by Lori Ryan
Just like high school, he thought.
“What are you looking at?” Emmett followed his gaze and let out a laugh. “Ahh.”
Ben ignored him. He was getting good at it.
“Is that Randy Wade playing pool with Maggie?” Emmett asked with a nod to the pair.
“Beats me.” Ben shrugged. He might need a few beers before the night was over.
“Wasn’t he on the football team?” Emmett didn’t know when to quit.
“Sure was,” Hank said as he slid their drinks in front of them. “He was quarterback the year the team went all-state.”
“Maggie went out with him in high school, didn’t she?” Emmett elbowed Ben.
Randy was a football player. Maggie was prom queen. Of course, they’d dated.
She had been in with that crowd—the jocks and cheerleaders and beauty queens.
Ben had not.
“Yeah, I think so,” Ben answered tightly, tipping his beer to his lips. Yep. Gonna need a few of these tonight.
“Didn’t he marry Taylor Andrews right after high school?” Emmett asked.
Really, Em? Who the fuck cares? Unless he was still married. That would be good news.
“Yeah,” Hank said, wiping down the bar.
How the hell did Hank know all this? And why did Ben suddenly care?
“Soon after their wedding, Taylor took off with some handyman passing through town looking for work.”
Emmett scoffed. “Bullshit.”
Hank nodded.
“Seriously?” Emmett asked.
“Yep,” Hank said. “One minute, he was screwing in a new set of book shelves, the next he was screwing—”
“We got it, Hank. We got it.” Ben held up his hand, shaking his head. So much for Randy being married.
The older man just laughed as he wiped down the bar. “Maybe you should write a book about that.” Hank nodded toward Emmett. “You’re a famous novelist now, aren’t you?”
Emmett’s response was nothing more than a snort.
Ben only half listened to their conversation, studying the way Maggie moved around the pool table. He was sure he could watch her all damned night. Suddenly, he didn’t care if Emmett wanted to stay. “So, is she seeing him?”
“Who?” Hank asked focusing on Ben.
“Maggie, and what’s-his-face?” He nodded toward the pool table.
“Oh,” Hank chuckled. “Randy and Maggie? No, I don’t think so. She’s a sweet girl but Randy’s kind of a dope, to be honest. She’s way too smart for him.”
Emmett laughed into his drink and Ben had to crush the urge to shove him off his bar stool.
“Randy would be good to her, though, I’ll tell you that,” Hank continued. “If anyone deserves someone who’ll treat her right, it’s Maggie Lawrence. Lord knows she had it rough with her old man.” Hank shook his head.
“What do you mean?” Ben asked.
“Her dad’s an alcoholic,” Hank said.
Ben knew that. The whole town did. “And?” he prodded. The way Hank had said it, there was something more he was hinting at.
“She had to take care of him for years, all on her own. Thank God the asshole finally decided to get his act together last year and enter rehab.”
Ben studied Maggie before turning back to Hank. “What do you mean, she had to take care of him?”
“She’s been paying all the bills since she was a kid, if rumor’s right.” Hank shook his head and picked up a bar towel, wiping at imaginary spills as he spoke.
“Are you serious?” Emmett asked.
“Oh, yeah.” Hank nodded, looking up from the bar. “Nowadays, there’s no way she wouldn’t have been taken away by child protective services. Hell, come to think of it, I don’t know why she wasn’t. I guess they covered it pretty good.”
Emmett turned and stared at Ben. “How did we not know this?”
Ben shook his head. Probably because they’d had a great childhood, they assumed everyone else had. And here he sat, thinking his dad had been abusive for withholding praise. Since he’d been back, Ben had noticed Maggie was great at taking care of everything. She covered for everyone. Now he knew where that skill had come from.
“She was always so put together in high school,” Emmett said.
Hank smirked. “Still is.”
Ben glared.
“What,” Hank stiffened, “I’m old, not dead.”
“He was a dick in high school,” Ben said.
“Who?” Emmett followed his brother’s gaze. “Oh, Randy. I’m not sure he was a dick, but he got around, for sure.” Emmett stared from the table back to his brother. “Wait, are you jealous?”
