Page 20 of Protecting Maggie
“We’ll see if you’re still feeling that way after your first shift,” Julie said with a smile. “Now get. I’ll see you later. Text me if anything changes and you need to start later than we decided. Regardless of how things look around here, I’m really flexible. If you need to change your hours or anything, we can work it out.”
Things reallydidseem too good to be true. “I appreciate it.”
“And I appreciate your willingness to work hard. We’ll talk later.”
Maggie waved at Julie as Shawn put his fingertips on the small of her back and they headed for the door.
If anyone else had dared touch her after only meeting the day before, Maggie would’ve told them to keep their damn hands to themselves. But for some reason, Shawn’s touch didn’t make her cringe. Even the memory of howthe guards at the prison would grab her arm and sometimes shove her from behind when she walked didn’t make her change her mind about Shawn being at her back.
When they were on the sidewalk, he moved so he was on the side closest to the street as they headed toward the lot, where he’d parked earlier.
“Were you really at the bookstore that whole time?” Maggie asked.
Shawn shrugged. “Pretty much. I did stop into a few other stores to browse before going to the bookstore.”
“Did you get anything?”
To her surprise, Maggie could’ve sworn she saw a blush make its way up the back of his neck into his cheeks.
“It’s a bookstore. Of course I did. You can’t go in one and not end up buying at least a book or two.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve splurged on something like that, but I used to go to the library all the time. I need to go back. I miss reading.” It wasn’t something Maggie would’ve admitted to many people. But again, Shawn made her feel comfortable sharing things she normally wouldn’t. It was disconcerting but also felt…good.
“You want to go after we eat? I think there’s a branch not too far from your apartment.”
Maggie stopped in her tracks and stared up at the man next to her. Coming from any other guy, she would’ve thought the offer was a precursor to something else. But she was pretty sure Shawn was being genuine.
“What? What’s wrong?” he asked, looking around as ifsearching for some kind of danger that had her stopping on the sidewalk so abruptly.
“I’m not sleeping with you,” Maggie blurted. She’d already told him that, but she felt the need to repeat it…just in case she was wrong about his intentions.
Shawn’s worried look morphed into something else. Irritation. Disappointment.
It was the latter that made Maggie feel ashamed of her outburst.
“I know. We’ve already been over this, but okay. I’ll go there again. The thought didn’t even cross my mind. I offered to take you to the library because I thought you might enjoy doing something you hadn’t done in a while—get a new book. I would’ve brought you to the bookstore andboughtyou something, but I figured that might offend you. Believe it or not, I’ve been where you are, Maggie. Not exactly, of course, but broke enough that all I could afford was noodles and, if I was lucky, gas in my car. The last thing I’d do right now is try to seduce you. And honestly, I wouldn’t have the foggiest idea of how to go about it anyway.”
“Right,” Maggie said sarcastically. She was trying hard not to feel horrible for how she was treating this man. He’d been nothing but amazing to her, and she was being a bitch. But she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Her shields had been crumbling, and she desperately needed to shore them back up to prevent herself from getting hurt once more. “You’re a Navy SEAL. I’m sure women throw themselves at you all the time. But if that’s what you thinkyou’re going to get out of helping me, you need to think again. I’m not going to be one more notch on your bedpost.”
“Thereareno notches,” Shawn said.
Maggie stared at him, unsure what he meant. “Uh-huh. Whatever.”
“You want to know why I’m called Preacher?” he said.
It was weird that they were standing in the middle of a sidewalk having this conversation, but now that she’d started it, Maggie didn’t know how to stop.
He didn’t give her a chance to respond. “In boot camp, when we had breaks, all the guys would go to the bars to pick up women. I never went. Not even once. That’s not my thing. They started calling me Preacher to make fun of me. But I didn’t care. Not then, and even less now. When I sleep with a woman, it’ll be because she’s the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Not because she’s drunk and wants to brag about sleeping with a SEAL. Call me old fashioned, it doesn’t bother me. I know what I want—and that’s to wait until I find the right woman.”
Maggie gaped at Shawn. Was he saying what shethoughthe was saying? “How old are you?”
He smiled. “Thirty-three.”
“And you…” Her voice trailed off.
She wasn’t going to ask. Nope, it wasn’t her place and it was rude.
But he answered the question she was too chicken to ask anyway. “I told you, I’m waiting. So you have nothingto fear from me in regard to forcing you or pressuring you for sex.”
