Beneath the Stars (Falling Stars #4) - A.L. Jackson Page 0,36
he pulled away to open the passenger door, unable to give her a response. “I’ll get in the back.”
She gave a nod.
The second he wedged into the miniature backseat, I was right there, taking his spot, slippin’ my arm around her waist so I could help her the rest of the way in.
Turned out, it was me who needed assistance. The way my knees almost buckled at the connection. At the furnace inside that someone had turned to a thousand degrees.
Maggie tried to swallow her gasp.
Shocked, too.
What in the actual fuck?
“You good?” I played it off like I was asking her the same question as her brother.
She gulped. “Yep.”
Another one of those lies.
I angled her into the seat. “In you go, Sweet Thing.”
Royce all but growled from the back seat.
Right then, he could fuck off.
I dipped my head in, watching her as I grabbed the seat belt and dragged it across her body.
Girl right there.
Invading my space.
Infatuating my senses.
Makin’ me weak.
The lock snapped into place, and Maggie heaved a breath.
I froze for a second, just staring at her, trying to rein the direction my heart was thumping. “You good?” I asked again.
“Yeah. Thank you.”
“You sure we can’t take you to the ER to get checked out?”
“I’m sure.”
“Stubborn,” Royce grumbled.
Finally, I gave her a slight nod and dipped back out. I rushed around the front, waving at the guy who was still standing there watching us. “Thanks for your help.”
He chuckled, something gleaming in his eye. “Play it cool, young man.”
Dude actually tipped his head toward where Maggie sat.
Tell me I wasn’t that fuckin’ obvious?
I just let my brow curl, and I moved the rest of the way around to slip into the driver’s seat.
And there it was—I was slammed by her aura all over again.
Vanilla and jasmine.
Sweet, sweet, sweet.
I scrubbed a palm over my face like it could break it up, then I looked over at her and she was looking at me.
Soft.
Tender.
But there was more lingering in that charcoal gaze.
Strokes of pencil that shrouded and shadowed.
I’d bet my left nut she was keeping a secret.
One she didn’t want to tell.
Had to respect that because I knew that feeling all too well.
“You want to go home…I’ll get you home.” I cracked a playful smirk and gave her a little salute before I shifted into gear.
I gunned it down the street.
And I just barely registered the sight of the silver car sitting off to the side of the intersecting road through my rearview mirror.
Nine
Maggie
“See, I knew that cut was deep.”
“It is not deep.” I sent a scowl at my brother who hovered behind Emily where she knelt to clean my knee.
I sat on the edge of the massive tub in my bathroom, pretty much in the same spot where I’d been tending to Rhys last night.
I hadn’t talked to him in months, and now I couldn’t escape him.
The lure and the trap.
I was still dealing with the after-effects of the car ride home.
The man so big where he’d taken up the space. The muscles of his hulking arm flexing as he’d driven.
Aggressively.
Almost violently.
Glancing at me every second or two.
Seeing that I was safe. But it was more than that. The way he was looking at me.
This man who could so easily destroy me.
Decimate.
Annihilate.
Sitting there, I still wore my running shorts and tank. Drenched in sweat. Covered in dirt and blood and most likely a sheen of fear.
Probably not my best look.
I flinched when Emily dabbed at the cut. She sent me an apologetic glance. “Sorry. Does that sting?”
“Just a little,” I said as I sucked in a steeling breath, trying to put on a brave face.
Emily cringed when she worked the Q-tip a little deeper.
“Ouch.” I couldn’t help it. I could deny it all I wanted, but it freaking hurt. Still, I had to thank my lucky stars this was the worst of it.
“Dang it. There is a tiny piece of gravel stuck in there that I can’t quite get,” she whispered below her breath, trying to focus as she leaned in closer to get a better look.
“See…we need to go to the ER.” Royce was right there again, pushing his face into her space.
Emily shoved at him. Playful and one-hundred-percent serious. “Would you scoot?”
He straightened, crossing his arms with a huff.
She shifted around to look at him, gesturing at the door. “All the way out, mister. Go on. Maggie needs to get out of these clothes, and she doesn’t need you loiterin’ around, gettin’ in her way.”