When He Falls

by Michelle Jo Quinn

  The disciplined fighter in me had to surface. Maggie was the type of girl who didn't jump into bed with just anyone, especially someone who hadn't been present in her life for so long. If my assumptions were correct, she was still getting over a terrible heartbreak. I pitied the guy who had let her go, if I ever had the chance to meet the moron.

  With a towel wrapped around my hips, I was about to hit the lights in the cramped room when a shadow flittered under the door. Was Maggie on the other side of it? What were her intentions? Was she going to join me in the shower and finish what we had started?

  My facial muscles twitched at the prospect. I reached for the knob and swung the door open, only to face an empty hallway. The space was perfumed with her intoxicating sweet orange scent. I breathed her in, closing my eyes at the memory of the taste of her lips and the softness of her skin under my touch. Once again, there was a twitch under the towel. Leaning my head against the wall that separated the living room from the bedroom and bath, I worked to calm my heart beat down.

  "It's not going to happen tonight," I convinced myself, and like a horny teenager I used to be, I pressed my groin to the wall, imagining Maggie between the cool wall and my hard...

  That served to make things worse. What was I thinking? I should have read the signs. But she did kiss me. My eyes drifted to the end of the wall, to the opening where Maggie waited. Was she waiting? Was she waiting for me to go over there and do something?

  No, I had to stop punishing myself or worse, I might make a massive error in judgment and inadvertently push her into doing something she wasn't prepared to do.

  With a last heaving breath, and squeezing my fist against the wall, I headed back to take cold shower number two.

  When I came out of the bathroom again, my defenses rose when I heard a man's voice, followed by the tinkle of Maggie's sweet laugh. I found Travis stretched out beside Maggie on the couch, his arms spanned across the back of it, and his feet rested forward on the coffee table. Maggie occupied the little bit of space left on one end of the sofa, clutching a pillow over her chest. Travis felt my presence before he saw me, and straightened. He might be almost twice my size, but I could have him face down on the ground with both his arms and legs broken within seconds. And he was aware of it.

  "Ah, hey, Rev," he said, sliding up, and away from Maggie, to perch his ass on the sofa arm. "I was just telling Maggie that we should all go out tonight. Bailey got an invite to another party."

  I kept my tight fists on the towel around my hips, certain that the rolling droplets of water from the shower would steam over my skin, hot from the rage building. Maggie caught my attention, and within seconds, she had my heart beating harder for something else.

  I'd always found peace with her.

  "That's alright. We'll stay in. We rented a bunch of movies to watch," was my calm response to Travis the Hound, but the twitch on my jaw warred with that reply.

  "And I ordered pizza. I hope you don't mind," Maggie added. "I didn't know which toppings you liked, and I was going to ask you through the door while you showered. I got meat lovers."

  Was that the reason why she came to the bathroom door? To ask me about pizza toppings? And not to continue what we had started? It was a good thing I stepped back into the shower, or I'd have embarrassed myself to no end.

  "Pizza? Well, I'm staying with you guys." Travis sat back down on the couch cushion, sinking into it.

  I cleared my throat, and with a small nod of my head, he understood that I preferred to stay with Maggie alone. Just her and I and the invisible, yet palpable, sexual tension between us. Or was that just my imagination?

  Travis stood and raised his hands over his head. "Come to think of it... I think Bailey mentioned something about a seafood buffet at the party. I should skedaddle. See you later, Maggie." He gave me a half-assed shrug and an incredulous grin. Travis was deathly allergic to seafood. Stating that he was going to the party for it was his way of telling me he understood my situation.

  We often roomed together whenever we traveled. Travis was a pig and a hound. He trailed mess at every corner, and his mind wasn't always the cleanest either. I followed him to the door, ready to slam it the moment he stepped out.

  "Oh, by the way, we got an okay from Harckwick. Two more days, bro." He raised two fingers for me to see.

  I was delighted to hear the news. We had requested to stay in San Francisco for another day, and received two more days instead. I planned to spend those days with Maggie. When I turned back to her, I could imagine the grin plastered on my face simulated that of Travis'. It widened as I caught her ogling me and my tats.

