Page 30 of Scorched

“Which you should do, too,” Rayna told Tara, ever the voice of reason. She pointed at Tara’s distended abdomen.

Tara waved a hand. “I’m fine. I’ve got my kitchen shoes on, so I’m good to go. Let’s do this.”

Jace sighed and ran a hand through his golden hair. Seb, Thomas, Brady, and Declan laughed at him. He narrowed his eyes and glared at them. “Just you wait. They’ll all be the same, especially Maggie.”

“Me?” Maggie pointed at her chest. “Why me?”

“Because you’re sisters, and honestly, the two of you are a lot alike.”

Her mouth flattened. She couldn’t exactly deny that, but she would never admit it, either. She snatched the pizza box from Declan and walked over to the table tucked against the wall. “The first part is true, but I’m much more laid back.”

Declan snorted and joined her. “Whatever. You’ve been bossing me around for two weeks.” He lowered himself into the chair across from her and took a slice of pizza from the box.

“Well, you need to rest, and you don’t listen.” She took a bite of her food.

“I’m fine.”

“Now you sound like Tara,” Jace said.

The others laughed, including Tara, and they fell into easy conversation as London and Tara baked. While Declan and Maggie ate, Macy made frosting for the cakes already done. Rayna sliced them once they were frosted and passed out pieces. Maggie tried not to stare at Declan as a look of pure ecstasy crossed his face when he took a bite of the double fudge cake.

He glanced up, and she wasn’t quick enough to look away. Those deep indigo eyes met hers, seizing them as heat flared between them.

Two glasses of wine landed on the table, making them jump.

“Damn.” They looked over to see Macy standing beside them. “Drink that and cool off before you set the kitchen on fire.”

Maggie snatched up her glass, using it to hide her flaming face. She resisted the urge to fan herself. She really needed to move out of his house. Now that he felt better, she struggled to keep a lid on her attraction.

But would it really be so bad if she didn’t? He was a good man. Nice, funny, intelligent. Gorgeous. Why shouldn’t she let herself be attracted to him? So what if he was her brothers’ friend and her friend’s brother? London married her brother’s best friend. Rayna was marrying her friends’ brother—though Thomas and Rayna were different. Those two were destined for each other since birth. Maggie had a sneaking suspicion, too, that Macy and Brady were headed the same direction. So why shouldn’t Maggie date Declan?

She didn’t care that he was almost ten years older. She liked older men. The guys her age—at least around here—were more interested in partying it up at the local bar and having casual sex. She didn’t do casual. Never had. Maggie was a bookworm, preferring her books to boys. Between school, ranch chores, and sports, she had little time for dating during high school. Not that she hadn’t, but none of her relationships ever got serious.

In college, it was more of the same. Her studies sucked up all of her time. She went on a few dates, but no one ever got too close.

But she was an established career woman now. Why couldn’t she have a serious boyfriend?

She cast another glance at Declan. A shiver went down her spine at the thought of him being her boyfriend. Their relationship would be much more than the heavy petting sessions she had with the others.

His blue eyes sparkled with laughter at something Thomas said. Desire punched her in the gut.

So much more…

She looked away from him, her gaze landing on her sister, who grinned at her. Flushing to the roots of her hair, she schooled her expression and took another sip of her wine.

The trill of Seb’s cellphone, closely followed by Thomas’s, then Declan’s broke through the din in the room. Maggie held her breath as they answered. She saw shock and disbelief cross Thomas’s face. Rayna clutched his hand, anchoring him. Urgency had Seb striding toward the door. Declan stood to follow more slowly.

“Thomas’s clinic is on fire,” Seb announced.

“Oh my God!” London spun and turned off the oven, yanking out the pans. “Let’s go.”

“What? No,” Seb said. “We don’t all need to go.”

“You’re wasting time, Sebastian,” Maggie said, getting out of her chair. “We’re all going.”

“Fine,” he growled. “Thomas, Declan, Jace, you can ride with me. The rest of you can follow. At the speed limit.” He gave a pointed glance at Tara and Maggie.

“If anyone is going to speed, it’ll be Macy,” Maggie said, on her way to the door.

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