Those two words, coming out of her mouth while she was looking at him, had the oddest effect. His mind filled with pictures of Maggie in a flowing white gown, looking up into his eyes with so much love it made his heart feel as though it would burst from his chest. Maybe it was all the talk and planning for his brother’s wedding, but the thought of marrying Maggie made everything just click into place.
It took him a moment or two to find his voice, and when he did, there just didn’t seem to be any words. So he kissed her instead.
––––––––
“This is incredible,” Maggie said between bites. “Where on earth did you get this?” It pleased Michael to see her eating, even if it was only a little as she sampled from the several small containers he’d brought.
“Lexi. She’s been cooking up a storm all week. I think she’s a little anxious about the wedding.”
“Ah, a woman after my own heart,” Maggie said.
A sudden idea crossed his mind. “You know, as good as this is, I bet it would taste even better with some of your homegrown ingredients. Would you mind if I took some back to Lexi? She’s always looking for healthy, organic things to put into her creations.”
“No, I don’t mind. Take whatever you want. Lord knows I have more than I’ll ever use.”
“Great. Why don’t you try to eat a little more while I go down and select a few things?”
“It’s wonderful,” she said a little too quickly. “It really is, but I don’t think I can.”
Michael frowned. Something seemed... off. Perhaps he was just feeling especially paranoid, but he didn’t think so. “Maggie, do you always eat so little?”
“No,” she admitted. “I just haven’t been all that hungry lately.” She gave him a sly smile. “I think it’s all the sex. You have me feeling so satisfied all the time I just don’t seem to have quite the same need for food.”
Michael couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face. He loved satisfying her needs. But deep inside, something was bothering him. He just couldn’t put his finger on it, though.
“I’m flattered. But I need you to keep your strength up, because I’ve got plans for you, sweetheart.” He winked and gave her a smile filled with wicked promise. “And I’d hate to have to withhold sex just to get you to eat.”
“You wouldn’t!” A combination of mock and genuine horror clouded her facial features.
“I would if it meant losing all those luscious curves I love sinking myself into.”
She blushed as Michael pulled her into his arms, letting his hands roam down over her behind. “I’m serious, Maggie. I can’t help it. I’m worried about you.”
Chapter Fourteen
Maggie let her arms snake up around his neck. The truth was she was becoming a little concerned herself. The dull headache persisted and she was having trouble focusing sometimes; her depth perception seemed especially affected. It was why she’d had the accident with the axe, but she wasn’t going to tell him that. He would have her admitted within the hour.
It would pass, she kept telling herself. After all, she had taken a nasty fall. It was only natural to suffer some lingering effects. And it wasn’t keeping her from doing anything. It was more annoying than anything else, really. Like a tiny pebble in her shoe.
Unfortunately, Michael was too perceptive. He sensed something, she knew he did. It was in the way she’d catch him watching her intently, or the discreet way he’d let his fingers pause in his caresses.
Or the way he was looking at her right now.
“Maggie, are you sure there’s not something you should tell me?”
“You worry too much.”
“Where you are concerned, I’m not certain I worry enough.”
Her shoulders stiffened slightly at the insinuation that she needed a keeper. “And yet somehow I managed to make it to this point all by myself.”
“Maggie, I didn’t mean –“
“I know what you meant,” she exhaled. “Now go on down and pick out some things while I try to be a good little girl and finish my plate.”
His lips thinned, but thankfully, he did. Maggie quickly scraped the remains of her dinner into George’s bowl. By the time he returned from the basement a short time later with several baskets of various canned and dried items, Maggie already had everything cleaned up. She was waiting for him in the living room. The lights were off, and she was in the process of lighting the scented candles that suddenly seemed to adorn nearly every available surface.
“What’s all this?” he asked.
“Ambiance.”
“Ambiance. Hmmm. What exactly did you have in mind?”
Maggie felt her cheeks burn hot. This had been much easier when she’d envisioned the scene in her mind. “I want to try something.”
“I’m intrigued.”
She cleared her throat lightly, her cheeks burning now. “I want to pleasure you.”
He smiled indulgently. “Sweetheart, you do that all the time.”
“No,” she said, clasping her hands together to hide her sudden case of nerves. Fantasizing about bringing him to his knees with pleasure was one thing; actually pulling it off was something else entirely. She was already bungling this royally. How had she thought she could do this? “I mean, um, orally.”