He watched her with interest. “Really?”
“Well, maybe not like you did. But it felt like it when I was married. Then again when I was dating. I always felt like I was catering to my partner. When I was married, we did everything Stephen’s way. I like to keep the peace, so I didn’t argue a lot, though I could have. And when I was dating, all the guys I was with always wanted to boss me around. I let them and eventually broke off with them. I couldn’t handle always having to be the one to give in. Or worse, to give up my time, my plans. You name it, I did what they wanted to keep the peace.”
“Same.” Reggie looked bemused by her admission. Then he glanced at his cup. “I’m out. Hey, do you need more tea?”
“That would be nice.”
“Let me get it for you.”
“Ha. And have you accuse me of using you for Earl Grey? Forget it.”
He smiled. “Now who’s the bossy one?”
She flexed. “I am. Check out my amazing, though subtle, power.”
He chuckled, especially when Emily joined her and starting flexing as well.
“Now you, Reggie. Now you,” Emily pointed at his arms.
He flexed, no doubt preening when Emily’s eyes bugged out and she gasped. Though Maggie felt the same awe when studying Reggie’s finer than fine body.
“Have you ever competed?” she asked. “You know, in a bodybuilder competition or anything?”
She’d swear he flushed before he turned to go inside. She and Emily followed him.
“Nah. I work out because it makes me feel good. For fun, and well, for work. The fitter I am, the better I’m able to help someone who needs it.”
“It’s a hobby too?”
“Well, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I liked it because it makes me feel strong. I like being bigger than most people. I look like I can handle myself, so they think twice before trying to jump me.” He looked at her and winked. “Then again, some people are so bossy, they don’t care how big I am and jump me anyway. I can totally respect that.”
She blushed. Man, he had to stop teasing her like that.Emily, remember Emily.
The little girl smiled up at Reggie. “I want to be strong too. I want to get big muscles.”
“Here we go,” Maggie muttered.
But Reggie was thrilled to help and took Emily to a room down the hall. Maggie followed and watched him help Emily lift a small hand weight. The spare room was used as an exercise room, housing a stand of free weights, a weight bench, a medicine ball, and stacked metal plates and a bar in a vertical stand. One wall had been covered in mirrors.
Emily stood in front of it, grunting and puffing as she did bicep curls with Reggie’s help. He had her use both hands for one weight.
“Man, I had no idea how strong you are,” he said, sounding impressed. He winked up at Maggie. “This is five pounds, Emily. You’re amazing.” He helped her daughter lift the weight each time, grunting. “Yeah, like that. Each time you lift it, you grunt. You sound like a real man when you do that.”
Emily sounded like a sick pig.
Reggie chuckled. “Okay, that’s enough of that. I need to get our food going.”
“Emily, go play with Frank, okay?”
“Yes!” She ran to the doorway but paused to thank Reggie. Then she hurried back and hugged his leg before taking off again.
He looked both scared and pleased.
Maggie thought his expression adorable. “Now who’s cute?”
“Bite me,” he said and stomped past her, only to pause and return to kiss her on the mouth. “Women.”
She laughed at his back.
