Steal My Heart (38 page)

Maggie took his hand in hers and tugged gently. “Come on.”

He took a shuddering breath and nodded, ready to follow where ever she led.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Maggie fluffed the silk pillow once again and placed it on the upholstered settee. She folded her arms across her breast and surveyed the room, ascertaining that things were in order. Early evening sun filtered into the room through the large colonial windows, blanketing the large space in a soft orange glow. Anxiety was causing her empty stomach to churn nervously, stealing the spotlight from her intermittent nausea. She couldn’t help but worry her tortured bottom lip. Not satisfied with the fluffiness of the pillow she retrieved it and started to pound vigorously at its shapeless form.

“What did that poor pillow do to deserve that?”

The deep baritone chuckled from the doorway and Maggie’s hand halted. She turned to see Gabe’s large body leaning lazily on the jamb. His gorgeous smile, as usual, liquefied her insides and kicked up her heart rate. Her breath suspended in her throat at the sight of him. He was in dark gray slacks and a button-down light blue shirt. The color contrasted handsomely with his inky hair and dark eyes. He straightened, his long legs bringing him to her in a few quick strides. He rescued the pillow and tossed it back on the settee, taking her trembling hands in his.

“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine,” he assured, pulling her into his embrace.

Maggie sighed heavily and inhaled the scent she loved most of all. “I know…it’s just that I want everything to be perfect.”

He hooked a finger under her chin and raised her face to his. “Everything
is
perfect, beautiful.”

Her eyes bounced around the room again. Despite Gabe’s protests she’d cleaned for hours. “You sure?”

The edge of his lips pulled up. “Absolutely.” He slid a protective hand against her slightly rounded abdomen. “Are you feeling okay? Is the baby okay?”

She nodded and smiled up at him. “I feel fine. The nausea is a little better.”

His dark brows wrinkled slightly. “You sure you want to keep it a secret.”

Maggie nodded firmly. “We just have so much going on right now.”

He molded her against him once again and she felt his nose nuzzle into her hair. “Whatever you wish. Your call.”

“I’m just so nervous. I’m sweating. Should I take another shower?”

He chuckled, a soft melodic sound. “No. You’ve already taken two.”

She playfully swatted his arm and looked up at him. “Those were because of you.”

His dark eyes seemed to sparkle with a memory. “You know, we’re wasting a lot of water. We’re not being environmentally conscious.” He leaned in close to her ear and trailed his tongue along the rim. “Next time you feel the need to take a shower, I’ll just have to lick you clean…again,” he whispered wickedly.

Oh, God… 
She shot him an exasperated look at his provocative words, but lust was starting to thrum low in her belly. A reminder that this pregnancy made her very needy. It took very little for her to drag him up to the bedroom. He never seemed to mind, and in fact took every opportunity to feed her ravenous desire.

He brushed his knuckles against her cheek. “Really, Maggie. Don’t worry. Everything is perfect.”

She looked at her hand resting on his chest and couldn’t help the happy glow that filled her. The sparkling diamond on her left hand seemed to wink at her, concurring with his words. She and Gabe had moved into an apartment in the city a year and a half ago so that she could continue working in the operating room and he could run Masters’ Communications now that he’d assumed the duties of CEO. She was surprised at how much he had to travel, but since she’d reduced her hours to part time at the hospital, she was able to accompany him on most of his trips.

They spent almost every weekend here at the Master’s rustic retreat. Maggie loved the serenity of this place. It was their own private oasis in their too often chaotic world. They’d only been engaged now for a month, and Maggie had hoped for some time to bask leisurely in her happiness and take time planning her wedding. A trip to the doctor last week had her reeling with the unexpected news of her pregnancy.

She and Gabe were excited, but decided to keep the news secret until after the wedding. The wedding was to take place in a month, and they were glad no one questioned the quick timing. David knew the reason. But only because he’d seen her racing for the bathroom on a few occasions and guessed her ailment. He was sworn to secrecy.

