raspy, and I barely recognised it.

  Snap!

  It was that instant. I both loved and hated how well I knew this woman. I knew she’d try to run. Thankfully I was already one step in front of her. Not letting go, I held her hip in one hand, letting her have some space but not enough to run, while I pushed the stray strands of hair from her face. Her lips were bruised from my kisses and they looked so tempting. Pink and plump and I knew they tasted like heaven, but I had to be strong. This wasn’t a sprint. It was a marathon. And I was in it for the long haul. I’d do whatever it took to convince Maggie that this is exactly where she needed to be. And if that meant that I was taking cold showers for the foreseeable future and giving myself carpal tunnel, well then, so be it. Maggie was worth it.

  “Don’t you even think about disappearing right now.”

  “But…”

  “Nope! No buts. We got carried away. Again. It was my fault.”

  “I’m pretty sure I wasn’t protesting too hard there.”

  I almost fell flat on my arse. If I’d been in love with Maggie before, then I was going to drop to my knees and worship this new and improved version. There was a confidence there I’d never seen before, and it was hot as hell.

  “Nah, I don’t think you were. But we have to be smart about this. So, I’m going to let you go now, and you’re not going to take off out the door like someone just set your pretty little arse on fire. Deal?”

  She didn’t look convinced but didn’t protest.

  Reluctantly, I let her go and stepped back, running my hand through my hair. Taking
in my first breath that wasn’t filled with Maggie’s moans or scent served as an instant reminder how much I missed her. I reached down and adjusted myself, needing to ease the ache. Actually, what I really needed was a release but now was not the time.

  When Maggie slipped out of the room, I sucked in a quick breath. She’d never promised not to run; I was just clinging to hope. When she returned a moment later, bare feet, no handbag or car keys in sight, holding two open bottles of beer, the pure relief almost knocked me over.

  Maggie handed me a bottle and clinked hers with mine. “Cheers!”

  Taking a swig, the cold beer went down easily. Maybe too easily. “Wanna go sit out the back?” I offered looking around the room. I needed to sit, preferably with Maggie out of reach. It was the safest option for both of us.

  Outside I made sure I sat in one of the arm chairs and not on the lounge suite. I’d already pulled away from Maggie once, I didn’t think I’d have the willpower to do it again. At least not today. As normal, Maggie settled into the chaise and tucked her legs up under her. Squinting against the reflection of the fading sun in the glass table top, it didn’t take a genius to regret my decision. Even knowing I’d made the right call didn’t help. Maggie looked like an angel. An angel I wanted to dirty up and corrupt as soon as possible. Taking another swig from my beer, I considered getting up and getting another. Alcohol might take the edge off but it would lower my defences. Nope, I was going to sit on this one and pretend to be a good boy.

  “It’s nice out here. Why didn’t we sit out here more often?” Maggie tilted her head back, exposing her neck to the waning warmth of the sun. I smirked when I noticed the beginnings of small black marks dotting her pale skin.

  “What are you smiling about?”

  “Nothing. Nothing at all.”

  “Drew…” she growled and my dick, which I’d only just started to get under control again, twitched. I was a sick, sick man.

  “What?”

  “Tell me. Do I have something on my face?” Maggie was wiping at her face roughly. As entertaining as it was to watch her fuss and fidget, I had to put her out of her misery.

  “Nice hickey.”

  “You didn’t!”

  Instead of answering, I took another drink and looked away. “So, you’re staying?”

  “Nice change of subject.”

  “I try.”

  “But yes. If that’s okay, I’d like to.”

  “Of course, it’s okay. But I have one question.” I watched as the nervousness crept in. I hated that it happened and even worse that I was the cause, but it was the way it was.

  “What’s that?” Her voice wavered.

  “What the hell did your mum do to piss you off and send you running in my direction?” Maggie went to say something, but I cut her off. “Not that I’m objecting. Just curious. What was it that June did that pushed you over the edge?”

  “You know her well.”

  For the next ten minutes, Maggie unloaded. It was no wonder she was on the verge of murder. When she told me about June sitting outside the bathroom door asking her about her grooming habits, reminding her that a guy would never look twice at someone who let themselves go, jealously pumped through my veins. June and I would be having a conversation very soon. She should not be encouraging her daughter to be looking anywhere other than at home. Maggie had everything she needed right here. Even if I’d monumentally fucked it up, something I’d be apologising for forever, I was still here. And it was exactly where Maggie should be too.

  “You should’ve heard her giving me the safe-sex talk.”

  “She didn’t!”

  “Oh, yes she did. You have no idea. I got the history of condoms, the benefits of the pill and even a lesson on what to expect when menopause hits.”

  “You’re shitting me?”

  “I wish.”

  “Then she went through my bag and started commenting on my underwear. She tossed three perfectly good pairs out!” Maggie was all worked up now. It was fucking funny as shit. I could just picture June going through Maggie’s bag, calling her a prude and tossing out the saggy-arse cotton undies she preferred. Even though they weren’t my favourites, I’d never considered tossing them out. Well, maybe I’d considered it but I didn’t have the balls to go through with it.

