Hold Me Close (Ryker Falls #5) - Wendy Vella Page 0,38
and solid, Fin wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
“Maggs?”
She stretched out her hand and handed him the hammer. He was behind her, and she knew he’d seen the gesture because his finger brushed hers as he took it.
“Are you all right?”
“Just checking the shelf.” Her words sounded strained, but that was the best she could do. “Coming down now.”
Hands plucked her off the top step, and in seconds she was on her feet on the cold wooden floor.
“Hey! I said I’d get down myself.”
“I’ve always fancied myself as a Prince Charming type. This kind of thing just builds on that. You’ll tell others, then it’ll be around town that I’m this handsome hero, and women will come running.”
“You’re delusional.” Her voice sounded better now. Stronger.
Fin braced his hands on his hips. “I call it as I see it.” He smirked.
“Weirdo.” Maggie bent to pick up the hammer and nails, and then slipped on her shoes. She walked away from him to the back room where she kept all her supplies. Paintings were in the racks, and her desk was loaded down with papers and brochures.
He’d followed her, and suddenly the room seemed smaller.
“Oh, please, you talk about me being weird in a town full of them.”
“Weirdos?”
“Exactly,” he agreed.
“I’m not disputing there are plenty of eccentric people in Ryker, Fin. But until now I’d not lumped you in with them. You have an ego and can be annoying, and then there’s that thing you do with your fingers.”
“What thing?”
“The flicking thing when you make a point.” She turned to face him, now back under control. The panic hadn’t taken her into a full-fledged attack. Distraction in the form of a big handsome man was helping. The man had no right being that sexy when he probably just picked up the nearest clothes and pulled them on without looking in the mirror.
She’d been pressed to all that wonderful maleness. Kissed breathless and touched in the ranger station, and the memory had played out over and over in her head ever since.
“I don’t do that, and I am not weird.” He looked as movable as the building they stood in.
“You do so do it and probably don’t even realize you are.”
“So what, now you’re all metropolitan suave, suddenly you can point out all my faults?” He was teasing her. “The big city traveler.”
“Ha ha. Now get out of my way; you’re too big for this office.”
“Do I disturb you, Maggs?”
“And there is that ego again.” Maggie dug her toes into her shoes to stop retreating as he stepped closer. “You annoy me.”
“Do you know what I think?”
“I don’t read minds, Fin. I mean, I’m good, but that is beyond even me.”
“That mouth of yours, it’s always got something smart coming out of it. Maybe I need to shut you up.” He grabbed her, hauling her close.
“Fin, no.”
“Here’s the thing.” He brushed his mouth over hers. “I’ve got the taste and feel for you now, Maggie, and the hell of it is, I want more.”
He plundered.
Hot and searing, it drove the breath from her lungs and flooded her body with heat in seconds. She couldn’t do anything but hold on, her hands grabbing his arm to steady herself.
“I think that answers my question.” Maggs was pleased to hear his words were unsteady as he lifted his head.
“What question?”
“The ‘do you know what I think’ question. I think you want me as much as I want you, Maggie Winter, and that scares you.”
“I’m not scared.” She stepped back.
“Truck’s here, Maggs!”
“Right there, Joe!” Fin called.
His eyes held hers as she stepped away from him and made herself walk by him. The hand he wrapped round her wrist held her close, so close he could lean in and touch his nose to hers.
“I will have the answers to my questions, Maggie, and maybe we can also address whatever the hell this is between us.”
“What questions? There is nothing between us.” Liar.
“There always was, but for some reason, since you’ve returned it’s magnified. Plus, I want to know what happened to frighten you.”
“You’re deluded.” Her heart gave a vicious kick at his words.
She tried to wrench her hand free, but he just pulled her closer and kissed her again. It was hard and fast and made her knees go weak. Maggie hoped they didn’t give way as she made herself walk outside—not run, which her instincts were screaming at her to do.
Joe stood with Jack and Luke. The three were variations of the same guy, differing in build