“I’ll always worry about you, Mags.”
“Maybe so, but I am also a grown woman. I don’t know if you noticed or not, but I’m not a kid.”
“It’s just run of the mill giving a damn, Magenta. You’re my family and I give a shit about what happens to you!”
She snorted again, and I turned to Trish. “She can’t take a compliment to save her life.”
“No kidding,” she chuckled. “Ready to head back into the line of fire?”
“Nope.” I picked up the lamb and the mashed potatoes while she grabbed a bowl with green beans and carrots. “But that’s where the food is going so, that’s where I’ll be.”
“Smart man. Now just remember, be on her side. No matter what.”
“I am on her side,” I told Trish because it was true.
“Good. Let’s go.”
“I’ll help you get a divorce,” Mason said stubbornly.
“Nobody asked for your help.”
“Mags, be reasonable.”
She barked out a laugh and sent an apologetic smile to Trish before she turned to Mason. “This coming from the guy who accidentally got drunk married in New Orleans. No thanks.”
“Why do you have to be so-,”
Magenta stood and held up a hand, one finger pointed right at her brother. Her jaw clenched angrily and her nostrils flared, a sign that she was truly angry. “Don’t say it. Don’t you fucking say it, Mase.”
“Why in the hell do you have to be so difficult?”
Magenta transformed right before my eyes, her skin grew pale, completely pale with no trace of her earlier heat, and her eyes went flat and dark. Emotion drained from her, and she looked at me, hurt shining brightly in her big green eyes. Instead of the explosion I’d expected, she nodded and sat down with a short, absent nod. “Don’t worry, I’m no longer your problem. Soon you’ll have your own kid to worry about.” Then she grabbed one of the big serving spoons, mindlessly scooping potatoes and then vegetables onto her plate.
“Mags,” Mason tried but she wouldn’t look up at him, wouldn’t respond to him or any of us.
So much for my grand idea.
It was time to think of another plan to keep my wife where she belonged. With me.
Magenta
Fighting with family sucks. Big time. As much as I was pissed off at Mason and needed some space from him, it hurt like hell to fight like that with him. After that disastrous dinner I just didn’t feel like myself, whatever in the hell that meant. I felt withdrawn, and even more quick tempered, except when I had the tattoo gun or piercing needles in my hand. Work was the only thing that made me feel normal.
I hated it.
And what I hated even worse were the worried looks Mason sent me in those rare moments I ventured to the other side of the privacy shield. I didn’t need him or anyone else worrying about me. My life was my own and I took care of myself the way I had for most of my life. But that glimmer of worry in my brother’s eyes stuck in my throat, because I wanted it to be real. I wanted that concern to be over me, not over another problem he thought he’d have to solve for me.
Luckily for me Tuesdays were slow, and I had no appointments scheduled which meant I could sit inside the house with the blinds drawn, watching television from the comfort of my bedroom. Davis was pulling a forty eight hour shift which meant there was no one to encourage me to shower or get out of bed or leave the house. It was perfect, and I was deep into some pretty world class wallowing when I heard movement downstairs.
Please don’t let it be Mason. I wouldn’t put it past him to barge in just to check on me, but I would ream him if he did since I was officially a paying tenant now. “Mags, you here?”
Davis. Just the thought of his name had certain parts of my body standing up and doing a little dance. Two days was a long time to go without seeing him even though it was exactly what I wanted, okay not wanted, but it was what I needed. Getting too attached to Davis would make it hard to leave when the time came. I was still reaching out to people in my network, but Aunt Mae and her crew were still deep in sabotage mode.
Which meant divorcing Davis wasn’t going to happen. Yet. “Up here,” I finally called out, but not loud enough to be heard. It didn’t matter because his heavy footsteps grew closer and closer until his big, muscular body took up the doorway leading to my bedroom.
He smiled, bracing his arms on either side of the door. “There you are. How are you feeling?” His voice went all soft and manly with concern, blond brows furrowed with worry.
