Chapter 4
Maggie
The strong aroma of coffee greets me as I blink open my heavy eyelids. Not recognizing where I am, my head pops up and whips around to take in my surroundings. As the night before comes rolling back into my mind, a shiver runs through me.
Ian. Three very enthusiastic rounds of sex. Countless orgasms.
My inspection stops at a clock on the dresser across the room, and I sit straight up, not caring I’m naked, when I realize it is almost eleven.
I’d never know with his blackout curtains.
I’m sure he’s ready for me to leave. I know not to overstay my welcome, but apparently, our activities wore me out more than I realized.
Before I leave, I’m going to beg Ian for a cup of coffee for the road.
Having been teased about my coffee addiction for all my adult life, I can’t help that it’s the most delicious and magnificent beverage ever invented.
I’m powerless against the allure of that little bean.
And I am already well behind my daily quota since I never sleep this late. Or much at all lately.
My eyes have adjusted to the darkness, and I think I can see my clothes on the floor.
I’m about to climb out of bed and get dressed when the door opens and a shirtless, sweatpants-clad Ian walks through with two cups of coffee in one hand and a container of creamer in the other.
I yank the blankets over my naked breasts as I’m illuminated by light from the hallway, and he stalks across the room toward me with a smirk on his ruggedly handsome face.
I try not to let my gaze travel too far around his body, but it’s nearly impossible, and it drops to take in the rest of him.
Good lord. This man is hot.
“It’s okay. You don’t have to hide. I’ve seen everything.” His lips pull up higher. “Multiple times.”
Rolling my eyes, I reach out my hand. “Give me that. I hope you made a full pot because I’m going to need more before I leave.”
He scowls as he hands me a cup and settles onto the bed beside me after clicking on the lamp. “Leave? Do you have to work today or have plans with friends?”
I pour creamer in my coffee and stir it with the spoon he thoughtfully put in the cup for me, taking a sip before replying, “I work regular office hours, so I don’t go back until Monday.
And, uh, not to sound like a loser, but since I’m newer to town, I’ve made a grand total of one friend, who I met at work. ”
Ian’s grin returns. “Great. I can be your friend, and you can stay here for the rest of the weekend.” He gives a little shrug while raising his coffee cup to take a drink. “Hang out with me.”
My breath catches, lips parting in confusion. “You want me to stay here? All weekend? And hang out with you?”
“Yes, that’s what I said. I mean, I figure we can have some more sex, too.”
I chuckle as I lean back into his firm but plump pillows.
His bed is exceptionally comfortable. Much better than the cheap piece of crap mattress I bought when I first got to town.
The more I think about it, hanging out and having sex with Ian, plus getting to sleep in his bed for another night, sounds like a perfect way to spend the rest of my weekend.
“Okay, I’ll stay.”
His heated gaze warms my core as I sip my coffee. I shift so I can see him.
“Since we’re friends now, we should probably get to know each other more.” I raise my eyebrows in question, and he nods his agreement. “How old are you?”
“Forty-two. You?”
“Thirty-six. Ever been married?”
“Nope. Was there ever a man dumb enough to let you go once he was legally bound to you?”
My cheeks flush at his question. I should have anticipated it, but I didn’t think about also having to answer this question.
I let my selfish need to know if I was competing with his ex-wife get the best of me.
Not that there’s a future for us to worry about.
I could lie, but I don’t want to. I opt to tell him a partial truth. Hopefully, he won’t push for more info.
“No, but got close once. What do you do for work?”
“I work at a security company. What about you?”
“I’m the office manager of a medical device company.” I take a sip before continuing, my curiosity piqued. “A security company? What does that entail exactly?”
Ian scoots closer to me on the bed. “We organize and work security for events and install high-end security systems in homes and businesses. We also do personal security for celebrities and politicians. Or anyone with enough money to hire us. That is a part of the business we are still trying to grow more.”
“We? Do you own the company?”
He shakes his head and takes a drink of coffee.
“My two friends do. But I do a lot more work on the actual business side than the other employees. So, it’s a we.
