Title: A Little Respect
Author: Misty Flores
Teaser: Pursuing a relationship with Aiden after discovering Bianca in bed with Babe, Maggie begins to question even her own self worth when she finds herself delving deeper into a baby kidnapping mystery, and an intense love triangle.
- NOTE: this chapter is rated M for mature.
PART NINE
Here you come again
Just when I've begun to get myself together
You waltz right in the door
Just like you've done before
And wrap my heart 'round your little finger
-- Here You Come Again, Dolly Parton
--
Always a gentlemen, Aiden took her bags, nearly triple what he had taken, and carried them up for her, wearing an odd smile that caused an uncomfortable lurch in her stomach. She felt his presence behind her, the soft brush of fabric hiding a beautifully muscled chest brushing up against her bare shoulders.
She bit her lip, fumbling slightly with her keys, and finally managed to insert the correct one in the lock, jerking it in its hole until it gave, and the door opened.
"Thanks," she said, tossing a smile that faded just as quickly as it had appeared. "You can just put them... here." Inviting him into the bedroom just seemed... weird. And maybe a little slutty, considering the night before.
"Course," he said, setting her bags on the floor, one on top of the other. He straightened, and Maggie glanced down at the floor, hands knitting together.
It was totally awkward.
Glancing up, she suddenly caught his eyes, and realized he was thinking the exact same thing.
She burst into laughter.
Aiden immediately followed suit, gorgeous face breaking out into a dimpled smile.
"Oh, God," Maggie said, wiping at her face, shaking her head as she looked up at him. "Did I just... totally ruin this by jumping your bones?"
Aiden seemed startled by the phrase, but true to his easy nature, he just smiled. "I don't think so, Maggie."
A friend in high school had once told her she was just like a guy, and Maggie never understood that statement until now. Aiden was waiting for her to actually be the one to TALK about last night, and quite honestly, it was the last thing she wanted to do.
Coughing nervously, she sent him a crooked smile. "Look, if this was a one-time thing, I'm okay with that. I just don't want it to change anything between us... you know?"
Aiden took that in, expression oddly dark.
"Aiden?"
He finally moved, coming toward her. "Look, sit down." Confused, Maggie let herself be led to the couch, settling down, watching him expectantly as he gathered her smaller hands in his.
She glanced down at their joined palms, and suddenly remembered, months ago, sitting here, exactly like this, with Bianca.
Her throat suddenly closed in on her, and she had to open her mouth to breathe, fight from jerking her palms out of Aiden's grasp.
He was waiting for her to look at him, so she did, taking in a deep breath and pushing down the breathe moment of pain and panic.
"What's up?" she asked, forced casualness in her chipper tone.
Aiden looked like he was searching for something. His forehead had scrunched together, and his thumbs traced circles against her palms like it was a nervous tick.
"Maggie," he said suddenly, "What if it wasn't a one-time thing?"
She arched an eyebrow. "Huh?"
A frustrated smile broke out on his handsome face, and he edged closer to her, drawing her hands into his lap. "I like you, Maggie. I... I really like you."
Aiden was nervous. The phrase had come out of him like he was a nineteen year old boy, and for some reason, it made her smile.
"I really like you, too," she said honestly. She liked Aiden and his hot accent, his kind heart and sweet soul. She liked that there were no questions with him, how it was all just easy and not painful or judgmental. "Enough to think that I would like something a little more than just great sex."
Of course, being a man, he would fixate on the wrong thing. "It was great?"
"Okay, relax Hugh Hefner," she said, laughing as she squeezed his hands. "I don't have THAT much experience."
A wide grin creased across his face, as they fell into comfortable silence, Aiden rubbing her palms, delicious skin on skin contact that she was happy to revel in.
"Why didn't we ever notice each other before, Maggie?"
She glanced up, taken aback by the question, and she considered their past experience, their mutual obsession with Kane women. An odd laugh fell out of her, as she untangled their hands and pulled back, running fingers through her hair. "Well... we were...otherwise... occupied."
She didn't have to say it. He got it, as clear as if Bianca had just appeared to sit between them.
"Maggie..." Shifting on the couch, Aiden kept his fingers to himself, picking at the lint on the couch. "I do like you, but if you're not ready..."
"Aiden, I'm ready."
He jerked his gaze back to her. "It hasn't been that long, Maggie. And... I don't want this to be about you trying to forget-"
"I'm over it."
Aiden's eyes narrowed, looking at her intensely. "What?"
