6. Maeve

SIX

MAEVE

I'm confused, very freaking confused. The man who has avoided me at all costs is suddenly in my circle. There is no three feet circumference whatsoever since the moment he walked into Whiskey Away. The whole walk to my office, JW's presence was more than known, his hand on my lower back, his earthy scent surrounding us, yet he remained quiet. I did too, mainly because I'm so wrapped up in my own head, I can't make sense of what's heads and what's tails.

"Show me, Maeve." I'm standing still, almost like when you're playing a game of freeze-tag and waiting to be unfrozen. My feet aren't moving and I'm second-guessing telling JW anything. I mean, this person is wreaking havoc on my business, my sister is getting nowhere, and now another worry is added to the ever-evolving equation. I've clearly done something to piss someone off. The last thing I want is for JW to help me, because this fuck nugget could very well turn the tables on the Johnsons.

"This isn't a good idea. I'll weather the storm or rent out the store front until all of this blows over." His family is entrenched in our community, his parents, his brothers, his brothers' wives. They're all successful in their own right. Birdie with her web design and digital marketing business. Tully being the town veterinarian with her own office now. And Juniper, who's a class act in the medical field as a nurse. She's the one I'm probably the closest to out of all the sisters. Maybe it's because she and Lawson were like oil and water there for a while.

"Baby girl, sit your pretty ass down, show me what's going on, and I'll tell you what I can and can't handle." The rasp of his voice slides along the shell of my ear. His words do things to my body, like making my legs clench together, nipples pebbling. They make me want to do something I've never done before, like strip down to nothing but bare skin, drop to my knees, and do anything he tells me to.

"JW." My voice is that of a stranger. A sultry tinge with an almost breathless quality.

"Fuck me, Maeve." His hand slides from its resting place on my lower back to wrap around my front and pull me closer. JW's front is smashed to my backside, allowing me to feel everything. And I do mean every single thing. His firm chest, strong arms, and well, his cock is another story entirely. The way we're positioned, the light linen shorts I'm wearing and his jeans are no barrier for the way we're connected. Not so much as a sheet of paper could fit between our bodies. He bends his knees until his hard length is nestled between the cheeks of my ass. My body trembles, my knees start to go weak, and it's only JW holding me up that keeps me vertical. I'm tempted to beg him to do exactly as he stated. There's only one problem with that: I'm a virgin. While having him like this, if I admit my truth to him, who knows how he'll respond?

"Chair. Now. Before we do something you're not ready for." His legs move to the outside of mine, and we continue our path. We're only maybe ten feet away, yet he's keeping his hold on me the entire time. His hand doesn't leave my middle even as he pulls my chair out. It's not until he's guiding me into my seat that he lets go. "Pull up what you can and send me the links to what your sister found."

JW wiggles my mouse for me. Clearly, I'm not moving fast enough. Color me stumped. If roles were reversed, he would be too. This is a whole different version of the man I'm used to. He's not holding back. There are no more sly glances I'd receive when he didn't know I was looking. And now he's touching me whereas before he'd keep his distance. Even when he came to Whisked Away to replenish his cinnamon roll habit, JW always remained his stoic self. Except I saw him. I always see him, no matter the time or place. He's all I see.

"Alright. Well, Maddie probably can tell you more about what's going on. She said something about an IP address, a VPN, and back door thing or whatever. It's above me in every possible way. Computers aren't my thing." I enter my password once the computer wakes up and JW takes over. He clicks on the web browser, his arms caging me in, and I'm wondering why he asked me to show him in the first place when he's clearly got it all figure out.

"Type in the web address that has the most negative feedback." Gee, shoot me in the heart, why don't you. No one, I mean no one, wants to read negative anything about themselves and the creativity they've poured their heart and soul into.

"Fine, but I'm not looking. You can read them yourself." Throwing a temper tantrum doesn't seem like a bad idea. But JW doesn't need to see me acting like a two-year-old when he's already seen me cuss my heart out like a sailor.

"Close your eyes," he suggests without any hesitation or any undertone that'd make me feel like I'm being silly. I pull up the most popular website for ratings and reviews. Then I do what I'm told—I close my eyes and rest my back in the chair. JW can see for himself the amount of hatred someone has out for Whisked Away. Michelle and Madison even checked if there were new bakeries popping up in a twenty-mile radius maybe trying to take out their competition. There weren't. So, as it stands now, I'm back to square one, which completely fucking sucks.

"Jesus," JW hisses out, and now I'm really glad he recommended I look away. "Tip your head back, baby girl." My body obeys his command arching back and JW surprises me in another way. I'm greeted with his lips against mine. I'm unprepared for the feel, soft and pillowy yet hard and dominating. I really shouldn't be stunned into silence. Not even a whimper leaves me. His hand holds the front of my neck, not tightening, just holding with a pressure there to let me know of his presence.

"Open." The minute I do, his tongue slides along my upper lip, sucking it between his teeth, and then I'm being kissed like I've never been kissed before. I melt into him as my hand wraps around his forearm, worried he's going to leave before I'm ready.

I want this moment to last.

I want to remember his taste.

I want to remember this feeling.

And I want so badly for this never to end.

"I should have known you'd be addictive, baby girl." I open my eyes, watching as he slowly backs away, his hand remaining in place. A sweep of his thumb slides over my pulse point, and my rapidly beating heart only beats faster .

"Wow."

"Hell yeah, Maeve. I've got what I needed. I'm going to go research. In the meantime, hold tight. I'll see you later, alright?" A nod is my only reply. I watch as his eyes linger on my face before he pulls away. I have so many questions and not enough answers, but they'll have to wait. I'm left with watching JW's backside. There's no use sticking around to work when no one is walking in and all my orders as well as deliveries have been handled. I'm going home to think this to death while making popcorn, then enjoy an Aperol Spritz and a new season of a crime show. And if that doesn't calm me down, I know an orgasm or two will.