Magnolia and Moonlight

by Iris Abbott

  Maggie shyly smiled at him. “I might take you up on that. I’m working on material for our next release. I haven’t been getting good vibes from the duplex lately, kills the inspiration, makes it hard to write.”

  Marcus stiffened and straightened his spine. He was suddenly all business. “Has something else happened? We have office personnel whose only job is to monitor the security feeds of clients. There have been no reports of suspicious activity at your address,” he told her.

  She touched his shoulder. “We haven’t noticed anything either.” She shrugged. “I don’t know, it feels tainted somehow. May not be logical, it’s just how I feel.”

  Marcus wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled Maggie against his side. She rested her head on his shoulder. He tightened the embrace, giving her a tight hug. “Never underestimate your instincts. They’ve saved my ass more than once, and I never ignore my gut,” he confessed.

  He made a mental note to drop by her duplex soon and take a more thorough look around. See if he could pick up any of the bad vibes she mentioned. “I’ll look into it,” he promised. He did not bother telling her that he asked about the camera feeds every day, making sure nothing suspicious happened, and she and her friends were safe.

  “Enough about that. I want to enjoy the night,” she insisted. Maggie lifted her head from his shoulder, tilted her head back, and peered up at the night sky. “Black velvet with drops of diamonds and specks of fairy dust as far as the eye can see,” she eloquently spoke with the lyrical voice she used on stage.

  Shivers of pleasure skated across his skin. He leaned back and closed his eyes. Sounds and scents, so much a part of his everyday life that he tuned them out, permeated his senses.

  Frogs croaked. Crickets chirped. The delicate bells of a neighbor’s wind chime carried on the breeze. The smell of freshly cut grass and the heavy perfume of flowers filled the night air.

  He opened his eyes and turned to stare at Maggie. While he concentrated on their surroundings, she lounged back on her elbows. Pale gold moonlight illuminated her, setting her aglow. His breath caught in his throat. Magnolia and moonlight were the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

  If he lived to be a hundred, Marcus would never forget the sight of her bathed in the soft glow of moonlight. He rolled to his side and leaned over her. Maggie opened her eyes and slowly blinked at him. He caught her gaze and held it.

  “Hey.” He acknowledged the connection between them with a thick voice heavy with desire.

  “Hey,” she whispered back in a husky, bedroom voice that heated his already hot blood.

  Marcus slowly lowered his head and kissed the side of her neck. He tangled his fingers in her long, wavy hair, pulling the soft strands loose from the tie that held them in place. He nuzzled his way up the column of her throat and claimed her lips.

  Her slender arms wrapped around his neck. His tongue pushed past her lips, entwining with hers. The eagerness of her kiss tasted sweet. He pressed closer, deepening the embrace.

  His teeth playfully dragged at Maggie’s lower lip. Her soft sigh whispered near his ear. His hands ached with the need to touch and explore her body.

  He tore his mouth from hers. His breath sawed in and out of his lungs. The raspy sound drowned out the other noises of the night.

  “Need inside you! Now!” He sat up, scooped her into his arms, and rose to his feet. He stared into Maggie’s eyes, silently praying that she did not object.

  She cupped the side of his face with one hand, leaned into him, and brushed her lips across his. “Make love to me,” Maggie softly pleaded.

  Marcus did not need any more urging. His shaft throbbed with need for the woman in his arms. He marched through his back door and went straight to the master bedroom. After months of wanting Maggie, he was finally going to have her.

  EIGHT

  Warmth flared through her body. Her sex tingled and grew wet. Her heart pounded, and a pleasurable shiver skated over her. She nuzzled his neck, breathing in the earthy, male scent that sped up her pulse.

  She tipped her head back to stare at his handsome face. Trusting him not to drop her, Maggie loosened her hold. She touched his face with the back of her hand before she ran her palms over the sleeves of his T-shirt, squeezing his muscular forearms. She admired his strength instead of fearing it.

  He settled her on the bed. The softness of the mattress cradled Maggie, welcoming her. Before she had a chance to catch her breath, he was on top of her. His lips claimed hers. She opened her mouth to him, hungrily accepting the ravishing kiss.