Maggie's heart was beating rather fast, but her tone was light, her smile easy. "I figured it out," she said softly. "This week with Anna... I understood. Look, Bianca and me... it's intense, okay? But it's never gonna happen, and I'm okay with that. And I can't keep..." she bit her lip, trying hard to sort out her thoughts. "I bang my head up against a brick wall, what do I get?" He furrowed his brow. "A headache," she answered, shoving at him lightly. "I figured out what's what."
"Right," Aiden said, a small smile already playing on his lips. "Meaning?"
"Meaning I'm finally headache-free," she confirmed, reaching for his hand and tangling fingers gently. "And I'm ready to hurl myself back into the dating mosh pit."
Her use of slang amused him, she could tell. But he held onto her fingers, brought them to his lips for a quick kiss. "You're making it sound violent, Maggie."
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said, laughing, scooting closer. "It was plenty tender, too."
He chuckled, caressing knuckles against the side of her face. Leaning forward, he kissed Maggie, a firm, gentle touch of his lips against hers, brushing softly. A tilt of her head, and her mouth opened, welcoming his tongue with her own, the heady taste of Aiden different from Jamie - he didn't taste of bubble gum or beer, but something else. Stronger. Deeper.
When his palm skimmed against her side, against the side of her breast, she broke the kiss with a gasp and a smile, tilting her forehead against him as she breathed, "I don't know if Jamie's home... maybe we should..."
Covering her mouth with another kiss, Aiden gathered her into his arms easily, lifting her off the couch, and heading for the bedrooms.
--
It should have stayed that easy.
Maggie sighed against the tile, tilting her forehead against the cold, palms pressed against it, feeling the hot water spray around her, beating into her back, scalding drops that were meant to punish.
Aiden was supposed to protect her, and to an extent, he did - just the mention of him was like a shield against Bianca.
But it hadn't been enough.
Pushing against the tile, Maggie rubbed vigorously into her scalp, washing away the remains of the conditioner, jerking the spout closed with a blind fumbling.
She had security. She had a boyfriend.
Why the hell had Bianca been able to do this to her anyway?
Just a look, a smile, a plea, and Maggie's resolve had threatened to crumble, quick and fast.
Small instances of their short conversation washed over her, a battle Maggie fought, parrying every single instance of hope with a stab, a kill.
Bianca and Babe weren't involved - so? It didn't push Lena out of the picture any faster. Bianca said so herself - they were fine.
Bianca wanted to make sure Maggie hadn't gotten the wrong impression - not because she didn't want Maggie to think she was with someone, but because Maggie had run out of there like a desperate loser and Bianca just didn't want her friend to hurt.
It didn't change anything.
"It doesn't change anything," she muttered harshly to herself, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself, stepping out of the tub.
It didn't change the truth: Bianca didn't want her, and Maggie now had her blessing to pursue another relationship.
Why not?
Really, why not? Bianca didn't want her. Aiden did. Aiden thought she was beautiful and sexy and fun, and she really liked him. And the sex was great, and he was amazing.
So, why not?
It was a harsh wake up call, but a necessary one, if Maggie was going to survive all this. Bianca and her were a done deal - friendship and that was all. It was time Maggie stopped living in lala land, waiting for Bianca to finally wake up and notice her.
This wasn't a freaking fairytale.
Maggie smiled bitterly, ignoring her robe as she opened the bathroom door and headed down the hallway toward the kitchen.
Jamie was gone, again, and feeling more at home in the empty apartment than she had been in a while, she didn't bother to cover herself as the towel slipped, only held it to herself distractedly as she reached into the refrigerator for a carton of juice, pouring it into a waiting glass and lifting it to her lips, ignoring the uncomfortable drips of water falling from her soaked hair.
With a flick of the remote sitting on the counter, Maggie turned on the radio, The Beatles suddenly coming to life in her apartment.
Close your eyes, and I'll kiss you
She smiled, bobbing her head to the beat, when an odd sound made her turn, and suddenly she registered Bianca, standing in the living room.
Her heart jack knifed into her chest, the shock making her gasp, lose her reflexes, and thus she fumbled both her towel and the glass of juice.
"Oh, my God!"
Scrambling, Maggie managed to grab onto the falling towel, holding it to her, but the glass shattered, drenching her bare feet in sticky juice, leaving her trapped in shards of glass.
"SHIT!"
"Oh, God," Bianca breathed, coming forward. "I'm so sorry... I - I should have knocked-"
"Shit," Maggie said again, taking a step forward and then yelping, jerking her foot back. "Oh, crap!"
