Page 33 of Protecting Maggie
Preacher desperately wanted to know the name of the asshole she was talking about. But he refrained from asking. Hopefully she’d tell him when she was ready. Then he’d see what he could do about ruining the guy’s life, just as he’d done to Maggie’s.
“He’ll get his,” Preacher told her. “I firmly believe that those who do bad things to others will pay for their wrongdoings in the long run.”
“I don’t like having such hate in my heart for a person. It doesn’t feel right. But I can’t help it.”
“You’re human,” Preacher told her with a squeeze of his hand. “And he did you wrong in a huge way.”
“Yeah,” she agreed. She fell silent then. After another few minutes went by, she asked, “What time is it?”
“Does it matter?”
She laughed a little. “It does if you miss PT because we’re sitting out here on the sand.”
Preacher chuckled. “Even if I did miss it, it’d be okay. I mean, yeah, I’m supposed to be there, but Kevlar isn’t going to report me AWOL if I’m not.”
“He seems like a good man.”
“He is.”
“I really like Remi, Wren, and Josie. They were all so nice to me. I feel as if I’ve known them forever. It’s hard to believe all that stuff really happened to them. I’m glad they’re okay.”
“Me too.”
“Shawn?”
“Yeah, Maggie?”
“This is great. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
She took a deep breath, then sat up. “You need to get home.”
“You want to stay and look at the stars longer?” Preacher countered.
She considered his question, then shook her head. “No, I think I’m good. But I wouldn’t protest coming back here sometime.”
“Done.”
Preacher got to his feet then helped Maggie stand. He wiped as much sand off himself as he could and helped get some out of Maggie’s hair. To his surprise, she returned the favor, and the feel of her hand in his hair made goose bumps break out on his arms.
Then she grabbed his hand and led the way back through the small break in the bushes and grass to his car.
The ride to her apartment was done in a comfortable silence. He walked her to her door and couldn’t stophimself from putting his hand on her cheek. “I had a good time tonight. Agreattime.”
“Me too.”
Preacher felt tongue-tied. There was so much he wanted to say and do, but he couldn’t get his thoughts in order.
Maggie didn’t seem to have the same problem. She went up on her tiptoes and lifted her chin. Preacher didn’t hesitate to lean down.
The kiss they shared in front of her door was just as passionate and intimate as the one they’d had earlier. Except this time, Maggie pressed her body against his, and he could feel her along every inch of his body. She felt at home there. As if she was made for him.
As corny as the thought was, it felt right. Preacher wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her against him, even as his other hand went to her nape. Her own arms clung to him just as tightly.
They were both breathing hard when she finally pulled back.
“You sure you’ll be okay to go to PT in…” She pulled her wrist around and looked at her watch. “Three hours?”
