That I had not expected.
“You’re pulling a Lassie on me, aren’t you?” he crowed, laughing.
Now my exasperation was genuine. “What?”
“You’re pulling a Lassie on me,” he said again. “It’s like some old episode of Lassie when Timmy thinks Lassie’s about to be taken away and shot by some old mean farmer for eating chickens. Timmy tells Lassie he hates her and throws rocks at her so she’ll run away.”
“Are you high right now?” I demanded.
“You’re trying to hurt me so I’ll leave. You want to get me out of the way so . . . what, so I won’t get hurt? What’s going on, Maggie? Why are you scared?”
“I’m not scared. I want you to leave because I want you out of my face,” I shot back.
“Not true. You love me.”
“No, I don’t.”
I scowled as his little dimples winked at me, and he said, “Can’t live without me.”
“I don’t like to harp on this, but you do know I’m capable of killing you, right?”
“I think I should move in with you.”
“Oh, my God, you’re such a pain in the ass,” I grumbled.
“A pain in the ass that you’re madly in love with,” he said.
I gave him my best death glare. He gave me that damn smile again, and I folded like a frigging accordion. I groaned as he wrapped his arm around me.
“Come on, baby, tell me what has you so wound up,” he whispered. “You’re Maggie Fucking Graham. You’re not afraid of anything.”
“Not true,” I admitted, tapping my forehead against his collarbone. “Losing you scares the crap out of me.”
“Not going to happen.”
“Samson was shot today,” I murmured into his shirt. “He’s going to be OK, but we couldn’t find who did it. And of course, Cooper came running, bringing Mo and the baby with him. And I started thinking about how stupid that was, because he could be bringing his family right into the whirlwind. I’m not any better than he is. I’m worse, because I want you close to me. And I can’t protect you. I can try, but nothing I do can guarantee that you’ll be safe. I can’t keep anything from happening to you. It would be so much better for you to get as far away from me as you can. “
“Not going to happen,” he said.
“I know,” I grumbled. “Damn it. It was worth a shot.” I looked up at him, my eyes pricking hotly. “I don’t want anybody else. I can’t be with anyone else.” He pulled me close, and I murmured into his neck, “I love you.”
“Who was wrong?” he asked.
“I was wrong.” I sighed.
He poked my shoulder. “Who was right?”
“Don’t push it.”
“I’m not leaving you,” he told me. “I don’t care what you try to do to push me away. I don’t care what comes along. I’m here. If you think I’m going to back down now, you’re crazy.”
“So, you’re going to love me out of spite?”
“Yes.”
I sighed. “Ah, spite, the stuff of fairy tales.”
14