“I’m fine, Davis. You’re the one who should be dead on his feet. Stop worrying about me and go get some sleep.”
“I slept all night and got a nice long workout in this morning so I’m good to go. Hungry?”
“Nope.” That was a lie and about five seconds later my stomach roared with all the ferocity of a bear, giving it away. “Okay, maybe.”
“Meet me downstairs in ten. And Magenta?” His gaze scanned the bedroom, landing on my two bags that were half packed against the wall, the small flat screen TV that sat on a plain pine table and the queen size bed. The room was furnished, but undecorated.
“Yeah?” I held my breath, waiting for him to suggest that I add a few personal touches to the room or something similar.
“Take a shower before you come down, you’re starting to smell.” I tossed a pillow at his laughing face but he easily dodged it.
“I do not!” Though just to be sure I gave myself a quick armpit check once his footsteps retraced the steps through the house.
“Maybe. Maybe not. But I love the way you smell fresh from the shower!”
Yeah okay, that was a good reason. Ten minutes later I was showered and dressed in jeans and a tank top as I made my way to the living room. “I smell pizza and buffalo sauce.”
Davis looked over his shoulder with a smile, his gaze giving my body a long heated perusal. The male appreciation in his eyes warmed me through and through, searing the spots his blue gaze lingered on. “I brought food to make you feel better.”
Arms crossed and immediately defensive, the words were out before I could stop them. “Who says I need to feel better?”
“Mags,” he sighed and patted the spot beside him on the sofa. When I took the seat, reluctantly, Davis wrapped a big arm around me and tugged me close. “Brothers suck.”
His words made me smile. “Yeah, they do.”
“I hear the best cure for that is pizza, wings and beer.” His proud grin drew my attention to the coffee with an extra-large pizza box, a box of wings and a big bucket of beer.
“Didn’t know there was a cure, but I’m down to try a treatment or two.” Reaching forward I froze and pulled back, swiveling to look at Davis. “Thank you for this. You didn’t have to do it, but I’m glad you did.”
His gaze softened like I mattered to him, and I could admit that it was a good feeling. An addictive one that gave me a hint of what Vivi and Maddie felt. Trish too, I could admit. Reluctantly. “You’re too lively Mags, too much woman to ever be sad for long.”
I wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or not, so I smiled and put a hand to his cheek. “Thanks for giving a damn, Davis.”
“Always.”
I tried not to let that word matter. Always. It was a word people used with no intention of ever seeing it through. Everyone promised they’d always be there, always look out for you, always give a damn, and they never did. As far as I could tell, ‘always’ had a shelf life that ranged from a few months to a couple years, and no more. But I didn’t want to break the cocoon of intimacy between us, so I didn’t say that. I flipped open the box of spicy ginger wings and bit into one.
“That’s so good.” The tangy ginger along with the hot sauce hit my tongue, sending off explosions of flavor that pulled a moan from me.
“Works like a charm. Every time.”
I couldn’t remember the last time someone who wasn’t Mason had brought me food just to cheer me up. It was kind of nice. Too nice. The kind
of nice that would be easy to get used to, which meant it would hurt that much worse when it inevitably ended. “I don’t feel cured, but I do feel better so thank you.”
We ate in silence, but it was comfortable. Not that oppressive kind that had existed a few weeks ago. I ate two slices of pizza and at least half the wings before tapping out and leaning back with both hands cradling my belly. “That was delicious.”
Davis chuckled and dropped a hand onto my thigh. “And you even left some food for me. So sweet.”
I cut a glare at him. “There’s plenty of pizza left for both of us. If you wanted more wings, then I suggest you move faster, old man.” I let out a low moan when his fingers dug into my leg, kneading gently.
“Who you calling old?”
“If the walker fits, decorate it with tennis balls.” His affronted look sent me into a fit of uncontrollable giggles.
“Very funny, Mags.” He grabbed me by the arm and pulled me close until I straddled his lap. “Food really does put you in a fantastic mood doesn’t it?”
