Chapter 13 #3
Nick held her close for a few seconds before he clasped her bottom and rolled her onto her back.
He kissed anywhere he could reach, her face, her neck and her breasts as he slowly continued to move in and out of her.
He told her of his love and waited for her to come back to him.
Once she opened her eyes, he took both her wrists and pulled them over her head.
Sliding his other arm under her hips, he took her hard and deep.
Maggie had a moment of panic. This man could control her, did in fact control her, but hot damn, it was good. Seeing the acceptance in her eyes, Nick released her hands, and she threw her arms around him.
With his other arm now free he was able to fit her more tightly to him.
He felt her convulse in his arms a second before her contractions sent him over the edge.
Nick exploded powerfully inside her; over and over his tribute filled her as he growled his pleasure into her neck.
Hanging onto consciousness by a thread, Nick rolled them both onto their sides, holding her to him as he dragged air into his lungs.
“Maggie that was… you were… words can’t even describe how you move me, honey,” he whispered. “I just want to steal you away and love you in a thousand ways,” he sighed as he kissed her eyelids, her cheeks, and finally her lips.
Maggie moaned into his mouth and threw her leg up over his hip, relishing the warmth of his smooth chest as she curled into him.
“Nick, that’s such a beautiful dream. In your arms, I forget everything.
Nothing matters when you are touching me, loving me,” she told him, tears falling silently from her eyes as her head nestled beneath his chin.
“I truly wish it could be like this always. I wish we could stay in this room, this bed, and never let the world intrude, but it will, Nick. There’s no way we can keep it out,” she told him as she slipped out of his arms and sat up on the bed.
Wiping her tears she continued. “Nick, I have problems, real problems. I don’t even know if I have a job. I have a mortgage and kids to feed.” Maggie dropped her head and hid behind the curtain of her hair, sniffling.
Nick put his hands behind his head and let her go on, not saying anything but watching her intently. A little grin escaped him when she finally raised her head. Instead of looking at his face, her gaze traveled over his body, and she licked her lips.
Pulling her eyes away, she forced herself to stick to the issues. It wasn’t easy when a naked man looking like next month’s Playgirl centerfold lay sprawled on her white quilt.
“There’s a man out there who wants to hurt me,” she went on, “and I have no idea if or when he’s going to get out of jail.
Rory probably wants to wring my neck and my parents…
I can’t even begin to tell you how disappointed they are in me.
Not to mention Jason. He may never forgive me,” she sobbed, completely undone now.
Nick smiled and snagged her hand, pulling her down beside him. Wrapping her in his arms, he held her gently, rubbing her back.
“Don’t cry, sweetie” he crooned. “You just made a prefect case for why I’m taking over.
You need some help. Not that you haven’t done a hell of a job on your own, but things seem to have spiraled out of control.
There’s no harm in accepting a little help now and then, and that’s what I’m going to give you.
” Titling her chin up with a finger, Nick pushed her hair out of her face and looked into her eyes.
“This isn’t negotiable, Maggie. For the next six weeks I will be in charge,” he told her firmly. “You need to give me a chance.”
Maggie could see how serious he was. Numerous butterflies suddenly invaded her tummy.
This is not the time to argue, an inner voice whispered, and for once she listened.
“What exactly would your being in charge entail?” she asked, swallowing nervously.
“Unfortunately, exactly what you’re thinking it will.
I will be here every day to make sure you are doing as I say.
I don’t plan on micromanaging your day, but you will take better care of yourself.
I will be involved in the kids’ lives, making sure they have everything they need, helping with homework, and assisting in their care.
That means cooking, housework, laundry, grocery shopping, and appointments, whatever.
Basically, if I see a need, I will take care of it.
Any financial obligations that need attention I will—”
“Now wait just a minute,” she sputtered. “If I agree to this, I will not be accepting any financial—”
Nick held a finger to her lips, effectively shushing her.
“Maggie, for fifteen years my son has been denied my financial support. I will provide anything I think necessary for this family. Is that clear?” he demanded.
