by Ava Miles
“Don’t close your eyes,” he demanded silkily and began to move.
Her hips opened wider to cradle his frame, allowing him to deepen the penetration. Those stoplight green eyes held her in their thrall, making her moan with each thrust.
“Oh God. More,” she called out.
His pace quickened, and she wrapped her legs around his waist, tunneling herself to him. The fire was red–hot this time, uncontainable, threatening to spill over into new territory. It was burning through any barriers she’d ever erected against him.
“Mac,” she cried out.
He stopped. Her muscles quivered, waiting.
“I love you,” he murmured, looking straight into her soul, the tenderness and lust merging as one in her vision.
Her heart exploded, sending a cry up her throat to her lips. “Oh, Mac.” Then her body exploded too, bucking and quaking in his arms.
He thrust madly into her and took his own release, calling out her name. She curled her fingers around his and let everything become one pink mellow glow.
His rapid breathing tickled her ear, but she didn’t move, didn’t want to move. She pressed her head against his to deepen their connection. Took in the smell of sweat and cologne on his skin.
He finally drew back and rolled them to their sides. His fingers pushed back the hair flattened against her cheek and traced her mouth.
“I love you. When you start thinking about all the reasons things won’t work, remember that.”
Thinking. Yeah, she hated that.
His thumb traced the area around her heart. “If you let yourself, I think you’ll be pretty good at loving me too.”
She looked away. Talking about that after what she’d felt in his arms was too confusing.
“You can trust your heart, Peg. I do.”
The organ he was talking about kicked her in the rib, almost as if it wanted more space. She brought her gaze back to his earnest one. “I don’t know why.”
He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “Because you’re brave and strong. And when you decide to love someone, you go all in.” His mouth turned up. “I respect that. I’m the same way.”
His poker reference made her shoulder blades itch. She wished she could have blamed it on bed bugs.
“You’re saying we aren’t that different.”
He slid out of her and disposed of the condom. Then he pulled her onto his chest. “Other than the obvious, no.”
“You took one hell of a risk telling me about Dustin.” And wasn’t that why she hadn’t ordered him from her house? She knew what his family meant to him, and in telling her, he had proven how much she meant—and how much he trusted her. God, no wonder she was a big mush ball.
His hand swept her bangs from her forehead. “If I asked you to promise never to do anything with what I told you, would you?”
Her elbows locked to her side as she thought it over. Could she really give him that promise?
What did they have after all the investigating they’d done? Nothing. It had been a vague threat. He was right about that.
And hadn’t he handled the punk kid seriously? He’d used his lawyer. It was kinda like using the law, right? It wasn’t like the kid was getting off scot–free, the woman inside her rationalized.
But the Feds were involved. Tons of money had been spent on the search. It was her duty to do her job, the deputy argued back
“Okay, I promise,” she said, surprising herself.
When he kissed her, her darn heart glowed like Christmas lights. Even her toes curled. She wanted to lay there with him forever. He held her until their bodies cooled, kissing her long and deep, lingering over her. Finally her mommy meter pinged in. She eyed the clock and pressed her hands against his chest.
“We should get dressed. It’s close to Keith’s bedtime.”
His finger trailed along her forearm when she sat up. “Would Keith tell Dustin that?”
The laugh she huffed out was the easiest one she’d had in his presence. Her smile wanted to expand until it was clown–size. Great, she could run off to the circus. “Probably not.”
He pushed off the bed and pulled his clothes on, grinning at her. When he wadded up the big ball of bedding and laundry in his arms and dumped it on the bed, the love bubble popped. She sighed. Laundry. God, another mess to deal with after Keith went to sleep. He’d probably be so hyped up on sugar, she’d be lucky to have him settled in before ten o’clock. Summer hours sucked.
Mac tugged the comforter out and folded it neatly. Then he proceeded to snag her jeans and press the pant legs together in a perfect crease.
“What are you doing?” she demanded, her voice almost breathy with shock.
“Helping you with laundry. It won’t take long. Then we can fetch Dustin and Keith.”
“You can’t be real,” she said as she watched him sort socks, shirts, and pants with quick efficiency into two piles—hers and Keith’s.
His mega–watt grin stole her breath.
“Please, who do you think does laundry at my house?”
Her shoulder lifted. “The maid?”
“We don’t have one. We only have a cleaning lady who comes every two weeks. Me, Abbie, and Dustin all pitch in. We wanted Dustin to grow up doing chores, learning responsibility.”
“Right,” she responded, sounding like the village idiot.
“Are you planning to dress in the same clothes you had on or do you want me to fold those too?” He sounded amused. She balled up her shirt and caught him in the chest with it, and he folded it with a grin on his face. “I like seeing this side of you.”
She reached for another shirt and joined him in the work. “Honestly, I like this side of you. ” Sweat drying at his temples from their lovemaking. Folding clothes on her bed, relaxed and charming.
“I’m happy to show it to you anytime you want.”
“Sometimes I think you’re too good to be true,” she confessed.
He stilled for a second and then resumed his folding. “And then you remember I’m a poker player. Peg, I’m going to trust you to look at the whole picture before coming to any conclusions about me.”
