Authors: Lauren Dane
Liv and Dee hugged her and told her they’d call her the next day. “Do you want to stay with me?” Liv asked.
“No, Liv, I’ll see you tomorrow, I just want to go home and take a bath and go to sleep.”
-49-
Lauren Dane
With a gentle guiding hand, Kyle nodded to everyone and took her out to his car.
On the way to her house he stayed quiet, letting her pull herself together. She appreciated that space. She wasn’t ready to talk about it any further at that point.
When he pulled into her driveway he got out and came around to help her get out. “I’m going to come in, Maggie. Just to do a quick check.
I don’t think there’s a problem but let’s just be safe. All right?” He took the key from her and unlocked the door.
“You think he might be here?” Nausea rolled over her at the idea.
She’d always felt safe living alone, now she didn’t.
“No, darlin’ I just want to be safe.” His voice was soothing as he reached in to turn on the light before walking into the foyer. “I’m just going to look around. I want you to stay here while I do. I’ll be right back.”
Leaving her there, trying to set aside how scared she looked, he walked through each room of the house. He checked window seals and locks, closets, doors and under beds. No one else was there or had tried to get in and he was pleased to note that her locks and other security were in good shape.
“It’s all right,” he called out, coming down the stairs. The scent of her bedroom was burned into his memory. Rain and vanilla. And the sight of her panties, folded in silky piles on her dresser had made him clutch his chest. The knowledge that the woman wore silky, lacy thong underwear in every color of the rainbow haunted him.
The woman was involved with his brother. His brother who hadn’t bothered to call yet to check in.
“I know it sounds weird but I’m suddenly hungry. Care to see what I’ve got in my fridge? I know I need some food to go with that scotch I’m going to drink.”
-50-
Giving Chase
He didn’t want to leave. “Sure. Sounds good.” Following her into the large kitchen, he sat at her comfortable, worn table.
On her tip toes, she reached up into a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of scotch. “Why don’t you do the honors?” She put the bottle on the counter. “I’m going to see what we’ve got to choose from.” Turning quickly, she opened the fridge and began to examine the contents.
In companionable silence, Kyle poured them both two fingers of scotch, breathing in the smoky scent. He handed her a glass which she quickly drained and held the glass out to be refilled. With one eyebrow raised, he poured more but she merely took a sip and put the glass down and continued to work.
He went back to his place at the table and watched her as she moved through her kitchen. She pulled out vegetables, rice, some chicken and started preparing things. “How does chicken and rice sound?” She poked her head around the refrigerator door to ask.
“It sounds really good. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather get take out?
Or be alone? I don’t want to impose.”
She grinned at him. “Hey, it’s no problem now that the scotch has kicked in. I’d love to cook for you as a thank you for coming home with me.”
He laughed. “Okay then, lay it on me. Can I help?”
“Nah, I’ve got it down to a science.”
And so he watched her as she moved with efficiency around her kitchen, chopping and sautéing. They made small talk but he let her lead, not pushing her to fill in every moment of the silence. He could tell she was still processing the events from earlier.
With a start, he realized he wanted to know her more. Wanted to spend time with her. And god, did he ever want to kiss her. He’d known he had an attraction to her but this was more.
Kyle knew in his gut that Shane would fuck up. He was of two minds about it. The mercenary side of him wanted Shane out of the way so he
-51-
Lauren Dane
could take her out. Freely express to her just how much he enjoyed her company. But he also knew a woman as sweet as Maggie would be hurt when the inevitable happened and he hated the thought.
So he put his feelings away and decided that fate would out in the end. He had to step back. He didn’t like it, but brothers had rules and he would not betray that.
After dinner he walked to her front door. “Are you going to be all right? He’s wrong, you know.” Kyle said quietly, touching her chin.
A lump formed in Maggie’s throat, words couldn’t get past it.
“You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re a good person, Maggie. A kind, beautiful woman. Alex is twisted, broken. This is about him, not you.” Swallowing her tears she nodded. “Thank you. Thank you so much for saying it. I’ll be fine. My doors will be locked up tight and I have no problem calling 911 if I have to.”
