Page 96 of Getting Lucky

“Okay, I won’t, but don’t tell anyone. I’d hate to lose my rep as a hard-ass.”

He laughed, sweeping her into a hug. A hug now, holding hands earlier. Jack’s other relationships hadn’t been like this. He’d never felt this pull to be physically close to a woman unless it was going to lead somewhere. But Maisie had always felt more like a partner than just a lover.

The thought caught him off guard, but as the idea settled in, he wasn’t all that surprised. What was it Iris had said in her note?You’ve never looked at any other woman the way you look at her.

When he pulled back, he stared into her eyes in amazement, and a certainty he’d never felt before filled him—Maisie O’Shea was the one for him. It was much too early to tell her that, but he knew it to the marrow of his bones. Hope and peace settled in, making him feel like he’d finally found where he belonged.

Once Maisie started driving, he texted Iris to let her know he’d gotten her note and how much he appreciated her approval and support. He also let her know that he wouldn’t be home until morning, but he was only a text or phone call away if she needed him.

I’m fine!she sent back.I SERIOUSLY don’t want to think about what you two are up to, but I don’t want to hear from you until tomorrow, young man!

Next he sent a group text to Georgie and Adalia, telling them that Lee was hanging out with him for the night and he’d explain everything tomorrow.

Lee slept the entire way to Maisie’s house, but he woke up when Jack roused him, then stumbled upstairs to a spare bedroom Maisie directed him to over Einstein’s barking.

“Is that a coyote?” he asked sleepily as Jack helped him into bed. Maisie came in a few minutes later, equipped with a glass of water and some aspirin—along with a small bucket—and they made sure he knew where to find the bathroom.

Then she linked her hand with Jack’s and led him to her room, shutting the door behind them. They stood in silence in the middle of her room, the soft light of the bedside lamp spilling around them.

His mind skipped back to that lingering moment between River and Maisie earlier, like a broken record, but he knew he was being foolish. She was here with him now, staring at him with desire. She wouldn’t want him like this if she had a thing for River.

“I like what you did with the place,” Jack said, gesturing to the bed.

She grinned and reached for the button on her blouse. “Wait until you feel how comfortable the mattress is.”

He turned serious. “Maisie, I’m sorry how tonight turned out.”

“It’s not over yet.” She pulled her shirt over her head.

His gaze landed on her lace-covered breasts, and he instantly hardened. Earlier he’d been consumed by passion, but now he was consumed with something deeper he couldn’t name.

They made love slowly, and he looked deep into her eyes as he entered her, wanting to take in every part of her. She seemed to sense the shift, gently cupping his face as though he were something to be treasured. Afterward, she lay in his arms, her head on his chest, and he thought,I could get used to this.

* * *

Lee was slow to wake up the next morning, and when he stumbled downstairs at around nine-thirty, his hair stuck up like a porcupine’s quills, only at odd angles.

“Coffee?” he groaned.

Jack and Maisie sat on the sofa, sides pressed together, with their own steaming cups. Einstein was curled up against Jack’s right side—much to Maisie’s amazement—and Chaco was lying on his lap. Both dogs lifted their heads to study Lee, Einstein releasing a growl in his throat that had Maisie putting her hand on his collar.

She flicked a direct gaze up to Jack, and he restrained a groan as he gathered Chaco in his arms and got to his feet, setting the little dog on the sofa next to Maisie before he followed his brother into the kitchen. He poured Lee a cup of coffee, using the biggest mug in the cabinet, and sat him down at the table.

Showtime.

“You need more aspirin?” Jack asked, refilling his own cup and putting off the inevitable for a few moments. He and Maisie had discussed how to handle this while lying in bed this morning. There was no perfect time to do it, and while Jack would have preferred to wait until Lee’s head wasn’t pounding, he didn’t want Lee to go back to his cheating girlfriend—or their father—without the full knowledge of what was going on.

“No,” Lee said, shaking his head, then wincing. “Mamie left a bottle on the nightstand.”

“Maisie,” Jack said, taking a seat opposite him. Einstein sauntered in and spun around in a circle next to Jack’s chair before plopping on the floor at his feet. He gave Lee a glare, as if to warn him not to mess with Jack.

Lee winced again. “Sorry. Most of last night is fuzzy.”

“What do you remember?”

“I remember going to a few breweries. I remember a guy marked up to look like a goat. There was someone who looked like my friend Tripp if he’d turned into a raisin. I remember dancing—oh God!—and then I threw up on some poor woman.” He looked up at Jack in dismay. “Tell me most of that didn’t happen.”

“I wasn’t there for much of it, so I don’t know what happened before I showed up. Unfortunately, everything you just listed is true.”

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