Calder & Maggie

by Glenna Maynard

  I’m busy at my desk, catching up on my paperwork for court, for the speeding tickets I wrote last month when I get an unexpected visit from Carly. I look up to see her standing by my desk. “Can we talk?”

  “Make it quick, I have a lot of work to do.”

  “Somewhere private?”

  I glance at my watch. “My shift ends in twenty minutes.”

  “Okay. I can wait. Maybe we can meet at our old spot.” She smiles, and it doesn’t reach her eyes. There’s a sadness there. As much as I don’t like Carly for what she did I can tell something is bothering her and that she’s hurting.

  “I guess I can manage. I need to be back in town though in an hour to pick Maggie up after her shift.”

  “It won’t take long. I promise.”

  “Fine.” I finish up what I’m doing and get in my car. Passing by the diner I slow down to see if I can catch a glimpse of Maggie through the window. Standing at the counter, she looks up, and I wave only to have her quickly turn her head like she didn’t see me when I know that she did. I haven’t done anything wrong, but guilt consumes me. Does she somehow know what I am doing? I start to stop the car and tell her, but I am ready to get this over with. Whatever Carly wants to say I am sure it will be nothing good. I park my cruiser at the campground and make the hike to Crimson Point. A place we used to come as teens to sneak off on our own.

  Carly is standing off to the side, her red hair blowing with the ocean wind. A sight I once craved. A twig snaps under my boot and she turns to smile at me. “I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

  “I’m here so talk.”

  “Okay, I’ll get right to it. I left Roger today. Neither of us were happy, and we married for the wrong reasons. I’m still in love with you, Calder. We can be together like we were always meant to be.” She takes a step toward me, and I take two steps back.

  “Carly. Had you been two years earlier with this revelation then yeah. I would have loved to hear you say this, but now it’s too little too late. I don’t love you and I will never ever be with you. I’m sorry about your luck with Roger but whatever you are searching for you aren’t going to find it with me.”

  “It’s that girl, Maggie, right? You don’t even know her. No one here does. She turned up here out of nowhere, and I don’t trust her. She’s hiding something. I’ve tried finding any record of her and she’s either a ghost or a fraud.”

  “Stop. I don’t want to hear it. You leave Maggie alone. She’s got nothing to do with how I feel about you. Sweetheart, you made your bed with Roger and now you can lie in it alone for all I care. Don’t contact me again.”

  “Calder, please.” She rushes me and attempts to kiss me, and I gently push her away because she’s pregnant.

  “Just stop. I said no.” I shake my head as she starts to cry. Used to, her tears would kill me but now I don’t care if she cries a river.

  “I love you,” she whisper sobs.

  “Maybe you do, Carly, but I don’t love you. Go home to Roger or not but I’m done.” Not waiting for a response, I get back to my car and drive back to town to pick Maggie up. I know I am making the right decision. Maggie is the only choice.

  I get to the diner and I feel like a jackass. I’m twenty minutes late. Luna says she caught a ride but says she doesn’t know who with. I call bullshit but don’t push it. When I get home, Maggie is sitting on the front porch steps waiting for me. She’s changed out of her waitress getup and is hugging her knees to her chest with her head resting on top.

  I get out of the car and she doesn’t budge. I get to the steps and she still hasn’t bothered to look up at me. “Hey.” I lift her head. I can tell that she’s been crying. The tip of her nose is red, and her eyes are watery in appearance. “I’m sorry I was late.”

  “It’s fine. Your friend, Roger, came by the diner and offered me a lift. Said there was something he wanted to talk to me about.”

  I sigh and pinch the bridge of my nose, feeling a tension headache coming on. “What did he want?”

  She shrugs. “I’m really not in the mood to talk about it.”

  “I’m going to put my gear up and change. Then you and I are going to have a discussion and you’re going to tell me what he said to you.” Fucking Roger and Carly. I stay out of their way they need to stay the fuck out of mine. They are a fucking nightmare.