I started working with them not long after they started it, so it has been just the three of us and our receptionist slash office manager until more recently when we got enough business to start hiring more people. ”
I frown at his answer. That doesn’t seem fair to him.
“You do all this work, but you don’t get an ownership cut of the company?
That doesn’t really seem right. Do you have an employment contract that you can renegotiate to include that?
You should get what is due to you.” When he doesn’t respond, I cut my eyes in his direction.
He’s staring at me with the goofiest grin on his face.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that? This is important.”
He closes the distance between us and slips his arm over my shoulders.
Pulling me into his side, he kisses the top of my head.
“It’s hot when you get all riled up like that.
Especially when it’s in my defense.” He studies me for a moment, and I find myself smiling.
“Normally, I’m the one doing the defending.
I have to admit, that kind of turned me on. ”
I playfully pinch his nipple, and he grunts a laugh before taking my hand in his to prevent me from doing it again. He rests my hand on his large, solid thigh, his palm rough and warm against my skin where his hand is on top of mine. Goosebumps flare across my skin.
It’s weird how comfortable I feel with him already.
Any woman would obviously be physically attracted to him because he’s insanely hot, but there’s just this…
quiet strength to him that speaks to the part of me that’s been running on coffee and fear for the last few years.
Being a bodyguard fits him, much like being in the military.
The muscles alone make him intimidating, but there’s something behind his eyes that makes him even scarier to go up against. I saw it with the guy in the bar.
But the way he treats me and touches me calms every frayed nerve ending that’s been destroyed by what’s been going on in my life. Like nothing could go wrong when I’m with him.
Which is an insane thought. I, of all people, know how quickly everything can go wrong.
Yet I relax into him as I continue drinking my coffee, lost in thought and the contentment I’m feeling.
Ian’s fingers trail up and down my bare arm, and his cheek rests on the top of my head.
Despite sleeping late into the morning, my eyes drift closed.
My body relaxes even more as consciousness slips away.
Until the sensation of Ian pulling the coffee cup from my grasp brings me back, and my eyes pop open. “I’m drinking that.”
Ian’s chest shakes beneath me with a deep laugh. “Seemed like you were falling asleep to me.”
I push myself up, breaking our connection. Ian frowns as his arm slips from around my shoulder. “No, I’m awake. I just need more coffee. Lots of it.”
His frown lessens as he makes a move to get off the bed. “I’ll go get you some more. I’ll also try to figure out some food to order for us. I’m starving, and I haven’t gotten groceries in a while, so I don’t have anything to cook.”
“I’ll come with you. I want to be nosy and see your house in the daylight.” I go to follow him out of bed when I freeze, remembering that I’m naked. As I glance over at Ian, his playful smirk is back in place. “Can I borrow, like, a t-shirt and sweats or something?”
He juts his chin toward the dresser on the far side of the room. “Top drawer and third drawer. Help yourself to whatever you want.”
When he doesn’t leave the room and instead crosses his arms across his broad chest while watching me, I roll my eyes, flip the sheet back, and climb out of bed. His eyes flare as they rove my body while I walk across the room, desire evident in his ravenous stare.
As someone who’s always felt not good enough because of my lack of height and abundant curves, when Ian looks at me like that, those insecurities start to slip away.
How can I argue with a man who looks like that when he is so obviously attracted to me?
If the tented sweatpants he’s now sporting are any indication.
Might as well play into this.
Swaying my way to the dresser, I open one of the drawers he indicated. I choose a pair of loose sweats that look like they will fit my hips and butt. With my back still to him, I slide the drawer closed and bend over to slip my feet into the legs of the sweats.
My grin hurts my cheeks when I hear Ian mumble a pained, “Jesus fucking Christ, woman,” from behind me.
I straighten and pull the sweats the rest of the way up. When I open the top drawer to get a T-shirt, Ian says, “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”
I chuckle at his gruff tone. His footsteps trail off as he walks farther down the hall. Quickly pulling on the shirt, I follow him, trying to tame my eagerness.
This will be the best weekend I’ve had in a while, and I can’t wait to see what else comes from it.