Page 37 of Scorched

He frowned down at her.

“I’ll be fine.”

Seb hummed. “Okay, just don’t overdo it today, all right?”

“I won’t. I’m going to camp out in Declan’s recliner with my laptop and a mug of tea and prep for Tuesday.”

“That sounds fun,” Declan said, entering the room fully dressed.

Maggie lamented the loss of the sight of his bare chest. Those pants did something fabulous for his hips, though. Deck was one of those men who knew how to wear a pair of jeans. They were snug in all the right places.

She shook off her lustful thoughts and tore her eyes away from his delectable body. “Not exactly fun, but not stressful, at least.”

“That’s good. You need to rest up. Drink lots of water, use your inhaler if you feel like you need it. No cleaning. Stay in the chair and rest.”

She saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

He swatted her hand down, a smile tugging at his lips. “Just behave. I don’t know when I’ll be back. I might have Seb drop me at the fire station, then catch a ride home later.”

“Okay. I’ll be here. Bring dinner if you’re going to be that late.”

“Boone’s okay?”

“Yes. I want a grilled chicken sandwich and fries. Oh! And chocolate pie.”

Declan’s smile grew, and he glanced at Seb, amused. “Looks like I’m bringing dinner.”

Seb just shook his head. “You two act more like an old married couple than an old married couple. Come on. Let’s get going. We’ll see you later, Mags.”

Maggie handed Declan the travel mug filled with coffee. “You take it easy too. I know you stressed your ribs last night rescuing me.”

“I’ll be okay,” he said, taking the mug. He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I’ll see you this evening.”

She nodded, watching them walk out of the kitchen. Seb’s words echoed through her head. He was right. They did act like an old married couple. Being with Declan was easy. It had only been two weeks since she moved in to help him out, but her old life seemed foreign now. The thought of going back to her house once he was well enough to clean and drive felt unsettling. She didn’t want to go back to that empty home.

Maggie groaned, swiping her hands over her face and through her hair. How did she get to this point so fast?

Was it really that fast? Her subconscious niggled at her. She thought about their relationship, trying to pinpoint when it started to change, and realized it was when he was accused of murder in June. They spent a lot of time together in those few days before Seb cleared him, and she’d come to know him better than she ever had. To learn what made him the man he was and how deeply he felt things. It gave her an insight into his character she hadn’t forgotten.

She sighed and pushed away from the counter. It didn’t matter when she started to see him as more than a friend. All that mattered was she did. And what she was going to do about it. That part she still had no clue about.

---