Chapter Thirteen

Maggie

I can’t think of a time where I saw Trig walking around in just jeans and an undershirt. And yet here he is, in a tight muscle shirt, stalking across the basement with all four boys clinging to him like leeches. Apparently, this is a game they play.

Trig is the giant and they’re soldiers or minions or something. He growls and roars and they growl and roar right back at him. They watch cartoons and play Roaring Giant during the commercial breaks. Once the commercial is over, he peels them off, drops them down to the pallet of blankets, and everyone goes back to watching.

I can’t take my eyes from him as he plays the part of the giant. His powerful body mesmerizes me. He's settles back to the opposite side of the couch, separated from me by a few pillows, pretending to take in the movie. I study his profile and the way the scar, a jagged, ropey thread, crosses his cheekbone and spans his forehead.

The first time I was in his house, he threatened me with scary, freaky shit. Now he’s leaning back, hands folded behind his head watching Cartoon Network. I know he’s a bad ass because Wes and Jane have told me how he likes to brawl. He takes zero shit from his employees or customers. Yet here he is with the monkeys and me watching cartoons.

Turning slowly, he gazes at me and lifts his chin. “What?”

I’ve been caught looking at him and heat crawls across my skin. “Nothing.”

“You feel left out?”

I have no idea what he’s talking about. Left out? Of what? “Excuse me?”

“Left out of the game.”

“Your growling-giant game?”

“Yeah.”

I snort and return my attention to the television.

“I think you do feel left out. You look sad.”

Michael glances over his shoulder. “Maybe the big giant needs to get Maggie.”

I nudge his foot with mine. “Mind your own beeswax.”

Thomas jumps to his feet and starts growling, taking slow, measured steps towards me. He gnashes his teeth which is actually pretty menacing, given his history of biting. I hold up my hand to stop him, but now Seth and Jimmy have joined in. They’re crawling across the floor, knocking over a bowl of popcorn.

“Hey, don’t turn on me,” I protest. “Go get the big giant.”

I smile despite the disconcerting sight in front of me. The monkeys get into character with such happy abandon, it’s hard not to laugh at them.

Michael watches, an uncertain smile tugging at his lips. This is not how it usually goes. I’m not used to the monkeys banding together to take me on. Wicked delight gleams in their eyes and Michael’s wondering how this is going to go. If he joins forces, I’m in trouble.

“Stay away from me. Twerps.” I manage to keep a straight face.

I glance towards Trig. His expression is indifferent. I don’t think I can count on any help from the giant.

“Let’s get the princess.” Thomas speaks in a zombie voice, monotone and slightly creepy.

“I think I liked you better when you only had, like three words, Thomas.” I scoot a little closer to Trig.

The boys stop a few feet away, their arms outstretched, each making animal noises. The hissing and growling only makes Michael’s grin widen. I don’t think I can expect any help from him either.

I nudge Trig’s shoulder. “Aren’t you going to help me?”

He shrugs. “Maybe. What’s it worth to you?”

I glance back at the boys. “A lot.”

He lifts a brow and the next thing I know, I’m swept off the couch and tossed over his shoulder. A panicked shriek dies in my throat as he snarls at the boys.

“What shall I do with the princess?”

I pound my hands on his back, but it’s about as effective as hitting a wall of cinderblocks.

“You are such a-”

My words are silenced by a sharp swat to my bottom. The boys howl with laughter. My mind spins, thoughts swirl. Trig just smacked me. On my ass. In front of the boys.

“I want to smack the princess’s butt,” Thomas yells.

“Me too,” Seth shouts.

I’ll just bet they do. I spent the first month at the Kendal house being a bitch to them. I regret it now. Everything. A lot of good remorse will do me.

“Nobody swats the princess but me,” Trig announces.

Hanging upside down over Trig is surreal. Beyond crazy. Trig doesn’t touch me. Ever. It’s like there’s a fortress around him, or walls around me or something, but the tacit understanding is, no touching.

He falls to a knee and the sudden movement makes me scream and grab his torso. I cling to him, wondering what he’ll do next. Prying me from his back, he lowers me to the pallet of blankets the boys were lying on. Being draped over his shoulder is pretty intense but nothing compared to lying under him while he cages me with his body.

