Page 66 of Deception & Daylight
I feel my cheeks heat as he releases his hold on me. He pulls out the chair directly beside Lucy, motioning for me to sit, before taking the one on my other side, enveloping me in a Barlow sandwich. The rest of our friends crowd around us, with Paige and Cade across the table, Ivy and Luca beside them, and Cara and Dean on the other opposite of Miles. The entire bar joins in on a rousing version of Happy Birthday and I blow out the candles, wishing I could have more nights like this one.
Drinks and conversation flow easily, and I’m caught up in how perfect this night has been, content to ignore the earlier confrontation with my father for a while longer. Beneath the table, Miles’ thumb strokes gently over my exposed leg like he can’t stand to not be touching me at all times, and I find myself reveling in his touch.
I’m caught off guard as my attention is pulled to the stage where a familiar woman holding an acoustic guitar settles herself on a stool in front of a mic. Her curves are accentuated by a pair of figure hugging pink bell bottoms and a crop top. The look is topped off with a white cowboy hat adorned with a rhinestone band. Ruby looks every bit the country music star she is as she stares out over the audience. When her eyes meet mine, she waves and her beaming smile lights up the room. “This one’s for you, Mags. Happy birthday.”
As she strums the opening chords to one of her biggest hits, Miles tugs me out of my seat. “Come on, Wildcat. That’s our queue.”
Miles
A crowd gathers near the stage where Ruby Lynn Hayes is playing her impromptu homecoming concert, but I’m too distracted by the gorgeous woman in my arms and the devastating smile she’s had on her face all evening. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her so happy and it fills me with pride to know I had a hand in that. When she raises onto her tiptoes and kisses me, I know I’m well and truly fucked.
“Are you having a good birthday?”
“The best. Thank you, Miles. I can’t remember a more special day.”
“Not even when you were a kid?” Something haunted passes over her expression, but it’s gone before I have time to catalogue it. “No. My mom died before my first birthday, and dad was never the warm and fuzzy type. He always had his assistant pick out some ridiculous gift when all I ever wanted was to spend time with him.”
My heart breaks for all she’s had to overcome in her life. She deserves so much better than what she’s been given up ’til now, and in that moment, I vow to be the man who gives her everything she didn’t know she needed. Unable to resist the pull, I sweep her hair back from her forehead and place my lips there, lingering a little longer than normal as she lets out a contented sigh.
When the song comes to an end, we pull apart and head back to the bar. Mags opts for a bottle of sparkling water and I get a hard cider before settling beside her on one of the stools. When she excuses herself to the bathroom, my mom slides into her place. “That girl’s a special one,” she says, pinning me with her all-knowing stare.
“She is,” I agree. “Thanks for helping me set this up.”
“Anytime. Just find a way to keep her, Miles. She’s not the kind of woman you want to let slip through your fingers.”
I chuckle knowing just how much my mom has fallen for Maggie’s charm. She’d adopt her right now if she could. “Don’t I know it.” Not a moment too soon, Maggie returns and my mom pulls her in for a hug before saying her goodbyes, leaving me to contemplate how the hell I’m going to make her stay.
The first chords of ‘Man I feel like a woman’ ring out and the women scream “Let’s Go Girls” as they drag each other onto the dance floor. My eyes are fixed on the lavender daydream in the middle of their circle, arms extended over her head as she whips her hair back and forth before throwing herself into Paige’s arms.
“You’re a goner.” Liam’s shoulder bumps mine as he hands me a beer.
I accept the proffered drink with a silent thanks before taking a long pull, the cool liquid a stark contrast to the overwhelming heat thrumming through my veins. “What makes you say that?”
He nods towards the dance floor where Maggie’s dissolving into a fit of giggles, her shoes kicked off, nowhere to be seen. “It’s the way you look at her.”
I know better than to ask, but I’m a glutton for punishment. “How do I look at her?”
“Like she’s the air you breathe. Like you can’t exist without her. Like you love her.”
I huff out a breath. “What do you know about love?”
“More than you’d think,” he admits, but before I can question him further, he disappears behind the bar, leaving me alone with that dangerous thought and the uncontrollable urge to pull Maggie into my arms.
Without another moment of hesitation, I rush onto the dance floor, snagging Mags by her hips and spinning her into my embrace. Her melodic laughter shoots straight through my chest. The song changes to a ballad and she slips her hands into my back pockets, her head tilted back, something almost tender in her gaze. “Hi,” she says breathlessly.
“Hi yourself,” I respond, kissing the tip of her nose. She smiles softly, resting her cheek on my chest, and I wonder if she can feel how fast my heart is beating for her.Like I love her.
“What do you say we get outta here?” I whisper as I cling to her body like she’s my last hope of salvation. My arms are wrapped tightly around her waist from behind as we stand off to the side, still gently swaying to the music.
Despite her earlier protests, we’ve spent the better part of an hour wrapped up in each other, dancing and cuddling. With a contented sigh, I feel her nod against me, and before she can protest, I have her up in my arms, her giggles echoing around the bar as I carry her through the back door. She waves at everyone as we pass, and Liam calls out, “I told you so” just before the door shuts behind us.
“What was he talking about?” she asks.
In an act of self-preservation, I decide to play dumb. “No idea. Do you want to come back to my place tonight?” I ask, gently placing her in the passenger seat of my truck.
I consciously curbed my alcohol intake tonight so I could get her home safely. I had intended to take her back to the inn, but the thought of finally having her in my space feels much more pressing. Her gaze softens as she leans in and presses a fleeting kiss to my lips. “I’d love that.”
When I pull up to my house, I don’t waste any time lifting her out of her seat, carrying her to my front door as she wiggles to get out of my hold. I lay a stinging slap on her ass and she shrieks as I fumble with my keys in the lock. A single light by the door illuminates the massive wraparound porch, casting long shadows from the recently installed porch swing, a mirror image of the one at the inn. I always knew she’d be here with me someday, and I wanted to be ready.
