โ Was she into him?
Holy fucking hell, she was, he thought. The idea was not overly surprising, considering the carnal knowledge he already had of her, but what was surprising was that it was directed towards him personally. Maybe it was simply the fact that he had thought of her, had decided to show up on her doorstep with a treat and it showed that he cared to do the trivial things that most men failed to do. Or was there something else underneath it all, something that Maeve was missing, and she recognized on an instinctual level that Stephen could give her. Before this she might have questioned her life, but never really pondered the possibilities that existed beyond her husband. But after the intruder, after having been violently violated, and after sickeningly having enjoyed itโฆwell, maybe Maeve had a better understanding of what she craved in a man. And Stephen was everything that it might be, and of course that made the most sense did it not? That she saw in him the rugged, rough, brutal monster that had already hurt her?
As she began to sip her coffee he gave a small smile, as if he were pleased that she found some comfort in it, but then she inexplicably sat it down and almost seemed disappointed. If Stephen had been any other man, he would have considered the idea that he had done something wrong, but the strange dynamic between the two of them continued as Maeve leaned close and inquired as to how he was doing. Goddamn, why was that so touching with everything that had happened between them? Why did it matter to him in the slightest that Maeve worried about him and wanted the best for him? Was there even the smallest twinge of guilt at what he had done to her, what he had put her through, when she seemed to be honestly concerned? And he was entranced by her, and always had been. Jealous of his brother, jealous of the life he led, jealous of the woman he was with. As she spoke, he leaned in as well, his eyes narrowing just the tiniest of bits as he replied with what was surely the most nonchalant and masculine statement he could have made.
"Always."
Stephen spoke that one word like he was dropping a weight on the ground, ego and confidence oozing from his pores, and why would that not be the case? But there was something else here, a chance to worm his way into Maeve's psyche, and after dropping her a wink he dropped the act so that she could see the "true" him. That was after all what all women really wanted, what they all claimed to need out of a man. They wanted him to drop the bullshit and be himself. They wanted to be the one who could tame the bad boy. And maybe, maybe he wanted her to caress him just as badly as she did. "You know us, Maeve. We don't talk, not really. Ryan and I just never saw eye to eye, and I get that, I really do. He's got his hands full in life, right? Work, bills, you. The whole enchilada," he paused, realizing that there was a bit of ire coming out towards the end of those words. A bit of anger that nearly changed the tone of the conversation. And of his voice, a tone quite reminiscent of the one that had fucked Maeve into a blithering state of ecstasy.
His own hand came to touch hers on his bicep, a hand rough from hard labor. Stephen had never had it easy like Ryan. Maeve's husband had soft hands, gentle, immaculate. Stephen's had callouses, they were the hands of someone who had worked hard for a living. His fingers were strong though, so damned strong, and they curled around Maeve's own to lift hers off his arm and he gave it a small squeeze. Was he worried that what he was doing was inappropriate? No, because he did not let her hand go. Instead, his thumb moved slowly along her knuckles. And he prodded, prompted, finally pushed.
"What about you, hon? Are you okay?"
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