Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
~CAMERON~
“ I ’m dreading this,” Maggie says as I pull into the car lot in Seattle.
“Obviously. You dragged your feet getting ready to come here today, and I think they’re going to close in about three hours.”
“If I can’t buy a car in less than three hours, there’s a huge problem. Huge. ”
“It’s not a quick process, you know.”
She looks over at me with disgust, and I can’t help but laugh.
“Come on. It won’t be so bad. You can afford pretty much anything you want here.”
Maggie sighs and gets out of my car as if she’s being dragged to the dentist for a root canal. Before we can even start looking at the rows of available vehicles for sale, a salesman comes walking toward us.
“Hi there, how can I help you today?”
“I need a car,” Maggie says.
“You came to the right place,” he replies and then offers his hand to me. “I’m Roland.”
“Uh, Cam. Maggie is your customer. I’m just here for moral support.”
“Nice to meet you, Maggie,” Roland says. “So, what are you looking for?”
“Literally anything that runs,” she replies. “I don’t care other than that.”
Roland presses his lips together and then looks at me.
I shrug.
Good luck, buddy.
“Do you prefer a sedan or an SUV?”
“Don’t care.”
“Any particular color?”
“Nope.”
Roland laughs and rubs his hand over his neck. “Okay. Let’s start with this. What will you be using it for, on a daily basis?”
“Pretty much just going back and forth to work, but I live on one of the islands, so we do get unpredictable weather.”
“Okay, that’s a good start. An all-wheel-drive SUV might be good. But a smaller one, I think.”
“Yeah, I don’t need a tank,” she agrees. “But all-wheel-drive sounds good.”
“Great, we have a place to start. Let’s look over here.”
Roland steers us a couple of rows over to a line of sleek, brand-new vehicles.
“Great, pick one, and I’ll take it.”
Now Roland laughs and shakes his head. “No, that’s your job, Maggie.”
“As long as it starts when I want it to and doesn’t die on me, I’m not picky. Oh, but I do like red.”
“Let’s start with the red one, then.” He explains all about heated seats and backup cameras and a bunch of things that I’m sure Maggie doesn’t give two fucks about.
“What about a moonroof?” Roland asks her.
Maggie looks up. “There isn’t one.”
“Not in this vehicle, but it’s an option. Also, have you thought about lane assist, which cruise control you’d like, if you would like a heated steering wheel?—”
“Whoa.” Maggie holds up her hands and stares at Roland as if he just told her to get ready for the biggest test of her life. “A heated steering wheel ?”
“That’s right.”
“I don’t need any of those things. I don’t care if I have to use a key to unlock the door, and I have to roll the windows up and down by hand as long as the engine starts.”
“I don’t think I even have a vehicle on this lot with manual windows,” Roland says with a laugh. “How often do you buy yourself a new car? I can tell that you’re not an every-other-year kind of person.”
“No, I think I purchased the last one eight years ago.”
“Exactly,” Roland says, and I smile. I see where he’s going with this, and I couldn’t agree more. If I were making the purchase, I’d make sure she had every bell and whistle possible. “So, why shouldn’t you get all of the amenities offered, all of the safety features, and enjoy them for the next eight years? You can plug your phone in and listen to any music you’d like, or?—”
“Wait.” Maggie turns in the seat, excited. “I can listen to the music on my phone ?”
“That’s right. You can plug it in or use Bluetooth.”
“Plugging it in sounds easier.”
Roland smiles. “It is. You can also use the maps for directions if you want.”
“Okay, maybe the fancy car is starting to sound good. I think I even want the moonroof thing.”
“Great. I don’t have that specific vehicle on the lot, but I can have it transferred from another location by tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.” Maggie hops out of the car and walks around the vehicle once. “And I want it in red.”
“We can do that,” Roland confirms. “If you’ll just come inside with me, we’ll get everything started.”
“I’m paying cash,” she informs him as we set off for the office. “So don’t bother with financing and all the other stuff. This should be quick and easy.”
I smirk behind her.
Famous last words.
“Why did that still take another ninety minutes?” Maggie demands as we drive away from the dealership.
