Page 27 of Protecting Maggie
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me for doing what any decent person would do.”
She did. He didn’t understand how little kindness and decency she’d experienced recently. Adina letting her stay in her apartment had literally been it, before Shawn came into her life.
Taking a deep breath, Maggie straightened, and Shawn’s arms finally fell away from her. The pang of regret was surprising but she pushed it down. “You wanted to talk?” she forced herself to ask.
Shawn stared at her for a moment. “I did. You don’t. So we won’t.”
It struck her then—he’d wanted to talk about her ex. He wasn’t planning on ending their friendship. Relief swam in her veins.
“But when you’re ready, no matter when that is, what time of day, how long from now…I’ll listen. Okay?”
Maggie nodded.
“You hungry?”
As if her stomach heard his words, it growled.
He grinned.
Lord, this man was good-looking. Boyish at times, almost scary in his intensity at others. But carefree and handsome as an actor at the moment.
“Come on. And fair warning?”
Maggie waited for him to continue.
“I didn’t plan on everyone showing up to join us. But I mentioned to Kevlar that I was bringing you to Acestonight and the next thing I knew, Remi was texting me to find out what time we’d be there. Then the guys decided they hadn’t played pool in a while. And someone called Julie, who called Caroline and Fiona and Summer. Jessyka, who owns the bar, found out…and now it’s a freaking party or something. So if you want to go to McDonald’s, or even stay here and order in, we can.”
Maggie was genuinely shocked. A bunch of random people never wanted to hang out at the same place as her, just because she was there. Granted, none of what Shawn had just said actually indicated it was all abouther.
Then his next words blew that thought out of the water.
“Although if we go to McDonald’s, everyone will probably just shift their plans and follow us there. They’re determined to meet you and make you feel welcome.”
Feeling like the Grinch when his heart grew three sizes with the kindness of the Whos from Whoville, Maggie swallowed hard.
“Is the food at Aces good?” she managed to ask.
“The best.”
“Then we can go there.”
“You sure? There’s nothing I want more than for you to join the ranks of my Navy family, but not at the expense of you feeling uncomfortable or unsure.”
“As long as none of your friends is my ex, then I’ll be fine.”
He blinked, then frowned. “They aren’t your ex,” he said firmly. “First of all, no one I hang out with would bedouchebag enough to get a woman thrown in prison for two years over drugs. Second, most of my friends are either married, or dating a woman they want to eventually marry. And third—fuck him. Your ex.”
Maggie couldn’t help but smile at those words.
“I love that. Seeing you smile. You don’t do it enough,” Shawn said quietly. He licked his lips, and his gaze locked on her mouth.
Her breaths sped up and her belly clenched, but not with hunger this time. It had been ages since she’d felt desire. She’d been too consumed with protecting herself. But now? Sitting this close to Shawn, smelling his clean scent, seeing how obsessed he seemed to be with her lips… Maggie felt her nipples tighten, and she resisted the urge to squirm, to press her thighs together to try to ease the ache between her legs.
Mimicking him by licking her own lips, Maggie leaned forward an inch.
That encouragement was all Shawn needed. His hand came up and rested on her cheek as his gaze finally moved upward to meet hers. “May I?” he whispered.
