Page 45 of Sweet Revenge

I paused for a moment and thought about that. Only one word kept popping into my mind. “Brave.”

Becs sighed. “You are brave, Maggie. That’s what we’ve all been trying to tell you.” She laughed. “I guess it just took Jack Dimarco to make you believe it.”

I giggled. “I guess so.” The smile dropped from my lips, and I continued. “I didn’t feel brave when I was doing it, Becs. I just did it because I was so tired of all of it.”

“And for Luke.”

“Yeah,” I admitted quietly, “and for Luke.”

“Do you have feelings for him, Maggie?”

I should’ve known Becs would ask the hard questions, she always had with me, and I wasn’t lying when I answered. “I don’t know what I feel. I don’t understand my feelings.”

She smiled sadly. “He’s happily married.”

I shook my head. “See, that’s just it. I’m happy for him. I want that for him. I don’t think that’s what it was about for me.”

She tilted her head to the side. “What about Gunner?”

I closed my eyes and ran my hand across my forehead. “I really don’t understand my feelings for Gunner.”

“Are they different from what you feel for Luke?”

“Yes.” I answered immediately.

“How?”

I wrung my hands together and tried to find the words to explain the feelings I didn’t really understand. But I needed to talk this out, wanted someone to explain what I was feeling because I’d never been more confused in my life. “I wonder what Gunner’s doing throughout the day. I never did that with Luke.”

“That’s good.” She turned to face me and pulled her leg up, tucking it under her. “Okay, let’s do this. Tell me what you like about Gunner and don’t say, ‘He’s nice to me.’” She rolled her eyes, and I laughed softly. “Tell me what you really like about him as a person, as a man who is interested in you.” She leaned in close. “Because he is, Maggie. I’ve never seen him act the way he acts with you.”

“Sometimes I think he still feels guilty that Snake got to me even though it was my fault,” I admitted quietly.

“Maybe,” Becs admitted. “But that is not why he’s the way he is with you.” She slapped her hands down on her thighs. “Now, tell me, what do you like about Gunner?”

“Well,” I started and then smiled softly. “He’s patient, and even when I think I’ve made him mad, he just takes a deep breath and talks to me.”

Becs eyes saddened, and I knew she was thinking about my time with Snake.

“He’s also sweet.” Becs cocked an eyebrow, and I laughed. “To me, at least. But most of all, I like how I feel around him.”

“How’s that?”

“I feel safe and protected, but I also feel strong. He says things to me, like he believes in me, and he says I’m smart. He even called me a survivor. He makes me believe it too, somehow.” I smiled, thinking about our time driving. “He doesn’t let me feel scared to try something. He just waits until I’m ready.”

“It probably doesn’t hurt that he’s so hot either.” Becs shoved me, and I giggled. “Come on, tell me I’m right.”

“You’re right,” I admitted and then lowered my voice even though there was no way anyone could hear us talking over all the noise downstairs. “He kissed me.”

Her eyes widened comically, and she squealed, making me laugh. “What did you do?”

I felt a blush work its way up my neck. “I kissed him back.”

“And? What did you feel?”

“Well, my stomach was jumping all around, and I felt dizzy, but mostly, I just didn’t want him to stop.” She clapped her hands together before pulling in me in for a hug. I hugged her back, surprised. “What?”

“Maggie, you’re falling for him.” She grinned and winked. “Maybe we should have the sex talk so you know what to expect.”

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