“No.” Crap, he’d answered too fast.
“Emmett! Ben!”
Both men turned.
Their cousin, Lily waved them over. With her long, dark brown hair and gray eyes, she looked more like her father than Aunt Sally, although Ben barely remembered the man. And no one spoke of him.
Aunt Sally had left her husband when the girls were young, moving back to Canyon Creek and taking back her maiden name for her and her daughters. To say it had been a bitter divorce was an understatement.
Emmett laid several bills on the bar. “See you, Hank.”
Ben’s gaze stayed firmly locked on Maggie as he followed behind Emmett.
“Pull up a stool, gentleman.” Lily smiled.
Emmett grabbed another seat from the table next to them.
“It almost feels like we’re back in college, home on a break or something,” Lily said.
“Hi, I’m Emmett.”
Ben’s gaze finally moved from Maggie to the woman sitting across from him. Emmett had his hand stuck in her face.
She had platinum blonde hair that curled halfway down her back. Her skin was flawless and her light blue eyes were tipped at the edges, making her look exotic and wicked. He should have felt something. At least a little more than the clinical assessment that she was beautiful. He didn’t.
“Hi, I’m Kayleigh Montgomery.” She extended her hand to Emmett but her eyes stayed trained on Ben.
“Wait, Kayleigh.” Ben tipped his beer her way. “You’re the doctor who saved Lucky the cat?”
Kayleigh beamed. “That would be me.”
“Lucky? Are you talking about that mangy cat running around the lodge?” Emmett asked, an ironic smirk spreading across his face as he shook her hand.
“Shush your mouth.” Kayleigh dropped his hand, glancing over her shoulder.
Ben followed her gaze. Maggie.
Kayleigh turned back to face the men and leaned in. “Don’t ever let Maggie hear you say that about her prized cat.”
Ben grinned but his face fell when he saw another man now playing pool with Maggie. What the hell? It was Shawn Braddock, the lodge’s general contractor.
Shawn wasn’t a bad guy, as far as Ben could tell. In fact, he seemed hard-working, reliable. Still, Ben couldn’t swallow the lump of jealousy lodged in his throat. “So, what do you guys know about Shawn Braddock?” he asked, his eyes trained on the pool table.
Kayleigh snorted.
Ben turned his attention back to the women.
Lily shrugged, gazing down at her half-empty mug of beer. “He’s good with wood.” She giggled as she cut her eyes to Kayleigh.
“And hot as hell.” Kayleigh smiled.
“Kayleigh.” Lily elbowed her, tipping a little sideways as she did, then took another sip of her beer as though it might steady her. He had a feeling more beer wasn’t going to help matters.
“What?” Kayleigh said. “You can say he’s good with wood but I can’t describe his assets?” She turned to stare at Shawn with an over-the-top sigh.
Lily studiously avoided looking that way, rolling her eyes at her friend.
Shawn was bent over the table, stick in hand like Maggie had been earlier. He took a shot then stood, leaning over to say something to Maggie. She threw back her head and laughed at the idiot.
“Are Shaw
n and Maggie dating?” Emmett asked the question that Ben didn’t have the balls to.
“Nope,” Kayleigh said. “As far as I know, Shawn is single and ready to mingle. So is Maggie.” She grinned as she added the last part, as though she could read his mind.
Ben kept his attention on the people at his own table for the next few minutes. He needed to stop obsessing over Maggie. It worked, until he saw her sail by on the dance floor, in another man’s arms. Lame-ass Randy Wade. He looked like a moron with two left feet. Ben should rescue Maggie.
Why was he being so territorial?
And why the fuck was Randy so close to Maggie?
Lily chugged the rest of her beer and slipped from the stool, nearly stumbling. “I’m going get another pitcher. You guys want anything?”
Ben glanced down at his beer. “I’m good.”
“Yeah, me, too,” Emmett said.
Lily bounced away toward the bar, like she always had, light on her feet, a perpetual optimist. Ben envied that. Of course, she was also probably a couple of beers ahead of him.
