He hesitated. This felt like a trap. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “Maybe this week you can come back, and we can have a nice family dinner.”
“Sure.” He withdrew his keys and kissed her forehead. “I’ll call you this week.”
She affectionately slapped his cheek. “Happy birthday, love.”
“Thanks.”
The front door opened, and his father walked in.
So close.
“I’m home,” his dad yelled, coming face-to-face with Ryan in the hall. “Oh, good, you’re here.”
Ryan gritted his teeth. “I’ve been here for hours. Where have you been?”
His mother sprang into action. “Oh, wonderful. Ryan was just about to leave, but now you can move the cabinet before he goes. It’s almost empty.”
Ryan didn’t get to the hardware store until three o’clock. By the time he got home, all ambition to grill had abandoned him. As he unloaded the truck and put the groceries away, Maggie was nowhere to be found.
He knocked on her back door, and before she could say anything, he blurted, “I’m sorry. Did I mention escaping Alcatraz is easier than getting away from my mother?”
She laughed. “It’s okay. I napped.”
“All day?”
She nodded. “It was pretty great.”
His gaze dropped to her socked feet, traveling up her baggy sweats to her worn Floyd T-shirt. Jealousy burned through his stomach as he counted each wrinkle in the soft clothes covering her skin. “I want to throw you over my shoulder and carry you back to my house.”
The side of her mouth lifted in a half grin. “You do?”
Keeping his eyes on hers, he nodded. “Yeah.”
She lifted a shoulder. “Okay.”
“Really?”
She bit her lip and smiled. “If that’s what you want.”
He swooped down and lifted her off her feet. She laughed as he hoisted her over his shoulder, wrapping an arm around the back of her thighs. Shutting the door, he carried her down the driveway and around to his front door, which was locked.
“Damn it.” He rotated her to his other shoulder and lugged her to the back. Just as he reached the door, his phone began to ring. “Do me a favor, grab my phone out of my back pocket and throw it in the trash.”
He didn’t care who was calling. He just wanted to be alone with Maggie.
The ringing eventually stopped when he set her down on the futon in the living room. She smiled, still in her socks and looking completely delicious.
He stared at her, unsure what she’d allow. “I wanna kiss you.”
“Okay.” Another surprise.
He sat down and yanked her legs over his, pulling her onto his lap. “I never know what you’re going to say.” Maybe that was part of her irresistible appeal.
He pressed his lips to hers, and the familiar taste of her mouth greeted him. Soft and warm, her tongue teased his. His hand coasted up her back, drawing her closer and then his phone rang again.
“Son of a bitch.”
“Maybe it’s important.”
“It’s not.” She wasn’t wearing a bra and he could tell her nipples were hard by how they pressed at the soft cotton of her shirt. That was important.
He turned the ringer off and tossed the phone aside. “Come here.”
His tongue swept into her mouth, greedy for more. She straddled his lap and cupped his jaw, kissing him back every step of the way, until his phone vibrated on the cushion and she pulled away.
“Ignore it,” he growled against her soft lips.
She turned her cheek. “It’s distracting.”
He grabbed the phone and frowned. “It’s my cousin Finn. Hold on. He’s covering the bar.” He answered the call, finding it hard to keep the frustration out of his voice. “Finn, what’s up?”
“Ry, I’m so sorry to do this to you on your birthday, but all the kids have a stomach bug and Mallory needs my help tonight. I’m not going to be able to cover the pub for you.”
His eyes closed and his head dropped back to the cushion. “No problem. I’ll figure it out.”
“I’m sorry, man. Happy birthday.”
“Thanks.” He hung up the phone and sighed. “I have to go to work. Finn’s kids are sick.”
“Oh.” She didn’t sound overly disappointed. If anything, she sounded like she’d expected another setback. Probably because he was leaving her with the shittiest impression today. First the holdup at his parents and now this. Weren’t people supposed to get what they wanted on their birthdays?
He opened one eye and looked at her. “I swear this isn’t how I wanted today to go.”
She slid off his lap. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” He hadn’t told her it was his birthday, because he didn’t want her to feel obligated to do anything. He just wanted to spend some time with her. So much for getting his birthday wish.
“Ryan, it’s fine. We can do something tomorrow.”
He caught her hand and brought her fingers to his lips, kissing the tips. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Just … being you.”
Maggie lingered as he made a go-cup of coffee and got ready for a long night shift at the bar. It was Saturday, so he’d likely be up for the next twelve hours. When he was ready to leave, he walked her to her yard.