He smiled and leaned in, kissing her forehead. “If you need anything, you can call me. I’ll talk you through or come over, whatever.”
“That’s very sweet. I appreciate it.”
“Goodnight, Maggie Wright.”
“Goodnight, Kyle Chase.”
Maggie cleaned up the kitchen, grateful to have something to do.
Leaving a few lights on downstairs, she trudged toward her bathroom and took a long hot shower. With a butcher knife, her cell phone and a baseball bat all within reach.
It might have been an overreaction but she was alone and you got to overreact when some creep attacked you.
Clean and warm, she crawled between her sheets and left her bedside lamp burning. But as she lay there, it wasn’t Alex she thought of, or Shane, it was Kyle.
-52-
Giving Chase
He’d been so gentle with her, so kind and funny and considerate. On top of being marvelously handsome, he was such a beautiful person on the inside. She really liked his company.
For long moments, there with her eyes closed, she imagined that his attentions that evening had been more than a man helping out a woman in distress. He’d seemed attracted to her but that couldn’t be right. It was absurd enough that Shane was attracted to her, there was simply no way that
two
Chases were interested in her. And anyway, she was dating Shane, she should be thinking about that.
Yeah.
Maggie had to admit that she was slightly bothered by the fact that Shane hadn’t really checked in with her after the incident at The Pumphouse. Not that night when he was supposed to have taken her out and only one brief phone call in the week after. It was an effort but she reminded herself that they were just casual and that she’d be a broken hearted fool to get attached. That way lay pain and anguish.
So she’d told herself until Friday night. She and her friends sat at their normal Friday night table, drinking beers and talking when she saw Shane walk in the front door. Her heart skipped a beat and she smiled at him. A smile that quickly faded when she saw he was with Kendra Fosse.
Tall, blonde regal Kendra. Maggie turned back to the table quickly.
“What?” Liv looked toward the door. A frown marred her face when she sighted Shane and Kendra. “Maggie, I’m sorry, hon. Don’t worry about it. I was thinking that we should go and kick up our heels at the Honky Tonk tonight. What do you say?”
Dee nodded, standing up and throwing some money on the table.
“Sounds good, I haven’t danced in forever. Let’s go!” She tugged on
-53-
Lauren Dane
Maggie’s arm and got a smile and an eye roll. Still, she thought it best to leave and allowed them to pull her out the front door.
In the back room, Kyle saw Shane’s entrance with Kendra and Maggie’s reaction and subsequent retreat. “You are some piece of work, Shane,” he murmured as Kendra walked past them to hit the ladies’
room, probably to apply more hairspray.
“What?”
“What? Jeez, you said you were going out with Maggie, right?”
“Yeah? So? It’s not like we’re serious. I like her and all but I’m not planning to marry the girl.” Shane’s voice was gruff. Kyle knew it was just to hide how freaked his brother was about being hurt again like he’d been with Sandra. But at the same time, it was bullshit that his brother protected his heart by being an asshole.
“I never made promises, Kyle. Stop making me out to be the bad guy here. I honestly didn’t remember about her being in here on Fridays until I was already through the door. I’m not trying to hurt her.”
“Oh, okay. I was under the impression you had a thing for Maggie.
My bad. I didn’t know she was just the next in a long line of women you toy with and move past because, god forbid, you actually allow yourself feelings about any of them.” Scowling, Kyle took his shot.
Matt snorted in disgust at his oldest brother. “I think I’m going to go.
I’m meeting the guys over at the Honky Tonk.” He finished his soda and stalked out.
“Wait, I’ll come too. Friday night’s a good night at the Tonk. Lots of lovely ladies to dance with.” Marc followed with a laugh, pointedly ignoring his oldest brother.
Kendra came back and draped herself over Shane’s arm, looking bored. “Are you going to play pool?” she asked, a tiny bit of a whine in her voice.
“Yeah, you want to play?”
-54-
Giving Chase
She looked horrified at the very idea. “No, why would I want to do that. The sticks are used by everyone. Eww.”
“They’re called cues,” Kyle said under his breath and shot yet another ball into the pocket. He couldn’t help but think that Maggie would have jumped at the chance to play with them. He imagined those big whiskey eyes glittering with delight after she’d sunk a ball.