“So, Emmett,” Kayleigh said.
Ben turned to the conversation at his table, trying to keep from staring at Maggie and her partner.
“You write books, right?” Kayleigh asked.
“Uh, yes. I do.” Shit, was Emmett nervous?
“Anything I might have read?” She asked hopeful.
“I dabble in several genres. Mystery, suspense, true crime sometimes. I love research.”
“I’m more into romance, but research sounds like fun.”
“You would think,” Emmett sighed.
“You don’t enjoy it?” Kayleigh asked.
Ben was glad they’d moved on to topics other than Maggie and Randy. “He’s got writer’s block.”
“Not writer’s block,” Emmett said defensively.
Kayleigh surveyed Emmett from head to toe like he was a pair of Prada shoes on clearance. “Is that anything like writer’s cock?” Kayleigh laughed.
Emmett choked on his beer. “What?”
Ben coughed. What was up with this girl?
“Ignore her,” Lily nodded toward Kayleigh as she slammed down another pitcher. “She hasn’t been getting enough lately.”
“Really?” Emmett and Ben asked in unison as they stared at the beautiful blonde bombshell.
Kayleigh shrugged like she discussed her sex life, or lack thereof, with men she’d just met all the time.
Lily stared at the dance floor, her usually bubbly expression falling.
Ben followed her gaze and noticed Shawn twirling Maggie in a spin before leaning in for a hug. When had she switched partners? And why was he touching her?
Lily turned back to the table and poured herself another glass, holding it up in the air. “Bottoms up!” She yelled.
Kayleigh reached for her. “Lily, I don’t think—”
Lily swatted her away and chugged her beer.
Kayleigh held up her hands in surrender. “Okay, I guess I’ll be driving home tonight,” she said with a laugh.
“Come on, Lil.” Emmett stepped off his stool. “Let’s dance.”
“Now that she’s taken care of, I’m going to the little girls’ room,” Kayleigh said, slipping off her stool.
Ben watched her leave then turned his attention toward the dance floor. Poor Lilly was being dragged around the small space by Emmett. His brother was so uncoordinated, Ben couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?”
He turned at the sound of her voice.
Maggie stood, smiling.
His body stiffened—some parts more than others. Breathing in deep, he nodded toward the dance floor. “Emmett.”
Maggie turned and studied Emmett, covering her mouth as she released a low laugh. “He’s just...”
“Awful?” Ben finished.
“Yeah,” she nodded, still trying to hide her amusement.
“Want to show them how it’s done?”
Maggie stared up at him. “How what’s done?”
“Dancing.” Oh shit, where had that come from? He was just as awful a dancer as Emmett. He glanced out on the floor at his brother. Well, maybe not that bad. Nobody was that bad.
“I’ve seen you dance, Ben.” She touched his elbow. “No offense but I think I’ll pass.” That laugh that seemed to wash over him came once more.
Since when had he been turned on by just the sound of a woman’s laughter? Never.
Maggie fumbled with her beer glass. The tension taking over the space between them was palpable.
“Want another?” Ben asked, picking up the pitcher of beer Lily had brought over earlier.
“Nah, I’m not really much of a drinker. I just come to hang out with the girls.” Ben had to stifle the urge to ask why she’d been with Randy and Shawn if she came to hang out with the girls. He was at least smart enough to know that would be an asshole move.
“I’m sorry about the kiss,” He blurted out. Where the hell had that come from? It was a lie. The only thing he was sorry about was that they’d had to stop.
Maggie’s green eyes locked on Ben’s, disappointment etched within.
“I mean, I’m just sorry that I kind of mauled you. I just…” Hell, stop talking already, Ben.
“I blame Sally.” Maggie shrugged with a laugh.
Ben felt his own stab of disappointment. “Yeah, me, too.”
The awkward silence returned.
Shit.
“Truth?” he asked.
Maggie nodded and took a sip of water.
“I’m not sorry.”
A slow smile spread across her supple lips. “You’re not?”
He shook his head. “I mean, I’m sorry Aunt Sally forced you—”
“She didn’t force me.”