“There’s a lot of paperwork involved in buying a car.”
“But I’m paying cash ,” she insists. “I should just write the check and walk out with the car. As if I’m buying a couch or some chips at the store.”
“You’re cute.”
She narrows her eyes at me dangerously.
“You know there are registration and warranty things. You were there.”
“It’s a pain in the ass,” she grumbles. “But at least when we come back over in the morning, all I have to do is sign for it, and we can leave.”
Maggie glances around and then turns back to me.
“Why aren’t we headed for the ferry?”
“Because we aren’t getting on a ferry,” I reply. “We’ll stay in Seattle tonight and head back after we get your car tomorrow.”
“A mini-vacation,” she says. “Fun. Let’s get Italian for dinner.”
“I think we can manage that.”
“Do you ever wish you lived in the city?” I ask as Maggie holds my hand, and we walk from the restaurant, where we stuffed ourselves with bread and pasta, toward the hotel. It’s a beautiful evening, so we decided to hoof it. I’m glad we did because I have to work this food off.
“Not really,” she says. “Why, do you?”
“Sometimes, I wish we had some of the conveniences closer—like the airport, restaurants, and stuff like that.”
“Seattle isn’t that far from the island.”
“Far enough that it’s a pain in the ass sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I love the island.”
“If you could just snap your fingers and live anywhere in the world, where would that be?” she asks.
“I don’t know. I’ve been almost everywhere there is to go, and I don’t know that there’s anything better than this. Maybe Ireland.”
Her face lights up. “Really?”
“I do love it there.”
“I do, too. That’s the only other place I would live, too. But I don’t think I could move away from the family, especially now that everyone’s having babies. I don’t like being out of the loop.”
“Your parents are good at having a foot in both places,” I remind her.
“They’re retired,” she says with a shrug. “Someday, I’ll retire there, too.”
“Are you still thinking that you’re content at the pub?”
“I love the pub,” she says slowly. “It’s what I know, and I am good at my job.”
“You’re great at it,” I agree.
“But I’ve been thinking more about what Leo offered. The possibility of singing with his band is the opportunity of a lifetime. But wouldn’t it make me a hypocrite if I went?”
I glance down at her and frown. “How so?”
“All I’ve done for the past two years is complain that you’re never home. And now I’m considering a job that takes me literally all over the world, and I don’t know how long the tour runs. It could be weeks or years. I think P!nk’s last tour lasted four years.”
“It doesn’t make you a hypocrite,” I reply. “I think that if it appeals to you, and if they offer, you should try it. I’ll be here. I’m sure I can join you here and there.”
“You’d do that?”
I bring her hand up to my lips. “Of course, I would. I can work anywhere, Maggie.”
We walk into the hotel and to the elevators. Once the doors close, I glance over at her. She smiles at me.
“What are you thinking?” I ask, recognizing the lust in her emerald eyes.
“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to have sex in an elevator?”
And just like that, I’m hard and ready for her. I cup her jawline in one hand and kiss her long and hard, then pull back as her phone rings.
“Just when my deepest sexy fantasy is about to be realized,” she mutters and pulls her phone out of her pocket. “It’s my ma. Hello? You’re kidding. How did you know—? Oh.” She glances at me as the elevator doors open, then follows me down the hall to our room. “Well, we aren’t planning to be back until tomorrow afternoon, but I could probably ask Cam to take us back—okay. You’re sure? Thanks, Ma. Just let me know if you change your mind. Love you. Bye.”
“What happened?” I ask as I unlock the door, and we walk into the room. Maggie blows out a long breath.
“My fridge went out,” she says and scratches her fingertips into her scalp. “It must have happened right after we left because Ma popped over to borrow one of my stockpots, and when she went to look in the fridge for some chicken stock, she found it dead.”
I blink at her.
“I thought your house was fairly new?”
“It’s almost ten years old, and I’m sure none of the appliances were ever replaced before I bought it. But still. When it rains, it pours. At least, I can afford to fix it.”
Her head comes up, and she looks at me with wonder.
“I can afford to fix it, Cam. Just a week ago, I would have been in full panic mode, but I don’t have to panic. I mean, yeah, I’ll lose some food, but I can replace it. I didn’t realize until now what a luxury that is.”