  Whether it was a good idea or not, I had to tease her. "You like what you see, Beanie?"

  Her gaze flew up to my eyes. Playfully, I waggled my eyebrows at her and laughed when the pink of her cheeks deepened in tone.

  "I was just... I mean, I didn't..." She covered her reddened face with the pillow she had clutched in her hands.

  When I passed her, I snatched away the pillow and quickly kissed her cheek, enjoying the heated blush. But I kept walking. Yeah, I could tell she was still staring at my back, and when I neared the bedroom, I let the towel slip off my hips and down to the floor. Her audible gasp echoed in the room, and I laughed when the same pillow she had used to shield herself hit me right on my gluteal muscles.

  I dressed quickly in a pair of sweatpants and didn't bother to put on a shirt. If Maggie would rather check out my tattoos than watch a movie, I was more than fine with that. I would even let her touch.

  The moment I walked back into the living room, her reaction did not disappoint. She squeezed herself deep in the far end of the sofa with not one, but two pillows surrounding her. And I wondered...were those placed there to protect herself from me, or to keep herself away? Because I couldn't stop myself, I threw the pillows on to the floor and snuggled beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist. She didn't struggle, but she sat stiffly until I leaned my head on her shoulder and she finally relaxed.

  She played another movie—some chick flick that had the cute redhead who had a weird name playing someone who did nothing but shop. It didn't hold my interest at all. For one thing, I'd met enough women who were like that character. They were pretty. They were sexy, but they all were after one thing. And it was normally something I either didn't have or couldn't give. Money or love, never both.

  We'd become entangled on the couch at some point. Once the pizza guy came, I had an embarrassing minute of explaining to Maggie why I couldn't quickly get up and walk. I didn't understand myself with her. I was bold, yet I lacked courage. I was happy, yet I had fear. But one thing wouldn't change. I was not looking forward to the time when she had to leave. I wished she wouldn't.

  But that time came, sooner than I thought it would. It also surprised her.

  She received a couple of text messages, and Maggie told me they were both from her sister. "She wants me to come back now. I don't know what's up with her. She's normally more relaxed. She knew I was going to spend time with you." I was glad to know Nica trusted us enough to be together alone. Perhaps, Maggie hadn't changed all these years. She had always been a straight arrow. I had to promise not to lead her down the wrong path.

  I sighed heavily, and regretted it instantly. A frown appeared on Maggie's face. I reached for her chin and cupped it with a hand, silently asking her to look at me. "If you have to go, you should go. Maybe there's an emergency with your niece?"

  "No." She shook her head. I traced my fingers up to the line of her jaw to play with a lock of her hair. The simple action soothed me. And after every time I'd done it, my hand smelled like sweet oranges, like Maggie. "She would have told me if that was the case. I'm going to call a cab. Maybe you can catch up with Travis and the other guys and go to the party."

  Was it me or did she sound disappointed? "I'll stay in and sleep. I have an early start tomorrow." She smiled, and it made my heart swell.

  I followed her to the door while I dialed for
a taxi, and slipped into my shoes. We spent the way down to the lobby in silence. It was moments like this that the ability to read someone's mind would come in handy. I hadn't bothered with a shirt, and the close proximity heightened the electricity between us.

  "Text or call as soon as you get there, okay?" I asked before kissing her on each cheek and once, but deeper, on the lips. She nodded. We both hesitated to let go of each other, but we must. For now, we must.

  Maybe some day, one day soon, I wouldn't have to let her go again.

  Chapter Ten

  Maggie

  Before I pressed the elevator button to ascend to Levi's penthouse, I sent a quick message to Zach, letting him know that I had arrived. And I was glad I'd done so. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, the thick tension in the air nearly choked me.

  My voice caught in my throat. I couldn't fathom why Nica had rushed me to come back, but whatever the reason, it wasn't good. The tapping of heels approaching me added to overwhelming nervous energy. Nica had never stomped her feet when she walked. She glided. Not this time. This time, her footfalls sounded like an elephant wearing her stilettos. When she reached me, the words "in deep shit" echoed in my head.