Kate seemed thrilled about the upcoming wedding. She was very traditional and had frowned upon them moving in together unmarried. Getting pregnant before the wedding was something Maggie feared would throw her fragile mind into anarchy. She was still mourning the loss of her son and the fledgling relationship between she and Gabe was finally starting to show promise. Despite their rocky start, even things between the two of them had become amicable. It had been difficult for the family to deal with the aftermath of losing Thomas and the realization of what he’d done, but everyday a chunk of Gabe’s wall crumbled and more of the rays that lit his smile and brightened his eyes shined through.

Maggie just wanted things to go as smoothly as possible.

Kate was already in a frenzy with planning this engagement party and making preparations for an extravagant wedding at the mansion.

Maggie tilted her head. Voices were filtering into the room from the kitchen and hallway. Some of Gabe’s relatives had flown in from the West Coast for the engagement party. His bow-tied uncle and two pastel-wearing cousins were staying for the weekend. Kate was overseeing the meal preparations, and David was roaming around the house somewhere. Her family was expected any minute now, and her anxiety had ratcheted a few more scorching degrees. Gabe had met her parents several times, but he’d never met her three brothers.

Gabe touched his lips against the shell of her ear, diverting her thoughts. He played along the rim and lobe, and plotted a tantalizing path down her neck. She moaned, hooked her arms around his broad shoulders and leaned in. Her nipples instantly peaked, sensitive to the scratchy rub of the fabric over his chest.

“I just want you all to myself.” She pouted.

His lips moved to her jaw, and then he tugged her bottom lip with his teeth and gently sucked, causing her to arch against him.

“I promise that tonight you’ll have all of me, all to yourself.”

His lips slanted over her, his tongue snaking into her mouth, tracing the edge of her teeth then spearing deep. His hand moved to her hip, sealing her to him, and she could feel the rigid protrusion of his erection.

She moaned into his mouth and clutched him tighter, blocking out everything except the delicious taste of him and the solid feel of his body pressing against hers.

“Oh for God’s sake! Do you two not hear the doorbell ringing?” David’s chastising voice droned from the doorway.

Gabe inhaled a deep sigh and swung his head towards the door. Maggie groaned and buried her face in his shoulder.

“We’ll be right there,” he said to David, then gave him a dismissive glare when he didn’t leave. David sported a saucy grin and scooted away. He turned back to Maggie and stared down at her, a dark circle rimming his chocolate irises. He favored her with the full gorgeousness of his smile and she wanted to kiss the dimple in his chin. So she did.

“I love you more than anything,” he whispered softly. “You are my heart, my soul, my life.”

She smiled up at him, fighting the press of emotion that brought tears to her eyes. “I love you too.” She swiveled her head towards the door, hearing a surge of voices from the hall. “We’d better go.”

He planted a quick kiss on her lips then took a step. “Wait a sec.” he said, taking a minute to readjust his erection. He grinned at her.

She grinned back, a saucy turn of her lips. “I’ll just have to take care of that later.”

“I’ll hold you to it.” His grin widened and he waggled his brows. “Literally.”

She flashed her eyes and smile, preceding him from the room and into the hall.

“Mag!” Her brother William was the first to spot her and ran over to give her a giant bear hug, lifting her squealing off the floor. He was tall with cropped sandy brown hair and smiling blue eyes.

Maggie hugged him joyfully then stepped aside to introduce Gabe. She watched happily as the two pumped a handshake and exchanged a greeting. Her parents were at the door talking to David, and her brothers Frank and Peter were just making their way inside. She watched as David spotted Peter and rushed over to him, the two men flying through the air to bump their chests and scream like wild animals.

“Shit, guys! Let me get through the door!” Frank was complaining to the boisterous two as he stepped over the threshold. Frank was tall and very blonde. He was the oldest and more serious of the three…though not by much.

After greeting her parents, she introduced Gabe to her two other brothers and had to bite her tongue as Frank frowned and gave Gabe an angry glare.

“You the bastard who kidnapped my sister?” he asked gruffly when Gabe stuck out his hand.

She saw the look of blunt surprise cross Gabe’s face. Silently his head jerked to her then back at her brother who now had a huge grin on his face. Maggie had given them an abbreviated version of how she and Gabe had met.

“Ahh...that’s me,” Gabe said, hesitantly taking the hand proffered, but smiling brightly in return.

