Julia winked. “Maggie might want to discuss spanking with him.”
“Not tonight,” Maggie said in a wry tone. “I’ll need my wits about me when I start that discussion.”
Besides, her stomach hurt each time the topic of Greg and spanking combined in the same thought. Call her a pessimist, but her present anxiety didn’t bode well for the future.
The cabbie dropped Maggie at her door. She paid the driver, then stumbled from the cab and up the three steps leading to her apartment building. She took the lift to the second floor and pulled out her keys. A curse squeezed past her tight lips when the keyhole moved from side to side. Muttering another string of naughty words under her breath, she aimed her key at the lock. Without warning, the door opened. She lurched forward, her nose colliding with a masculine chest.Oops.
“Hey, G-G-Greg!” A wave of alcoholic fumes exited with her warble. It must’ve been worse than she thought, because Greg took a step back and held open the door. He smiled, except it didn’t reach his eyes. Even in her relaxed state, his chilly attitude registered, and her stomach plunged with apprehension. Great. The last thing she wanted was a fight.
“You’re drunk.”
“They kept forcing margaritas on me.” Maggie grimaced, admitting to herself her friends hadn’t twisted her arm.
“Those girls are a bad influence.” Disdain shone in his eyes. “I don’t know why you hang out with them.”
“They’re my friends. I like them.”Same old. Same old. Maggie put her hand to her forehead, but the pounding continued. Well-meaning people, including her parents, always told her how to behave. Why did she put up with it?
“Maggie…” Greg began, his tone telling her he had more to say.
“Can we change the subject?” she asked, trying to smile. “We always fight about my friends.”
Maggie flicked on the light. If her unsteady steps made her bump into something, she’d prefer reality over imagination. Objects developed creepy crawly legs in the dark, but that didn’t prepare her for what she saw—Greg sporting a black eye.
“What happened to your eye?”
“It’s nothing,” Greg said, trying to make light of his injury.
“Yes, it is. Who hit you?”
“Connor.”
“What?” Disbelief colored her reply. “Why?”
“He jabbed me in the eye during a maul at rugby practice.”
That revelation put Maggie on the defensive. “I’m sure he didn’t mean to hurt you.” Too late she realized she shouldn’t have stood up for Connor. After all, Greg was her boyfriend. She sighed. Connor loathed Greg and all she managed to worm out of her friend was that it involved a girl.
Maggie shrugged. Boys will be boys. Didn’t everyone have stuff in their pasts they’d rather forget? She sure did.
“It hurts like hell.” He raised his hand to his puffy cheek, and she could see he was in pain. “I’d like to stay, but I’ll head back to my place. I’ll put ice on it when I get home.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I have an appointment with a big client in the morning. Besides, I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”
“Oh?” She narrowed her eyes. What was with Greg, treating her like a commodity? Her inner bad girl wanted to let rip with a few well-chosen words. Instead she buttoned her lips. She’d hold her tongue until she was in control again. Two deep breaths did the trick. “Thanks for waiting for me. I’ll see you tomorrow night.”
Greg smiled and the starch seeped out of her. She always was a sucker for a sexy smile. The flash of his dimples shoved her heart in to a pitter-patter beat. Her breasts prickled. “Are you sure I can’t entice you to stay the night?” Her sultry tone hinted he might receive a reward.
“No.” His decision remained firm. “I’ll see you tomorrow night for dinner.”
The fizz dropped out of her good mood. The abrasive way he spoke to her irritated her. Maybe it wasn’t spanking they needed to discuss, but the future of their relationship. At first, his take-charge manner had charmed her, although the bossy attitude had grown old fast. Why couldn’t he see her side? Compromise a little? Sure, dominance in the bedroom worked for her, except Greg tried to extend the power into all facets of their lives.
Maggie marched to the door, yanked it open and waited, proud of her lurch-free steps. She considered tapping her foot, but didn’t think her balance would stand the challenge. “See you tomorrow.”
He sidled past her, hesitated and stooped to brush a kiss on her cheek. Then, without another word, he left. She closed the door and leaned against it. A hollow sensation dropped into the pit of her stomach. Their relationship—what there was to it—wasn’t working for her anymore, but she wasn’t so sure breaking up with Greg would help.
The idea of having to go on another man-hunt cleared the alcohol-induced fuzziness from her head. Good men were hard to find. With a quiet chubby girl like her, it was practically impossible. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to throw her fish back into the sea.