“You’re right,” I agree, remembering days as a kid when my dad couldn’t always afford to keep the lights on. “It’s a good feeling to have that buffer.”
“Now I know how the others feel, and it’s damn nice. I’ve never been one to assume that because all of my siblings are successful, that they owe me anything. That they should just automatically jump in and rescue me. I was raised to take care of myself but always know that my family would help me if I needed them, you know?”
“And yet, you never ask for help. Why is that, Mary Margaret? Any one of them, me included, would have helped you with that damn hot water heater.”
She chews her lip then walks over to the window and looks out at the water.
She does that often. She should live closer to the beach where she can see the view. I know she’d love it.
“I don’t know why.”
And that’s not the truth. There are moments when I still feel like Maggie holds back while confiding in me. Keeps herself from opening up all the way. And it’s damn frustrating.
I join her at the window, wrap my arms around her from behind, and silently stand with her, staring out at the water. The sun has already slid behind the horizon, and the sky is ablaze in orange and pink as boats litter the Sound before us.
“Someday, you’ll open up to me without me having to pry it out of you.”
“I—” She sighs and doesn’t complete the thought. “I’ll get better.”
And that’s all I can ask.
My hand slips up under her light sweater until I feel the warm flesh against my palm. Her head falls back against my shoulder in surrender.
I love how she gives herself over to me so easily. Physically, she’s as free as can be with me, but emotionally? Well, we’re not quite there yet.
But I’m determined to get there.
“You have the softest skin,” I murmur as I cup her breasts and tease her nipples over her bra. “And you smell delicious.”
“I smell like pasta,” she says with a smile in her voice. “And probably garlic bread.”
“Delicious,” I repeat softly.
“Good enough to eat?”
She’s teasing, but it’s no joke to me. I nip her ear, then take her hand and pull her with me to the bed, where I don’t even undress her before urging her back onto the mattress.
“Hold on to the headboard,” I instruct her.
“This again?” Her pink lips tip up into an excited grin. “There’s nothing for me to hold on to, Cam.”
Hmm, she’s right. This hotel doesn’t take certain…tastes into consideration.
“Okay, grasp on to the pillow, on either side of your head. And don’t?—”
“Don’t let go,” she finishes for me.
I narrow my eyes on her and boost up until I’m at eye level with her, my face inches from hers.
“Do you think this is the time to be sassy, Mary Margaret?” My voice is firm and leaves no room for argument.
But she doesn’t look afraid, which pleases me. One red eyebrow cocks.
“Apparently, not. Should I call you sir ?”
My cock twitches. I brush my nose over hers and wait until she grips the pillow in both hands before pulling her sweater up and loosely wrapping it over her head so she can’t see well but can still breathe.
“If you get uncomfortable, just tell me, and I’ll move the sweater. But don’t let go. You need to trust me. Understood?”
“Yes, sir,” she whispers, and I immediately smile.
She can’t see me.
“Good girl,” I say in her ear, then kiss my way down to her perfect little breasts. I unfasten her bra and move the cups out of the way so I can tease her pink nipples. Once they’re wet from my tongue, I blow on them and watch in satisfaction as they tighten.
Next, I make my way to her jeans. With a flick of my wrist, they come unfastened, and I tug the denim down her gorgeous, curvy hips, unveiling a scrap of blue cotton covering the promised land.
Her flesh erupts in goosebumps at the exposure to the air, and her hips circle when I push one finger under the elastic at her thigh and follow it inward as if her heat is a magnet.
“Oh, damn it,” she moans and shifts her legs. “Cameron, you’re such a tease.”
“I didn’t say you could talk.”
She chuckles and then presses her lips together, trying to muffle a moan when I slide the finger deeper under her panties.
“You can, however, moan, gasp, groan, and scream my name to your heart’s content.”
“Oh, God,” she moans and makes me smile once more.
Fucking hell, she’s amazing. Everything I’ve ever wanted in a woman. In a partner.
And when my finger slips effortlessly between her wet folds, she gasps.
“Cam!”