“You’re staring at me,” she muttered before licking her lips.
“Am I?” Up close he realized her eyes weren’t a simple green. There were flecks of gold and brown that reminded him of the freckles on her skin. He took one step closer and watched her eyes shift downward and her teeth bite into her lower lip. He made her nervous but not necessarily frightened. “It’s been a long time since we’ve been this close.”
“It has. But—uh—”
Tucker wrapped his arm around her waist and settled his hand at her lower back, leaned forward and pressed a finger to her lips. “Fix the Margaritas, Maggie.”
She shivered, obviously affected by his command. He stilled the desire to pull her hips to his groin. She had no idea how much her reaction turned him on. His balls were tight. He was ready to fuck and they were nowhere near ready for that. Tucker had no intention of settling for a one-night stand. Over the past year he’d dug deep into his desires and decided what he could and couldn’t live without. If his hunch was right about Maggie, and he was near certain it was, one night with this woman would not be enough.
Tucker released her and returned to the living room. He liked the open concept of her parent’s place. He could relax on the couch while she fixed her girly drinks all while keeping his eye on her. The wide windows across the front of the house provided an excellent view of the lake. He imagined during the summer the area would be breathtaking. A window like that would be perfect to press Maggie against after stripping her nude. And he certainly had a thing for windows.
His dick jerked, forcing him to take another cleansing breath in search of the discipline he prided himself on.
Maybe he should get rid of his boring, memory-riddled acreage and move out here. This place with its cozy spaces and simple amenities was all a far cry from his family estate. When he’d decided to move back home, he’d refused to spend a dime of his father’s blood money that he didn’t have to. So he’d rebuilt a smaller, modest and more modern place where the main house had stood. His home wasn’t palatial, but with his art just catching on he’d paid for it with his money not his father’s. Fortunately, during high school he’d spent summers working for contractors to pay for his first car that left him with a lot of working knowledge. So over the years he’d added to the space in his own way with his own hands. That work kept him partially sane. Now that he could afford pretty much whatever he wanted he hadn’t bothered. With his home customized to his taste and activities away from the prying public, there wasn’t a desire to make a change. Until Maggie showed up.
He caught the sound of her humming behind him and turned back to watch her. Caught up in the task at hand, she failed to notice him studying her. There were so many questions he wanted to ask about her interests. Especially the ones that led her to the BDSM nightclub. Everything he’d heard about her through the old grapevine over the years had painted her as a stuck up bitch professor who had no interest in the little people. She’d certainly been aloof in high school, spending all her time studying and obsessing what college she would get in to. He’d assumed her life had not changed. Yet, here in her home that wasn’t what he saw at all. She was kind, caring and a tad shy.
She didn’t even dress like he expected. Worn snug denim hugged her legs and hips giving him the impression of curves he knew he would dream about tonight. Her bulky sweater didn’t exactly hide her full breasts either. But it was the look in her eyes when he caught her attention that gave him pause. She alternated between hunger and indifference in the blink of an eye. The woman was clearly in denial. Or simply afraid.
“Here you go.” She interrupted his thoughts by handing him a giant margarita glass filled to the brim.
“I hope you don’t mind that I didn’t salt the rim. I hate the added salt on my drink. But if you want me to add it to yours I can.”
“No, this is fine.” He took a small sip to appease his hostess. She on the other hand, guzzled half of it in seconds flat. When she came up for air, her eyes opened wide and she snorted.
“Oh my God.” She covered her mouth and nose and turned away in apparent horror. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to be so rude.”
Tucker put down his drink and pulled Maggie onto the couch next to him. “I’m not about to run screaming because Miss Maggie had a rather unladylike moment,” he teased.
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “You’re never going to quit calling me that are you?”
“Nope. It’s an enduring nickname. Why stop now?”