Page 19 of One Lustful Summer
After quickly introducing my aunt and uncle, we all head inside. Maggie grips my hand as she steps over the threshold where my parents wait. Before I have a chance to introduceher to my parents, Jodi comes running into the room.
“Maggie,” Jodi exclaims as she runs up to Maggie with her arms outstretched. Maggie releases my hand and bends down to catch Jodi. She wraps her in her arms and gives her a big squeeze.
“Jodi-bug,” Maggie replies as she holds her close. When she releases Jodi, she stands back up and her hand instantly finds mine.
She looks calm on the outside, but I can see her fidget as my parents take her in. She’s nervous, but she has no reason to be.
“Ma, Dad, this is Maggie.” I announce.
Dad walks up and holds his hand out. “Nice to meet you, Maggie. Cowen DuPont, but everyone calls me Coe. And this is my wife Mia.”
Maggie shakes his hand with her free hand. “Nice to meet you both.”
Mom steps up and engulfs Maggie in a hug. “I’m so happy to meet you,” she tells my woman. When mom pulls back, she wipes at her eyes, her happiness shining through.
“Okay, who’s ready to eat?” I ask, ready for the evening to get started.
Everyone is on board, so I give Maggie a quick kiss on her forehead and go grab the steaks from the fridge. Lauren eases next to Maggie, giving her support as I step away. Dad, Dean and Uncle Steve head out to the patio and keep me company while I grill the meat.
I watch through the patio doors as Maggie helps the women place the food out on the island. When the steaks are done, I load them up and take them inside. Everyone loads up their plates and heads outside to the tables we have set up.
Conversation flows around us, everyone talking and laughing. I lean close to Maggie andwhisper in her ear, “You doing okay?”
She leans against me, her touch calming and welcome. “I am. Your family is great.” Before I can comment, Lauren pulls her into a different conversation. I watch Maggie for a moment. Her smile is big and her eyes shine with excitement. The nerves she had before seem to have evaporated as she settle in with everyone.
When I look around the table, everyone listens intently to Maggie and Lauren. Everyone but mom, she’s watching me with a smile. She mouths, ‘I like her’, and while I wasn’t waiting for her approval, I’m glad I have it.
The evening progresses with dessert, warm apple crisp with vanilla ice cream and coffee. As everyone starts to head out and go home, Maggie stands by my side as we say our goodbyes. When it’s just the three of us left, Maggie and I join Jodi on the couch for a kids’ movie before bed.
Jodi snuggles in between the two of us. Her head is resting in Maggie’s lap and her feet in mine. I spend more time watching the two of them than I do the TV screen. Maggie runs her fingers through Jodi’s hair, lulling her to sleep as the day’s activities give way to her exhaustion.
She is out for the count halfway through the movie. I take Jodi to bed, covering her up with her blanket, and she never stirs in her slumber.
When I make it back to the living room, it’s empty. I find Maggie in the kitchen tidying up from our evening. “Leave it,” I tell her as I make my way to her. “It’s time to take you to bed.”
I lead her into my room, closing the door and engaging the lock. The last thing I need is for Jodi to walk in.
Maggie makes her way to my bed and opens the bag she brought over for tonight. She had left it in Lauren’s SUV when they arrived, but Lauren went and grabbed it while the women were in the kitchen and otherwise occupied.
She grabs some clothes and heads into the master bath to change into her pajamas. I step into the walk-in closet and remove my clothes and pull on a pair of basketball shorts.
When she walks out, Maggie heads right to the bed. She pulls the covers back and then slides in. I flick the light switch on my way to her and climb in beside her, pulling her close.
“I had a good night,” she tells me in the darkness.
“Me, too. Now, do you think you can be quiet?”
“I think I can,” she retorts with quiet laughter.
And she keeps quiet as I take from her, and she takes from me. Her cries muffled in the pillow or my palm.
Chapter 14
Maggie
I roll over in bed. Sunlight streams through Rowan’s window and warms my face. I hear him moving around in his closet and he gets ready for the day.
Ever since his family dinner a few weeks ago, I have been staying at his house most nights. When we woke the next morning and found Jodi watching cartoons in the living room, everything felt right. There was no awkwardness about why I was coming out of her dad’s room, or why I was still in my pajamas. It was almost as if was our new normal.
