Losing Control (10 page)

“Well, I—”

“Oh just shut up,” she snapped. “I’m on a
date
. You can’t be calling me and…and saying things like that. God.”

“Maggie, I forgot you were on a date when I called, I swear.”

“No, you didn’t. I don’t believe that for a second.” She caught herself before she stomped her foot. She didn’t know who she was more upset with. Him for calling or herself for being so affected. “I need to get back to my date.”

“Fine,” he drawled. “But, Maggie, think about this. You didn’t have to listen. All you had to do was hang up.”

“Kiss my ass,” she hissed, before hitting end. She pulled in several deep breaths. Damn, she had to still make it through dinner with Mr. Dully McDullerton. Then she would deal with Spencer.

Chapter Seven

“So, why don’t you tell me all about it?”

Maggie looked up as Kate strolled into her living room, where she’d been sitting alone in the quiet.

“All about what?”

Kate sat next to her and lifted a brow. “Don’t try to bullshit me. Your little happy face might fool your brothers, but this is me, Mags. Last night at dinner, the tension between you and Spence was…well, hot and thick. So what is going on?”

Kate and Gabe had returned from their honeymoon the day before, and the family had come together for dinner. Their mother had, of course, included Spence. Maggie had tried to keep things light, not wanting to add any drama to her friend’s homecoming. Mission failed.

“Nothing,” she muttered.

“Bullshit,” Kate said in a sing-song voice. “Maybe I should go ask
him
?”

“Nosy bitch,” Maggie said without any heat.

Kate threw her head back and laughed. “I recall you were the nosy bitch not too long ago, so it’s my turn.” She wrapped her arm around Maggie’s shoulders. “Come on. It’ll be better once you talk about it.”

Maggie sighed. And gave in. Talking with Kate always helped, and they hadn’t had enough of that lately with the wedding. “Well, that first night, when he drove me home, we sort of fooled around.”

“I knew it!” Kate did a little butt wiggle on the cushion.

“Do you want to hear this or not?” She narrowed her eyes at her friend.

“Sorry, go on.”

Maggie let it all out, from that first night to the phone call that interrupted her date. When she was finished, she stared at Kate and waited.

“Oh, Mags.” Kate sighed.

“What?” She shook her head. “Why that damned disappointed tone?”

“You make these plans and when something, even if it’s good, gets in the way, you just sink your teeth in all the deeper.”

“I can be flexible,” she protested.

“Yeah, flexible like iron,” Kate quipped. “Why can’t you just see where this thing with Spence goes? He’s a great guy, and I think letting yourself enjoy him would do you a world of good. Just going with it, instead of having everything planned out to the last detail would be freeing, don’t you think?” She chuckled. “And the horrified look on your face tells me you don’t agree.”

“I get what you’re saying,” Maggie conceded. “Still, I don’t see how it would ever work between the two of us. We are too different.”

“I’m not saying you should marry the man, for God’s sake. Just enjoy him and see what happens. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” Kate insisted. “Though, I will say, you’ve made some pretty sweeping assumptions about him, based on what? That he’s an artist like Cal? That doesn’t mean he and Cal are exactly alike. You should know that better than anyone. You and Cal share DNA and couldn’t be more different.”

“I just can’t see wasting my time. I’m ready to take that step and settle down with the right guy.”

“How is obsessing over him and trying to avoid him any easier than just being with him?” Kate asked pointedly. “The way I see it, you’re not going to be able to be with anyone else anyway unless this thing is resolved with Spence. And the only way you can do that? Be with him, enjoy it. And if it turns out he’s not the right guy, then you can move on.”

Maggie bit her lip then nodded. “You’re right. Avoiding him isn’t solving anything. It’s just making us both miserable. I need to get him out of my system so I can get back on track.”

“Whoa!” Kate held her hand up. “That so isn’t what I said.”

“No, it makes sense.” Maggie nodded. “Total sense. I just,” she sighed, “don’t want to mess up his friendship with Cal if things don’t end well. But if we talk about it beforehand, discuss the possible fallout after it’s over, we can avoid some problems, don’t you think?”

Kate frowned. “Maggie, I don’t think you understood fully what I was saying. I wasn’t suggesting you just go fuck around until you’re tired of each other. I think you owe it to both of you to get to know him. Really know him, not just his anatomy, no matter how appealing that may be.”

“I know,” Maggie said absently. She wondered if she should go see Spencer before she headed to work. Glancing at the clock, she decided she had enough time. It was perfect, actually. There’d be time to discuss, but not enough to…well, to end up where they always ended up. Wrapped around each other. Not that she didn’t want that to happen, but for both their sakes, the conversation had to happen first.

When she looked at her friend, Kate was shaking her head.

“What?”

“I can see your mind is set, and there’s nothing else I can say.” Kate gave her a quick hug. “Just be careful, Mags. And keep an open mind.”

Maggie returned the embrace then jumped to her feet. “I need to get ready for work. Are you headed home?”

“No, I’m meeting your mom at the resort for a late lunch.” Kate rose as well. “I think I’ll swing by the bookstore a little bit afterward, though. I’ve missed it.”

“Okay, I’ll see you there.” Her mind on Spencer and what was to come, Maggie raced to the stairs and, taking them two at a time, called over her shoulder. “Thanks, Kate!”

Forty-five minutes later, she strode into the gallery space below her brother’s apartment, figuring at this time of day both men would be overseeing the work being done on the building. She surveyed the large area where drywall was being installed. One of the workers glanced over at her.

“Can I help you, ma’am?”

“I’m looking for Spencer Reed. Or Cal Monroe.”

“In back.” He jerked a thumb in the general direction. “Just follow the music.”

