Chapter 16
Luke smiled, then leaned down and kissed her lips. Her taste coated his tongue, and she arched below him, seeming to respond to the naughtiness of it. “I can take care of myself.” This was about her, not him.
“No way.” She shook off her afterglow and sat up, pushing him back onto the blanket and pushing his green henley up.
Fuck, she was gorgeous. The perfectly disheveled picture of a sated woman, her plump reddened nipples hung over his face, stark against her creamy white orbs.
They’d overflowed his hands like he’d known they would, and he groaned as she rose above him.
She straddled his lap, his hard cock begging for attention, but she ran her hands over his chest first. He tried to think of how she saw him.
Ripping his henley off, Luke flexed his biceps and watched her pupils dilate.
Her hands danced over his chest, making his pectorals flex as she petted the dark smattering of hair.
His stomach was trim, but not cut, with a thin trail of hair that led to his zipper.
She made quick work of his pants, drawing them down with his boxer briefs so his cock sprang free. He moaned as she licked her lips.
“It won’t take long.” He’d gotten so turned on from eating her out that he was leaking, pre-cum sliding down his length. She used it to slick her hand then slowly started to pump him from root to tip. God, that was hot.
“Squeeze me, that’s it.” He shuddered as she tightened her hand around him, and he closed his eyes. She had all the power. Then she swirled her tongue around his tip as she’d done to his finger. He jolted, and his eyes snapped open.
“Jesus, Maggie.” Their gazes locked as she lowered her mouth onto him, sucking on the head. He licked his lips and leaned up on his elbows to watch her take him in her mouth.
He had to warn her, fast. “Fuck. I’m not going to last.” She hummed around his dick, as she took him in as far as she could, the sound vibrating through him. Her hand made up for what she couldn’t fit in her mouth. His breaths came faster and faster as she hollowed her cheeks.
“Maggie, I—Fuck!” The triumph on her face as she swallowed his pleasure down with a smile made him feel ten feet tall. She finished cleaning him off with her tongue and then sat up as she put his cock away and zipped his jeans up.
Staring up at this woman who brought him to his knees, Luke felt nothing but peace.
He reached his arms out to invite her into his embrace.
She laid down with her head hovering over his, as he threaded his hands in her hair and brought her down for another dirty kiss, tasting himself on her lips and mixing the two flavors together. “You’re a wonder, Maggie.”
“So are you. That was incredible.”
“Next time, I’m getting you fully naked and taking my time with you.” He pressed her down onto his heaving chest as his heartbeat came back to normal. She snuggled in as the breeze cooled them.
“We’ll need a bed to do that,” Maggie teased him.
“Done.”
Maggie chuckled. “We better go to mine, since I don’t think your mom wants to hear us.”
He shuddered under her. “Neither would Virginia.”
“She takes her hearing aids out at night.” Maggie told him. “I think we’ll be fine.”
“Whatever you want, sweetheart.”
When they were cleaning up their picnic, the chocolate cookies Grace had packed them eaten, Luke remembered something he’d wanted to ask Maggie. “Have you heard about the Spring Fling?”
“Hmm? What’s that?” She took a long drink from her water bottle and Luke had to swallow hard, thinking about where her mouth had been.
“It’s a dance the town puts on. It’ll be next month.” He paused while folding the blanket. “Would you be my date?”
She bit her lip. “Will you still be in town?”
Luke nodded. “I’m definitely here for the duration, until Mom can go back to work, at least.” Why had he added the ‘at least’? Ross had understood when he’d called about extending his leave, but how long could he actually stay?
Yet, how could he leave when Maggie’s rumpled hair caught fire in the sun and her eyes shone greener than the grass? When he knew how she tasted, had seen her face as she came, and heard the sounds she made? Fuck, he was in trouble.
“I’d love to.”
Luke threw the hamper onto his shoulder and grabbed her hand. “Let’s get back.”
