Page 72 of The Locksmith's Promise

The first brush of his lips closed my eyes, a sensual shudder weakening my knees.

Finally.

The second arched my back as my body sought alignment with his.

More.

The third awakened a deep, aching hunger for all of him.

A moan split my lips, and he slanted his mouth across mine, the tip of his tongue delving inside to taste me for the first time in eleven years.

Exquisite.

I tipped my head back further, wrapped my arms around his back, and opened to him.

Home.

His tongue stroked mine, inviting me to participate in a dance as old as time, one to which we used to know the steps so intimately.

Tears leaked from the corners of my eyes, running back to soak the hair at my temples, but these were cleansing.

A baptism; a new start ripe with forgiveness and renewal.

He drew back slowly, staring down at me as his thumbs brushed the last of them away. Dark eyes assessing, his mouth tightened as he gave me a small, sure nod.

“We’re going to be okay, my sweet Maggie.” He rested his forehead against mine and closed his eyes. “We’re going to be great.”

17

Forward

Baxter

Maggie wanted to keep us a secret from Corwin, and I understood her reasoning, but I was chomping at the bit to officially claim my little family. Two weeks of spending time together and stealing kisses on the back porch like teenagers had me taking myself in hand more than once.

After nearly a decade of celibacy, this was by no means unusual. However, for the first time in forever, there was a woman I wanted desperately.

And my hand simply wasn’t cutting it.

But I would be patient. If someone had told me six months ago that Maggie would be laughing and tilting her chin up for my kiss, I would have laughed in their face.

And here we were.

I grinned down at her. “Your nose is cold.”

“Nose, hands, butt,” she countered. “It’s too cold for this. We’re not teenagers anymore.”

“Are you ready to tell Corwin?”

Her smile faded, a hint of worry shadowing her eyes. “I think so.”

My chest expanded as I inhaled. “Does that mean you trust me not to hurt you guys?”

She laid her palm on my cheek. “I do.”

For half a second, I froze, the enormity of her admission hitting me in the solar plexus, then I wrapped both my arms around her and tucked her into my chest.

“I won’t let you down, Maggie. I swear to God, I won’t let you down.”

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