Page 39 of Offside Bride

“Squawk! Pretty boy.”

Maggie grins at me. “See?”

I toss my overnight bag on the floor and stalk toward Maggie, crowding her space. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Maggie blinks up at me, all wide-eyed innocence. “Enjoying what, exactly?”

I lean in close, my voice dropping to a sultry growl. “You think you’re being so clever.”

I can see the effect I’m having on her—her pulse quickens, her pupils dilate. But she’s stubborn, my little troublemaker, trying to play it cool. She lifts her chin defiantly.

“I think you think I’m clever,” she retorts, but her voice wavers slightly.

Closing the gap between us, I rumble, “Here’s what’s going to happen, Trouble. You’re going to be a good girl and make an appearance in public with me. You’re going to put on a pretty dress and go to dinner with your husband. And you’ll put on a show as a doting wife, pretend you can’t keep your hands off me, and we’ll let fans take pictures of us so we can sell this marriage to the media.”

Maggie’s breathing heavily now, her eyes locked on mine. “What if I don’t feel like it?”

I lift her chin with my thumb, forcing her to meet my gaze. “Look at me. No more stunts. No more stories about herbal brownies or parking lot proposals. No more games.”

She rolls her eyes and starts to turn away, but I gently grab her forearm. “I have a meeting tomorrow afternoon with my agent. I’ll make dinner reservations for later that night. Then, I’ll be home to pick you up at six. Be ready forme.”

Before she can retort, I bring her wrist to my lips and plant a soft kiss on the inside. Then I release her and head for my room, desperately in need of a cold shower.

As I’m walking away, I hear a high-pitched whistle and a taunting, “Bye, nerd,” followed by a scratchy cackle.

Damn parrot.

The next day, I’m sitting across from Bruce in his office, trying to focus on the endorsement deals he’s lining up, but mymind keeps drifting to Maggie. I wonder what dress she’ll wear tonight, how her eyes will light up when she sees the restaurant.

“Sawyer, you listening?” Bruce snaps his fingers in front of my face.

“Yeah, yeah. The protein shake deal. I’m all ears.”

My phone buzzes. It’s my sister. My stomach drops.

“Hold that thought,” I tell Bruce, answering the call.

I step out into the hallway, my palms sweating. “Sis? What’s up?”

Her voice is tight with tension. “Dad’s lawyer called. He’s…he’s making a deal with the Feds.”

The world tilts. “What kind of deal?”

“The kind where he sings like a canary. Sawyer, this is bad. Really bad.”

My mind races. If Dad talks, a lot of dangerous people are going to be very unhappy. And they might decide to take that unhappiness out on his family.

“I need to fly out there,” I say, ready to sprint to the airport.

“No!” She almost shouts. “Stay put. It’s not safe.”

“Okay, I need to make some calls. Can you fly out here?”

“I can’t leave Boston right now. I’ve got this handled for now. Just…be careful, okay?”

“You be careful. Is there anyone with you right now?”

“Uncle Whitey.”

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