Maggie’s tummy clenched, but she kept her silence and nodded.
“I want to make sure you understand. I will not be sleeping here, but I will be here as much as possible. And I will be making love to you every chance I get,” Nick continued grinning. “Any other questions?
“Just two.” she asked her mouth as dry as dust. “Will you be spanking me?”
“You mean after tonight?”
Maggie gulped and managed to nod.
Nick sighed.
“It is not my intention to hurt you, honey; however, you need to know that I won’t put up with any blatant disregard for my rules. If you have a problem with anything I say, you can come to me and we will discuss it.
“In the end, if it concerns the health and well-being of anyone in this family, I will have the final say. Is that understood?” At her nod he continued.
“You know what kind of man I am, Maggie, and you know what I believe in. Much as I love you, I will have no problem paddling your ass if you defy me.”
A shiver coursed through her at his words. Nick was exactly as he seemed: a firm, determined man who wasn’t prepared to tolerate what her Da referred to as ‘shenanigans’.
Could she go six weeks without getting her butt roasted? Maggie sincerely doubted it. The first thing she needed to do was go to confession. Maybe a fresh start would help.
Nick gathered her to his chest and kissed the top of her head. “You said two questions, honey,” he reminded her.
“Um… what happens at the end of the six weeks?” she whispered, her mind trying to absorb all that he had said.
“You marry me.”
And that apparently was that.
The rest of the night went relatively smoothly.
Her spanking consisted of two crisp smacks on a bare butt which, although painful, were a great relief to Maggie.
It could have been much worse considering all Nick had learned after talking with Mason and Rory.
Not doing a background check on Jack Harley had been incredibly foolish.
Nick made cheese omelets, toast, and coffee and made sure Maggie ate it all. When Jason called, Nick found a reason to run out to the store, giving her the privacy she needed.
Jason assured his mother he understood. After talking with Nick and her Da, he’d come to the conclusion that she’d done what she felt was right at the time.
Angry as he was, he was able to forgive her, a testament to the influence Nick already had over him.
Maggie realized she could have lost her son over this.
At his age, a judge was sure to give him the option of living with his father if he so desired, and she cried when Jason told her he and the kids would be home tomorrow.
Nick spent the night, knowing it would be awhile before they could be alone again. He told her she needed to be in Mason’s office at nine in the morning and not to set foot on the site until she had spoken with him.
They tried to watch a movie, but Maggie was so fretful about losing her job, despite his reassurances, they finally gave up. Shutting off the TV, he carried her upstairs and loved her until the early hours of the morning. Exhausted, Nick spooned her until they fell into a peaceful sleep.
The alarm on his watch woke him, and he studied the beautiful woman in his arms. His hand was cupped around her breast, and her hand was holding it there. Every little while she would wiggle her butt against his now raging erection and sigh.
This was how Nick wanted to wake up every day of his life. He loved everything about her, her scent, her taste, the way she snuggled up to him, even her obstinate nature. God willing, at the end of six weeks she would know that this was the way it should be and agree to marry him.
He remembered telling Mason that if Maggie wouldn’t have him, he would deal with it, but now he knew that was a bunch of bull.
Life without her was unacceptable. If his plan didn’t work, he would come up with a new one and a new one after that, until they were both old and gray and he was still trying to get her to marry him.
He would never give up; it simply wasn’t an option.
Eventually the kids would be grown, and if Maggie hadn’t married him by then, he would kidnap her away to a tropical island and keep her there forever.
He could feel the warm ocean breeze as she walked toward him over the white sand, her grass skirt swaying, the sun glinting off her waist length hair, a knowing smile on her lips…
“Nick,” she moaned, poking him with her elbow. “Aren’t you going to shut that off?”
Struggling up from the depths of his dream, Nick fumbled with his watch and shut the alarm off. Pulling her tight against him he whispered in her ear.
“I can never let you go, you know that right?”
“I know,” she sighed as she gave him one last wiggle and drifted back to sleep.
He dragged himself out of bed and headed for the bathroom, wondering if a cold shower would help. It didn’t.