“Kids.”Braden watched as his brothers sat three rowsabove them.From there, they would have a clear sight line for the field—and Braden and Maggie, too.
“They don’t like them?”Maggie whispered.
“More like theyarekids.”He loved that he could make her laugh.After their last conversation, he suspected she could use more laughter.He was all too happy to help with that.When he realized he was staring, he turned to Cody.“Thanks for letting Delilah take the bone for show-and-tell.”
“Cody, I did good.”Delilah climbed over Braden and wedged herself between him and Cody.“Teacher said it was the bestest show-and-te-ll ever.”
Delilah was instantly distracted by the cheerleaders running onto the field.“Oh, wook.”
The cheerleaders had lined up along the track, and the players came running across the field to their benches.
“Here we go,” Cody said.“Get ready to cheer.”
And they did.He worried Delilah’d be hoarse in the morning but she was having too much fun to stop her.
Halftime meant bathroom visits for the kids, hot chocolate purchases from the booster club booth and Maggie retrieving the blanket from her car.When the second half started, the four of them were huddled together under the thick fleece-lined fabric.Delilah had chosen Maggie’s lap while Cody sat between them.All in all, they were all toasty and warm.
They were only fifteen minutes into the second half when Delilah’s eyelids grew heavy.Another five minutes and she’d burrowed into Maggie and fallen into a deep sleep.
“How can she do that?”Cody asked, getting heavy-lidded himself.“It’s so…” He yawned.“Noisy.”
“Beats me.”Braden reached around Maggie to tuck in the blanket more securely.“You two warm enough?”The wind had picked up and there was a definite bite to it.
Maggie nodded.“Thank you.”Beneath the fluorescent stadium lights, her eyes were a deep emerald.
He swallowed against the tightening in his chest.“I can take her, if you want?”
“She’s good.It’s been a long time since Cody let me cuddle him like this.”She glanced at her son with such longing Braden didn’t know what to make of it.
“I’m a man, Ma.”Cody yawned again.“Men don’t cuddle their mothers.”He could barely keep his eyes open.
“But they can sleep on them,” Braden whispered, watching as Cody’s eyes shut and he leaned, heavily, against his mother.“You sure you got them both?”
“I think so.”From the smile on her face, she’d suffer any discomfort to keep her son close.
Braden slid closer, adjusted the blanket again, then propped his arm behind her on the bleacher’s seat.“You can lean on me, if they get too heavy.”
“Oh, I’m fine, but thank you.”She blew at a strand of hair that had fallen across her face.
Without thought, Braden reached up and tucked the curl behind her ear.When his fingertips brushed behind her ear, her breath hitched, and he wanted nothing more than to stop time.Long enough to drink in the look on her face and the heat in her eyes.
Damn, but he was a fool.
There was no pretending this wasn’t real—not anymore.The longer she stared at him, the more he wanted to touch her.Not as her friend but as a man.A man who really, desperately, wanted this woman.
Chapter Eight
Maggie couldn’t breathe.She couldn’t think or move.And she certainly couldn’t look away from the man staring, unflinchingly, into her eyes.She didn’t want to.Her tingles had long ago given way to something molten and unyielding and infinitely more powerful than anything she’d ever experienced.
The hunger in Braden Parker’s gaze was undeniable.And it was all for her.He wanted her.
And she wanted him.Oh, so much.She couldn’t quite wrap her brain around what was happening—or what she was feeling.He wanted her?
But…but they’d agreed to be friends.Hadn’t they?
Yes, we have.
Friends.Onlyfriends.He’d said those very words.She remembered it clearly.
