“Maggie asked Shelby to tell Shane to butt in. She knows something’s wrong because you aren’t talking to him either, and she’s worried about you. Poor, poor Mac.” Mimi kicked him in the shin. “Grow up.”

“Ow.”

Ian grinned. “Nice one, sweetheart.”

“Thank you, sexy.”

“Stop. My ears are bleeding.” Mac still felt miserable, but his load had lightened. “Look, she won’t want to see me anyway. I was a dick about her going to Philly. She’ll be happier without me there.”

“Oh? So you want nothing to do with her?”

“No, I didn’t say that. She and I are friends. We agreed we wouldn’t get weird for Shelby and Shane’s sake.”

“How nice.” Mimi smiled, and he inwardly cringed. She looked predatory and scary, for all that she was old enough to be his mother. “Then I suppose I should invite Brent and a few of the single men I know to her party. No time like the present for her to make new friends. Ian, get my phone, would you?”

“All right.” Mac stood up so fast his stool flew back. “I’ll fucking pick her up at the airport. Send the damn directions. And I’m sorry I’m fucking cursing, okay?” He stomped out of the kitchen into his room and slammed the door. And that’s the last time I’m inviting Ian to spend the night. Jesus, he’s banging Shelby’s mother under my roof. How pathetic am I that my uncle is getting more tail than me?

God knew it wasn’t for lack of opportunity. As if they could sense his vulnerability, women seemed to be fawning over him lately. At the gym, Megan had become a real problem. His favorite coffee shop and a few local hangouts had netted him more phone numbers and offers than he could handle. In the six days Maggie had been gone, he’d been offered sexual ease from half a dozen women. It was weird.

But he couldn’t feel any excitement for anyone but his little sub.

I fucking love her. Shit. As he showered, he couldn’t help wondering if that stuff about his mother and Julie affected him now. Was he really letting his fucked up mother and that bitch Julie ruin a decent relationship? He’d served in the friggin’ USMC. He could handle a pint-sized blond and the emotional rat nest that came with her, right? He was no pussy.

The day flew by in a rush while he tried to come up with some excuse for acting like an idiot. In retrospect, being so down just because she’d gone away for a few days made him look like a fucking dick. His girlfriend—he thought and took a deep breath—had just been handed the best news of her life, and instead of supporting her, he’d turned sulky and acted like one of her many exes.

Later that evening he sat down at the local watering hole, not surprised when Trevor joined him on one side and Shane took the other stool.

“Well what do you know, Shane,” Trevor said with false cheer. “Pussies-R-Us must be meeting here, because lo and behold, it’s the president. Hey Mac.”

“Fuck you.”

“Mimi called me,” Trevor said.

“And Ian called me.” Shane sighed. “We’re here to talk to you.”

Mac groaned. “Please. No more talking, okay? I’m fine. I’m picking up Maggie from the airport tomorrow. Then we’re going back to my place so I can apologize and we can have hot monkey sex with leather and chains. Good enough for you?” He glared at Trevor.

Trevor nodded. “Sounds fine.” His fist shot out before Mac could duck, and the next thing Mac knew, Shane was picking him up off the floor.

Trevor stared at him with disdain. “That’s it? That’s all you’ve got? And you think you’re good enough for my sister?”

Mac flew at him. They knocked several chairs and tables around, and only the fact that the sleet outside kept bar practically empty stopped them from hurting anyone but themselves in the scuffle. Mac nailed Trevor in the face and gut and took a few more punches. But in his state of rage, he didn’t feel much.

Then his old bouncer buddy Jonas, Shane, and two other men pulled him and Trevor apart.

“Sorry, Jonas,” Mac heard Shane explain. “Woman trouble.”

“The blond from before, right? Maggie?” Jonas asked.

“My sister,” Trevor said coldly.

Jonas looked at him, then at Mac’s swelling eye and sighed. To Mac he asked, “I’m guessing you’re not pressing charges?”

“No. Tell Andy I’ll pay for the damages.”

Jonas and the others left while they sat at a table they hadn’t managed to knock over.

Trevor opened his big mouth and said, “According to Mimi, you’re messed up, Jameson. But at least you can hit. For a minute there, I wondered.” He paused. “Maggie hasn’t said much about you to me, but I know my sister. She likes you. A lot.”

“I like her too,” Mac admitted quietly.

Trevor grunted. “Stop being an asshole and talk to her. She won’t stop nagging me until I convince her you’re okay. At first I thought you might be fucking her over with some other woman, but I can see you’re too pathetic to score.”

“Nice one.” Shane nodded. “I would have said it’s sad to see a Marine taken down by a petite blond. Especially because she’s been nothing but nice to you while you sulk like a baby because she left you alone.”

“Dick,” Mac growled. His head fucking hurt.

“But then I realized, when you love someone, you can act totally stupid. Because women mess you up faster than any drug ever could.”

Trevor sighed. “Amen.”

“I don’t…” Mac couldn’t say it. He did love her. “I was stupid, okay?”

“Oh yeah.” Shane’s smugness was going to cost him later. Mac intended on making him pay. “He’s in love.”

“Shut up,” Mac ordered.

To which Trevor replied, “Don’t make me regret giving you a chance to make her happy.”

Mac groaned. “Will you two shut up already? All this love shit is hurting my head.”

“No,” Shane said slowly. “That would be Trevor’s large fists. Make fun of my running skills all you want, but I would have ducked and run from that attack. Only to come back with a chair, mind you. You took that pounding like a heavy punching bag. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone beat you up before. It’s a novel experience.”

“Shut up, dickhead. He didn’t beat me up.”

