as though he couldn’t
hold back from touching her any longer. His palm skidded upwards to the hem of
her skirt where it lay just above her knee. Her shivering intensified, an
aching burn of need instantly firing up her bloodstream.
“ Maggie .”
Her breath hitched at the sound of him speaking
her name for the first time, the mix of wonder and craving in his voice pouring
like warm honey over her skin. She blinked rapidly as he held her captive with
his piercing gaze. It was impossible to conceal her longing from him, a feeling
he clearly shared, though he held himself in check.
“Is it short for Margaret?”
“N-no. It’s just Maggie. Maggie Rose Edwards.”
“What a pretty name.” His fingers drew slow
whorls on her skin. “How old are you, Maggie Rose Edwards?”
“Thirty.”
Relief flickered in his eyes. “I thought you were
much younger. You have such beautiful, soft skin. And the way you were that
night…so sweet, so innocent.”
To hide her sudden tension she quickly asked,
“How old are you ?”
“Thirty seven. It feels bizarre that we’re just
now exchanging vital statistics after we’ve already shared the deepest
intimacies doesn’t it?” He grinned. “My full name is Jason Christopher Armitage.
My friends call me Jace for short.”
Her heartbeat kicked up a notch at the way his
grin transformed his expression; it made him look much younger than thirty
seven. She could almost see him as he might have looked as a mischievous little
boy. She smiled, feeling less on edge. “I like that name. And Christopher is
one of my favorite saints.”
“Mine too. The protector of those on long
journeys.” His grin faded. “You and I have been on a long journey these last
six months, haven’t we.” Before she could respond, he tightened his hold on her
leg. “Why did you leave before I woke up, Maggie? As soon as you opened that
door tonight I knew I wasn’t the only one who’d felt the special connection we
had.”
She shook her head mutely, her heart soaring at
the vocal confirmation that she wasn’t alone in her feelings about that night.
Just as quickly, her heart plummeted. Didn’t he remember speaking that name?
“I’ve been in hell since that night. I didn’t use
a condom that last time.”
“You remember that? I thought you were asleep.”
“At first I thought it’d been a dream. But I
remember coming inside of you, how amazing you felt around me.” He slid his
hand up and over her dress to rest on her lower belly. “I’d been tested only a
few weeks before that night. I’m clean. But were there any, uh, consequences?”
She dropped her hand over his, interlocking their
fingers. “No.” His curious expression of worry and yearning matched the emotions
she’d endured during those weeks after their passionate night. She’d started
taking birth control pills three months before that night and knew it was
almost impossible that she’d conceived—the timing hadn’t been right, anyway—
but she’d still felt a profound disappointment that she hadn’t, in spite of
everything her rational mind had tried to tell her.
He suddenly dropped his head to her stomach,
resting his cheek on their clasped hands. Without conscious thought, she
brought her free hand to his head, sifting her fingers through the soft strands
of his hair. He gave a deep sigh, tension visibly easing from his body as he
relaxed more fully against her. He placed his other hand on her hip, his thumb
rubbing slow circles over her hipbone. His voice was so soft she had to tilt
her head closer to hear him ask, “Do you like children, Maggie?”
“Yes, I do. I’d like to have some of my own one
day.”
He angled his head slightly to press a tender
kiss on her hand but kept his face concealed from her. Her heart dropped like a
boulder in her chest when she heard his faint whisper. “I had a child.”
Had ; all of the heartbreak in the world
spoken in that one small word.
The room seemed to go still
hold back from touching her any longer. His palm skidded upwards to the hem of
her skirt where it lay just above her knee. Her shivering intensified, an
aching burn of need instantly firing up her bloodstream.
“ Maggie .”
Her breath hitched at the sound of him speaking
her name for the first time, the mix of wonder and craving in his voice pouring
like warm honey over her skin. She blinked rapidly as he held her captive with
his piercing gaze. It was impossible to conceal her longing from him, a feeling
he clearly shared, though he held himself in check.
“Is it short for Margaret?”
“N-no. It’s just Maggie. Maggie Rose Edwards.”
“What a pretty name.” His fingers drew slow
whorls on her skin. “How old are you, Maggie Rose Edwards?”
“Thirty.”
Relief flickered in his eyes. “I thought you were
much younger. You have such beautiful, soft skin. And the way you were that
night…so sweet, so innocent.”
To hide her sudden tension she quickly asked,
“How old are you ?”
“Thirty seven. It feels bizarre that we’re just
now exchanging vital statistics after we’ve already shared the deepest
intimacies doesn’t it?” He grinned. “My full name is Jason Christopher Armitage.
My friends call me Jace for short.”
Her heartbeat kicked up a notch at the way his
grin transformed his expression; it made him look much younger than thirty
seven. She could almost see him as he might have looked as a mischievous little
boy. She smiled, feeling less on edge. “I like that name. And Christopher is
one of my favorite saints.”
“Mine too. The protector of those on long
journeys.” His grin faded. “You and I have been on a long journey these last
six months, haven’t we.” Before she could respond, he tightened his hold on her
leg. “Why did you leave before I woke up, Maggie? As soon as you opened that
door tonight I knew I wasn’t the only one who’d felt the special connection we
had.”
She shook her head mutely, her heart soaring at
the vocal confirmation that she wasn’t alone in her feelings about that night.
Just as quickly, her heart plummeted. Didn’t he remember speaking that name?
“I’ve been in hell since that night. I didn’t use
a condom that last time.”
“You remember that? I thought you were asleep.”
“At first I thought it’d been a dream. But I
remember coming inside of you, how amazing you felt around me.” He slid his
hand up and over her dress to rest on her lower belly. “I’d been tested only a
few weeks before that night. I’m clean. But were there any, uh, consequences?”
She dropped her hand over his, interlocking their
fingers. “No.” His curious expression of worry and yearning matched the emotions
she’d endured during those weeks after their passionate night. She’d started
taking birth control pills three months before that night and knew it was
almost impossible that she’d conceived—the timing hadn’t been right, anyway—
but she’d still felt a profound disappointment that she hadn’t, in spite of
everything her rational mind had tried to tell her.
He suddenly dropped his head to her stomach,
resting his cheek on their clasped hands. Without conscious thought, she
brought her free hand to his head, sifting her fingers through the soft strands
of his hair. He gave a deep sigh, tension visibly easing from his body as he
relaxed more fully against her. He placed his other hand on her hip, his thumb
rubbing slow circles over her hipbone. His voice was so soft she had to tilt
her head closer to hear him ask, “Do you like children, Maggie?”
“Yes, I do. I’d like to have some of my own one
day.”
He angled his head slightly to press a tender
kiss on her hand but kept his face concealed from her. Her heart dropped like a
boulder in her chest when she heard his faint whisper. “I had a child.”
Had ; all of the heartbreak in the world
spoken in that one small word.
The room seemed to go still
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