Kyle cleared the table of the solids and put the cue back into the slot on the rack. “I think I’m for the Tonk, too. Nice seeing you, Kendra.
Shane.”
“You want to hit the Honky Tonk, too?” Shane asked her.
“Sure,” she said, looking bored still. “At least they have a better quality of mixed drinks there.”
Maggie was glad she’d let them drag her to the Tonk. Instead of moping about Shane and gorgeous Kendra, she was kicking her heels up and dancing the night away. The Dixie Chicks were coming over the sound system and she had Ryan Jackson’s fine body guiding her along the floor effortlessly. Okay, so he was as married as the day is long and his wife put him up to dancing with Maggie so she could rest her feet but he made her laugh and she was having fun.
“Maggie, do you want a drink, sugar?” Ryan asked, having to yell in her ear.
“That sounds good, my legs are tired!” She laughed as he spun her off the floor and back toward their table and his wife who had her shoes off and her feet up.
It took a few seconds to register that Matt and Marc were there with Darla as well. “Oh hi.”
“Hey, Maggie. You sure were tearing it up out there.” Matt said it with an easy smile and she relaxed a bit.
-55-
Lauren Dane
“Nah, it was all Ryan. Darla let me borrow him a bit.” Drinks had arrived and they’d all fallen into an easy back and forth, talking and laughing, when Kyle, Shane and Kendra came in. Marc waved at them and they started toward the table.
“Uh, I should go and find Liv and Dee.” She moved to stand but Matt put his hand on her elbow to stay her.
“They’re both out there dancing.” He nodded with his head and waved at the other women who saw and waved back.
“Oh.”
“Stay a while and visit, Maggie. Chuck’s not showing any sign of letting Liv get away anyway.” Darla laughed, not knowing why Maggie wanted to run and hide.
Kyle came and sat down next to her, giving her a warm hello. “Hey there, shug. You owe me a dance tonight.” He stood up again. “In fact, why don’t we hit it now?” He bowed slightly and extended a hand and after a brief hesitation she took it, never once looking at Shane.
“All right then. But remember excessively tall men have much longer legs than small women. Which means you’ll be dragging me all over the place if you go too fast.”
“Do I look like I don’t know how to take it slow with the right woman?” he said with cheeky innuendo in his voice and she rolled her eyes.
“One of these days I need to meet your father to see if he’s as full of it as you four are.”
Kyle laughed as he led her down the steps and onto the floor. He twirled her once and into a slow two step as the tempo of the Martina McBride song came on and slowed the dancers down.
“You all right?” he asked her when they were away from the table.
“What do you mean?” He was so close to her it was hard to concentrate.
-56-
Giving Chase
“Shane isn’t a bad guy you know. He just got screwed over pretty severely a year and a half ago by his fiancée. Turns out she was sleeping with his best friend. Ran off with him a week before the wedding. Ever since, he’s guarded his feelings with women—never goes out with them for longer than a few weeks.”
“I really don’t care. I have no say in what Shane does. I just went out with him officially once and chatted with him a few times. I’m just dating him casually, I know that. It’s not like I have a vested interest in him or anything.” Even she didn’t believe it as she said it.
She liked Shane Chase, thought she might have been the one to settle him down. But okay, she knew it now. Knew it truly was just a casual dating relationship and she could do that. She was an adult woman after all. Liv did it all the time. There was no reason why she couldn’t enjoy herself with people and date around casually.
Kyle smiled.
God, she was so genuine and in way over her head.
“Ah, Maggie, you’re too sweet for this game. You’re a wonderful woman but don’t count on him coming around to that. He’s not ready to let himself really care about anyone just yet. I’d hate to see you get hurt. I just want you to know this up front, to protect yourself.”
“I appreciate the advice, Kyle.” She ruthlessly tamped down the sinking feeling that he was right. At the same time, Kyle’s arms around her made her feel warm and relaxed. The flesh just under his hand at her back tingled a bit. Maybe Alex was right, maybe she was a slut.
“If he wasn’t my brother, I’d ask you out myself.” He tried to sound lighthearted but it was the truth.
“Please don’t.”