"Oh, God-" Bianca turned into the kitchen glancing down at the problem. "Okay, hold on-"
"What are you-"
"Just- stop moving!" Bianca snapped, palms on her shoulders, keeping her still, as her friend kicked away the glass with her booted foot, eyes on the floor. "I- I should've given the key back to you when I moved into Greenlee's old place..."
"Ya think?" Maggie said acidly, wincing as the juice seeped into her cut foot.
"Hold on-" Before Maggie could protest, Bianca slipped hands around her bare waist, hoisting up the shorter girl and lifting her out of the messy and dangerous kitchen.
Maggie gasped, frozen, as Bianca set her down again on the carpet, never letting go, leading her to the couch.
"I'm so sorry," Bianca said again.
Maggie gulped, somehow severely annoyed, very, very naked, barely managing to cover her herself as Bianca had one hand on her foot, and glanced toward the kitchen. "Maybe I should clean it up-"
"Just leave it!" Maggie snapped, glaring at her friend. "Just... get me a towel or something."
Bianca stared at her, but Maggie broke the gaze with a hard shake of her head, wrapping the towel more securely around her.
"Right." Crossing her legs, Maggie inspected her foot, hissing as she discovered the jagged edge seeping blood on the sole, right at her arch. It wasn't deep, but still... it hurt like hell. "Here," Bianca said, at her side again, taking her foot from her and suddenly pressing a cloth against it, holding on tightly. Maggie swallowed, suddenly still, as Bianca held her foot against her chest, massing into it lightly, shaking her head in self recrimination. "I really didn't mean to scare you."
"Right," Maggie answered, just as dryly. Bianca's slender fingers were now rubbing gently against her, and Maggie was once again aware of the fact that she was very, very naked. And of course, Bianca hadn't noticed at all. "What are you doing here?"
Startled, Bianca looked up, directly on her face, eyes shifting away and back down to her foot. "Should I just go?"
"No," Maggie said sharply. "You're here now, just tell me what you want."
Bianca looked almost shamed, smiling nervously and then giving Maggie her foot back, leaning back on her heels, on her knees before Maggie. "I just came for that box of my stuff..."
Maggie frowned, remembering suddenly Bianca's box, sitting in the corner of her room.
"I called and no one answered, so I was just gonna..." Bianca motioned weakly, hands falling to her side. "I guess now I know why no one answered..."
Maggie pulled the towel tighter around her, her wet hair seeping into the back of the couch. "Yeah," she said dryly. "It's in my room. I would get it, but-"
"No!" Bianca smiled quickly, scrambling to her feet. "I'll get it. And... um..." Her gaze lingered on Maggie. "I'll get something for your foot."
"And maybe a robe?" Maggie asked pointedly.
Bianca looked at her a beat longer. "Yeah," she said in a weird tone.
Maggie closed her eyes as Bianca moved away, eyes closing in sudden anger. It was just like Bianca - to come in and destroy her entire resolve so vividly.
And of course, Bianca wouldn't even notice she was naked in a towel. At least a few months ago, when Jamie caught her, he had grabbed her and hauled her off to his room.
Maggie smiled bitterly. Bianca doesn't want you, she reminded herself. Stop being so pathetic.
Bianca reappeared, placing her robe into her lap and dropping the box beside her. Once again, her friend knelt to the floor, drawing Maggie's foot into her lap, cupping it with both palms.
"Here," she said, producing a bottle of peroxide. Bianca tossed another apologetic smile her way, and carefully poured some of the disinfectant into the cloth, pressing it against the cut. "It doesn't look too deep."
Maggie closed her eyes, heart beating so fast at Bianca's tenderness that she considered kicking her away. "Bianca, it's fine-"
"Hold on." Maggie sighed raggedly, palm wrapping around the cushions of the couch, shifting her naked body against the fabric, biting her lip in spite of herself. Bianca didn't notice, too wrapped up in dressing Maggie's wound, holding it against her chest and pulling a band-aid over the cut. Hugging Maggie's foot to her, Bianca smiled crookedly. "All better."
Maggie's eyes connected with hers, blood pounding into her ears.
With all her resolve, she extracted her foot from Bianca's hold.
"Thanks," she said stiffly, eyes down on her lap.
There was an awkward silence, until Bianca rose to her feet, wiping her hands on her pants. "Right," she said quickly, "I should go."
