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“I was hoping you’d sleep a little longer.”
Energy crackles from her gaze to mine. “You weren’t there.”
“And that woke you up?”
She hums but doesn’t answer my question. “You make a good pillow. I can’t remember the last time I slept that hard.”
“We had an eventful night.” I waggle my eyebrows at her, and she laughs.
“That we did.” And then quieter she adds. “I’d like to again.”
“Now we’re talking.” I grin at her as Audra slaps her hands to the tray of her highchair.
“The native is restless. We should probably finish feeding her.” Maisie nods to her daughter.
Reluctantly, I let her go. I know Audra needs to eat, but the bubble of intimacy that Maisie and I created last night is still going strong, and I don’t want it to pop yet.
“I’ll finish that, you get some coffee.” I nod toward the coffee pot, dripping the last drops of liquid into the pot.
“You want a cup?” she asks as she makes her way over to the cabinet that holds the coffee mugs.
I nod. “Please.”
Maisie doctors a cup for me, and her hand rubs down my back when she drops it at the table. The domesticity of the action making my heart leap in my chest.
I want this. Whatever it is, however long it lasts, I want it.
“I’m going to make some breakfast, is that okay?”
“Help yourself, Sunshine, my kitchen is your kitchen.”
Maisie busies herself rooting around the fridge, until she finds what she’s looking for while I focus on feeding Audra.
Audra makes a mess, but that’s expected for someone who’s just learning to eat solid food, so I do my best to clean her up with a wet dishcloth as Maisie wraps up whatever she’s making at the stove.
Maisie plates our breakfast and brings it to the table. After a bite of perfectly cooked scrambled eggs with cheese, I say, “I have to run to the station today. I have a couple of deputies out, so I’m going to go in and see if they need any help — luck holding, they won’t and then I was thinking that we could spend the day together.”
Maisie nods, swallowing her own food. “I’d like that. I have the preliminary website for Jem to look at, so I was going to find her at some point today. But other than that I could use a day off.”
“She should be at the coffee shop. Want to ride into town with me, I’ll drop you two off at the shop and then make sure my crew is good and then we can get out of town for the day?”
Maisie smiles at me. “Sure that works. Where are we going?”
I smile to myself. “It’s a surprise. But pack a change of clothes and a swimsuit.”
Chapter 28
Maisie
The website was a lie. A little one, but a lie all the same.
I really just want to talk to Jem. To share a little bit of the happiness shooting out of every pore of my body with a friend.
Harlan and I had sex. Amazing sex. Fantastic sex. Stupendous sex, and I need to talk to someone.
I’m staying in Everette. Maybe not forever — but for now. I’m staying.
It’s hard to think in terms of forever when I haven’t in so long. So for now, I’m staying, and that’s all that matters.