Holding Maggie’s hand as they walked back to the car filled him with a sense of rightness. As though he’d found what he’d been looking for.
Life was a river, sure. And he felt like it had been bringing him to her.
Luke parked at the bakery, then walked her to her car. “We should do this again.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “I thought you said it gets busier in the spring?”
“Well…” he rubbed the back of his head. “Maybe not all of it.”
Maggie dropped her voice to a whisper. “Not in public.”
He growled and clutched her hips, pressing her to him. “Agreed. No one else gets to see you like that.”
She grinned. His possessiveness was a surprising turn-on. But only because she agreed. “No one else gets to see you either.”
“Of course not.” He tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “How do you feel about PDA?”
“I’m fine with it.”
“Can I kiss you out here?”
The citizens of Hawthorn Hills were walking around, enjoying the feeling of spring in the air, and doing some shopping. Kissing her here would make it obvious they were together.
Maggie found she didn’t care.
“Yes.”
He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her hard, but kept it PG. Heat suffused her cheeks when he pulled away, someone catcalling from the sidewalk. “See you soon.”
“Bye for now.” She watched that fine ass walk away, heading to take over The Busy Bee for the dinner shift. That’s how Grace nearly tackled her into the street.
“Ohmygoooooood!” Grace squealed. Maggie caught herself against her car and pushed her friend away.
“Hi, Grace.”
“Come upstairs. That’s an order.” She laughed as Grace pulled her into the bakery, through the kitchen and up the stairs, waving to Bobby as they passed.
Grace didn’t say anything else until she’d locked the door to her apartment behind them. “Holy shit, girl! He’s got it bad.”
Maggie clutched her cheeks and couldn’t help the smile stretching her mouth wide. “You think?”
“Oh, for sure. I’ve never seen him look at anyone like that.”
“How does he look at me?” Maggie sat on Grace’s couch.
“Like you’re the only two people in the world.” Grace collapsed into the other side of the couch. “I’d give anything for someone to look at me that way.”
Pretty sure someone already does, Maggie thought to herself. But she didn’t say anything. It wasn’t her place.
“I actually have to ask you something.”
Grace sat up at attention. “What’s up?”
“He asked me to the Spring Fling. Which means I need to go shopping.” Grace squealed again.
“Yes! Let me get out of these chef’s pants. We’re going to the mall.”
Maggie tilted her head in confusion. “A mall? Around here?”
Grace shrugged as she headed into her bedroom, leaving the door open. “It’s about an hour away. We’ll want to get some dinner while we’re out.”
“I work the breakfast shift tomorrow so we can’t stay out late.”
“No problem!” Grace emerged in a fresh outfit. “Do we need to stop by the Haven for anything?”
“Nope.” Maggie had all her cash with her, and she’d just paid Virgínia for that week’s stay. Hopefully she could find something in the clearance section. But either way, it would be fun. “Let’s go.”
The days flew by. Maggie was making enough to start a savings account at the little Hawthorn Hills Bank where she’d set her new checking account up.
Grace had become a great friend, plying her with treats so she could describe them for her social media posts.
Tuesday nights had become game nights at Underhill, where Felix led their merry group through adventures.
She’d bought her own set of dice from him last week, a beautiful yellow set with black numbers and a subtle shimmer.
Days turned warmer, and today she was waltzing down main street with Grace, who had convinced her to tell the other shop owners about her social media marketing business.
“Seriously, Anna has so much awesome stuff in her shop. My grandma used to drive for hours to go antiquing. I’m sure she can use your help.”
Grace held open the door to the brightly painted storefront with “Pandora’s Box” painted on the window in gold. Inside was an eclectic mix of furniture and knick-knacks, a glass-case counter brimming with old-fashioned jewelry, and aisles that went further back than Maggie had imagined.
“It’s bigger on the inside!”
A chuckle came from behind a beaded curtain. “That’s what they all say.” An older woman, around Edith’s age, emerged from the beads and clapped her hands. “Grace! How are you?”