Ben raised a brow in surprise and moved closer. “She didn’t?”
“I mean,” her cheeks brightened, “yeah, she asked us to, but I could have said no.”
“I could have, too.” Another step brought him into her space, only an inch between them.
Maggie’s emerald eyes locked on his and his pulse kicked up a notch.
“If I’m being honest,” Ben said, “I didn’t need to kiss you to sell the barn. Daphne loves unique things. I could have talked her into it without the kiss.”
Maggie broke eye contact and ducked her head. “So, what’s the story with Daphne?”
Was it his imagination or had she closed the distance between them?
“There is no story. She’s engaged to my CFO.”
Maggie stared up at him. “He’s your best friend, your CFO, I mean?”
Ben nodded. “Patrick’s been with me from the start. We met in college. Bonded over pitchers of beer in a place pretty much like this one.” Ben glanced around the small bar.
“But he’s not into computers?”
“Nah,” Ben shook his head, “he’s always been a finance guy. He loves numbers.”
“Did you have sex with Daphne?”
He jerked back in surprise. “What?”
Maggie’s face washed with red and she slapped a hand over her mouth. “I’m sorry.” she mumbled. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
A smile broke Ben’s face. She was jealous.
“No, Daphne and I never slept together.” He leaned into her again, this time, leaving no space between them. “We’ve never even kissed.”
“Oh.” Her lips formed a small circle, her words washing across his skin. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.”
“Have you and Shawn had sex?” Ben put a hand on her hip, holding her in place so she couldn’t back away.
“What? Where did that come from?” Maggie glanced to where Shawn was dancing with Kayleigh.
“It’s a fair question. You guys seem close.”
She shook her head, her delicate curls tossing back and forth. “I don’t sleep with my friends.”
Suddenly an image of those curls brushing the skin of his chest as she straddled him materialized i
n his mind. His pulse throbbed under his zipper. Stop. She felt too damned good standing against him and he wanted to pull her in and kiss her again.
“Shawn and I are just friends. I think he likes Lily.” Her eyes focused on Lily and Emmett.
Ben changed the subject, no longer wanting to talk about Shawn. He wanted Maggie in his arms.
And he knew in that moment, he was a bigger ass than he ever imagined he was. Because the thought actually occurred to him that Maggie would be easier to convince of his plans to scale back the wedding barn and the cabins if they were sleeping together.
He shoved the thought aside. Even he wasn’t that much of a dick. It was a friendly dance. That was all. “Come on, dance with me? I promise I’ll go easy on your feet.” He held out a hand.
“I’ll lead,” she smirked.
“Not on your life, woman.” He slid his hand in hers and noted how well they fit together. Maggie’s eyes went wide as he slipped his arm around her tiny waist.
“What?” he asked.
“We’re kind of close, aren’t we?” she frowned.
“We’re married, Maggie Mae.” He said and winked. “My aunt did the honors. I’m surprised you’d forget so quickly.”
Her laughter sent warmth spreading out from his chest.
“You have a great laugh, Maggie.”
She smiled up at him. “Why, thank you, Benji.”
“Oh, God, not Benji. Please.” Ben rolled his eyes.
“It’s a cute name.” She smiled, tossing her hair behind one shoulder, revealing a sheer top.
Christ.
He drew in a breath, her scent consuming his senses as he stared at her exposed skin. Holy hell. He wanted to touch and lick that smooth creamy skin with—
“Ben.” Maggie tugged on his shoulder.
He shook his head, clearing the lusty fog.
“Where were you?” she asked.
“Dreaming of our honeymoon.” He leaned down and brushed his mouth across her cheek. He’d meant the move to be casual, but when he caught the sharp intake of her breath, he knew she was just as affected as he was.
She pulled back and sent him a cheeky smile. Somehow, Maggie seemed to have more control than him.
“Well, if this is our honeymoon, I want to go somewhere warm and tropical,” she answered, not missing a beat.
“Warm and tropical it is.” Ben smiled, noting his own body warming from her touch. Holy hell, he was in trouble. Deep trouble.
