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“We were having lunch. She’s not eaten yet,” Tate argued.
West’s entire body went rigid. He was controlling his temper, but I could feel it being pushed too far. “Maggie is mine,” he said in a low, hard tone. His jaw was clenched, and I put my hand on his chest to calm him.
“Tate, it was good to see you again. Congratulations on your upcoming wedding,” I told him. “But we should be going,” I added, then pushed for West to move and break his glare, which was leveled at Tate.
I didn’t wait for Tate to say more, and thankfully West moved then, keeping his hand on my back as we made our way back inside Wicks toward the exit.
“Show me your server,” he said.
I looked over at the girl who had taken our order and pointed at her. He dropped his hand from my back and walked over to her. I watched as he handed her money, then he headed back to me.
“No man is buying you anything but me,” he said simply, then put his hand on my back again and led me out to the parking lot.
I wanted to explain all of this to him. I just wasn’t sure where to start. When we reached his truck, he didn’t open the passenger door like I expected but pressed my back against it instead. His hands flattened against the truck on each side of my head as his eyes locked on mine.
“No man gets to talk to you like that,” he said just before his mouth lowered to cover mine. His kiss was more forceful than usual, but I knew it was because of the scene we’d just had. I slid my hands up his chest and fisted his shirt, holding him to me, reassuring him that no man would ever have me but him. He should know that by now.
When he broke the kiss, he rested his forehead on mine and closed his eyes.
“Something else is wrong, West,” I said softly. “I know you. What is it?”
He sighed heavily, then dropped his hands and stepped back from me. “Let’s go. I want to be alone with you.”
I didn’t push, but I would later.
CHAPTER FIVE
WEST
I lay in bed listening to Maggie’s breathing and watching her sleep. She’d fallen asleep after we had quietly made love for over an hour in her blue bedroom at the Higgenses’ house. Tonight I should be holding my fiancée. There should be a ring on her finger.
But instead it was like any other night.
I reached for her left hand and gently held it in my much larger palm. Her bare ring finger caused an empty feeling to expand inside me. I’d let my mother’s actions ruin tonight. Brady had barely spoken to me at dinner. When our eyes did meet, I could see the disapproval in them. He didn’t understand, and he had the wrong damn idea in hishead. There was nothing in this world I wanted more than Maggie. Making her my wife, giving her my last name, that was all in my plans.
My dad had known she was the one for me before I’d been willing to admit it. He’d love knowing she was going to be an Ashby. He had told me she was the kind of girl you held on to and I needed to make her mine. I hoped Maggie was right and he could see us now. That heaven she believed in I wasn’t positive about, but I liked thinking Dad was watching us and smiling.
Laying Maggie’s hand back down, I eased out of bed. She was a heavy sleeper, but I still moved quietly. My inner demons shouldn’t keep her awake too. Walking over to the window, I stared outside at the darkness lit by the streetlights.
Tomorrow Maggie would make me talk. She’d watched me all day with that all-too-knowing look. I couldn’t hide anything from her. I figured she hadn’t pushed me simply because of the jackass guy who had shown up to try and take what was mine. My anger at the idea of another man saying things like that to Maggie ignited again, and I had to take a deep breath to shove that down.
He was gone now, and I had other shit to deal with: getting my head clear and my fucking fears under control so I could move forward with Maggie. Brady was right. It was past time. If my mother hadn’t gone from a devoted, loving,adoring wife and mother to this person I no longer know, I would be engaged to Maggie.
“You distracted me with sex. Now it’s time talk to me.” Maggie’s soft voice broke the silence, and I turned to see her watching me. She was so damn beautiful. The thought of her changing, of her love for me fading, of what we have ending twisted my insides so tightly it made me ill.
“Please, West,” she said, sitting up in bed, her eyes never leaving mine.
I’d lost both parents the day my father died. I hadn’t known it then, but soon enough it had become obvious. Maggie had been my only constant. She was more than the woman I loved; she was my life. If I lost her. If she were to die, would I change? My chest ached inside me at the idea of a world without Maggie in it.
Yes, I would change. I’d lose my soul. She’d take it with her. Was that what had happened to my mother? Had her love for my dad been so intense that she couldn’t be the same person when he was gone, even for me?
As a kid, that had been the most painful truth. But as Maggie stood up and walked over to me, wrapping a sheet around her naked body, I understood. It wasn’t right, but I did understand it. Losing Maggie would destroy me. I needed there to be a God. I needed to start praying that he take me first.
“West,” she whispered as she reached me, touching my arm.
I pulled her against me and held her there. Feeling the beat of her heart, the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed. Calming myself with knowing she was mine. She was alive.
“My mother got married again,” I told her.