  Maggie tilted her neck and pressed her mouth closer to his. She sucked on the tip of his tongue, silently begging him for more. He ripped his mouth from hers and nipped and sucked his way down the delicate skin at her neck. She trembled in anticipation.

  He abruptly lifted away from her, resting back on his haunches. Maggie stared at him, holding her breath, waiting for his next move. He ripped off his T-shirt, exposing his chiseled abs to her view. Her gaze lingered, admiring his form.

  Marcus leaned over her. His fingers skimmed across her exposed belly where the hem of her shirt had ridden up during their kiss. Delicious shivers followed in the wake of his caress. She sucked in a sharp breath and raised her upper body from the bed.

  He gripped the edge of her top, lifted it over her head, and tossed it to the floor. His arms circled her. His fingers unclasped her bra and pulled it away from her body. He cupped the underside of her breasts. He squeezed and caressed the mounds.

  Her nipples tightened to diamond-hard points. His thumbs brushed across the stiffened peaks. He tweaked and teased the sensitive tips. She felt the tug all the way to her clenched sex. Maggie clamped her thighs together. It did nothing to ease the growing ache between her legs.

  She thrust her breasts more tightly against his hands. His thumb rasped against her nipples. He rolled and pinched the tingling buds. Shudders of desire shook her body.

  Her breath came in soft pants. It grew ragged as his caress roughened, heightening her desire. He blew warm air over her nipples. Her breath hissed, and her body tensed in anticipation.

  Marcus rained kisses on the slope of her mound. He covered a nipple with his mouth and sucked. His teeth lightly nipped and tugged on the sensitive flesh.

  She ran her hand over his back and tangled her fingers in his hair. She arched her back, leaning into his touch. Maggie moaned his name, urging him to give her more.

  His mouth moved to the neglected breast. He started over, licking, sucking, nipping. Her toes curled. Her muscles tightened, straining to reach a peak.

  Marcus lifted his head and stood. Maggie sat up and eagerly reached for the waistband of his sweatpants. She yanked them toward his knees. He stepped out of her reach and smoothly kicked off his shoes, pants, and the pair of black briefs he wore.

  Following his lead, she rolled to the side of the bed, got to her feet, and quickly toed off her sneakers and got rid of the rest of her clothing. He opened his arms, and she stepped into the circle of his embrace. She pressed against him, rubbing the tips of her nipples against his hard chest. She closed her eyes, dropped her head to his shoulder, and sighed in pleasure.

  He pushed against her. Maggie fell backward onto the mattress. Marcus was on top of her before she had a chance to catch her breath.

  She slid her hands between their bodies, finding his jutting erection. She wrapped a hand around his sex. He grew even harder. The blunt head pressed against her palm. He rocked his hips, pushing into her grasp.

  Maggie made a fist and stroked the velvety steel erection. A shudder rocked his body. The organ swelled more.

  She thought about tasting him, but Marcus took over. He left her long enough to yank open the drawer to his nightstand. He fumbled around, pulled out a foil packet, and ripped it open with his teeth. He sheathed his jutting erection and came down on top of her.

  “Damn! Never came that close to forgetting protection before,” he muttered.

  Maggie blink
ed. Protection completely slipped her mind as well. His hand caressed the side of her hip, and everything else faded into the background and was once again forgotten.

  She opened her thighs to his touch. His fingers drifted to the most secret part of her and slid inside. Her hand fell from his erection. She forgot about tasting him and concentrated instead on the feel of the strong fingers he worked inside her.

  His thumb found the erect bundle of nerves that ached for his attention. He tapped the nub. Maggie’s body tensed. She moaned his name.

  He shifted position, and pushed her knees up, wedging himself between her thighs. The tip of his manhood nudged against her and slid between the folds of her nether lips. The head pressed against her opening. He pushed into her, pulled most of the way out, and plunged deep. She arched her hips, meeting him thrust for thrust.

  Their lips melded together in a hot kiss. Their hands grasped for each other. He shoved Maggie’s arms above her head and held them there. Their fingers entwined, joined together.

  Hard, rough thrusts rocked Maggie. Her body tightened, strained, and rode the wave of pleasure until it crested. Overlapping swells of pleasure washed through her.