  I hang my holster and change out of my uniform into a pair of jogging pants. When I walk back out onto the porch Maggie has gone inside. I knock on her door, but she doesn’t answer. She’s not getting off this easily. I want to know what Roger said.

  “Open up, Maggie. This discussion is happening.” I knock again but no response other than the volume on her TV going up. Screw it. She has left me no choice but to take advantage of the door between our apartments. I don’t knock I simply unlock it and let myself in. She’s sitting on her couch sulking. “What the hell. Why wouldn’t you open the door for me?” I stand in front of the TV with my arms folded across my bare chest.

  “Because I don’t want to hear you say it.”

  “Say what? I’m confused here. You gotta give me a clue. Something.”

  “Roger told me you were with Carly. He said that she left him for you.”

  I go over to her and crouch in the floor in front of her, taking her hands in mine. “Yes, I talked to her, but nothing happened. She may want me back, but I don’t want a damn thing to do with her. Don’t you trust me? We’ve talked about this.”

  “I’m sorry, it’s just he showed up and he seemed so sure that the two of you were off together… I just I don’t want to get hurt, ya know?”

  “I get it, I do, but Maggie, I told you, baby. I want you. Only you. Are you gonna let me in?”

  Unshed tears sparkle in her gorgeous emerald green eyes. “I want to.”

  “Then stop holding back with me. I’m trying so hard to be a patient man, because I know you are worth waiting for. I have faith in us, Maggie. I wish that you did too.”

  “I told you. It’s not you. And it’s not. It’s me and my baggage. I have things I have to work on, but I do want this with you.” She leans forward and kisses me in a way she has never kissed me before. Hungry and desperate.

  I pull back. “If this is going to work, you’re going to have to trust me and be honest with me. I can’t read your mind, Maggie.”

  “I know.” She nods pressing her forehead to mine.

  “Are we…are we good then?”

  “Yeah we’re good, Calder.”

  I take a seat on the couch, bring her into my lap, and she straddles me. Looking longingly into her eyes, I hold her gaze knowing I’m falling hard for her. Though deep in the back of my mind I know that Carly was right. Maggie is hiding something. The question is what?

  I don’t want to press for answers right now or fight with her. I simply want to be with her because when I’m with Maggie, I feel as though I am finally able to let go of the past and breathe again.

  “Let me show you how good we can be.” With Maggie in my arms and her legs hooked around my waist, I rise from the couch and carry her to my bed. We fall to the mattress together, our mouths never breaking part, not even for air. I need her tonight and tell her as much. “I need you, Maggie.”

  “I want you, Calder,” she says against my lips, owning me with her kiss. I’m falling so hard. Harder than I ever have.

  Our bodies crash together, rubbing and grinding on one another. Her deft fingers move along the contours of my torso, exploring and teasing. I trace my finger over the curve of her breasts wanting to feel her, needing to see her.

  “This needs to come off.” Clutching the hem of her grey tee, I pull it over her head, revealing her black bra to me. Her plump breasts nearly spill out the top as I look down at her. She’s so gorgeous I can’t believe she’s here and that she’s real. I’ve made a lot of mistakes, but I know this…here with Maggie, I won’t regret a minute. This is meant to be.

  I may not know where she came from or what she is running f
rom completely, but I know her. I know she loves ketchup on her eggs. If she drinks more than two glasses of wine, she falls asleep. She loves to read and write stories. She has a tiny freckle under her left eye and one above her lip. We like the same music aside from her not knowing the great classics. And she has a big heart. I’ve seen her helping out the people of this community who are in need, buying whatever they are selling even if she doesn’t want or need it.

  She keeps purchasing Widow Wilder’s cakes even though they don’t taste all that great because she knows the old woman needs the money. I have watched her buy candy bars from four different kids then give them back to those same kids for a treat. Maggie acts shy and tries to hide away from the rest of the world, but I see her.

  I see her.

  Dipping my head down, I free her breast from the black silky cup holding it hostage and take it into my mouth, tasting and sucking her sensitive skin. Arching her hips, she rubs the heart of her desire against my growing erection. Unhooking the back of her bra, I slide the straps down her arms and toss it over my shoulder, granting myself full access to her chest.

