I’ll put the kettle on. Emily went to stay with Jonathan. The house is empty without her.
And lonely. He heard her unspoken words. Chad jumped out of bed with a grin plastered all over his face. He threw his clothes back on and sneaked downstairs and out to his car, driving off quietly to avoid rousing anyone in the pub.
He tapped on the front door with his stomach churning like a teenage boy on his first date. Maggie opened it immediately and Chad’s body zoomed into overdrive.Oh, hell, Maggie. Baby blue short pyjamas? Really? Your legs are seriously gorgeous and you smell so hot, sweet and wonderful I want to eat you up. Have some pity on me.
‘Thanks for coming.’ She raised up on her tiptoes and brushed her lips against his stubble-roughened cheek. The tremor running through him didn’t have anything to do with the cool night air.
‘You invited me.’
‘Neither of us were sleeping. It made sense.’ The tinge of colour making her cheeks glow said what he knew she couldn’t — this was far more than a simple case of insomnia. ‘Tea or coffee?’
‘Coffee, please.’
‘It’s only instant.’
I don’t care if it’s sawdust shavings off the floor. ‘Doesn’t matter.’ Her eyes widened in surprise at his gruff reply. Chad considered apologising but came to a swift decision that shutting up was his best option. He followed her into the kitchen and sat down.
‘You weren’t the problem earlier, it was me,’ Maggie blurted out. ‘You were being rational but I didn’t want to listen.’
‘Emily’s your sister and you love her. You’ve protected her all your life for a multitude of reasons.’ Chad pulled her down onto his lap. She held her spine as straight as a steel rod until he stroked his fingers up and down her back and she softened into his touch. ‘Maybe it’s time to let go,’ he murmured and dragged his lips over her velvety skin. ‘You’ll still be there for her.’
‘But what if it all goes wrong? What if having a baby makes her worse? What if . . .’
He kissed her, gently at first but when she responded with unabashed fervour Chad gave up on holding back. Shoving his hands up through her silky hair he pulled her closer and little pleasured noises escaped the back of Maggie’s throat. He deepened the kiss further and groaned when she ran her fingers over his chest and tugged at the hem of his T-shirt.
‘Maggie, you were discussing Emily. I thought you wanted to talk it through.’ He choked out the words but she only laughed and carried on exploring under his shirt. Her caressing fingers heated his bare skin and made him shudder.
‘Maybe I don’t want to anymore.’
Chad forced himself to ease away and seize hold of her hands to stop her teasing explorations. ‘Are you absolutely sure? I don’t want you to regret . . .’
‘Do you want to make love to me or don’t you?’ Maggie challenged, her sapphire eyes flashing.
‘I really do.’ Chad’s raspy voice betrayed him and a satisfied smile crept across her face. ‘How about we take this upstairs?’ Maggie nodded and slid off his lap. She held out her hand and he took it, letting her lead the way.
At the top of the stairs she opened her bedroom door and glancing back over her shoulder at him, a shadow of uncertainty darkened her eyes.
‘You’re free to change your mind,’ Chad offered, desperately hoping she wouldn’t. ‘It’s okay. I’ll never do anything you don’t want me to. Ever.’
‘I know that, or you wouldn’t be here.’ Maggie opened her arms to him. ‘Hold me. Please.’
He eased her into his embrace, sensing her tremble.
‘I need to tell you something,’ she whispered, ‘I haven’t done this for a very long time . . . I was a teenager and it was only once— a drunken fumble in the back of a car . . . I’m not sure I’ll be very good . . .’
Chad silenced her with a long, hard kiss before pulling away. ‘If that’s anything to go by being “good” won’t be an issue, honey. Don’t fret. We’ll take as long as you want.’ He kissed her again, taking his time and waiting until she begged for more before taking the next step. Sometimes talking was overrated.
Chapter Sixteen
Maggie stretched out in the bed and opened her eyes, blinking against the bright sunlight streaming in. She couldn’t remember drawing her bedroom curtains last night.
‘Good mornin’.’ Chad’s delicious drawl insinuated into her brain and everything came flooding back. She glanced over to see him lying next to her; naked, gorgeous and smiling at her as though he’d won the lottery.
You don’t do pick-ups at weddings. It’s undignified and desperate.Maggie groaned.
Chad’s brow furrowed. ‘You promised me you wouldn’t regret this . . . us.’
‘It’s not that exactly,’ she stammered, ‘but I don’t usually get carried away. This might be normal for you, but . . .’
