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I strode toward her, cupping her face in my hands and fervently shaking my head. I wished to be able to speak, to be able to quickly explain there was very little she could reveal that would ever change my opinion of her, certainly not the misdeeds of another person she just so happened to be related to.
In the absence of words, I let my actions do the talking.
I backed her into the wall, captured her lips with mine, and kissed her hungrily, channelling everything I felt for her into it, so there could be no confusion. The truth was I’d been falling for Maggie for a while, but she might not be ready to hear it. Love festered and burned within me, and it was becoming more and more difficult to keep hidden. But she was skittish. Had been about to flee just now before I stopped her by kissing her.
I kissed her like I’d been thirsting for decades. I made sure there was no room for her to misinterpret things, to think I didn’t want her now that I knew about her mother. Nothing could be further from the truth. My hand moved up to cup her jaw, and she moaned when my fingers dug in. Finally, I broke away but made sure to hold her gaze. She slumped against the wall, her eyes awash with desire.
I quickly grabbed my phone and typed, “If I didn’t care about you, I’d fuck you up against this wall. I’d have you screaming my name so loud the neighbours would hear. But I do care about you, Maggie, and that’s why I can’t have sex with you tonight. Not when you’re feeling this way. But I will do something better. I’ll take care of you.”
A sheen of emotion rose in her eyes. I wished for her to hear my real voice, the one that only existed inside my mind, but that was as good as it was going to get. I saw her acceptance in her expression, so I put down the phone and took her hand, leading her from my room and to the bathroom.
Dad renovated the house a few years ago, so it had a much larger main bathroom than it was originally built with. I sat Maggie down on the stool next to the tub then went to turn on the water.
She stayed quiet while I ran the bath for her. I poured in some bubbles, then stepped across and pulled her up from where she was sitting.
Undress, I signed, unsure if she would understand. Maggie knew a basic amount of sign language from me teaching her on our bus journeys, but there was still so much for her to learn.
Her cheeks reddened, which made me suspect she understood. “I can’t take a bath in your house, Shay. Your dad—”
He’s babysitting for Ross and Dawn. He won’t be home for hours, I signed, and her brows furrowed, her eyes on my hands. “Wait,” she said. “Sign that again, but slow it down.”
I signed more slowly, fascinated by how she watched my hands with full concentration. She was so beautiful and earnest; sometimes, it hurt not to touch her. “He won’t …won’t be back for …” Her expression was focused, a little frustrated, and I couldn’t have been more in love with her than at that moment. Yes, I was in love with her. There was no point denying it. The woman had cast a spell over me, and I belonged to her completely. I signed at her slowly once more, and she chewed her lip.
“He won’t be back for hours?” she asked. “Is that what you said?”
I nodded, and her face lit up. My heart thumped hard because I adored her smile. I loved seeing her happiness, especially after how upset she’d been when she’d showed up on my doorstep.
I motioned to the bath, and her cheeks reddened further. “It does look very inviting. And the bubble bath smells amazing, but—”
I cut her off by stepping closer and pressing a finger to her lips. My expression brooked no argument, and she swallowed thickly, her eyes going to the bath once more. I left the room, allowing her the privacy to undress. Once outside, I closed my eyes, listening and hoping she would get in. There was a long minute of nothing, and then finally, I heard the swish of fabric as she removed her clothes.
My dick was already hardening again at the thought of her lush, naked body slipping into the warm, sudsy water. It took the strength of an ox for me to walk away. I went downstairs and poured some biscuits into Daniel’s bowl. He’d been out in the garden when he suddenly appeared at the door, eyes on his bowl. My dog had super hearing. I let him in, and he hurried over to scoff down his dinner.