“What shall I do with the princess?”

Thomas crouches and gnashes his teeth. “Gobble her up.”

Jerking away from him I shoot him a dark look. “Don’t let him bite me, Trig. You know he’s just getting over that biting thing.”

Trig smiles down at me. I can’t tear my eyes from him. He’s got a few day’s scruff on his jaw but I can still see how his dimples pop. Waiting for him to say something, I feel my heart thudding heavily against my ribs. This little scenario is not going to help with the X-rated dreams of Trig that I have every night.

Shouts and cheers echo against the walls as the boys start a wrestling match. Thomas loses interest in Trig and me and wanders off to join in the fun.

We’re left alone and the air between us sparks with energy. Tension stretches out and I can’t help the urge to fill the silence. I shouldn’t flirt with him. I shouldn’t. But I can’t resist.

“Are you…?” I ask.

“What?”

“Going to gobble me up?”

He mulls it over before answering. “I don’t know. You’re probably just gristle.”

“Only one way to find out.”

“Oh?” His eyes darken. His gaze drifts over my face, lingering on my mouth. “Gobble you up, princess?”

“I could show you where to start.”

His eyes widen and I think that I’ve managed to shock him. Well, serves him right. He just smacked me on the ass.

He presses his lips together and shakes his head. His tone softens. “You tell other men things like that?”

His muscles tighten and flex, like he’s fighting for control. Is he jealous? My heart thrills at the idea. Trig jealous of another man… Trig wanting me all for himself. Arousal steals through my body. I don’t answer right away just to provoke him a little. “Just you.”

“Don’t go there, little girl.” His voice is quiet. Dangerous.

“You started it.”

“Now you sound like one of the boys.”

The comment stings. I don’t want him to view me as a kid. Our relationship isn’t like any other one I’ve known but I want to prove something to him. Several things. That I’m an adult. A woman. And I’m not the same person I was when he brought me here in August. The words sit on the tip of my tongue, but I say nothing.

He gets up. Neither of us say much else to each other for the rest of the evening. Around one in the morning, Wes and Jane call to say they’re on their way back from their party. Trig takes us home. The boys fall asleep in the truck.

After he parks the truck, he tells me to wait for him. I sigh and wait in the passenger seat while one by one, Trig carries each boy to bed. He’s so gentle each boy stays fast asleep and part of me wishes I’d fallen asleep on the way home too.

When he’s done, he returns to the truck and I brace myself for whatever lecture he has for me. When I teased him, I’d overstepped. That’s what this is about. I know the drill. It’s like the first time he corrected me, only this won’t carry the same threat of being sold to some underground crime organization.

Ambling towards his truck, he moves like a fighter entering the ring. His stride purposeful. The streetlights light his hard features. I open the door with the intention of meeting him outside his truck, but he stops me as I step out. Setting a hand on either side of the truck, he blocks me.

“You’re going to college, Maggie. You’re going to be around other men now, not boys like Kyle.”

“I know.” My voice sounds petulant and I should just shut up. This isn’t a conversation. It’s a lecture. This is where he talks. I listen. I know the drill and yet I want to push back.

He continues. “You can’t say that shit to me or any other man.”

I bite my lip. He thinks I flirt and tease others. I don’t. There’s only one man I think about, only one I dream about.

“If you say things like that, men aren’t going to want to be your BFF.”

He’s standing close, deliberately crowding me. His scent mesmerizes. I’m aware of the pause in his voice and vaguely understand I should respond. Leaning an inch closer, I inhale and murmur on the exhale. “Okay.”

“You don’t need a man in your life, Maggie. Not now. Promise me you won’t talk that way with other men-”

I set my hand on his chest. “I promise.”

His breath hisses between his teeth. Half-expecting him to swat my hand away, I’m surprised when he doesn’t move for a long moment. At last he covers my hand with his. Sparks of awareness zing across my skin.

“Promise,” I breathe.

“All right.” He slides his hand from mine and steps aside to let me pass. “Good-night.”