  Her toes curled. She squeezed his hands so hard, her fingers hurt. Her body bowed, back arched. She teetered at the height then the orgasm crashed over her like an ocean wave. She drowned in the pleasurable sensations that lapped through her.

  Convulsive ripples gripped her, robbing her of breath. She tossed her head to the side and closed her eyes. Stars exploded behind her eyelids.

  Marcus plunged inside her, twisted his hips, and froze. Her eyes popped open. He threw back his head and growled her name. He released his seed with a savage grunt of satisfaction.

  Her sex repeatedly clenched, trying to keep him in place, even as he slid from her body. She rolled to her side. He left the bed. Maggie heard running water in the bathroom. A minute later, he returned with a warm cloth. Marcus washed between her legs, kissing her inner thigh as he finished.

  “Definitely worth the wait,” he told her. Marcus slipped into bed and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her back against him. Sated, Maggie was already drifting off to sleep.

  ****

  “So, you and Maggie, huh? Didn’t see that one coming,” Jeremy declared.

  Marcus grinned. “Two weeks now. Sparks flew from the beginning. Though, it just took me a while to talk her around.”

  “Congrats, hope things work out as well for you as they did for me,” Jeremy sincerely stated.

  “All’s good so far, just had to be persistent enough to get beyond her prickly attitude.”

  His gaze skimmed the beach in front of him. The bright turquoise of Maggie’s bikini captured his attention and kept it. He watched her dash in and out of the crashing waves at the shoreline. He knew Rose was with her, but he didn’t see the other woman because he only had eyes for Maggie.

  She skipped through the sand. The chime of her laughter carried on the wind, the sound music to his ears. Maggie, he realized, had the easy, free-spiritedness of a gypsy and the water-loving soul of a mermaid.

  Her head turned his way. Their gazes met. She widened the smile on her face and waved at him. Marcus waved back.

  “Man, if you could see the goofy look on your face. You must have it bad.” His friend and boss smirked at him.

  Marcus broke the connection to Maggie to face the other man. He raised his brows and stared down his friend. “Really? You wanna go there after the way you fell for Rose,” he teased.

  Jeremy held up his hands. “Got me there,” he agreed. “At times, it felt like I was in freefall with no parachute.” A serious look crossed his face. Marcus knew he was thinking of Rose’s stalker and their brush with death.

  He cleared his throat. “What’s going on with their duplex? The whole thing stinks to high heaven.”

  Marcus flinched at the reminder of the possible threat to Maggie and her friends. He tugged on his right ear. “Strange that. No more signs of an intruder inside or out.”

  “Think the ladies were mistaken or looking for attention?” Jeremy wanted to know.

  Marcus squished his brows together and ran a hand through his already windblown hair. “They’re not divas or attention whores like some of the clients we work with,” he emphatically stated in defense of Maggie and her friends. “They think someone was there, and I believe them. Just wish I had a clue as to who, so that we had a clearer picture as to why.”

  “No message, nothing of value was stolen, no damage, maybe they forgot to lock up, and a teen or child got inside.” Jeremy shrugged. “Stranger things have happened.”

  His nerves jangled, and his gut tightened. He puffed out his cheeks with air and slowly released it with a long, drawn-out hiss. “Maybe.”

  Jeremy stared at him. “You don’t sound convinced.”

  “My gut says otherwise,” he admitted. “We should keep the feed from their cameras under observation for a little while longer. Maggie has an asshole of an ex who would absolutely do some underhanded type of shit to terrorize her.”

  Jeremy’s spine stiffened. “You got eyes on the son of a bitch?”

  “Of course. He’s in Alabama for now, and if he knows what’s good for him, he’ll stay there.”

  His friend slumped back against his chair. “Rose would have my ass if something happened to her girls, so they’re covered through Barrett Security. Let me know if you need more manpower or resources.”

  “Will do.” Not wanting to linger on the unpleasant topic any longer, Marcus changed the subject. “Heard from Knight lately? Got a start date yet?”

  “Two weeks.” He gave Marcus a curious look. “You want him in on Maggie’s case?”

