Chapter 17
Maggie
“Oh my god, we got second!” I throw up my hands when the announcer calls our team name.
This was actually a pretty hard trivia, so second place is pretty good. Especially considering that the table that won had seven people playing.
Ian stands, a grin brightening his face as he looks at me. “I’ll go grab whatever we won.”
I watch him leave, and my cheeks and stomach hurt from how much I have smiled and laughed tonight. Ian wasn’t as bad at trivia as he made himself out to be. But I’m better.
How happy I feel is bittersweet. I knew tonight would be like this.
Perfect. Incredible.
Everything I’d hoped it would be. The best night since, well, a year ago when I was with him last.
Ian comes back, snapping a piece of paper in front of him. “Great news. We’re now the proud owners of a coupon for not one but two free appetizers on our next visit.”
I clap my hands together. “I love apps.”
He retakes his seat and slides the coupon to me. “Since you carried this team, I think it’s only fair for you to be in control of this. That way, if you give me the boot again, you can enjoy what you worked so hard for.”
I know he’s joking, but what happened last year—what I caused—is the dark cloud hanging over us that neither of us wants to address.
With my heart in my throat, I take a deep breath. “Ian, about that...”
He doesn’t answer, just raises his eyebrows and takes a sip of his beer.
“I want to apologize. There’s no excuse for what I said, and I regret every word.”
His jaw muscle jumps, and I immediately wonder if I should’ve continued to leave the unsaid as that.
“You weren’t wrong,” he says gruffly.
Before he even finishes his short sentence, I’m shaking my head emphatically. “I was. So very wrong. You did not deserve that.”
Leaning forward, he places his elbows on the table.
His thick fingers turn his glass in a circle absentmindedly as he drops his head.
“I did. I was damaged. I was fucked up.” He huffs out a sardonic laugh.
“I still am.” Keeping his head down, he turns to look at me.
The vulnerability and pain in his eyes make my breath catch.
“I’ve been going to therapy. I’ve been trying to be better. ”
Tears leap to my eyes as what he said sinks in.
When you look at Ian, you see someone who’s physically strong.
You see someone who’s far too serious for his own good.
And probably a little too gruff, most of the time.
You don’t see someone who talks about his issues.
Or works on himself. Guys like Ian don’t do that.
They bury their heads in the sand and pretend everything’s fine.
But he did.
It breaks my heart even more that my lies made him do that. But I’m so proud of him for taking that step to improve himself, not for me, but for himself. It takes a strong man to do that.
And it’s such a fucking turn-on.
I just hope he still wants me like I want him. I make a decision that I hope I don’t regret later because, right at this moment, there’s only one option for what happens next.
Warmth coats my body as I lean into him. “Take me home.”
His face shatters as he misinterprets my words, and his sad nod is almost my undoing. “I was worried—”
I don’t let him finish. “No, Ian. I want to go home. Together.” I give him a moment to understand what I’m saying. But knowing I hurt him, I want to give him an out in case that isn’t what he wants. “If you don’t want to, you don’t have to stay the night with me.”
He blinks a few times as he catches up. His throat muscles work as everything clicks. Standing quickly, his stool is loud as it aggressively scoots across the floor. Grabbing his wallet, he pulls out much more than our bill is likely to be.
“Ian, that’s too much,” I say through a chuckle, feeling giddy from his obvious eagerness.
He pulls me out of my seat, my body pressing against his. “Don’t care. All I need is not to be on the most wanted list for dining and dashing.” With a kiss to my head, he starts dragging me to the door. “Besides, we have a coupon for free appetizers. We can’t be banned.”
“Good point,” I agree, laughing as the hostess calls out to us to have a good night.
“We will, if I have anything to do with it,” Ian replies.
I smack his arm, even as my core clenches. “Ian!”
He shrugs but doesn’t stop our forward momentum. When we get to his Bronco, he spins me to face him so fast he has to catch me from toppling over. Gripping my shoulders, he studies my face, and I’m already short of breath at having him so close to me. “Tell me you’re sure.”
Without a second thought, my hands land on his cheeks, the evening scruff scratchy on my palms as I smile up at him. “I’m more than sure.”
A guttural growl leaves him as his arms wrap around me, and his lips crash into mine in a bruising kiss. We moan in unison, holding each other tighter as he licks and nibbles my lips until I’m a blubbering mess. If he suggested doing it in the backseat, I’d agree without any hesitation.
Pulling away, he rips the door open, lust bleeding from every pore. “Get in, Mags.”
I run my hand down his chest, trailing over his abs. When I get to the waistband of his jeans, he grunts. “Don’t tempt me right now, Mags. It’s been almost exactly a year since I fucked anyone, and you are pushing my limits.”
Shock and pleasure have my jaw dropping open. “You haven’t…”
His gaze rips into me as he shakes his head slowly. “How could I ever settle for anything less than the best I’ve ever had?”
A whimper is my only reply.
Ian steps closer to me, and his lips find my ear. “You need to get inside, or I’m fucking you out here in the parking lot. And I can’t afford to catch any charges. My attorney doesn’t practice criminal law anymore, and he gets really grouchy when we call.”
I have no idea what he’s talking about, but considering my life right now, getting arrested for having sex in the parking lot of a brewery would be a bad idea.
Scrambling inside, my body vibrates with lust as I watch him circle the front of the vehicle. He pulls open his door, adjusting himself before climbing inside.
“Whose place is closer?” I ask, desperation lacing my words.
“Mine.”
I nod but don’t say anything. As I stare out the window, a thought occurs to me. I shift in my seat so I’m looking at him. “This reminds me of our first night.”
A streetlight illuminates the inside of the car, and I love that I can see his smirk. “Nah, this is worse.”
“Worse?” I grimace, worried that he’s regretting this already.
His hand slips over my thigh and moves up, taking my dress with it. Gathering the fabric, he slides his fingers underneath it, his palm scorching my overheated thighs as he settles between them.
Embarrassment doesn’t quite quell my arousal as I say, “Ian, no, I’m sweaty.”
His grip on my thigh tightens. “Yes, it’s worse because I know how good this pussy is.
The last time, I had no idea what I was getting into.
Now I know what I’m about to get is fucking fantastic.
” He chances a quick glance my way before looking back at the road, and I wiggle in my seat at the heat in his gaze.
Squeezing my thigh again, he forces his touch higher to graze my undeniably wet panties.
“And as for your sweat, I’ll happily lick every bead of sweat from your body if it means I also get to lick this. ”
His fingers press against my clit, pulling a moan from me.
“Goddamnit,” he mumbles as he pushes his foot harder on the gas pedal.
Let’s just hope he doesn’t get pulled over.