  Delicate, slender, and soft her hand slides down my abs and into the waistband of my pants. Nimble fingers grip my shaft, stroking and teasing me. I groan, not wanting things to be over before they have even really begun.

  “Slow down, baby. I want to take things slow.” Doing and saying are two different things though. My words seem to encourage her. Wrapping her fist around me she pumps faster and faster until I am panting. If she keeps this up, I know I am going to lose what little control I have. “Maggie,” I warn. In response she kisses me sweetly.

  Pulling away, I slide down her body and work on getting her pants and thong off. Her pussy is shaved neat and trim. Fucking perfect. I spread her legs and guide her hand with mine to her clit. “Touch yourself for me. I want to watch you. Show me how you like it.” Her eyes close and a deep rosy pink shade blooms on her cheeks. “Don’t be shy with me.” I kiss the seam of her pussy lips and her legs kick.

  “I’ve never…” she trails off throwing her other hand over her eyes.

  I smirk, tracing my finger over her clit in a circular motion. “You’ve never what?”

  “You know.”

  I stop touching her. “No. I don’t know. That’s why I’m asking.” I know what she means but I don’t want her to be shy with me. “It’s just you and me. I don’t want secrets between us.”

  “I’m no virgin but my sex life has never been all that great,” she confesses.

  “Then we’ll figure out what you like as we go,” I promise knowing tonight will only be about her pleasure. Mine can wait.

  Soft and slow, I finger her tight velvet heat loving the way it feels when her muscles contract and squeeze as she moves her body, greedy for more.

  “Does that feel good?”

  “Mhmm,” she moans, and I add a second finger, thrusting my digits harder and deeper eager to please my woman. And I do. I bring her to an orgasm, loving the sated smile she is wearing. Moving up the bed, I lay next to her and hold her tight against me, loving the way her body fits perfectly with mine.

  This is what I want. Maggie in my bed and in my arms every night.

  Chapter 8

  After the whole drama with Roger and Carly Calder and I have settled into a nice routine. I’ve changed my schedule to match his, so we can spend as much time together as possible. I’ve been working on a novel in my spare time which isn’t often. Calder is occupying all of my free time these days but I’m not complaining. We are growing closer. If I’m not in his bed he’s in mine and more often than not the door separating our apartments stays open.

  He’s asked me to meet his parents twice and I have declined. I know my worry over what I fled from is holding me back. I want to tell Calder the truth, but I’m scared. Even my name is a lie. What will happen when I tell him that I killed my ex-boyfriend in self-defense and ran from the scene of a crime because his drug dealing boss was coming to collect his money that I basically stole unknowingly. But once I did know I chose to keep it and I have been lying to him this whole time. I know what I need to do. I need to find out what happened with Chris. I have been pretending that it didn’t happen. Hiding away here in this perfect bubble with Calder but if I don’t tell him and he finds out on his own he will hate me more than he already will.

  I’m going to tell him but not until I know if I really did kill my ex-boyfriend. I feel absolutely sick over what I have been doing but I am so deep in how do I now say—oops I lied to you. My name is really June but everything about what we feel for each other is real.

  I won’t be able to live with myself if I don’t come clean. I’m just scared to lose the best thing that has ever happened to me—him.

  I only had to work a short shift today and told Calder I would meet him at home after I run some errands. He has the day off and is spending some time helping his mom do some stuff at the charity she operates. I’m at the library being a chicken shit. I’ve been sitting here for thirty minutes unable to type in the search terms for my hometown news channel. Afraid of what I will find.

  I take a deep breath and lose my eyes as I type the words in. I take another deep breath and exhale out my nose. Okay. I can do this. I open my eyes and click on the top result. I search the archives, typing in my name and that’s when I see it. My name. There’s an article about me. I click on it and my picture pops up. It’s a missing person’s poster. All it says is that I went missing from my residence a few months ago and to contact the local police department with any information.

