WEST
Nothing in life had prepared me for this. My heart felt like it was going to beat right out of my body.
I shed the rest of my clothes after taking a condom out of my pocket. I was so nervous, my hands shook as I put it on.
As I lowered my body over hers, my chest tightened. Finally those eyes I’d come to dream about lifted to meet mine. There was a quiet confidence there. A trust I would cherish. One I couldn’t lose.
With careful ease, I entered her, and she held on to me through it all. Never taking her eyes off mine.
Later, when she curled up against me in the truck and I held her while I looked out at the lights of Lawton below us, I let the first tear fall.
For all that I had lost.
For all that I had found.
For all I couldn’t lose now but feared I would.
The next day I returned to school. My mother’s mom would be arriving today, and I didn’t want to be there. Why mother had called her and asked her to come, I didn’t know. She’d never been around us much before.
Of course I also wanted to see Maggie.
Taking her home last night, I’d been so scared of losing her that I’d been dead silent. Too silent. Rather than my own thoughts, my concern should have been Maggie. I would fix that today.
The one thing I didn’t want to face was people telling me they were sorry to hear about my dad. I didn’t want to think about it. I also didn’t want them looking at me with pity. So I ignored everyone as I walked through the doors and headed straight for my locker.
Maggie was standing there, her books tucked close to her chest, waiting. A warmth spread through me that only Maggie could cause, and I hurried through the crowd to get to her. When she spotted me, her lips curled into a small smile. It said so many things. It was for me. She didn’t give that smile to anyone else.
I liked that. I liked that a whole fucking lot.
“Morning,” I said as I reached her and tugged her close to me before pressing a kiss to those lips that were smiling just for me.
She tensed at first but quickly melted into me and let me have a taste. I didn’t want anyone else seeing how good she looked with those swollen lips, so I pulled away after I got enough to get me through first period. Still, I kept my hand on her back and pressed her close to me.
“Ah, good morning,” she replied, looking flustered.
Grinning, I pressed a kiss to her nose. “God, you’re always so damn pretty,” I said.
Her cheeks flushed pink, and she ducked her head as a grin spread across her lips.
“I didn’t think you’d come today,” she said as she glanced up at me.
Me neither. Until I’d woken up thinking about her. Maggie was here, and this was where I wanted to be. With her.
“You’re here,” I admitted. She needed to know how I felt. Even if I wasn’t sure exactly what that was just yet.
“West,” she said breathlessly, and reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “I wish we had classes together.”
So did I. Next semester I’d make sure we did. I hated not getting to see her except at lunch and in the halls.
“You’re talking.” Brady’s voice startled us both.
Maggie’s eyes went wide as she stared up at me. She wasn’t turning to look at him. There was a panic in her green depths, and a protectiveness came over me. I moved her closer to me and slightly behind as I faced Brady.
“Not to you. Not to anyone else. So back off, and keep your mouth shut.” I held his gaze and let him read into that whatever the hell he wanted to. Because I wasn’t giving her up. Everyone needed to know she was mine now. Including Brady.
“What . . . but she doesn’t talk. If she can talk or is talking again, then—”
“Just to me, Brady. Get that. Just. To. Me.”
He moved his eyes to her, and I could see frustration there, but I also knew he was my best friend. I’d buried my dad yesterday. He had to give me some slack. For now. I knew we’d have to deal with him eventually.
He finally let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine. But others are going to notice. I just did.”
Then he turned and left. Maggie didn’t move from where I had tucked her behind me.
He was right. If she weren’t careful, others would see her. How did I protect her from that? Not everyone would back down like Brady had.
Especially his parents.