  “Did you just dig them back out again?” I asked, knowing that’s exactly what Maggie would’ve done. She blushed. Her cheeks burned red and her eyes narrowed to slits. She’d been busted and she didn’t like it. Not one little bit. “Tell me.”

  “She cut the butt out of them!”

  “She what?”

  “She cut them into pieces. Cut big holes out of the butt. They were ruined.”

  I snorted with laughter. I made a mental note to high five June next time I saw her.

  “Don’t laugh.”

  “Oh, come on. Surely you can see the funny side of this.”

  “Funny side! She cut up my underwear!”

  “So… should I even ask?”

  “Ask what?”

  “What exactly have you got on under those jeans, Mags?”

  She didn’t answer. Instead she looked at me, pretending to be mad. She’d forgotten. I’d seen her mad. Hell, I’d made her mad. This wasn’t mad. This was annoyed. Embarrassed. Maybe even caught out. When a cushion came flying at me, I batted it away easily.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know,” she sassed me, throwing in wink.

  While I sat there pondering the possibility of cutting the rest of the ugly panties into shreds, June-style, out in the yard, a kookaburra laughed, and the cockatoos took flight. Sunset was coming faster than I was ready for. But at least Maggie was home. It might not be home like I wanted her to be, but it was a step. It was all I could hope for at this point. But I had to be careful. I was already on unsteady ground; I couldn’t afford to stumble again.

  Without stopping to think, I blurted out, “We need rules.”

  “Rules?”

  “Yep. House rules.”

  Although she didn’t look convinced, Maggie conceded. “Oh okay. What are you thinking?”

  I should have thought this through before I’d tossed the half-arsed idea out there. I should’ve expected Maggie to jump on it and ask for more info. It was who she was. She was all about the details. Details and plans were her thing. And I wouldn’t change her for the world.

  “Separate bedrooms.” I spat out the first thing that popped into my head. Maggie quirked her eyebrow, and I couldn’t tell if she was impressed.

  “Alright.”

  “Don’t get me wrong, Mags, I’d be more than happy to share a room and a bed with you. Very fucking happy. But if we’re going to do this, we’re going to take it slow. You living here is a step in the right direction, one I’m ecstatic about, and it’s going to be hard as fuck, literally, to know you’re curled up in the other room sleeping in those skimpy sleep shorts and tight tank top, but I’m going to do my best to behave.”

  “What if I don’t want you to?”

  “Want me to what?”

  “Behave.”

  I growled. My whole body went stiff. And I mean my whole body. It was a good thing I was sitting down because there was no blood left in my head. My cock as so hard it could pound nails. “Woman, you’re going to be the death of me.”

  “Maybe. But what a way to go.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  MAGGIE

  To say Mum was a little excited when Drew and I had pulled into the driveway was like saying the trip to the moon was a fun weekend vacation. I don’t know what she was more thrilled about. The fact I was moving home and getting out of her hair, or the possibility that Drew and I might sort our shit out. She’d practically packed my stuff for me, the whole time talking Drew’s ear off. My intention hadn’t been to rush into anything. I was planning on coming back, getting my stuff and heading back home in the next day or two. Drew though, it seemed, had other ideas. As soon as I suggested it, he objected, stole my car keys a
nd then yelled at me to move my arse. Seemed like someone was in a hurry.

  While Drew and Mum laughed about the now infamous underwear incident, I slipped out of the bedroom and hid in the laundry. I was willing to bet money that when I got my bag home, there wasn’t one pair of panties left in it. Between the two of them, I could safely assume they’d all be in the trash cut to pieces. With one hand sorting through the pile of dirty clothes, I dug my phone from my pocket and dialled Kristie.

  “Pick up! Pick up!” I begged, untangling a pair of jeans.

  “I did! Geez! What are you complaining about?”

  Typical bloody Kristie. I don’t know why she still managed to surprise me. Not even bothering to say hi, she went straight into bitching at me. “Remind me again why I put up with you?”

  Without missing a beat, she replied, “Because no one else can keep up with your damn drama. You’re a drama llama.”

  “Wow! Someone’s got her bitchy pants on today.”

  “Only for you, sweetheart.”

  “Gee, thanks… I think.”

  “So, what’s up, buttercup?”

  “Where the hell are you? You’re panting. Did you actually attempt that thing called exercise?” I could picture Kristie cringing at my question. In her world, exercise was a dirty word. Sweating wasn’t something she did voluntarily and it was a long-standing joke that if I ever saw her running, I better get my arse in gear and move because you could bet there was something chasing her.

  “Sure. Exercise. Let’s go with that.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  “Well let’s just say, I am sweating.”

  “I don’t even want to know.”

  “You know you do.”

  “Do you even know his name this time?” Kristie wasn’t the slut she liked to make out she was. She was just terrified of commitment. And admitting she had a regular bed buddy was too much for her. Instead, she made lewd comments and suggested she changed partners more often than she changed her sexed-up sheets.