Page 40 of Maggie’s Match

“Rick, take me inside. Make love to me,” she whispered against his skin.

“Are you sure?” he asked, feeling his body react to her request.

She pulled back and glanced up at him. “I’ve never been more sure in my life.”

He smiled and then took her hand and started walking back to the house. He locked the bedroom door behind him, leaned against it, and waited.

“It’s your move,” he said with a grin.

She slowly removed her boots and walked towards him. “You knew this would happen when you came here,” she said as she ran a fingertip up his shirt, tipping his hat back slightly so she could look into his eyes. “Didn’t you?”

“I had hoped,” he admitted. His hands moved to her hips and pulled her closer until their bodies pressed up against one another. “Dreamed,” he said, leaning down and brushing his lips over hers gently. “Prayed,” he added with a groan.

“You’re staying this time,” she said, pulling back slightly. Her eyes zeroed in on his.

“For good.”

She must have seen the truth in his eyes because she lifted on her toes and kissed him until they were both breathless.

He’d like to say that being with her was like coming home. But this time, she was different. He was different with her.

Every time he touched her, kissed her, made love to her, was like a new beginning. He was in uncharted territory, and the thrill of the exploration was something he craved.

Still, he was familiar enough with her needs that he never let her go wanting. He hiked up the skirt of her dress and ran his fingertips over her soft skin, marveling at how much she gave to him.

While she yanked and pulled to remove his clothes, he stood still and let her take what she wanted, even though it killed him to remain stationary.

“Rick,” she whispered, holding onto him, “I don’t think I can do this without you.”

At first, he thought she was talking about removing his boots and pants, then he saw the truth in her eyes. She was talking about sex.

What had happened last week had taken a deep toll on her, and she was questioning being with him. It killed him that she was in so much pain from it. That something like that happened to her on his watch.

Gathering her up, he felt his chest tighten. “I’m here,” he said over and over, trying to assure her. To somehow convince her that he would be better at guarding her. That he would never allow something like that to happen to her again.

“Rick, I still need you. I need to know that it didn’t end. The way I feel about you, about what we have together,” she said against his chest.

“Tell me what I can do?” he asked her, his heart breaking a little more. “Anything. I’ll do anything.”

Maggie took a couple of deep breaths, then she took a step back and pulled her dress off, leaving her standing before him in only a sexy cream-colored bra and matching panties.

His entire body heated. His first inclination was to rush to touch her, to take her, but instead, he remained glued to the spot as she continued her striptease.

When she stood before him completely naked, he realized that never before had she taken so much control. The thrill of it had him remaining still as she moved back to him and started removing his clothing.

“Do you like this?” she asked with a smile.

“Yes.” His voice cracked and he winced, but her laughter warmed him.

“Good, I’m in charge,” she said, locking eyes with him. He nodded, not trusting that his voice wouldn’t betray him again.

The only time he moved was to help her remove his boots. When she nudged him to sit, he sat. After his boots and socks were gone, she pulled him back to his feet to unhook his jeans and slide them slowly down his legs. Her fingernails scraped against his thighs, and he groaned and closed his eyes as a wave of lust rushed through him.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly.

“Yes,” he groaned. “Continue.” He glanced down as she knelt in front of him. The only article of clothing that remained was his boxer briefs, which did little to hide what she was doing to him.

Then she slipped his boxers off and gripped him in her fingers lightly. When she leaned forward and took him into her mouth and started to move, he buried his fingers into her hair with a groan.