I gave an exaggerated nod, admittedly feeling a little bit better than I had before. “Hot wings and stringy mozzarella really do it for me.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I stopped to get that sexy mozzarella costume, isn’t it?”
He was too irresistible, especially when he was making jokes to relieve the tension I felt. “I’ll let you know once I get a look at it.” I pushed back to move from his lap but Davis tightened his grip to keep me right where I was, cradled against his hard, and growing harder by the second erection.
“Maybe later.” His words came out a soft, seductive whisper as he pulled me close until our lips touched, teased, tangled together. The whole room grew hotter by the second, my skin was singed on the surface even while my body fought to get closer to the fire, needed to get closer to the fire even knowing I would get burned.
Davis teased me with his tongue, his lips and his teeth, kissing me like every stroke was a declaration of something big and important. Something I wasn’t sure I wanted, but couldn’t back away from just the same. So I stopped worrying about it as his hand slid under my shirt, hot rough hands gliding over my delicate skin and I threw myself into the kiss.
Into every fiery moment, every glide of our lips and every sweep of our tongues, because it was the kind of storm you couldn’t run away from. It stranded me right there on the precipice of the storm, unable to escape. I got so swept up in the kiss that before knew it, my hips were grinding up and down the length of him.
Davis pulled back first with a deep growl. “Magenta, you make me forget myself.”
“Good.” I couldn’t hide the smile his words caused even though I knew I should have. Letting Davis seem me go all soft and gooey would only make him think I could do this. “Come here and forget some more.”
“Later. Right now, we have plans.”
“We do?” My brows arched in confusion.
“Yeah, we do. Get some shoes on, I’m driving.”
“Says who? I’m perfectly capable of driving.” It was a stupid reason to argue, but I was weak where Davis was concerned so I had to push back where I could.
“I know that you stubborn woman, but I’m driving since I know where we’re going.” Big hands gripped my ass and pulled me close, so I took the hint and ground on him some more. “Ah, Magenta.”
“If you tell me, then I’ll know too.” We kissed again. God, the man kissed the way he did everything, with skilled precision and total focus. Breathless, I pulled back. “So where are we going?”
He smiled. “It’s a surprise. Put on those boots you love so much, they’re perfect.”
I stopped myself from arguing again and slid back until my feet hit the floor. “Fine, but don’t get used to me being so easy.”
“I love that you’re not easy Mags, it makes it so much more rewarding when you finally give in. In and out of bed,” he clarified and stood, brushing another kiss across my mouth before waltzing away. “This train leaves in five minutes.”
I wondered where we were going, and then I realized I didn’t give a damn. Being with Davis was the best part of my days lately.
Another fact I didn’t want to examine too closely.
Davis
“How did you find this place?” Magenta looked around with a kind of wide eyed wonder I’d never seen from her, and she looked beautiful.
“We cleared some brush nearby about a week ago and when I was driving home today, I remembered it. Gorgeous, right?” The view was magnificent, and today was unseasonably warm, making the spray from the waterfall refreshing instead of cold.
“More than gorgeous.” Spinning in a circle so the sunlight bounced off her hair, she was breathtaking. “It’s so quiet up here, and the view is perfect. Absolutely perfect.”
I fully agreed. I couldn’t take my gaze off her when her expression was so unguarded, so effortlessly happy. “Completely.”
She looked at me, shock and surprise were written all over her face. “Want to get in the water?”
Hell yeah. “We didn’t bring swimsuits.” It was a weak excuse and we both knew it, only Magenta wasn’t your average woman.
She tugged her t-shirt up over her head and tossed it on the ground, adding her shorts, socks and boots to the pile. Standing in nothing but a pair of purple lace panties, Magenta shrugged. “We don’t need suits. Come on.”
I stood like a log, staring at the swing of her hips, the slight jiggle to her ass as she made her way down into the shallow water with a small splash. She turned to smile up at me, one hand shielding her eyes from the sun, and she was completely comfortable with her gorgeous breasts totally on display. “How’s the water?”
