Page 45 of Nick: His to Claim

He remembered telling Mason that if Maggie wouldn’t have him, he would deal with it, but now he knew that was a bunch of bull. Life without her was unacceptable. If his plan didn’t work, he would come up with a new one and a new one after that, until they were both old and gray and he was still trying to get her to marry him. He would never give up; it simply wasn’t an option.

Eventually the kids would be grown, and if Maggie hadn’t married him by then, he would kidnap her away to a tropical island and keep her there forever. He could feel the warm ocean breeze as she walked toward him over the white sand, her grass skirt swaying, the sun glinting off her waist length hair, a knowing smile on her lips…

“Nick,” she moaned, poking him with her elbow. “Aren’t you going to shut that off?”

Struggling up from the depths of his dream, Nick fumbled with his watch and shut the alarm off. Pulling her tight against him he whispered in her ear.

“I can never let you go, you know that right?”

“I know,” she sighed as she gave him one last wiggle and drifted back to sleep.

He dragged himself out of bed and headed for the bathroom, wondering if a cold shower would help. It didn’t.

Chapter Fourteen

Music was playing. Achingly sweet familiar music as Maggie yawned and slowly awoke from the deepest sleep she’d know in a long time. The puzzled look faded from her face as she stretched dreamily and smiled. George Strait was singing “Carried Away”.

It had been their song so many years ago and still had the power to stop her in her tracks whenever she heard it. When the music stopped, she frowned looking around for the source. Almost immediately, it began playing again. Finally, seeing the cell phone on her nightstand, she picked it up, saw Nick’s face on the screen, and slid her finger down to answer it.

“Hey, sleepy head, time to get up,” he told her.

“Nick, thanks” she told him. “I love it.”

“Thought you might,” he replied. “I programmed it with all the numbers I knew, but you’ll still have to take some more pictures and finish it.”

“And the song, Nick, you remembered after all this time?” she asked in wonder.

“Darlin’, I can’t forget a single thing about you or us, you should know that.”

Maggie sighed.

“I wish things could have been different between us,” she told him, not realizing how wistful she sounded.

“I do too. I know we can’t go back and fix the mistakes we’ve made, but from here on out things are going to change. We’re going to find the life we were meant to have, honey, and I plan on making sure nothing gets in our way.”Even stubborn, foolish pride.

In the morning light things didn’t seem as uncomplicated as they had last night, but there was no sense in starting the day off with an argument. He said she had six weeks, and he always meant what he said. She found that out the hard way. At the end of his self-imposed timetable, would she be ready to commit to marriage? Maggie really didn’t know.

“You better get a move on if you plan on meeting with Mason at nine in the morning. I don’t think being late would be in your best interest.”

“Damn, I almost forgot,” she groaned. “I don’t suppose you have any suggestions on how I might get through this unscathed?”

Nick laughed.

“You might try being contrite, apologetic, remorseful, anything along those lines…and mean it. And I thinkunscathedis pretty much out. It is possible you’ll keep your job if you accept responsibility for your actions. Not doing the background check on Harley was a major mistake, but you already know that. Sometimes, sweetie, you just have to face the music, and I think this is one of those times. In any case, I don’t want you to feel alone. No matter what happens, I’ll be here for you, understand?”

“Yes, I understand and thanks, Nick. I better get going before I’m late. I’ll see you tonight?”

“I already spoke with your mother, and I plan on picking up the kids from her house after school. We’ll see you when you gethome. Oh, I almost forgot, the gift bag on your dresser is for you too. Talk to you later, honey”.

Maggie slid out of bed and padded barefoot across the room. Picking up the pink gift bag, she returned to the bed and pulled out the contents. Panties of every style and color she could think of fell into her hands. Thongs, bikinis, hipsters and high cut, some so delicate they weighed almost nothing. Lace trimmed or not, they were all lovely. There was even a pair that saidSpank Me, which she had no intention of wearing at all, even if they did make her smile.

What am I going to do with that man, she thought? And is it really possible that I’m going toneedall these panties?

* * *

Mason was actually pretty decent about the whole mess. Although he scolded her for what seemed like an eternity, she kept her job with some caveats.

She would no longer be doing the hiring. While she would continue to interview applicants, the final decision would be made by both of them, after all paperwork was completedincludinga complete background check.