  In Nica's right hand was the box for the pregnancy test I had used earlier in the day. The box had gone missing once I'd returned from working at her office. How did she find it? I'd been with her the entire time at her company. Had she snooped into my room while I was out with Zach? She lifted it to my eye level.

  "Care to explain this, Maggie?" She didn't yell it out. Nica spoke so calmly that it terrified me more than if she had shouted the words. I tried to read the expression on her face. Was it just anger I saw? Could there be fear there as well? But there was a definite form of disappointment swimming in her eyes.

  Like a trout out of water, I opened and closed my mouth, uncertain of what to say first. Nica advanced toward me, and I stepped back until my back hit a wall. For someone who was a head shorter than me, she could be very intimidating.

  "Tell me what you're doing with a pregnancy test, Maggie. Tell me it isn't what I think it is." Nica shook the box between us. I tangled my fingers together and looked down at them. "Where's the test? Are you pregnant? You've been partying all this time and you... and this..."

  "Nica, I..." I began but again, the rest of the words were trapped in my throat.

  "Maggie, are you pregnant? Is it June's? Does that a-hole know?" She kept coming at me, tapping that box on her palm.

  "Veronica." Levi's voice came out of nowhere, soft and low, but it had a timbre of warning. I lifted my head a smidgen and was surprised to see how close he was to us. "Why don't you have a seat, Maggie, and let me have a quick chat with your sister?"

  "Levi, I..." Nica began to protest, but Levi tilted his head to the side and sent her a pleading look. She huffed and turned around to face her husband.

  I chose that time to escape and let the air back into my lungs, holding my purse tightly with shaking hands. Inside it was the damned test. I could dig for it and leave it on the coffee table in front of me, let it speak for itself. But I didn't. For once, I had to fight for me. Even if it was with my own sister, who had been nothing but supportive and understanding... and strict.

  For years, I had let our mother lead me this way and that. For years, I had to stay under the shadows of my incredibly intelligent and successful half-sister. When I wasn't doing either one, June had taken over the reigns of my life. And what had he done to me after that? He'd left me for my best friend.

  When I'd left Fresno, I had wanted an escape from my mother's scrutiny, from her hold, from the town's expectations and disapproving looks. I'd sought out freedom coming to my sister's home, but instead, I had ended up in another sort of prison.

  Nica and Levi's hushed voices were behind me. I tried to listen in but couldn't. My mind was full of my own noisy thoughts. Once it was over, she joined me on the sofa that faced the San Francisco night heavy with fog.

  I didn't want to be in a fog.

  I wanted clarity.

  I hadn't expected constant sunshine and cloudless blue skies, but I deserved a bit of brightness in my life. Zach had been that. He'd given me something to look forward to. He'd made me feel special, wanted, desired. But he'd also respected my decisions. He had stopped when I had said no and hadn't questioned it. It was liberating to know I could do that and he still wanted me.

  June hadn't exactly pushed himself on me, but he'd made me feel guilty for denying him sex. All those years we'd been together, he'd asked and asked, but I'd maintained I would only do it once we were married...or close to it. And it was the only thing I could control.

  Call me traditional. Call me a prude. I was terrified when he had gotten my innocence, he wouldn't look at me the same way anymore.

  It was just another perk of living with a mother who'd changed boyfriends as many times as she changed her underwear. Whenever she met a new man, she would be on cloud nine. Nothing could go wrong. They'd have a blissful few weeks, sometimes months. Then she would begin complaining that every man only wanted one thing until that man was out of our lives. How many times had she told me to hold onto that one precious thing? My V-card, she called it. But I'd decided to finally give in one night with June, stupidly thinking that it would be his first time too since I'd been his only girlfriend. Little did I know he'd been giving it to that tramp. Yes, I'd made that decision, but only because I had let others influence me. That had to end.

  "Maggie," Nica began quietly.

  I raised a palm up to her, and squeezed the bridge of my nose before I opened my eyes to look at her. "Nica, you might not like what I'm about to say," I said, surprised at how steady my voice was. "But I need you to listen."