  “No, but she mentioned getting a dog once she and her sister moved into their grandmother’s place. I want to pick his brain about different breeds and temperaments in case Maggie and her sister decide they want one.”

  Shadows fell over them. Marcus glanced up and saw Maggie and Rose approach them.

  “Hey,” Maggie plopped down in the beach chair next to him, leaned over, and kissed him. The salty taste of the ocean clung to her lips. He palmed the back of her head and deepened the kiss a few seconds before he slowly and reluctantly pulled away from her.

  “Hey, right back at you, babe.”

  Her sun-kissed skin glowed. Her hair was damp and tangled from the ocean spray and wind. Grains of sand stuck to her feet and legs. Maggie was a mess, but she was a beautiful mess.

  Jeremy cleared his throat. “So, Maggie. I’ve already heard from Rose. I’ll also get a report from Marcus and Josh, but I was wondering what you thought about the self-defense class.”

  Maggie flashed a bright smile at Marcus that made his heart pump faster. “A winner. I have a much better chance of defending myself and surviving an attack than I had before I took the class,” she emphatically stated.

  “I hope Barrett Security is able to offer the class a few times a year. Unfortunately, a woman never knows when she might have to defend herself from someone bigger and stronger. Well, you get the point.” Her voice trailed off.

  Marcus intently stared at her. Goosebumps broke out on her arm, and her hands shook. He knew she was thinking about the attack she endured at the hands of her ex-boyfriend. He lightly threw an arm over her shoulders and pulled her into his side. She relaxed against him, and Marcus kissed the top of her head.

  “Think we’re leaning that way,” Jeremy said. “Rose had nothing but glowing praise for the class. I won’t worry as much when the band travels, and no one from Barrett Security is with y’all.”

  “Yeah, we learned some mad skills,” Rose proudly exclaimed. She jumped to her feet. “Let’s show him.” She grabbed Maggie’s hand and pulled her up and away from Marcus.

  He let her go and glanced at Jeremy. The other man shrugged. They turned their attention toward the women and watched and waited.

  Maggie ran her palms down the front of her naked thighs, drawing his gaze.
He wiggled his fingers to curb the urge to reach out and touch the expanse of silky skin. A warmth that had nothing to do with the sun flushed his body. It did not matter how many times the two of them came together, he could not get his fill of Maggie. He was beginning to think he never would.

  Rose waved at him and Jeremy. “Come on, y’all. Grab us from behind in a bearhug,” she directed.

  Marcus knew what was coming since he had been one of the instructors. Still, he stood and made his way to Maggie. He would use any chance to touch her even if he were going to end up flat on his ass.

  He glanced at Jeremy, who had yet to move. “Come on, man. You aren’t afraid of your fiancée, are you?”

  Jeremy hopped to his feet. “Of course not, but I know what’s coming. At least the sand is soft,” he muttered under his breath.

  They grinned at each other. Marcus strode up to Maggie, assuming Jeremy was doing the same with Rose. He wrapped his arms around her upper body, trapping her arms to her side. Maggie did as she had been instructed in class. She thrust her head backward and struggled.

  Her willowy, much shorter figure did not have a chance at breaking his hold, but Marcus knew that was not what she wanted to do. He shifted position much like a real attacker would do in an effort to control her. He put a leg forward, trying to find his footing and hold her in place. Quick as a flash, Maggie bent down, grabbed his forward leg, and yanked on it. He lost his balance and toppled onto the sand.

  Marcus turned his head and saw Jeremy was in the same predicament as him. The women high-fived each other and did their version of the happy dance. His eyes strayed to Maggie’s jiggly breasts. He swallowed hard but failed to cool his heated blood.

  “Great job, ladies,” he called out as he sprang to his feet. He palmed the front of his swim trunks to hide the tented fabric raised by his growing erection. He jogged toward the ocean. “Going for a swim,” he yelled over his shoulder to the group.

  Jeremy’s deep-throated laughter followed Marcus into the sea. He finally regretted his choice to tease his friend after the man fell so hard for Rose. Payback, as they say, was certainly hell, and it looked like Jeremy was going to get the last laugh.