“I’m surprised you brought that up.” She’d rather be a bury–her–head–in–the–sand ostrich.
“You’re going to have to come to terms with who I am and what I do.”
She sank onto the bed, her knees weakening for a different reason this time—the thought of losing him. “And who are you?”
Keith’s Toy Story shirt fell to his lap. It looked ridiculous next to his massive body, but somehow sweet.
“I’m a man who loves his family and has sacrificed for them. I had to take risks to protect Abbie and Dustin, and in the process, I discovered that I like playing the odds and making money in a structured, high–pressure game like poker. But I wanted to be more than Maven the Maverick. I majored in engineering at Princeton before I had to drop out, so it’s no surprise I combined my talent for poker with my desire to build something. I found my niche in hotels, and I love it.”
Her initial background check on him had given her most of that information, but hearing it from him made her darn heart power–up like Keith’s old Glowworm. She rubbed her hand against her chest.
“And your flaws?”
“Well, I’m overprotective of my family.” His head cocked to the side, considering. “I’ve been known to party hard with Rhett when I’m away from home, especially when I was younger and needed to blow off steam. I don’t always think the law is the best way to handle a situation. I used to have a hell of a temper, but I’ve mellowed. I can be impatient when I want something, but I’ve worked on that, and I’ve gotten better at waiting for what I really want.”
Folding clothes and listening to his life story. Could life turn any weirder?
“You should ask Abbie or Dustin. They’ll say I have plenty of flaws.”
She doubted that. The more she knew him, the more she realized that he always tried to do what he t
hought was right.
“What about you? What’s your short suit?” he asked.
“My what?” God, she hoped this wasn’t a poker thing.
He laughed. “The areas that stretch you. I like that phrase better than flaws. Flaws seem permanent.”
Talk about her flaws? Jeez, was this like an interview? She gave a big sigh. “Well, as you know, I have a one–track mind sometimes.”
“And when that involves sex, I wholeheartedly approve.”
His easy humor loosened the knot in her chest about talking about herself. “Hah! I can lose myself in work. It’s gotten better since I had Keith because I love spending time with him. He’s my guy.”
“You’re a great mother. Tell me something about you that I don’t know.”
“How am I supposed to know what that is?”
His patient look made her shake out a pair of pants, folding them carefully. “Fine. I liked to play piano in the music room in high school.” Part of her couldn’t believe she’d just told him that. Even Tanner didn’t know. She hadn’t wanted her brother to take on an extra job to pay for the lessons they couldn’t afford.
“So, you have an ear for music. I’d like to hear you play sometime.”
She fiddled with some lint on her clothes, heat rushing up her neck. “It’s been years. I probably suck.”
“You might be rusty, but that’s what’s fun about rediscovering an old passion. It comes back to you. I have a grand piano in the hotel. You can use it anytime.”
That would mean she’d have to step foot in his hotel for reasons other than sheriff business. “That’s a nice offer,” she said even though she knew she’d never do it.
“Well, are you ready to pick up the boys?” he asked, folding the last shirt and laying it on Keith’s pile.
It wobbled and almost fell over before he righted it—rather like how she felt inside when he talked about picking up their boys like they were a family.
“Sure,” she responded.
“Peg,” he called quietly when she reached the door. “I meant what I said… I’ve learned to be patient.”
As they walked out of her house, his hand bumped hers. She glanced over. There was a question in his eyes. Was she willing to hold his hand in front of her house? In public?
Her fingers flexed, but she couldn’t reach for him.
His face fell before he pasted on a smile. His patience wasn’t the problem. Deep down, she knew the problem was her. Was she capable of reconciling the man she was falling for with the poker player she feared?
She didn’t know. All she could be sure of was the deep yearning she felt for the comforting warmth of his hand in hers as the sun began its dip behind the mountains.
Chapter 33
Friends had a way of turning up like bad pennies, so Peggy wasn’t surprised when Jill and Meredith appeared on her doorstep the next night. Keith whooped and hollered, basking in their kisses, hugs, and high–fives like some crazy puppy. She just crossed her arms, narrowed her eyes. They were looking for girl talk. She wasn’t going to make this easy for them.
“We’ve brought take–out from Brian’s and wine for you and Mere,” Jill announced, using her pregnant frame to nudge Peggy into the house. It was a dirty, sneaky move.
“Tanner’s going to take this little guy out to the ballpark,” Meredith informed her, pushing on Jill’s back like they were in line at a hot club, and the bouncer had just started letting people inside.
“Et tu, Brute? ” Peggy snarled at Tanner, wondering when he’d started caving in to estrogen.
Her brother folded his arms across his chest. Stared back at her. “Like I could stop them. Plus, after hearing about your charged exit from Mac’s hotel, it might be a good idea for you to talk about it.”
Sticking to a vague reference in front of Keith was appreciated, but their unannounced visit still annoyed the crap out of her.
Keith stopped jumping up and down next to Tanner, trying to get his attention. “Why are you so mad at Mr. Maven, Mom? I really like him and Dustin.”
