Page 2 of Todd’s Cowgirl

"I'm like a bad penny," I murmur, my voice carrying a self-conscious laugh, aware of the irony and truth in my words.

I’m lost in those eyes, the memory of them haunting every bad decision I’ve made since I walked away. Her mouth opens like she’s about to say more, then closes again as she watches me squirm in my seat.

It’s pure torture, sitting this close, wanting to reach across and drag her into my lap. Wanting to kiss her until we’re both breathless and everything else just fades away. My pulse is going nuts, and it’s taking all my self-control not to jump up and claim her right here in the local donut shop.

I gulp, clutching the coffee mug, which is damp from my sweaty hand.

Every nerve’s on high alert, singing with anticipation and uncertainty. Each second stretches longer than the one before, and I know if we weren’t in public, I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands to myself.

Maggie watches me with that unreadable gaze, one part suspicion, one part surprise, and it’s everything I didn’t know I was missing. She starts talking, her voice both new and familiar, the words tentative but real.

“Congratulations on the championship,” she says, the corner of her mouth twitching into a smile that loosens every knot in my chest.

“Thanks,” I mutter, realizing the championship means nothing without the woman who owns me, heart and soul.

“I watched a few games with my brothers.” She pauses, then dives into the deep end. “You’re really great.”

“Thanks.” I feel like a goddamn broken record. “How are your brothers doing?”

“The same.” She gives me a sly look. “They’re still overbearing pains in my rear end.” Discussing her older brothers helps ease the tension that’s been strangling me, and suddenly, we’re talking like no time has passed. We slip back into an easy rhythm, letting the years and the miles fade until it’s just us again.

“Remember when we snuck out to the field, spread a blanket, and stared at the stars until Silas and Cole pelted us with water balloons?” I ask, leaning forward, chasing the warmth of the memory.

“They’ve always had the worst timing in the world.” Maggie’s smile goes full wattage, and it’s all I can do to keep my heart from flinging itself across the table.

“Hanging out with you was worth the pain of dealing with their shit.” My voice is rough, choked with the emotion of everything rushing back at once. I can’t believe I ever left her. Can’t believe I survived the last ten years without her. After seven years in the NFL, I’ve got more money than I can spend in a lifetime. Now that I know I can give Maggie the life she deserves, I’m back to rectify the biggest mistake of my life.

I mention that night by the lake, the kiss that took us from friends to something more. She doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t back away. She just meets my gaze, steady and sure, and it sends hope sparking through every part of me.

She chuckles, the sound low and sweet. “Remember the time you tried to impress me with your riding skills?”

“The ground broke my fall.” I’m grinning like an idiot, and I don’t care. Not even a little.

“You had the wind knocked out of you, but I think the look on your face when you landed was the real injury.” Maggie’s laughing now, head thrown back, and I can’t remember the last time anything felt this right.

As we sit across from each other, my gaze is glued to her, captivated by the lively twinkle in her eyes and the playful curve of her lips. Each glance she throws my way is charged with an energy that makes my heart race, and every smile seems to light up the room. She embodies everything I have ever desired, a constant presence in my thoughts despite my futile attempts to push her out of my mind.

Frank cuts in and sets two boxes of donuts on the table before us. "On the house!" he says with a bright smile. "Make sure to drop by and see me before you leave town." His words remind me that I'm scheduled to leave in a few weeks for training camp, but I already know that isn’t going to happen.

I barely notice him, barely hear anything beyond the sound of Maggie’s voice. She doesn’t shy away from the past, and the way she looks at me now, I hope she won’t shy away from a future with me, either.

It’s getting late, and I know I should be heading back to Ciara's house with the donuts.

With each breath and passing second, I find myself falling more deeply in love with Maggie. Fucking hell. I need Maggie in my life and nothing else matters.

“When did you move back to Silver Spoon Falls?” I want to know everything about her. Especially whether or not there’s some asshole waiting in the wings.

I can't tear my gaze away from her, nor do I wish to. "After I graduated from college, Silas persuaded me to return and take charge of the family charitable foundation." She pauses, assessing me with a keen eye as if deciding whether I'll stick around long enough for any of this to truly make a difference.

“I’m glad you’re in town.” No use beating around the bush. “It makes wooing you all the easier.”

“Wooing me?” She hesitates, but only a little. “Who said I want you to woo me?”