I clear my throat and avert my gaze to the wall to avoid his judging glare. “You always said when you met Tasha that it was it for you, you knew she was the one.”
He nods, eyes narrowed. “You’re saying you know that about Maeve?”
I exhale noisily. “I don’t know what I’m saying. Stranger things have happened and we all know in a situation where both people don’t want to make the same life damning mistake twice, something awful is bound to happen. There’re a million things that could go wrong.”
He shakes a finger at me. “All you need is one thing to go right.”
“Stop being annoying. Don’t you have work to do?”
“Don’t you?” he snaps back.
I lift and lower a shoulder. “Not really.”
He stands. “Good, because I’m busy and I need you to swing by the mall for me like you do every year.” I groan and roll my head back in irritation.
“Why can’t you go yourself after work? You ask me every year to do your bidding and I’m starting to think you’re taking advantage of me.”
Isaac furrows both bushy brows, and his eyes crinkle in the corner. “Me?” He palms his chest. “Take advantage of you? Come on. You know she’s suspicious and tracks our cards this time every year.”
“I know, I know, and you like to surprise her. I’m surprised she’s not tracking my bank statements after this many years. What do you need me to buy?”
“I’ll text you the links,” Isaac says, victory ringing in his voice. “Just a couple stops at the mall.”
Grabbing my head, I moan again. “This is why I don’t want a woman. Look at all this trouble you have to go through. It’s so much work to mislead them with good intentions. Imagine if you were trying to mislead for bad intentions!”
He slaps my shoulder. “I’d never do that. Her smile is worth all your hassle, brother.”
“How many more years am I subject to servitude?”
“For all of time. When you get a woman, I will pay you back.” He spins when he gets to the doorway and smirks at me.
I grab my cell phone from the drawer and turn it on. “Basically you’re giving me every reason to try to coerce Maeve into a real relationship with me.”
Isaac flashes me his suave smile and says, “Basically.” He tells me the links are on the way.
The metal door clicks closed and I grab my gym bag from under my desk and sign off of all the accounts I was working in and lock up on my way out. The halls are dead as it’s the end of the day and only those who have specific tasks linger. The Summit SEAL base is the newest addition to the SEAL Teams around the U.S. and as most of the cold weather training happens here, and winter approaching, this place will be crawling with people soon enough. The lull before the storm, if you will. I stop by my cage to change into civilian clothes before I leave the building.
I check my watch as I make my way to my truck to see how much time I have before Turner gets out of school, and decide to go straight to the god-forsaken mall to do Isaac’s bidding. I do love Tasha. She is the perfect SEAL spouse. She’s rough around the edges, because you need grit, but at the same time, feminine and soft. She takes care of their kids and runs a marketing business from home. Tasha is perfect for my best friend in every way, and I guess by helping make her anniversary gifts a surprise, I’m acknowledging that.
I’m walking through the parking lot when my phone rings. “Maeve. How are you?” I can’t help but smile. “I was just thinking about you.”
“Hey, sorry to bother you in the middle of the day, but I was wondering what you were up to tonight.”
I’d love to say you, but that’s unrealistic. “Running an errand now. Then cooking dinner for Turner and me. First week with the new nanny, so I wanted to get home early.”
“Oh, that makes sense. Never mind. Uh, I’ll see you at Turner’s appointment tomorrow then.”
I clear my throat. “Maeve, you called to say something. Say it.”
I feel her sigh directly on my cock. “I feel really awful about how Friday ended and I wanted to make it up to you with dinner, but I didn’t really think it through, obviously, I called you as soon as it sprung to mind, and now I’m wishing I could be a little less impulsive when it comes to you.”
Pressing my lips together, I stop a chuckle. “Your impulsivity is endearing.” The knot in my stomach blooms as I think back to what Isaac said. Can I juggle this? If it means I get a little happiness, and Maeve undressed and under me? “Without sounding like a real dick, can I ask if you’d like to come over… late? After Turner goes to bed. Eight?” It’s a simple invitation most wouldn’t think anything of, except for me, this is monumental. The breaking of a strict code I pride myself on. Father first. Everything else second. My breathing speeds as her silence fills the void.
Then comes her reply. “You’re okay with that?”
I have to be. You’re forcing my hand. “Yes. If you’re okay with it.”
Maeve releases a pensive exhale. “Lincoln, after Friday night and what almost happened, I can’t stop thinking about you. I should be terrified that someone is living out in my woods, but all I can think about is what happened in between us.” Her voice trails off to a whisper at the end of her sentence.
“And you still want it to happen between us? That’s why you’re coming over tonight? Just so I have my dominos in order.” She’s silent so long, I’m not sure she’s still on the other end. “Hello?”
“Yeah. Yeah, that’s what