She smiled in thanks and headed that way. The only door on the back wall was closed and as she approached the music behind it grew louder. When she turned the knob and pulled, she could almost feel the beat of the classic rock song on the air. Leaning against the doorjamb, she just surveyed the scene before her a moment. Both Cal and Spence stood at easels, with their backs to her.

Spencer’s foot tapped as his brush flew over the canvas. She didn’t know how either of them could concentrate with the music blaring—particularly Spencer as Cal was singing along, loud and horrible. Maggie’s lips twitched. As the song finished, she took the opportunity to clear her throat, and Cal was the first to turn, though Maggie’s focus was completely on Spencer as a moment later, he faced her.

“Hey, Mags.” Cal set his brush down and crossed the room to switch off the CD player. “What’s up?”

She glanced at her brother. “I need to talk to Spencer,” she said sharply.

Cal grinned. “I’ll just, uh, go.” He scooted around her with a laugh and a nudge with his shoulder.

Spence lifted a brow. “What can I do for you, darlin’?”

She took a deep breath then with long strides went to him. Hands on his cheeks, she pulled him down and took his mouth. Just a kiss, she thought. Kiss…then talk.

Shock coursed through Spence when their mouths met. The kiss was brutal; Maggie held nothing back. His mind went blank when her tongue, slick and sweet, drove forward and dueled with his. The brush slipped from his fingers and clattered to the floor. He settled his hands on her ass, while hers explored, running over his shoulders, up to run through his hair, back down to his chest.

With a groan, he drew away and searched her face. “Maggie, I’m not complaining, mind you. But what’s going on?”

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth and stepped back. “I’m tired of fighting.”

His heart lurched. “Fighting what?”

“What’s between us. I want you,” she whispered. “But I’m worried.”

He reached for her hand and pulled her back against him. “About what?”

“How things between us will affect your friendship, and business, with Cal. I don’t want to come between you.” She tilted her head back to hold his gaze.

“Your brother has been a big fan of us getting together,” he chuckled, “so I don’t think we have to worry about his disapproval.”

“I know, but what about when it’s over? I don’t want there to be hard feelings or…” She dropped her head forward, resting it against his chest.

Spence closed his eyes. She’d said “when”, not “if”. It was clear that she placed any relationship between them in the temporary category. A part of him wanted to rage against that, but he knew that would only serve to push her away. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

“Don’t worry about Cal and I—we’re solid. Let’s just,” he tightened his embrace a moment, “focus on us right now.”

When she pulled away, she gave him a trembling smile. “I have to go to work, but maybe later…”

“Definitely later,” he murmured.

“Um, my place isn’t going to work. Not with Mom there. And in the same apartment as my brother just, well, doesn’t appeal.” She grimaced. “A hotel room?”

“No need,” he assured. “I took the apartment across the hall from Cal.”

“Oh,” she said happily. “That’s a relief. I’ll come after work then.”

He covered her mouth with his, in a hard, quick kiss. “Looking forward to it. Come on, I’ll walk you out.”

Hand in hand, they walked out of the building. After kissing her goodbye, he watched her hurry down the street toward the bookstore. Once she was out of sight, he ran a hand through his hair, and with a sigh, headed back inside. He went upstairs and went to Cal’s apartment. Without knocking, he entered. His friend was in the kitchen, assembling two massive sandwiches.

“Hope one of those is for me.”

“Grab a few beers from the fridge, will ya? Be done here in a sec.”

Spence went to the fridge and, grabbing the beers, brought them to the small table. He plopped onto the chairs, stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles.

“So?” Cal set the plates on the table and sat across from Spence.

“So.” Spence took a bite and washed it down with a swig of beer.

“Has my sister finally come to her senses?”

“She’s coming by tonight,” he said between bites. “Seems open to seeing where things go.”

“And you don’t sound as happy as I’d expect.”

“I’m happy, but she made it pretty clear that she expects this to end fairly quickly. I figure she decided not to fight it but expects it to burn out.” He shrugged a shoulder, trying not to let on how much that bothered him. That, underneath the anticipation of the coming night and happiness that Maggie wasn’t running from him anymore, the fact Maggie saw their relationship with an expiration date infuriated him.

“So what are you going to do?” Call asked. “Or do you expect it to fizzle out too?”

“I don’t expect anything. I’m willing to see where this goes, and while she says she is too, talking about
when
it ends shows that she sees this as a fling, not anything long-term. “He took a long draw from his bottle. “So what am I going to do?” he repeated Cal’s question. “See where it goes and if I can convince your sister that this isn’t short-term.”

“Good luck with that,” his friend said rolling his eyes.

“You don’t think I can change her mind?”

“Look, I hope you do, really and sincerely. But, as much as I love Mags, when she makes her mind up about something, she’s like a rabid dog with its teeth sunk deep. It’s going to be tough to make her let go.” Cal shook his head then repeated, “I hope you can. I think you’re great for her even if she doesn’t see it.”

“I’m sure your seal of approval will make all the difference to her,” Spence said dryly.

“Yeah, start building your case with that tidbit.” Cal laughed.

Spence stood, brought his plate to the sink, and deposited his empty in the recycling. “Thanks for lunch. I’m going to clean up downstairs.” He grimaced as he thought of the forgotten brushes and palettes. “Then I need to go shopping. My fridge is bare.”

Cal stood as well. “Go on. I’ll take care of downstairs.”

Clapping a hand on his friend’s shoulder, Spence nodded his thanks then headed to the door. “Thanks.”

Now he just had to figure out what he needed for his first night with Maggie. This wouldn’t be a hurried fucking with them half-dressed. No, tonight would be about seduction, about showing Maggie Monroe this wasn’t just sex. It was much, much more.