5. Legend

5

LEGEND

I don't want to move. If I could stay right here with Maya in my arms for all eternity, I would do it. I initially wanted to soothe her and make sure she was all right. I could see that she was barely hanging on, and I can only imagine the stress she's been through the last few weeks.

I want to help, but as soon as I had Maya in my arms, I knew there was more to it. There's nothing that will stop me from protecting her. Not because she's my best friend's sister or that she has no one else. I'm protecting her because she's mine. She just doesn't know it yet.

"Relax," I tell her.

Once I moved to the couch, her back went ramrod straight again, and that's not what I want. I need her to feel safe with me.

She relaxes into me, and I feel her hot breath on my neck as she talks. "How did you know I was about to fall apart?"

I push her hair off her face. "That's not falling apart, baby girl. "

She cuddles into me. "It sure feels like it."

Because I can't hold back, I kiss her forehead. "I think you needed a good cry. There's no shame in it."

She lies limply in my arms, and now that she has let her guard down, I ask her, "You going to let me stay?"

She laughs. "I didn't think I had a choice."

I inhale deeply, sucking her vanilla sweet scent into my lungs. "With me, you always have a choice. You can choose whether I'm going to be staying inside or staying on your porch."

She laughs like I'm joking, and when she sees my expression, she shakes her head. "Are you being serious? If I told you that you couldn't stay here—"

"I would stay on your porch. Like I said, I'm not leaving until I know you're safe."

She levels me with a look, and I don't blink or look away. She needs to know how serious I am about this. Finally, she nods her head. "You can stay."

I relax into the cushions, relieved that I will not have to convince her. She probably doesn't realize it, but her finger is tracing circles on my chest. My body reacts, and I stiffen underneath her. Being this close to her is both a blessing and a curse. She sits up, and I reluctantly let her get up off my lap. Maya is blushing and looking everywhere but at me. "I need to get back to work."

I run my palms down my thighs. "Yeah, I need to get set up."

She scrunches her nose. "Set up?"

I nod and stand, towering over her. "Yeah, I'm going to check your windows, doors, put up some exterior cameras, swipe for bugs—"

She gasps and finally looks at me. "Bugs?"

Fuck, she's not going to like this. "Yeah. If he's been in your apartment, I'm guessing he did more than just take your panties. Did anyone check for listening devices, cameras, or anything like that?"

Her eyes are huge, and she has a full body tremble. "No, nothing. I didn't think…"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "It's fine. I'll take care of it."

She gives me a firm nod. "Okay, thank you, Legend. For this and for earlier. I know I may not have acted like it, but I'm glad you're here."

Before I can say anything else, she walks over to the couch and sits down as she picks up her laptop from the cushion next to her. She starts working, leaning her head over her computer.

I work the rest of the afternoon setting up cameras, putting alarms on the windows and doors, changing locks, and checking for bugging devices and cameras. I let out a breath when I don't find any evidence that the stalker had put in cameras. I would probably kill him on sight if I found out he's been watching inside her bedroom all this time.

It's been hours, and Maya is still on the couch, staring at her laptop screen.

When she looks up at me, I tell her, "I'm going to order dinner. What do you want?"

She blinks as if she's trying to focus on what I'm saying. "I'm sorry. I'll get groceries tomorrow. Red's Diner is the most popular restaurant in town. You can't go wrong with whatever you order."

I nod, opening the Internet app on my phone so I can look up the number. I hope they deliver, and if they don't, I'll pay extra for it. "What do you want? "

She points toward the kitchen. "I'll just eat something from the fridge."

I scrunch up my nose. "Your choices are fruit, lettuce, and water."

She laughs like I'm being funny when I'm being for real.

"I'm on a diet."

My head whips up. "Excuse me? You're on a diet?"

She is back looking at her computer, but she isn't typing. The way her eyes move across the page, I know she's reading.

I step onto the porch and order food. The person on the other end of the line tells me about their famous apple cinnamon Blaze cake, and I order two slices of it.

I sit on the porch, determined to not interfere in Maya's work, and when the food finally gets here, I take it inside and put it on the kitchen counter. Maya is glued to her computer, and when I set everything up on the dining table, I call out to her, "Come on, don't make me eat alone."

She looks up, and I'm not sure if I should be offended or not because she looks as if she didn't even realize I came back in. "I told you—"

"You have to eat, Maya. Please come eat with me."

She sets her laptop to the side and comes to sit with me, taking in all the food I ordered. "Uh, are you expecting guests?"

I unfold a napkin and set it on her lap. She grabs on to it, and I don't miss the little spark when our hands touch briefly. She notices even though she's trying to act like she doesn't. "I guess you missed the part where I was on a diet."

I shrug and try to keep the anger out of my voice. How does she not know she's perfect just the way she is? "I heard you."

She chuckles. "I guess you just chose to ignore me."

"I like the way you look."

She is putting green beans on her plate, and she stops with the fork in midair. "What?"

I shrug. "I like the way you look. I mean, of course, I'm not telling you what to do." I smile cheekily at her. "I wouldn't do that. But I just thought I should tell you… I think you're perfect the way you are."

She points her fork at me, and even though she's trying not to smile, she can't seem to keep it off her face. "I think I might like having you around here, Legend."

I swear my chest puffs out until I almost have to scoot back from the table to make room. At least until she realizes what she just said. She starts to stutter. "I mean, not that I want you around." She rolls her eyes. "That sounds bad, I don't mean that. I just mean, I know you're just here now and then later, you'll be gone."

The redness on her face travels down her neck and disappears under her shirt. She grips the fork in her hands. "I'm sorry. Obviously I'm not used to interacting with people."

I help her pile food on her plate. I start with the meatloaf and a big helping of mashed potatoes to go with her green beans. And then I open the carton with the cake and set it next to her plate. "Neither am I. Today is probably the most talking I've done in weeks," I confess.

I can tell she doesn't believe that by the doubtful look she gives me. I shrug. "I just came off a mission where I was protecting a famous singer. I probably said ten words to her the whole time. You're different. I like talking to you."

She gulps and lowers her eyes to her plate but not before I see the satisfied, happy look in her eyes. It may take some effort, but by the time this is over, I'll make sure that Maya sees herself the way I see her. She's a special woman… there's no doubt about it.

We eat our dinner, and I do my best to ignore the little moan she gives when she enjoys what she's putting in her mouth. "Uh, so how's the book coming?"

It was the wrong question to ask because she gets all serious and tenses up. "Fine."

Determined to put her at ease, I talk about myself and Maverick, regaling her with stories of her brother and me together on all our many missions. I leave out the dangerous stories and instead tell her about the fun times we had and how Maverick could always make me laugh.

By the time we're finished eating, she's wiping her eyes from laughing so hard, and I fall for her even more.