Take A Chance With Me (With Me in Seattle 18)

“No kidding.” I walk over to her and slip my arms around her waist, burying my face in her hair. “I know you’re nervous, sweetheart. You don’t need to be.”

“I don’t know why I am.” She turns and wraps her arms around my middle, hugging me tightly. “It almost feels like when I go into that bank tomorrow, I’m going to find Joey standing there, and the idea of that makes my stomach hurt.”

“He’s not here,” I reassure her and feel my chest clench. “Honey, I never asked you, and you never said, but did Joey hit you?”

I watch the clear, blue water gently lapping against the white sand below and brace myself for Maggie’s answer. I don’t need or want to know everything that happened inside their marriage, but I’ve often wondered if he laid hands on her.

“He raised his hand to me a couple of times,” she admits softly, and it takes everything in me not to tense up. “But he never actually hit me. Because he knew that if my family ever found out, they would likely kill him. And I know people use that as an expression, but you know my family.” I nod, and she keeps going. “He liked to mock me, make me feel bad about myself. He controlled what I ate because he thought I was fat.”

“What?” I pull back to frown down at her. “Mary Margaret, you are not fat. You have curves, the way a woman is supposed to. What the hell was wrong with him?”

“I know that,” she insists. “I know, Cam. I’m not fat. And even if I was, who cares?”

“Exactly. And who the hell did he think he was that he could speak to anyone that way? What a fucker. I want to beat the shit out of him.”

Maggie laughs, and her hands move up my chest and around my neck. “Easy there. Like you said, he’s gone. And I know that, deep down, but I’m nervous because that money is clearly stolen, Cam. He didn’t make that much of a salary as a financial advisor. What if the money really isn’t mine, after all? And what if I find something awful in that damn box? I’m sick and tired of surprises from him. They’re never good ones, so I guess I just don’t trust this.”

“I’ll be there with you, and we’ll deal with it as it happens. That’s all we can do.”

“I wish we didn’t have to wait until tomorrow morning,” she whispers. “I just want to get it over with.”

“It’s after six in the evening,” I remind her and kiss her nose. I can’t stop kissing this woman. “The bank is closed. But I have dinner coming up through room service, and then I thought we would take a walk on the beach.”

“Well, that sounds nice.”

“I thought so, too. We’re both too travel-weary to go out.”

“I definitely don’t want to go anywhere. What’s for dinner?”

A knock comes from the hall. “You’ll see in just a minute.”

I open the door for the room service attendant who’s dressed in a black tux. He wheels in a cart, gets everything set up on the dining room table near the windows, and even sets a vase of yellow roses in the middle, then takes his leave.

“This is fancy,” Maggie says, eyeing the table. “I feel underdressed.”

“Personally, I think you’re overdressed. I’d rather have you naked.”

She laughs and shakes her head. “I’m not eating naked. I don’t want to spill something hot on my boobs.”

“I tried.” I sigh as if incredibly disappointed and make her laugh.

I uncover the plates and hold the chair out for Maggie.

“Steak?” she asks as she sits and leans over to sniff her plate. “With all of my favorite things.”

“Coincidentally, they’re my favorite things, too, so it works out.”

I sit across from her, ready to dig into the delicious-smelling meal. I’m starving.

“I didn’t even realize I was so hungry,” she admits, echoing my thoughts as she cuts into her steak. “Mm, good.”

She’s right. The steak is tender and practically melts in my mouth. We had a long travel day full of junk food. We need real food and rest so we’re ready to deal with whatever happens tomorrow.

And from what I know about Joey Lemon—and that’s literally everything there is to know about the son of a bitch—anything could happen.

“Oh, God,” Maggie moans as she tries her potatoes. “I don’t know what they put in here, but I need the recipe.”

“Moan like that again, and I’ll have you on this table.” I drink my wine and watch her blink in surprise. “I don’t think you realize how much you turn me on.”

“Because the food is delicious?”

“Because you’re sexy as fuck.”

She swallows, licks her lips, and I see those green eyes have gone smoky with desire. I want her. I always want her.