  I’m about to type in a search on Chris but I am interrupted by Carly. She pops up on the other side of the computer and I quickly close the screen out hoping she hasn’t been spying on me. “Maggie, right?” She knows who I am, and I have no idea why she is trying to hold a conversation with me.

  “That’s me. Is there something you need?”

  “No, I thought I would give you a little piece of advice though.”

  “There is nothing you have to say that I need to hear. I know you’re in love with Calder and that you want him back.”

  “I will get him back. Calder was mine for years.” She sneers.

  “Yeah until you fucked his best friend. He told me all about you and your pathetic attempts to weasel your way back into his life, but he doesn’t love you. He’s moved on and he’s happy. If you truly loved him, you’d let him go. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to get home. Calder is waiting for me. We’re having dinner tonight with his parents.” The part about dinner with his folks is a lie but he has been trying to make it happen and she needs to know that Calder has moved on from her.

  She starts to say something, but I walk away. I have bigger things to worry about like who filed a missing person’s report on me. When I get outside the library Calder is waiting for me with flowers.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I went by the diner to surprise you, but Luna said you were gone already, and I took a chance I’d find you here.” I accept the flowers and kiss him deeply, hoping that bitch walks out and sees us, but she doesn’t. “Don’t be mad, but I was sent to fetch you. My mother wants to meet you and she said, and I quote either I bring you to the house for dinner tonight or she will bring dinner to us.”

  “Tonight isn’t really good for me.”

  His face falls. “What’s wrong?”

  “I just ran into Carly in the library. She was trying to dissuade me from being with you.”

  “Don’t let her get inside your head. That’s what she wants. To place doubt and come between us.”

  I shake my head. “It’s not just that. There’s things about me that I haven’t told you, Calder and I…”

  He pulls me into his embrace shushing me. “And I know that. You’ll tell me when you are ready but tonight, I am asking for this one thing from you, babe. One dinner with my parents that is all I want.”

  “You’re right,” I concede. What’s one more day o
f my lies? I’ll come clean with him tomorrow. “Can I change first?” I run a hand down my work attire.

  “Absolutely but they will love you regardless of what you are wearing.”

  Calder drives me home to take a quick shower but there is nothing quick about it and maybe I am trying to distract him and make us miss dinner because the door between our apartments is still open and I strip down with the bathroom door open knowing he’s watching.

  I’m not in the shower two minutes before the curtain is drawn back and he’s joining me. Shivers course down my spine as Calder places his hands on my hips and kisses my shoulder. I lean back, pressing the back of my head into his chest. We’ve not had sex, but we’ve come close a few times. We both want it, but Calder insists that we take our time getting there. He says taking it slow is for my benefit, but I’m ready to make that leap which may be selfish of me considering I am lying to the man about my identity. I wanted to tell him, but he blew me off. Right now though all those thoughts fade away. I am only focused on this moment.

  His erection is pressing against the small of my back due to our difference in height. He moves his hand to my front, fondling and teasing me. “Calder?” I whisper his name in a sultry purr.

  “Yes, Maggie,” he says my name in a raspy tone that turns me on further.

  “I want to be with you.”

  “You are with me, you’re my girl.”

  “You know what I mean.” I turn around and grip his shaft. “I think tonight is the night.” I go down on my knees as the warm water pelts down on us.

  “You sure?” He questions.

  I nod up at him and kiss the head of his dick. His hands grip my hair, and I take him between my lips, flattening my tongue and sucking.

  “God, Maggie. You drive me crazy.” It’s been so long since anyone has called me June, I feel like I let that part of me go. I’m not her anymore. I am Maggie now. Calder’s Maggie. My man starts to move, thrusting his hips, fucking my mouth as my lips stretch wide to accommodate his girth. “Touch that sweet pussy for me,” he commands, and I do. I’m no longer shy when it comes to my body and what I want. Calder makes me want to try new things. To explore my sexual nature to truly be in touch with myself. When I was with Chris everything was about him sticking his dick in me and getting off. With Calder, he makes sure that I am taken care of before he even considers his own needs. “Are you close?” His words come out in a strangled growl.