Chapter 14 #3
“After what seemed like hours, Rory called someone on his cell phone. We pulled up in front of this huge old house, and he parked and got out. I asked him if it was some kind of detention center, and he laughed. He said I would probably prefer jail, but he thought this might teach me a lesson.
“Rory helped me out of the car and firmly held my arm as he pulled me towards the house. I was really scared by then. Worse than jail? A woman came out of the door, and when he took the cuffs off he pushed me towards her. She is all yours, he told the woman. I wanted to run, but then she held out her arms and called me a poor wee lamb, and all I could do was stumble to her and cry my heart out.”
“That would be my mother,” Maggie told her smiling. “She never could resist a lost soul. So have you been staying there?”
“Yes, for the last few days. Then today Rory called and said I had a job. He said he talked to Mr. Nick, and I could start right away. Is that your husband? I hope you are not angry with me, Maggie. I had no idea you did not know anything about me.”
“Of course I’m not angry, Tess. It’s not your fault, and no, Nick is not my husband. Like your story, it’s complicated,” she sighed. “I’ll tell you about it one day, but right now I have a killer headache and would like to lie down for a while.
“My sister, Colleen, is picking up Caitlin, my daughter, from Pre-K and keeping her for the night, but the boys will be here around three-thirty. I’ll be upstairs in my room, but don’t hesitate to wake me if you need anything.
Don’t worry too much about what you get done today.
Take some time to get to know the kids and feel comfortable. ”
“Thanks, Maggie. I really appreciate how understanding you have been. I hope we will be friends,” she whispered.
“We already are, Tess,” Maggie told her with an odd smile. “We have a lot in common.”
Maggie headed upstairs, not letting Tess see just how annoyed she was with Nick and Rory.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like the girl, she did.
As far as her needing help, she could understand that too.
It just would have been nice to have been consulted.
Maggie would let Nick know exactly what she thought later.
As for Rory, maybe now that he had someone else to keep his eye on, Maggie could catch a break.
Tess was beautiful with her silky black hair and big, dark eyes.
Hopefully, she would need a lot of attention.
She certainly needed someone to step in and care for her if she was sleeping on park benches, she thought, just before sleep claimed her.
* * *
It didn’t take Maggie more than about five minutes to let Nick know how she felt after he walked in the door. Jason and Todd made themselves scarce as soon as they heard the tone of her voice.
“I really wish you had thought to talk to me before you went ahead and hired someone behind my back,” she informed him testily. “This is my house you know. And last time I checked they were still my kids.”
“Don’t you like her?” Nick asked, walking to the fridge and snagging a bottle of water.
“Yes, I do like her, very much. That’s not the point.”
“Yes, I know, Maggie, there’s always a point with you,” he sighed. “Look, you needed help around here, and she needed a job. I think that about covers it, don’t you?”
Maggie sputtered as he approached her and put a hand on each of her shoulders.
When he pulled her to him for a long, hot kiss, she momentarily forgot what she’d been going to say.
One kiss became two, and desire wove its magic spell around her.
Nick’s arms slipped from her shoulders to her waist, and his mouth dropped to her neck as he pulled her closer.
“Are we good about this?” he asked between nibbles.
“Hmm, good, yes, very good,” she sighed, her hands on his hips holding him against her. She wiggled closer still as he gripped her bottom and lifted her from the floor, pulling her into the cradle of his thighs.
“So no more complaints, right?” he asked, sucking on that oh-so-sensitive spot between her neck and her shoulder.
Maggie was wet, hot, and aching. She shivered when he bit her, and then soothed it with his lips. Her breath came quickly in soft little pants as she tried to remember the question.
“No…ah, no more… complaints,” she sighed tilting her head to give him better access.
“Good,” he told her firmly, setting her on her feet with a crisp smack to her butt.
“Hey,” Maggie yelped one hand going to her bottom and the other grasping the counter for balance. “That’s not fair. We were discussing something!”
“No, we’re through discussing,” he told her his eyebrow shooting up, daring her to challenge him.
“How do you know I can even afford a housekeeper?” she demanded pouting.
“You can’t. That’s why I hired her, and that’s why I’ll be paying her salary,” he informed her, jerking her to him once more and kissing her hard. “Now, what do you want for dinner?” he asked, heading towards the door.
“Pizza, with a large antipasto. And pick up a bottle of wine. A large bottle.”
“I thought you gave up wine after, you know… ” he asked her, waving in the direction of the living room with a cocky grin on his face.
“I did, but I have a feeling I’m going to need some tonight,” she shot back over her shoulder as she headed upstairs to change her panties. Damn him and his sneaky tactics.