“I’m wonderful, Anna. I want you to meet Maggie.
She’s new to town, working at the diner and she’s doing my social media for me now.
” Maggie blushed as Grace wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
She’d actually spoken to Anna on her first day in town when she was trying to find work.
“I’m trying to drum up more business for her. ”
“Social media? I can see it working for a bakery, but for antiques?” Anna put her hands into the pockets of her bright green cardigan.
“People sell antiques online all the time. And I’m not suggesting you put up listings for everything, that’s a lot of work. But even just knowing there’s a store here, people would want to come out and shop.” Maggie tucked her hands behind her to keep her nerves from showing.
Anna hummed. “How’s it working out for you, Grace?”
“Great! I’ve been getting big orders for parties from as far away as Harrisburg.”
The three of them wandered the shop as they talked, Maggie explaining and showing Anna on her phone all the things she was doing for both Too Sweet and The Busy Bee. By the end, Grace had convinced Anna she could benefit from Maggie’s services and they agreed on a trial run.
Maggie also found an adorable pair of squirrel statues. One sat on a branch, and the other was eating a peanut. She paid Anna for them, who wrapped them up and put them in a bag. Such a silly thing, but they’d look adorable on the dresser in her room at the Haven.
“I’ll be interested to see what happens. Thanks for coming in, ladies.”
Their next stop was Brew-Ha’s, the purple painted coffee shop next door.
“Hey, Rosa!” Grace waved. “How’s it going?”
“Grace! It’s going well, how are you?” A Latina woman with thick black curls and a black t-shirt that said “Do no harm but take no shit” stood behind the counter. Maggie’s cheeks heated. Here was someone else who had turned her away when she first arrived.
“I’m great! Maggie has put Too Sweet on social media and business is picking up after only a week!”
Rosa tilted her head and turned her attention to Maggie. “Really? Social media is such a pain.”
“Are you managing it yourself?” Maggie asked.
“As well as I can,” Rosa said. “Can I get you ladies anything?”
“I’ll have a lavender lemonade.” Grace said.
“I’d like to try the Mexican hot chocolate.” Maggie licked her lips. The wind was chilly today, and she could use warming up.
Rosa joined them around a table, leaning her chin on her hand. “Can I see what you’re doing for Grace?”
“Sure.” Maggie pulled up the Too Sweet page on her phone and spun it to face Rosa. “She does well on the Gram, because of all the beautiful pictures. But I’m trying out short videos as well and they’re doing really well with the current algorithm.”
“Hmm.” Rosa scrolled through the page, her brown eyes thoughtful. Then she turned to Grace. “Do you think the karaoke regulars would care if we filmed them?”
“I’m sure you could get some of to us to agree to it.” Grace took a sip of her lemonade.
Maggie’s gaze pinged back and forth between them. “Karaoke?” Did her new friend sing as well as bake?
Rosa pointed at the neon sign with her logo of a smiling theater mask. “Originally, I had a comedy and open mic night when I opened. That’s where you get the ‘Ha’ in ‘Brew-Ha’s’.” She chuckled to herself. “But without a lot of talent it devolved into karaoke.”
“What do you serve?”
Rosa shrugged. “Same things I usually serve. Though I sell a lot more decaf those nights.” Grace squirmed next to Maggie as Rosa continued. “And Grace sometimes brings her test batches. It’s only once a month.”
“That’s so cool!” Maggie’s mind spun with ideas. “That could definitely work.”
Rosa raised her cup and toasted Maggie. “Thanks. I don’t post as much as I’d like because there just isn’t enough time. But I do have accounts set up.”
“I’m doing a trial run for Anna. If you’re interested, let me know.”
Rosa plucked a business card from the windowsill and handed it to Maggie. “Email me your rates and we’ll talk.”
“Thanks, Rosa.”
“Now…” Rosa’s electric smile stretched across her face. “What’s this rumor I hear about our newest resident bringing Luke Graham home for good?”