Note to self. Vague allusions no longer worked on her kid. Darn it.
His wide–eyed gaze filled her with shame. She liked Mac. She didn’t like Mac. Shit. “It’s complicated.”
Keith crooked his finger. Tanner knelt down until her son could put his lips to his ear. “They were yelling so loud last night Dustin took me away. He said it was for ice cream, but I know better.”
His stage whisper needed some work, because she heard every word.
“You’re a smart one,” Tanner whispered back. “Why don’t you get into the car? I’ll be there in a sec.”
Keith looked from one of them to the other.
She could all but hear the little gears turning in his head. “Come give me a hug.”
He darted over and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I love you, Mom. Bye.”
“Love you too,” she called as he sprinted off. Did everybody know she was a big ball of mess?
Tanner pointed a finger at her. “Talk to Mere and Jill, Peg. You need to get it all out. I haven’t seen you this wound–up in years. I don’t want you going nuclear when David arrives.”
She lifted her chin, her older brother’s bossiness pushing her buttons. “If I decide I need to go nuclear with David, it’s my choice. I’m not as forgiving as you.”
“No, you’re not, but I love you anyway. If you want to talk to me about what’s really bothering you—not Mac, not the hotel, not David—you know where to find me.” He turned and headed off.
“And what would that be?” she demanded, feeling like a cat caught in a paper bag.
“Our jerk father, what else?” he called over his shoulder.
Something snapped inside her like a rubber band. No, that wasn’t it. Her dad was dead. It was over. There was no need to dredge up all her old hurts. She was an adult, and she was over it.
And yet Mac had told her she wasn’t an adult in her emotional life. Damn him.
She clenched her hands together, watching her brother and nephew drive off together. She thought about walking away from the house on foot, but while Jill wouldn’t be able to catch her, Meredith would. She gave the nearby planter of red geraniums a swift kick and went inside.
The scene in her kitchen stopped her cold. They had the table decorated all Martha–Stewart– like. Jeez, why did some girls have to be so…girly?
They looked like two grown–up candy stripers—one who’d gotten into trouble (in the family way) and the other who only wanted to usher in annoying bursts of good cheer.
Jill folded a napkin into some undecipherable animal. “Come sit down. We’re not leaving, so you might as well eat the spread Brian prepared for us.”
She dragged her feet across the linoleum like Keith would. “You think giving me food is going to make this any less weird?”
Meredith grabbed Jill’s arm when she opened her mouth—probably to spew out a Jill–ism like weirdness is how you know you can be best friends. “Okay, we know you don’t want us here, but we’re your friends. This is what friends do. They talk.”
Her eye twitched when she took a seat. “Why?”
“Because,” Jill said, shoving the platter of coq au vin at her.
“Eat!” Meredith ordered. “We’re not here to debate the definition of friendship with you.”
Jill scooped up some chicken. “No, we’re here to help you talk your way out of your Love Confusion. This is the safe zone.”
“My what?” Peggy asked. Chalk it up to another Jillism.
She took a bite of the chicken and moaned. “Mac’s in love with you. It’s written all over him. He won’t answer any of my questions. It’s like he’s gone Love Mute or something.”
Peggy handed her a plate. “First, stop talking with your mouth full.”
“I’m starving.”
“Nothing new there,” Meredith droned as she fussed over the spread of food.
“Just you wait, Mere. You’re next.”
<
br /> Meredith made herself a plate, and then started preparing one for Peggy. “We’re taking our time. Peggy, what were you saying?”
She dialed back to what she’d been saying. “Right. Second,” Peggy continued, raising a finger. “Stop talking about love, okay? You might be pregnant, Jill, but I’ve gotta draw the line somewhere.”
Jill held up a finger, chewing. They waited. “Are you saying you’re this upset because Mac stopped the reward and decided to move on? When are you going to admit you have strong feelings for him? I won’t use the L–word since I know you’ll freak.”
Peggy took the plate of food and glass of wine Meredith handed to her, determined to avoid any discussion of her feelings. “What do you know about the reward being suspended?”
“You’re changing the subject. I’ll let you for the moment. Mac announced to the staff that the authorities and our security team had hit a dead end. Since he’s never had a threat to any of the Maven Industry properties before, and this was a vague one, we’re moving on.”
Peggy had been about to chow down on the chicken, but she stopped. She couldn’t eat now, knowing Mac hadn’t even told the truth to Jill, one of his closest friends and senior employees.
He trusted her—and only her. He hadn’t exaggerated. Hadn’t a part of her guessed that?
Her back started itching like she had hives. She yanked up her shirt and scraped at the spot with her nails.
“You get bit by something?” Meredith asked.
Yeah, she almost answered. The Trust Dilemma. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about the whole thing. Was she disregarding her duty to the law by keeping his secret?
“Do you need some Benadryl?” Meredith reached for her purse.
“No, I’m fine,” she replied, as if shoving your hand up your shirt to scratch your back could be considered fine.
“Mac didn’t bite you again, did he?” Jill singsonged, a stupid grin on her face.
