Page 119 of I Got You

“You ok?” I need to be sure.

She nods. “Yeah.” She links her arms around my neck. “I’m glad that we’re doing this together. It makes it easier.”

I’m having a very hard time thinking about anything right now other than the feeling of her underneath my hands. The way she smells. Her eyes and the way they seem to see so much more than I want her to. How much I want to stay here and kiss her for the rest of the night instead of roaming a room filled with strangers.

Like she can read my mind, she runs her thumb over my temple. “It’s going to be ok. I got you.”

I lean down and kiss her, realizing how much she means to me. The thought of not being here with her at some point is almost more than I can stand, and even though I don’t want to, I wonder if she feels that way too.

Her fingers slide through the short hairs at the nape of my neck, and I angle my head, deepening the kiss, wanting everything with her, and it scares me. She releases a soft feminine hum, and I’m ready to carry her back to the bedroom she just exited. I pull her tighter against me, my fingers digging into her hips.

“Awe, man. Seriously.” Hank's voice comes from behind me, and Maggie pulls away.

He needs to go find somewhere else to be. I grunt, and Maggie smiles up at me.

“Go away,” I say.

“Nah. I need a ride. Can you guys drop me off on your way?”

“No.”

“Sure,” Maggie says, pushing up for one last quick kiss before tugging me towards the door.

In the truck, Maggie and Hank discuss what he’s got going on and what he’ll be doing with his friends.

“I thought you were working on that final project with Sadie. Isn’t that due soon?”

“She’s busy,” Hank grumbles.

“What’s she doing? I know you know this is important, and she’s not a slacker.”

Hank doesn’t say anything at first, and Maggie turns to look at him.

“She’s dating one of the football players and hasn’t had time to work on it.”

“Huh,” Maggie says, stopping to smirk at me as she turns back to face forward. “Well, she’s brainy, sweet, and super cute. Must be a smart guy. Someday, she’s going to be a bombshell. You just wait and see.”

“Great,” Hanks mumbles as we pull into the driveway, and he hops out. “See you guys later.”

He closes the door, and Maggie turns in her seat to face me. “See. I told you. Now that she’s moved on, he’s a sad little puppy.”

I roll my eyes, backing out of the driveway. We ride in silence for a while as I try to gear myself up for this dinner.

“You alright over there, Grizz?”

“Yeah. These things are not my deal.”

Maggie slides her hand into mine and rests our linked hands in her lap. I’ve never been much of a hand holder, but with Maggie, I want the connection. Her touch is calming and comforting. I’d be happy to hold on to her for a long while. Maybe forever. The realization makes my heart beat just a little faster, and my stomach ripples with waves of possibility.

As we pull into the parking lot and approach the valet, her phone starts ringing. She pulls it from her tiny purse and looks at me, her eyes wide.

“It’s Ben. He said he’d call me when he heard from Cliff and Joan’s attorney.”

“Answer it.”

I pull out of the valet line as Maggie looks at her phone for another second before swiping and putting it up to her ear.

“Hi, Ben,” she says tentatively, and I see worry take over.

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