Maggie found them not long after, announcing cupcakes for anyone interested.
“It’s been fifteen minutes,” he said to her as they followed Emily into the kitchen. “I thought you said to wait for dessert.”
“I’d planned to wait a bit but then realized I need to give my kid time to decompress after she sugars up.”
“Ah.”
Reggie watched Emily devour the cupcake. Damned if she didn’t seem to have a little more energy afterward, but nothing he couldn’t handle. They centered around the coffee table to play Uno, which seemed to be Emily’s game of choice. To his surprise, she read him a book that seemed too sophisticated for a six-year-old. At least, it was more than Rachel could have handled, and she’d been eight at the time.
Maggie soon called a halt to the festivities, claiming Reggie and she needed a break. “Go get ready for bed. Frank can go with you.” She checked the clock on the wall. “You have another ten minutes until bedtime.”
“Aw, Mommy.”
“You heard me.”
“Fine.” Emily sighed. “Can Reggie tuck me in?”
Maggie glanced at him, unsure. “He might have to leave soon?” she said more as a question, giving him an out.
But he didn’t need one, the idea of tucking her daughter in bed a sweet way to end the evening. “Nah. I can hang until then.”
Emily brightened. “Thanks, Reggie. You’re my favorite firefighter.”
He chuckled. “I’m sure Mack will be crushed when I tell him.”
“I liked Mack.” That she remembered his partner surprised him. Mack hadn’t said all that much at the library. And that day her mother had been hit had been traumatic. “But he’s not as good as you.”
“Thanks.”
The little girl skipped down the hall, Frank in tow.
“Thanks, Reggie. You don’t have to stay, you know.”
Confident Emily would make her presence known before she returned, he moved closer to Maggie on the couch and stroked her cheek, taken with her softness. He leaned in for a kiss, doing his damnedest to keep it light.
But one taste of Maggie brought him back for another, and another, only her hand on his chest stopping him from taking more. He pulled back to see her lips full and slick, her pupils large and focused on his mouth.
He gave a low groan. “Sorry. I just wanted to show you that I want to stay, and I’ve had a terrific time tonight.” He couldn’t help one more tender kiss.
She sighed into his mouth, her fingers curling into his pecs. When she pulled back, she surprised him by stroking his cheek. “You are so good with her. And me.” She smiled. His heart beat so hard, he knew she had to feel it. “I like you a lot, Reggie.”
“I like you too, Maggie.”
They heard a squeak followed by a bark and both moved away from each other, giving themselves some space.
“So is Maggie short for something?”
“That’s one way to break the mood.”
He grinned.
“It’s short for Margaret, and no, you may not call me that.”
“Margaret Swanson?”
“I was Margaret May Ellison before I married Stephen. And I only kept Swanson because of Emily. I didn’t want to run into twelve years of questions when Maggie Ellison comes to pick Emily Swanson up from school.”
“Huh.” He watched her, sensing agitation. “Maggie May. I like it.”