“And you didn’t drop her off at the nearest corner?” Frank asked, punching Maggie’s arm.

“She must have driven you crazy!” Peter interjected.

“Did she spray you down with Lysol before going with you?” William asked from behind.

Maggie rolled her eyes and ushered everyone towards the sitting room, trying to ignore the ribbing from her brothers.

“I’m surprised the cops didn’t just follow her loud snores!” Peter laughed.

Maggie huffed, affronted. “I do not snore, right, Gabe?”

Gabe stared, nonplussed. “Ahh…some may call it snoring but, it’s music to my ears.”

“Ah, shit! You must be in love!” Frank clapped Gabe on the shoulder and they shared a secret look of amusement. “You know they say love is blind, apparently it’s deaf too!” he joked.

As everyone moved into the sitting room, she called her gregarious brothers back to her and sequestered them in the hall. She almost laughed as all three stood against the wall and peered down at her like children in trouble. Blue eyes, the same shade as hers, gawked curiously.

She speared each one with a threatening gaze and wiggled a finger.

“Okay. Listen up!” she said, and silenced them when they started to speak. “No vagina jokes!”

The faces frowned then looked at each other in turn. Then they stared in shock at Maggie.

“Ahhh…come on…”William whined.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Frank said in disbelief.

“What the hell else are we supposed to talk about? We’re gynecologists!” William reminded.

Maggie sighed and looked at them. “I don’t know. But, his family…they’re…different.”

Frank’s blue eyes rounded. “Different? What do you mean? Like they eat with their toes?”

Maggie huffed in frustration. “No! They won’t really get the humor. They don’t…they don’t…really do jokes.” She bit her lip.

Peter looked appalled. “What kind of family are you marrying into, for God’s sake?”

“What are they? Morticians?” William inquired.

She looked around, then whispered. “They are just very proper and stuffy.” She blew out an irritated breath. “Not that that’s bad, just different,” she added.

“But everybody loves a good vagina joke! They can even tell a few if they like.”

“They don’t tell vagina jokes! Not many families do,” Maggie said tartly, now growing exasperated with her brothers.

Frank pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, looking very put out. “Okay, Mag, we know this is important to you. We’ll be on our best behavior.” He looked to his other siblings.

They both nodded. “Don’t worry, Mag.”

Taking a deep breath she smiled and hugged them, thinking how much she loved them and how lucky she was to have such great brothers. They followed her into the sitting room where everyone had gathered. Gabe’s uncle was standing by the grand piano, thumbing through some sheet music and speaking with her father. His cousins sat primly on the settee, fingering their pearls and sipping tea.

Ronnie walked over to her and smiled. “Your parents are lovely, Maggie.”

“Thanks.” She hugged the older woman. She watched as Gabe poured champagne and he and David passed the glasses around to everyone.

Kate entered then and approached Ronnie, a slight frown on her fine-boned face. “I can’t seem to locate some of my green china tea set. You know, the one with the swirling floral pattern?”

Ronnie’s faced pulled in thought, but she shook her head.

Maggie instantly caught Gabe’s gaze and they shared a memory. He shot her a sexy, knowing grin, and she felt her face heat with color.

“I don’t know where it could be.” Ronnie was responding to Kate.

“I’m usually so good about storing—”

“I’d like to propose a toast to my bride to be.” She heard Gabe’s deep voice draw everyone’s attention.

David was just making his way to her, Ronnie, and Kate, trying to balance three precarious glasses full of champagne. He handed one to Ronnie, then Kate, then went to give Maggie a glass. He snatched his hand back quickly.

“Nope. None for you, Mag. Almost forgot you’re knocked up!”

An audible gasp was heard around the room. Maggie watched as mouths dropped open and eyes rounded. She saw her mother’s jaw sag in shock, while next to her Kate sucked in a sharp breath. She moaned, and her eyes shifted to Gabe, who just sent her a wide, loving smile. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and she struggled to think of something to say to break the awkward swell of the moment.

She heard a throat clear not far away, then her brother Peter said loudly, “So…what did the vagina say to the rabbi?”

Strictly Business by Lisa Eugene