~ Desert Blossom ~

by

Rebecca Grace

"Sure," she said. He took her hand as they walked to his house and Maggie’s heart began to throb. Her skin tingled with awareness. As they walked inside, he grasped her hand tighter. Night lights glowed in the gloomy interior and as he closed the door, he pulled her toward him.

Maggie nearly tripped, but then she was leaning against his hard chest, her nostrils inhaling the warm wonderful scent of him, her heart hammering against her chest. He released her hand and his arms wrapped around her, holding her body against his.

"Oh, Maggie," he whispered into her hair. "Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. Wonderful, magnificent Maggie."

Her name sounded glorious on his lips, and she looked up, her eyes stopping at the thin thatch of dark hair that sprouted from the open neck of his shirt. She’d always been fascinated with that hair, and her fingers touched it, outlining the neck of his shirt. As her eyes lifted she found his clear blue eyes filled with hot desire. It had been a long time since she had seen that look in a man’s eyes. It felt good.

Maggie could feel the strength of his body against hers as he held her. Her breath quickened and for a second she feared he might let her go and head for the kitchen to make coffee, but just as she was wishing he would do it, he leaned down and dropped his lips to hers.

The kiss was filled with warmth, and her body tingled as his lips explored hers. She opened her eager mouth to him as her body trembled slightly.

Wrapping her arms around his shoulders, Maggie stood on her toes to meet his kiss forcefully. She had no idea what she was doing, but her lips seemed to have a will of their own, opening to his, seeking his, asking for more, responding in a way she didn’t know she could.

His tongue snaked out, licking the edges of her lips and then darting inside as he deepened the kiss. Maggie moaned deep in her throat, her insides growing liquid and hot as molten lava. A pain grew deep in her lower regions and her heart raced.

She wanted him. She knew what that was now, to physically desire a man to the point of hurting as a way of proclaiming their love.

Love! No, this wasn’t proclaiming love. This was what? Physical desire?

"Wait," she said, her breath coming in quick, uneven gasps.

"I’m sorry," he said. "I didn’t mean to push anything."

"You’re not. I don’t want this to be because you feel sorry for me."

"Oh, Maggie," he groaned. "I don’t feel sorry for you." He caught her hands and brought them to his lips.

In the dim light she could make out fiery lights in his eyes. The flames of desire! He wanted her as badly as she wanted him.

"I feel sorry for me," he said.

"For you?"

"Because you’re so sweet, so wonderful, so beautiful."

No one had ever called her that before. Not even Al had ever spoken to her that way.

"Would you have even looked at me before I got rid of my glasses or lost weight?" she asked.

His chuckle was quick and he kissed her fingers again. "I did. I always thought you were sweet and your eyes were pretty, and your skin so soft. I like your new weight, but it never mattered. You used to call yourself pudgy old Maggie, but I never thought of it that way. I like a woman who looks like a woman, not one of these scarecrows."

"Your wife..." she began.

He put his fingers to her lips to stop her from saying more. "Billie said something to me tonight that made me think."

"Billie?"

"Yes. She made me realize what has been happening all along. I’ve been afraid of getting too involved with you because I might get hurt. But she asked tonight what I’d feel now if I lost you. And when I saw you dancing with those guys tonight... Well, maybe I wanted to set you up so I could leave, but now... now I know I can’t do that. I don’t want them to have you."

His words rattled around in her head. "Are you saying... you want me?"

"I don’t know what I want. I guess..." He leaned over and kissed her quickly again. "I guess what I’m saying is remember when I said I wanted to take you out? Well, I think we move to the next step now. And see where we go from here."

Maggie’s heart was pounding so hard she feared he could hear it. She’d never been so happy in all her life. And yet she wanted him to kiss her again, to resume those magical touches with his lips that brought fire to her veins. She clutched his hand and reached up and kissed him.

"Yes," she whispered against his lips. "Oh, yes."

Jack walked her home and strolled back across his front lawn again, aware that Maggie had not yet gone inside. He had a feeling she was composing herself, much as he needed to compose himself. The touch of her lips still sizzled on his.

What a magnificent night. Jack had not felt this good since... well, he didn’t want to think that it was when Carla was alive. This was different.

Different and yet the same. As he had watched Maggie at the party, he’d discovered how strongly he felt about her. As he’d watched her dance with other men, the knowledge had come. He was falling in love with her. No, not falling. Already there. He’d watched her talking with them, smiling up at them, and realized he wanted those smiles exclusively for himself. He had no right to ask for them yet. That was what had made him think he should propose to her they move on to the next step.

He hopped up his steps, opened the door and walked inside. As he so often did when he walked into the house, Jack’s eyes sought out Carla’s picture. Maybe he should move it to another location. Not that he would ever forget her. But she was gone from his life. Her memories would live on, she would always be part of him. But his future was elsewhere. Perhaps the time had come to seek it out.

Maggie, his heart sang. Magnificent Maggie.