“My girl.” Mom sighed, reaching over and squeezing my hand. “She’s got such a good head on her shoulders. Straight A’s all through school. Never caused a single bit of trouble. But she’s also got the softest heart of anyone I know.”
“Which she got from her mother,” Stanley interjected. “Both my girls are sensitive souls.”
I snorted softly, knowing darn well that even though I had a soft heart, I wasn’t a ‘sensitive soul’ as he’d put it. Maybe I would have been, if I hadn’t have spent the last ten years taking care of business around the house. Making sure the bills were paid since my mom could be flighty like that. Someone had to live in the real world, and as much as I loved my mom, I knew it wasn’t going to be her.
“I don’t like seeing those pretty blue eyes filled with tears.” Harrison’s foot slid along the side of my leg again, offering comfort.
“Oh, you’ll get used to it,” my mom replied airily.
“Not if I have anything to say about it.” I saw, more than heard, his words since he spoke so lowly. But with my eyes on his lush lips, I knew what he’d said and my heart soared.
“Hush, Bunny.” The smile Stanley sent my mom’s way was soft. “Or else you’ll scare my brother off before we make it to the airport, and then what’ll we do? We can’t just leave Maggie here alone for two weeks.”
It was at this point in the conversation that I usually interjected with all the reasons they could do exactly that, but this time around I didn’t say anything. Now that I’d met him, I didn’t want to risk Stanley having a sudden about-face and deciding Harrison didn’t need to stay with me.
Stanley offered his brother an apologetic smile. “It means a lot to me that you agreed to stay here with Maggie, especially since I know how much you hate small towns like Fentonville.”
“Which just means they already have something in common,” my mom mumbled after she polished off her last bite of garlic bread.
“You’re not a fan of small towns, either?” Harrison asked me.
“Well, I’ve never really been anywhere other than a small town, but I’ve always dreamed of traveling,” I answered shyly, feeling like a stupid teenager as I admitted it.
But Harrison didn’t seem to mind at all. “Maybe I’ll take you to Miami next weekend, show you the sights.”
“Now, Harrison. She’s only seventeen.”
“Eighteen,” I interjected.
Stanley smiled at me a little ruefully. “Yes, sorry. It’s hard to think of my step-daughter being eighteen.” He turned back to Harrison. “Anyway, anything could happen to her in a city like Miami,” Stanley chided.
“Nothing bad will happen to her when she’s with me. Ever.” I shivered at the dark tone in his voice, as though he was ready to fight some imaginary foe to protect me.
“Of course not. I’m sure Harrison will take wonderful care of Magnolia for us,” my mom agreed, jumping up from the table to get the cake off the counter.
As she set it in front of me, my eyes met Harrison’s one last time before I looked down at the lit candles. Then I closed them and made my wish.
Please let Harrison want me as much as I want him.
Chapter 3
Harrison
It was great to see Bunny and Maggie pulling out another side of Stanley. Just moving in with her had been unexpected of my very traditional brother.
I was grateful for that change because otherwise, I’d most likely have been staying at his place until after the wedding. In one short evening, I was so addicted to Maggie that the thought of being away from her for any length of time had my blood boiling. I wanted to steal her away and have her all to myself. But, I only had to wait two days until we’d be alone. Two fucking days.
Every move Maggie made, every word she spoke, had my dick vehemently disagreeing with the wait. After dinner, we went into the living room to watch a movie. Bunny and Stanley sat on the couch, his arm around her and pulling her close. I sat on the love seat along the next wall. My eyes tracked Maggie’s every step when she entered the room.
She glanced at a purple, over-stuffed recliner, then at the empty spot next to me. One of her hands played with the ends of her hair, curling it round her finger as she contemplated her options. I held my breath, both hoping and dreading that she would sit next to me. It would be sweet torture to have her so near and not be able to touch her.
Finally, she ran her hands through her hair and approached me, taking the seat next to me on the small sofa. There were only a few inches between us and I set my hand down, right in the middle. I could feel the heat radiating from her body through the thin, white material of her shorts. I wanted to slip my fingers inside and see if her pussy was slick. I’d have bet my next paycheck that she was fucking soaked.