Her lips curved but I caught a tiny quiver of her lush bottom lip. “Come on in and find out for yourself.” She stood and I caught an eyeful of deep pink nipples so hard they looked painful. And delicious. “Maybe we can generate some body heat together?”
I’d never undressed so fast in my life, not even during wildfire in California when me and the guys had to jog two and a half miles to outrun the fire, jumping into a nearby creek to wait it out. Magenta was twice as hot as that fire and, just as dangerous.
“Now that’s an offer I can’t refuse.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Her smile lingered, and as I walked to her, green eyes dark with desire. Magenta laid back and floated on top of the shallow water, nipples pointing towards the sky.
My arms sliced through the water and then I was there, close enough to let my hand slowly glide from her ankle up to her neck. “You are beautiful, Magenta.”
“I’m not. Sometimes cute, and on rare occasions pretty, but I’m not beautiful, Davis.”
“Bullshit. I’m the one looking at you, this pale skin and the way it flushes pink when you’re turned on.” I let my palm brush her nipple until circles of red bloomed on her abdomen. “Those lush lips. Your cute little button nose and royal cheekbones. Beautiful.” I gave the other nipple identical treatment and gently brushed circles around her breasts. “And these, they are perfect. Just a bit more than a handful, enough to spill over between my fingers when I grip them while I fuck you.”
She gasped and even the slight chill of the water couldn’t keep me from getting hard. “I do love when you do that. Those muscles in your neck go all crazy and that vein in your forehead pops. So hot.”
Her words made me smile. “And these legs, somehow they seem endless. Toned, but feminine. But I think my favorite is your ass.” I flipped her over and she yelped, spluttered in the water, but it turned into a moan when I smacked one of her plump cheeks. “So tight and firm, but with just enough jiggle.” I did it again and she moaned.
“Trying to seduce me, Davis?”
“Nah, I just like touching you.” That was only half true. Whenever Magenta was around I wanted her. Even when she wasn’t around I wanted her, but when we were together, the need was overwhelming. All consuming. “Your skin is so soft, which only makes y
our tough girl clothes even hotter.”
“Tough girl?” She laughed. “I’m not tough, just self sufficient. It’s the tattoos that make people think I’m tough.”
“What about that guy in Vegas who said you’d be hot if you didn’t have all those tattoos? I think his broken nose speaks to your toughness.”
She shrugged that off as she moved in front of me, wrapping her legs around my waist while her hands slid up and down my chest. “That’s just basic self defense.”
“If that’s what you want to believe babe, go right ahead.” I walked us closer to the waterfall, the mist grew heavier and the sound louder. Magenta squealed and leaned her head back with a smile, reaching her arms out to touch the falls. She really was beautiful.
“Thanks for this, Davis. It was sweet.” The way she said the word like it was a good thing was the only thing that kept me quiet. “And just behind those falls is probably a good place to exchange orgasms.” Magenta leaned in and sank her teeth into the crook of my neck. The temptress.
“All right! I got dibs on bangin’ in the waterfall first!” Someone shouted from somewhere behind us.
I groaned at the sound of the incoming intrusion. “Worst timing ever.”
Magenta laughed and slid her fingers through my damp hair. “Well we do have an empty house with plenty of flat surfaces,” she offered sympathetically.
I groaned and smacked her ass before turning us toward our clothes. The last thing I wanted was a bunch of drunk frat boys getting an eyeful of my wife’s breasts. I had a feeling it might ruin the good day we were having. “You don’t think we could find a place between here and home to give each other an orgasm or two?”
She smiled. “Wow, I married some kind of genius.” I laughed along with her, ignoring the clench in my heart that she’d actually acknowledged that we were married. It meant she thought of me as her husband.
Didn’t it?
“What a lucky girl you are.”
Accidentally On Purpose: An Accidental Marriage Boxset Page 55
