Page 38 of My Ex-Boyfriend's Brothers

She lasted just a few more strokes before she jerked and yanked hard at my hair as she came. Her walls tightening and pulsing around me stole my breath and I came with her, filling her as I did. I lost track of the sounds around us as my brain went white with pleasure. Maggie clung to me, her body wrapped around mine as tightly as possible. I slowly slid my mouth from hers and buried my face in the crook of her neck. We both struggled to catch our breath as the outside world drifted back in.

Maggie stiffened against me at the sound of the voices coming even closer. She leaned back and stared at me with wide eyes. “Ryan!”

I tipped my head back enough to see that the workers had moved closer and were staring in our direction. Maggie was hidden so I just grinned and nodded at the men. “Fellas.”

Maggie quietly panicked. “Oh, my god, Ryan! I’m supposed to be a professional! Did they see? Oh, god. Oh, my god. I’m going to kill you. I’m going to killme. What are they doing? Make them go away, dammit!”

The guys seemed shocked to see my head pop up and to have their suspicions confirmed that they’d been hearing what they thought they were hearing. Both of them instantly looked away to try to disguise smiles. “Sorry, sir! We didn’t mean to intrude. Excuse us.”

Maggie pinched my side and glared at me. “Did they see?”

I grinned as I watched the men both hurry away and then looked back at her. “No. They definitely heard you, though.”

Her cheeks darkened and she looked like she wanted to really murder me. “You and your brothers are horrible. I need to stay away from you while I’m working. What is it with you lot and your inclination towards public sex? I’ve gone my whole lifewithout flashing anyone my ass and now, it seems inevitable that I’m going to scar some poor innocent person for life.”

“Someone would be so lucky to see your ass. Fortunately for you, I don’t actually want anyone else seeing you.” I saw her look of confusion and kissed her forehead. “Jack and Luke aside. No one else gets to see what’s ours.”

She let out a snort and pushed me away. “What’s yours?”

I flashed her a grin. “You know it’s true, Maggie.”

She tried to hide it but I saw the smile that lit her face. Swimming away from me, she made sure I heard her whispered words. “I’ve always wondered what it would be like to get caught… Five stars, Ryan Heath. An extra two thumbs up for letting me explore while keeping me hidden.”

Of course, I swam after her, eager to find out more about those stars.

32

***Maggie***

“What did you just say?” I sank heavily into the chair closest to me and pressed my knuckles into my lips. A second call from Cara Conway in one day had made me think the absolute worst but the words that had just come out of her mouth shocked me more than anything I could’ve imagined.

“I said I’ve already started the transfer. It normally takes more time but we’re very motivated to get your mom here. We’ll start therapy and treatments as soon as she’s comfortable in her new home, Maggie.”

Sitting in the hallway outside of my room, I looked around me like the answers to the questions I couldn’t form would be there, waiting to step out for me. “I… I don’t understand.”

“I don’t know how you did it, Maggie, but you’ve secured a safe and healthy home for your mom that will guarantee improvements in her mobility. She’s going to flourish here under Doctor Vorres’ care.” Pausing, Cara seemed to be wrestling withher thoughts. “I was so worried you wouldn’t be able to do this. I see it happen more often than I care to admit that children can’t afford our facility and their loved ones end up stuck in less than amazing homes. I’m over the moon for you both, Maggie.”

Tears filled my eyes as I understood there’d somehow been a mistake. “I didn’t… I didn’t make the payment, Ms. Conway. This is a mix-up. A really painful, awful mix-up.”

Silence met me and stretched on for long enough that I worried she’d just hung up on me. Then she let out a quiet laugh and the emotion I heard in her voice made me even more unstable. “There’s no mix-up. I’ve double and triple checked. You must have a guardian angel, Maggie. Someone has taken care of everything.”

I gasped and dug my nails into my knee to make sure I was awake. “No.”

“Yes. Your mom is in good hands, Maggie. She has a home here with us for as long as she wants one.” After another beat, she rushed on. “Whoever did this must really, really care about you, Maggie. I’ll keep you updated about your mom’s transfer.”

I sat there with the phone to my ear for a long while after Cara hung up. I was slowly allowing myself to believe what she’d said. What it meant would take longer to sink in but the edges of my consciousness were starting to fizzle with awareness. I’d spent so much of my recent life in a state of panic over Mom’s care. How was it possible that all of that was just…gone?

Standing up, I aimlessly walked away from my room, in a state of shock. I’d only been doing Brad’s wedding because I needed the money for Mom’s care. If that was taken care of, did I still need to deal with him? I stopped walking. Leaving the wedding meant walking away from the guys. And Christina. I didn’t want to do that. I was staying.

There was a power that came from not having to stay to save Mom. I wasn’t desperate. Whoever paid Mom’s bills had given me so much freedom.

I let out a slightly crazed sounding laugh and then spun around to hurry back to my room. I needed to call Mom and I needed privacy because I knew I was going to cry.

I couldn’t stop pacing in my room as I waited for her to answer. As soon as she did, I lost it. “Mom?”

“Maggie? What’s wrong, honey?”

“You’re going to Waverly, Mom.” I heard her gasp and laughed through my ugly tears. “Someone paid it all, Mom. Ms. Conway just called me and told me they’re going to move you as soon as possible.”

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