I shifted and brought one leg up to rest my ankle on the opposite knee. It gave me a little more room in the groin area and hid my reaction to Maggie from her parents. However, her beautiful blue eyes drifted over, and a sweet pink blush stained her cheeks. She smirked her porn star lips and raised an eyebrow at me. Fuck.
I quickly turned to the movie and tried to think about anything but the sexy as fuck woman sitting next to me. And those lips. Wrapped around my—shit.
Seventeen. Seventeen. Seventeen. I kept repeating to myself. It wasn’t working. My cock knew she would be eighteen in a few hours. I managed to half pay attention to the movie, though, I couldn’t tell you what it was about.
When the credits rolled, I breathed a sigh of relief. Except, when Stanley and Bunny stood up, Maggie didn’t move.
“I’m not tired, I’m going to stay up a little longer,” she said to her mother.
Bunny nodded and came over to kiss her cheek. “Not too late. We have a big day tomorrow.” Then she turned to me and smiled brightly. “You’re in the guest bedroom on this floor, Harrison. There is a bathroom and it’s all stocked, but let me or Maggie know if you need anything.”
I forced a relaxed smile. Maggie was what I needed, but what I said was, “I’ll definitely do that.”
Bunny and Stanley said goodnight and went upstairs for the night. I slowly turned to face Maggie. She was playing with the ends of her hair again as she watched me with a mixture of hunger and apprehension. Her innocence was clear, and a huge fucking turn on. But, she also had a confidence about her that was just as appealing.
“You want to travel someday?” I asked, breaking the ice. Not without an ulterior motive.
Maggie’s face lit up and her mouth widened into a grin. She was so damn gorgeous. “Oh yes. I’ve always wanted to take off and see the world.” Her cheeks turned pink again and she dropped her head down, but looked up at me through her long lashes. “I wish you could take me with you on some of your adventures,” she mumbled shyly.
This girl was perfect. “You don’t want to go to college?” I wanted to take Maggie with me when I left, but I found myself determined to make sure she followed her dreams. I’d have to take a leave of absence from my job so I could stay at home with her while she finished high school. If she wanted to continue her education, I could put in for local assignments until she graduated.
“No,” she said softly. “I’ve only ever wanted to travel and...” she trailed off. She brought her knees up, hugging them to her chest and began playing with her hair again.
I reached out to capture her hand. “And what? You can tell me anything, Maggie.”
Her eyes went soft and she smiled sweetly. “Well, it may seem odd since I’ve spent most of my life caring for my mom, but I’ve—um, I really just want to be a mom.” She studied me anxiously after finishing. Did she think I would laugh?
I ran a finger down her nose and across her velvety lips. “I think that’s great, baby doll. You’ll be an amazing mother.” She flushed with delight and hugged her legs tighter. I tugged her arms apart and then put both of my hands on the tops of her knees. “I can make all of that happen for you,” I purred. I hadn’t meant to let that slip out, but I was having a hard
time concentrating. The way she was sitting, if I just . . . I pressed her legs apart, baring her center to my gaze. She gasped, and I glanced up to see her blue pools swirling with curiosity and desire.
“Are you a virgin, Maggie?” I asked quietly. It wouldn’t make me want her any less if she wasn’t, but I couldn’t help hoping that I would be the only one to ever see, taste, and be inside her. She nodded and I swallowed hard, resisting the urge to shout to anyone listening that this girl was mine. All fucking mine.
Running a finger along the seam of her shorts, I exhaled heavily and rasped, “I knew you’d be wet for me, baby doll.” The white material between her legs was drenched. I could smell her arousal and it was fucking intoxicating. “Looks like these shorts are ruined. Good thing you weren’t ever going to wear them again.” Finding the right spot, I put pressure on the little nub I knew was hidden in beneath the fabric. She gasped again and instinctively tried to close her legs. I growled and kept them open, circling the area again with one digit.