“When were you shot?” He gripped her shoulders, holding her before him.
“What?” She was looking around them, her eyes darting left and right.
“Maggs.” He took her hands in his. “Look at me.”
She did, and he still saw the fear.
“I’ve told you you’re safe now. I’ve told you no one is going to shoot you, and I’m here to make sure that doesn’t happen. You can relax now.”
“Right… you’re right. Safe,” she whispered. “No shooting.”
He didn’t know why the hair on the back of his neck suddenly rose, but it did. Going on instinct, he stepped closer and pulled her into his arms.
“You’re all good now, sweetheart. Nothing to be scared of.”
She didn’t fight him; in fact, her hands went around his waist, and she held him tight.
“You take a few deep breaths for me now, Maggs, and calm down.”
Fin didn’t know how long he stayed like that with her, feeling her lovely body slowly relax and the shudders that rocked her ease. But he had to say, holding her brought back all those conflicting feelings he had for this woman.
“I’m all right now, Fin. Thanks.” She stepped out of his arms, and he was reluctant to let her go.
Her eyes seemed calmer, and she even managed a smile for him.
“I’m sorry about that.” She bent to retrieve her bag and hat.
Hers was a face a man couldn’t help but take a second look at. Soft pale skin, sweet little nose and chin, dark brows, and lips that were usually slicked in a bold color that had him wanting to nibble them. Maggie Winter was sexy, confident, and had rocked Fin back on his heels from the first moment he’d seen her. Some of the confidence had left now, but the sexy was still there.
“So now you’re feeling better, how about you tell me when you were shot?”
“What?” She looked shocked by his words.
“You said, ‘don’t let them shoot me again, Fin.’”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Not sure why I’d say that.” She laughed. It wasn’t the loud and throaty one she usually gave. This one was forced.
“When, Maggs?”
“Chief Blake is calling us into line. Imagine us being in a bank robbery, and right here in Ryker Falls. This is going get the place buzzing.” Her words were running one over the other as she backed away from him.
Fin followed.
“I mean, Mrs. L is going to be pissed she wasn’t in here. The knitting group will move on from the exploits of Bob and Nancy to the fact our town is going to the dogs.”
Fin kept pace with her as she moved to where Chief Blake stood.
“It’s funny, I lived in a big city like London and came back here for excitement.”
“Maggs—”
“Chief Blake!” She shrieked the words, and Ryker Falls’s finest police officer responded.
“Hey there, Maggs. Good to see you back in town.”