“This is your best friend?” Trevor asked Shane.

“I know. He’s pathetic, right?” Shane sighed. “My boy is in love, and it’s hard for him. Expressing his feelings is not Mac’s strong suit.”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Mac rasped. “I think I expressed my feelings to Trevor well enough.”

To his surprise, Trevor chuckled. “He’s got you there, Shane. Well, I’m tired. I’m turning in. I’ll see you two ladies tomorrow at the party.” He glared at Mac to make his point, then left.

“I don’t know if I like him or hate him,” Shane said.

“I feel you. But he’s Maggie’s brother, so I’m leaning toward like.”

“And toward love when it comes to Maggie, right?”

Mac groaned.

“I know, I know. No more love talk.” Shane shook his head. “Been there, done that, buddy. At least Maggie has no idea what a moron you’ve been. She just thinks you’re bad at communication. But dude, this is her time to shine. Don’t ruin it for her.”

Mac felt like a total shit. “I know. I get it. I was wrong, okay?”

Shane slapped him on the back, right where Trevor had landed a punch.

Mac sucked in a breath. “Easy.”

“Come on, lunkhead. Let’s get you home before you pick a fight with someone who lands you in jail.” Just as Shane finished warning him, they headed into the parking lot toward Mac’s car. He’d had all of half a beer and had no problem driving. Except Wilson and two of his huge friends stood in the way, uncaring of the weather, apparently.

“Better run, Tinkerbelle,” Mac said to Shane. “I have the feeling dickhead and his girlfriends want to play.”

“You see what I’m saying?” Wilson told his friends. “Nice eye, Jameson. Why don’t my friends and I give you another to match?”

Shane rolled up his sleeves. “Man, it’s been a while since I did this.”

“Just don’t have Shelby blaming me for your injuries,” Mac warned and turned to meet Wilson head on.


The next day at the airport, Mac felt like a huge bundle of nerves. He’d heard big news from his uncle on his way to Sea-Tac. Of all the times for Ian to disclose such an important decision, it had to be today. His uncle wanted Mac to take over at the gym. Mac had to think about it. He would have said yes if he’d been asked before Maggie, but now, he didn’t know what to do.

She stepped into view looking tired but happy. She glanced around, but when she saw him she lit up like a Christmas tree. His heart hammered, and he knew right then and there that she made everything right in his world.

Before she could launch herself over three nuns and a passel of kids who’d broken away from their mother, Mac reached her and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her long and hard, until one of the nuns tapped him on the shoulder.

He flushed. “Oh, sorry.”

The woman smiled. “Love is blind, but children aren’t.”

He tugged her away from the small crowd.

“What happened to your face?” Maggie asked, shocked to see his black eye and bruised cheek, no doubt.

“I ran into Wilson again. This time he had a few friends. But hey, problem solved. Trust me.” He didn’t feel the need to talk about Trevor’s part in his bruises if he could help it.

Maggie cursed Wilson in a low voice as Mac dragged her toward baggage claim. It took forever to get her suitcase, and while they waited, she filled him in on her triumph.

But her comment about an alternative plan stopped him short. “Wait. Say that again?”

“Eric wants me to move out there.”

Mac swallowed hard. “So, are you going to move out to Philly? You lived on the East Coast in DC, right? Probably pretty similar.”

She sighed. “Too much the same. My life is out here, and I like it.” She gave him a look he couldn’t figure out.

“Where the hell is your bag?” He wanted to talk to her in private, away from all these people.

“Mac?”

“Yeah?” She’s said her bag was red. Was that it?

“Do you want me to stay here?”

He met her gaze, not sure what to say. He didn’t want to hamper her dreams, but he wanted her to want to stay with him.

When he didn’t answer right away, she turned to the baggage wheel. “I see.”

Fuck. “No, you don’t.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the restrooms. He spied a mother and son coming out of the family door and dragged Maggie inside the single room.

“Um, Mac? I don’t have to go.”

“I don’t want you to leave, okay?” The pressure to confess about being a selfish jerk took hold, and the truth came spilling free. “I shouldn’t have ignored your calls and texts. I should have been there for you. I could have flown out, you know?”

He stared at himself in the mirror instead of looking at her. He didn’t want to see her when she told him to kiss off. Yet he couldn’t not look at her.

“Why were you so mad at me?” She stood next to him, so pretty yet confused. He hated the hint of sadness in her eyes, especially since he’d put it there.

“I was never mad. I was scared.” He blew out a breath. “Maggie, you have so much going for you. You should make your dreams come true. Be that big-time artist. Live where it will do you the most good. Go to Philly if you need to.” It hurt to say, but it needed to be said.

“Why didn’t you come with me, Mac?”

“Because I fucking love you, okay?” he snarled.

“Wh-what?”

“I’m a pussy. I admit it.” He couldn’t believe he was saying all this in a public restroom, for God’s sake. “I love you, and it scares the shit out of me. I have a bad track record with women I care for. My mother took off, and my aunt left the same way. I have—according to my uncle and Mimi—a problem committing because I’m scared everyone’s going to leave me.”

Her eyes softened, and he had little enough pride left that he’d use that.

“I’m happy for you. I am. I just don’t want to lose you, and that’s selfish. God, I hate myself for wanting to keep you here. I don’t… I want to be with you. All the time.” He felt freer as he rushed the truth. “You make me happy. No one gets me like you do. You don’t take my shit. You’re a really bad loser. You’re mean. And you turn me on like no one ever has.” He swallowed hard. “I love you, Maggie. And if you need to move out East to make a go of things, I, uh, I could go with you. For support.”

She stared at him, wide-eyed.

Someone knocked on the door.