36
"It's not my fault!" Maggie said with a huff as she pried his fingers away from his neck and shoulders. PJ just groaned as he went searching again, the itch becoming unbearable. "Honestly, that's what they make fly screens for, to keep the mozzies and the flies out, so if you will stand there – "
"I seem to remember you were just as willing a participant," PJ grumbled, moving his hand as Maggie smoothed the cream over the bite, batting his hand away as he went to scratch the bite again.
"Well yes, I was, but I'm not an a la carte menu for the mozzies, now am I? I'm not the ones they so love to feast on?" she said, moving away from his neck, leaning an arm along the back of the couch as she grinned at him.
"No, but you're what I love to feast on, so come here wench, and take my mind off these bites" PJ mock-growled, joining her when she laughed out loud at his innuendo. "What? You don't want to kiss me?"
"Oh I'm going to kiss you all right, Hasham, but I'd prefer to kiss you, and not the big bad wolf, thank-you very much!"
"Reckon that can be arranged, Doyle" PJ said with a glint in his eye as he leant forward and placed a row of tiny butterfly kisses along her jaw, the mozzie bites all but forgotten as he found her lips again and they both fell into the kiss.
Surfacing breathlessly many minutes later, PJ placed a soft kiss on the top of her head before drawing Maggie into his arms as they lay on the couch.
"This, me – " he paused, "Me coming back tonight, it's ok, isn't it? I mean, I can go if you want, but I - well, I just – "
Maggie drew his arms tighter around her as she moved slightly, looking up at him from the pillow of his chest. "I wanted you here too PJ. Just as much as you wanted to come back, I wanted you here too. I know we have a lot to talk about, but – oh, I just feel so much better now you're here. I missed you PJ. Not just tonight, but always." She sat up, crossing her legs together underneath her as she brought the words together in her mind.
"I knew that I had loved someone. I knew I'd loved someone so much that it felt wrong going to sleep by myself at night. I'd find myself turning to talk to you, and you weren't there. I'd turn over at night, expecting to find warmth, and my bed was cold. And not just my bed, but my heart too. There was a hole there, and I didn't know why. I didn't feel – I don't know how to describe it, but I felt wrong. They had told me that I'd had a husband, but – " Maggie angrily wiped at the tears which had crept down her face. "Get a grip Doyle," she told herself, her anger abating as she felt PJ gently wipe away the remaining tears.
PJ sighed. "Listen Mags, we don't have to do this tonight. I know we've got a lot to talk about, like I said, but we don't have to do it tonight. We can just lie here and - "
Maggie tensed ever so slightly. As much as she loved him, and love him she did, she wasn't ready for that. PJ sighed inwardly. Talk about foot in mouth disease…
"Mags, I didn't mean it like that, really I didn't. Much as I love you, we're not ready for that. I want to make love with you, hell, I need to, I need re-connect with you like that, and I think you do too, but not yet. Not until we're ready, and we're not ready yet. Geez, I sound like a sex starved nutter, don't I?" He smiled down at her, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose as he took her into his arms again. " No, but you know what I mean," Drawing back, he looked down at her. "Please tell me you know what I mean"
Maggie paused, a tickle of laughter taking hold inside as she saw PJ's blue eyes widen in alarm.
"Mags?"
"You just want me for my body" she said, managing to hold a blank expression for about three seconds before she had to clamp down on her lips to hold the laughter back.
"You little – " PJ spluttered, his dexterous fingers finding the ticklish spot he remembered so well. "You're going to pay for that Doyley. Don't forget – come here – " she nearly squirmed out of his arms, all the while shrieking with laughter, "don't forget, I know how ticklish you are, my sweet Mags, and I know precisely where to – " he broke off as Maggie too proved she remembered if not everything, she certainly remembered exactly how PJ liked to be kissed.
"I love you" PJ whispered when once again, they came up for air.
"Love you too" Maggie whispered back.
"And that's enough for now" PJ told her, wrapping her in his arms. "Let's just get some sleep for now. " he said, watching as Maggie blushed her way thought a yawn she unsuccessfully tried to hide. "You get to bed, and I'll stretch out here"
"PJ, I – " she glanced out of the room, over at the door that led to her bedroom.
"I know Mags, it's ok. You go to bed, and like I said, I'll kip down here'
"No, it's just that, PJ I don't want to leave you yet, but I'm not ready for – PJ, can I sleep here with you? Can I stay out here with you? The couch is big enough, it had to be big enough for the boys to clamber over, so I got an extra wide couch, and so – "
PJ cut her off with a kiss. "Stop waffling woman. I'm glad you want to stay with me, I wasn't looking forward to letting go of you either. And yes, we can stay out here, I think it's a bit too soon for bed too. You go and get your pillows and whatnot, and I'll meet you out here in a few minutes, ok?" he said, starting to roll her off the couch, but Maggie was too quick for him and stood before she fell off completely.
"You'll pay for that Hasham. Just wait, in the middle of the night, I shall lean over and push you off the bed" Maggie said with a glint in her eye.
"What makes you think I'm going to let go of you as we sleep? I never did before, and I'm not going to get into that habit now Doyle. I'm going to hold you all night long, and you're going to wake up in my arms for the rest of your life" PJ said, the laughter falling away as she stood up and took her in his arms and kissed her, the kiss deepening until he finally broke away with a groan. "Go Doyley, before I forget what I said and ravish you here and now"
Maggie hesitated in his arms, her body screaming one thing as he mind reprimanded her and chose another path for her. Reluctantly she stepped back, stealing one last quick kiss as she did. "Back in a mo'