immediately.”
He moved quickly, and before Maggie could even blink, he’d slid his free arm around her and pulled her close.
He inhaled deeply, his gaze so intent on hers she felt riveted. “I like the way you smell. Not flowers, but something light and…and just Maggie . And I like the way you feel in my arms, soft and warm, curvy, and sexy as hell against me.”
“Oh, my.” She’d heard more than one person make an offhand comment about Richard’s lack of social graces, and he’d even said something to that effect himself. But from where she was currently standing—plastered up against him, with her nipples hardening, her clit quivering, and her juices gathering—she thought his social skills were just fine.
“Yes, Miss Maggie, yours .”
Maggie didn’t get even a moment to think about that outrageous statement. In the space of a heartbeat, he laid his lips on hers and devoured her.
He tasted of coffee and a flavor she could only call Richard . The slide of his mouth on hers, the sensation of his tongue entwining and mating with hers, flooded her mind and body and soul. She drank him in even as he seemed intent on drinking her down. They meshed, and her heart raced, her blood heated, and she yearned . She yearned to feel his flesh on hers and in hers.
Too soon he tapered his oral possession, and she found herself chasing his lips as he weaned them from hers. She didn’t want the kiss to end. She didn’t want to let go of the thrilling freefall she experienced whenever a man named Benedict put his hands or his mouth on her.
“Good morning, my Maggie.”
“Mm, it is now.” Oh, Maggie, do you have to be so artless ? Then Richard gave her such a beautiful smile, and in that moment she understood she didn’t need to put on an act or follow any kind of convention with Richard or either of his brothers. She could just be herself.
“It is, yes. Here, this is for you.”
“Thank you.” Maggie had never received a gift from a man before. She didn’t know what to expect. She felt pretty certain it wasn’t jewelry or chocolates. She didn’t think Richard Benedict would give her something so predictable, first time out. She looked around for someplace to set the box so she could open it, and then shook her head when she realized they hadn’t even moved from the entrance hall.
“Come into the kitchen with me, please. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, thank you. I think I’ve had my quota of caffeine for the day. But I’ll sit with you while you have yours.”
She led him through the house toward the kitchen. He stopped for a moment first, though, at the door to the parlor, clearly taking in the changes to the room. Since the last time he’d seen it, she’d found the chess table she’d envisioned, and added another armchair. Now two overstuffed chairs faced the fireplace, while a love seat stood at an angle to it, facing the bookshelves. Grandma Kate must have already gotten the word out, because Maggie had received several boxes of books. She wanted to sort and catalogue them first, before she filled the shelves.
“This is really nice. One of the differences between a B and B and a hotel is the hominess, allowing for a more personal touch. This will make your guests feel they can linger and relax. I like it.”
Maggie felt herself go all gooey inside at his words of praise. “That’s exactly the mood I’m hoping for here. I’m aiming as much for corporate guests as for tourists. I think businessmen and women would appreciate being able to unwind at the end of the day, and that’s not always easy to do away from home.”
“I think you’ve nailed it.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t resist stretching up and giving him a brief kiss. When she headed toward the kitchen, he slipped his arm around her and walked beside her.
She liked that sensation a lot.
Maggie had left the window over the kitchen sink open. A soft breeze filled with the promise of spring wafted through the
He moved quickly, and before Maggie could even blink, he’d slid his free arm around her and pulled her close.
He inhaled deeply, his gaze so intent on hers she felt riveted. “I like the way you smell. Not flowers, but something light and…and just Maggie . And I like the way you feel in my arms, soft and warm, curvy, and sexy as hell against me.”
“Oh, my.” She’d heard more than one person make an offhand comment about Richard’s lack of social graces, and he’d even said something to that effect himself. But from where she was currently standing—plastered up against him, with her nipples hardening, her clit quivering, and her juices gathering—she thought his social skills were just fine.
“Yes, Miss Maggie, yours .”
Maggie didn’t get even a moment to think about that outrageous statement. In the space of a heartbeat, he laid his lips on hers and devoured her.
He tasted of coffee and a flavor she could only call Richard . The slide of his mouth on hers, the sensation of his tongue entwining and mating with hers, flooded her mind and body and soul. She drank him in even as he seemed intent on drinking her down. They meshed, and her heart raced, her blood heated, and she yearned . She yearned to feel his flesh on hers and in hers.
Too soon he tapered his oral possession, and she found herself chasing his lips as he weaned them from hers. She didn’t want the kiss to end. She didn’t want to let go of the thrilling freefall she experienced whenever a man named Benedict put his hands or his mouth on her.
“Good morning, my Maggie.”
“Mm, it is now.” Oh, Maggie, do you have to be so artless ? Then Richard gave her such a beautiful smile, and in that moment she understood she didn’t need to put on an act or follow any kind of convention with Richard or either of his brothers. She could just be herself.
“It is, yes. Here, this is for you.”
“Thank you.” Maggie had never received a gift from a man before. She didn’t know what to expect. She felt pretty certain it wasn’t jewelry or chocolates. She didn’t think Richard Benedict would give her something so predictable, first time out. She looked around for someplace to set the box so she could open it, and then shook her head when she realized they hadn’t even moved from the entrance hall.
“Come into the kitchen with me, please. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, thank you. I think I’ve had my quota of caffeine for the day. But I’ll sit with you while you have yours.”
She led him through the house toward the kitchen. He stopped for a moment first, though, at the door to the parlor, clearly taking in the changes to the room. Since the last time he’d seen it, she’d found the chess table she’d envisioned, and added another armchair. Now two overstuffed chairs faced the fireplace, while a love seat stood at an angle to it, facing the bookshelves. Grandma Kate must have already gotten the word out, because Maggie had received several boxes of books. She wanted to sort and catalogue them first, before she filled the shelves.
“This is really nice. One of the differences between a B and B and a hotel is the hominess, allowing for a more personal touch. This will make your guests feel they can linger and relax. I like it.”
Maggie felt herself go all gooey inside at his words of praise. “That’s exactly the mood I’m hoping for here. I’m aiming as much for corporate guests as for tourists. I think businessmen and women would appreciate being able to unwind at the end of the day, and that’s not always easy to do away from home.”
“I think you’ve nailed it.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t resist stretching up and giving him a brief kiss. When she headed toward the kitchen, he slipped his arm around her and walked beside her.
She liked that sensation a lot.
Maggie had left the window over the kitchen sink open. A soft breeze filled with the promise of spring wafted through the
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