  There was shock in her eyes, and then it molded into calm, and even with a hint of a smile. She placed her hands on her lap, and listened.

  "I'll be twenty in a few days. I'm an adult. But you and I know I'd had to learn to grow up years ago. We do have the same mother," I reminded her. "I'm not pregnant. I thought I was—" There was no need for her to know I'd had sex only one time. "—but I'm not. And I'm not partying. Zach and I just hang out, watch movies... you know, like when we were kids." There was also no need for her to know he and I had done a bit more than just hanging out.

  I covered her hands with mine. "I didn't mean to hide it from you. I wasn't entirely sure what I had to do especially when there was nothing..." To stop a sob from coming out, I bit the inside of my cheek. This was supposed to be my way of proving to Nica I was a grown woman, capable of making my own decisions, living my own damn life, and being responsible for any actions I would make.

  Nica was a hugger, just like Mom. She gripped my hands and squeezed the breath out of me. "I'm sorry for yelling at you."

  "You didn't," I managed to eek out, waiting for her embrace to loosen.

  "I crossed the line. You're right. You're a responsible person. I just wish you would let me help you out." Finally, she let me go. I quietly sucked in a breath. "And so you know, I didn't sneak into your room. Our housekeeper cleaned your bathroom and found it on the floor. Gemma felt she had to tell me. She knows you're younger but not how old you are. Can we start again?"

  I replied with a half shrug, realized that it wasn't enough, and added a nod of my head. As Nica's natural reaction, she pulled me again in a tight hug.

  As much as I would have loved to talk to Nica more about my future plans, all I had been able to do was go through life day by day. I'd let her speak and give me advice or suggestions which she had hoped would guide me to making the right decisions. She was a planner, in a lot of ways. The only thing that had been a real surprise for her was Aimee. My little niece was a wonderful gift to both her parents.

  My stomach grumbled as I removed my bra before getting into bed. I caught my reflection in the mirror on top of a dresser. My belly seemed flatter than ever, even under a loose sleep shirt. How long had it been since I'd imagined that something was growing ins
ide it? Nica had told me what I'd thought were symptoms of pregnancy could have been due to the stress. I would have made a great parent, particularly because I'd have her as an exemplary example of what a wonderful mother should be. And despite my mother’s misgivings, she’d been a great, strong-minded mom.

  I slipped under the blankets. When I reached to turn off the lamp, my phone lit up. My pulse raced, thinking Zach was calling me to say goodnight. I smiled as I picked it up. I was only slightly astonished to see May's phone number on the screen. I hadn't spoken to her since I left Fresno.

  "Hello," I greeted, pushing my head deep into the fluffy pillows.

  "Oh, hallelujah you answered! I thought I'd have to leave a message. Where have you been? Your Mom said you're with your sister?"

  "Yeah, sorry I didn't know how to tell you."

  "You should be sorry. But, I forgive you because you wouldn't have been able to reach me anyway. My Mom confiscated my phone when she saw me talking to Lily. She accused me of being unsupportive of June and his bitch."

  It seemed that nothing had changed over there. "I'm in San Francisco with Nica and Levi. I'm staying here for a bit."

  "I'm so jealous!" May produced a whine. "I'm stuck here putting up with the bullshit. Maggie, you wouldn’t believe it, but shit just hit the fan."

  With a hand on my mouth, I suppressed a groan. I'd come home to meet drama, which had been resolved. I couldn't face another before the end of the night. I had no idea where May was. Chances were she had to take their dog out again so she could sneak a phone call with me. I might not like what I was about to hear, but it wouldn't stop her from revealing everything to me. "Something miraculous happened? Did Delaney's boobs start sagging?"

  May let out a guffaw. "It's so good to hear you have your humor back. Maybe San Francisco is the solution for you, after all. However, that is incorrect. I think they've grown much bigger. She displays them everywhere she goes. She's like those cartoon peacocks... no, she looks more like a constipated penguin. She definitely has the waddle down pat." We shared a little snicker before she continued. "There is trouble in paradise, Maggie. June and Delaney have been fighting...a lot."