AllFreeNovel
Share Us
To my horror, Sawyer tucks the book under his arm and heads for the door.
“What are you doing?” I yelp. “Why are you taking that?”
He pauses at the threshold, throwing me a wink over his shoulder. “I like to read before bed. And I might learn a thing or two about what you like.”
And just like that, he’s gone, the door clicking shut behind him.
“Ugh!”
“By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you will be happy. If you get a bad one, you will be a philosopher.”
— SOCRATES
15
MAGGIE
The next morning, I spot Sawyer at the breakfast nook eating his usual yogurt. His broad back is to me, hunched over his bowl. My fight-or-flight instinct kicks in, urging me to bolt before he notices me.
But just as I’m about to make my stealthy escape, his voice stops me in my tracks.
“Maggie, wait.” I swear he has eyes in the back of his head.
I hesitate, my mind flooded with memories of last night—his lips on mine, his hands…GAH! I clear my throat. “Um, yeah?”
“I want to apologize,” he says, still not turning around.
I should say something snarky, but my brain’s not caffeinated enough for witty comebacks. Instead, I mumble, “I should be the one apologizing.” A traitorous part of my mind adds, ‘For not jumping your bones right there on the kitchen table.’ I shake my head, trying to dislodge the thought.
Sawyer sighs. “I’m ashamed to say I let my attraction to you get the better of me.”
“Same,” I blurt out, then immediately want to smack myself.
Sawyer finally turns to face me, his expression unreadable. “I want you to know you’re so much more to me than…whatever last night was. Fling isn’t the right word to use when you’remarried, is it?” He runs his meaty hand through that glorious mess of hair. “You’re so much more, you’re almost too much. Does that make sense?”
“Not really, no,” I say. I’m not really prepared for this conversation.
He sighs, smiling at me gently. “It’s complicated.”
“Yeah. I guess.” This whole thing is a little ridiculous, and something in me cracks, making me chuckle at our situation. I pad over to the island and look through the fruit basket. Otto’s mess is mostly cleaned up. I choose a banana and peel it.
Sawyer watches me intently and says, “You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met, Maggie. And it scares the hell out of me.”
Wow. That is such a cliche thing to say, but I’m eating it all up, anyway. Why am I like this?
Sawyer almost sounds like…Wait a minute.
“That’s a line from my book! You cad!” I pick up an orange from the fruit basket and throw it at him. I miss, of course.
He taps his chin. “Is it? Hmmm.”
I throw another orange at him. He ducks, which is, again, unnecessary because I’m a terrible aim.
He reaches out a hand, palm up, like he’s in a freaking stage play. “’Your love is like a touchdown in the final seconds of the game—unexpected, thrilling, and absolutely game-changing.’”
“That line’s from the last chapter! Oh my gawwwd, Sawyer!”
Sawyer’s grin widens. “Are you sure? I’m just speaking from the heart, here.”