"Yeah, I think so," Maggie said crisply, pulling the robe into her lap.
Bianca stood hesitantly, staring down at her, obviously ready to go into another round of apologizing.
Maggie glanced up and met her gaze with a frank glare.
Instead, Bianca suddenly held out her key. "Um... I don't want to barge in on you like that again."
Maggie looked at the little key - the cause of all this trouble. Straightening her expression, she took it.
"Thanks," she said, folding it into her fingers.
Bianca kept looking at her, like she was expecting something, and Maggie, fighting hard to visibly gasp from her emotion, crossed her legs, keeping the robe across her chest.
"Well, I'll see you," Bianca said. Licking her lips, Maggie nodded, eyes on the floor as Bianca left her, signifying she was gone when the door shut behind her with a clink.
Suddenly free, Maggie blew out her breath, doubling over into her lap to cover her face with her palms, shuddering.
Dammit, Bianca, she thought, jerking her hands from her face, glancing at the kitchen, evidence of the complete mess of things - the literal interpretation of what happened when Bianca flounced in uninvited and shattered her entire resolve.
Her foot ached. Maggie hardly felt it.
--
Beads of water smoothed down Maggie's bare shoulders, following the curve of her breasts, melding together right at Maggie's cleavage.
Sweating slightly, Bianca wiped her palms on her pants, coming down her knees, smoothing fingers over Maggie's impossibly soft calf, the muscles flexing beneath her fingers,
Bianca tried to keep her concentration on Maggie's owie, but her eyes kept drifting up, raking past Maggie's bronzed, tone legs, to the small, dark shadowed tent created by the robe and the towel, hiding Maggie's...
Bianca caught her breath, moving up slowly, Maggie's palm pressed against her chest, outlining her breasts, holding the beads of water. Heavy breathing moved her chest up, down, nipples straining against the fabric.
Maggie's lips, half open, obviously in pain, wet hair tangled and tousled, falling in darkened locks around her shoulders.
God.
Trying to ignore her trembling, Bianca once again tried to concentrate on Maggie's dainty foot, pulling the medicine soaked cloth from her foot.
"Bianca, it's fine-"
"Hold on," she breathed, and Maggie sighed above her, shifting her naked body against the couch. Bianca bit her lips and kept her gaze on the foot, feeling the pressure of the movement against her breasts, causing a flutter of sensation. She pulled the band-aid off with some effort, smoothing it against Maggie's foot, tickling her slightly.
She couldn't let go just yet.
"All better," she said, eyes floating up to lock against Maggie's smoldering stare. They stared in silence, until Bianca's beating heart lost it's resolve, and she found herself whispering, "Did you mean it?"
"Mean what?" Maggie asked, locked in her stare, breathing out slowly, chest rising and falling, towel dropping slightly.
"What you said before," Bianca said, licking her lips, trying to swallow moisture back into her throat. "That you wouldn't take it back."
Maggie's eyes were darker than she had ever seen them, and in them, she saw what she wanted, what she needed. The desire.
She kept her eyes open, not wanting to lose Maggie's beauty, and pressed her lips against Maggie's arch, smoothing fingers over that glorious leg.
Maggie bit her lip, arching from Bianca's exploration. "Binks..."
She smiled, heart thudding, every sense overwhelmed, as she lowered Maggie's foot and pushed up, pressing Maggie back against the couch, fingers working into Maggie's wet locks.
"God, Maggie," she whispered, taking her free hand and tangling them into Maggie's fingers, still pressed against her chest. Easily, she and Maggie pushed down, until the towel fell down to Maggie's waist, pert, beautiful breasts exposed, beaded with moisture. Bianca drank them in, parched now, letting go of Maggie's hand to cup one gently, roll the erect nipple in her fingertips, the skin cool and wet against her. Maggie arched into her, a soft moan exhaling, just at her ear, and Bianca shuddered, leaning down to carefully, gently, wrap her lips around the peak of the breast, laving her tongue against the water that puddled there.
"Bianca," she heard, tone darkened with lust, and it went straight to her stomach, liquefied, and went lower, Maggie's hands smoothing under her shirt, raking fingernails into her back.
She sighed. Feasting on the breast, Bianca curled hands around Maggie's hips, brought her in tighter against her, Maggie's thighs suddenly clamping on her hips, legs wrapped tightly around her waist.
She needed to see Maggie.
Bianca let go of her breast, kneaded it with one hand as she skimmed her mouth up her throat, until she could take in Maggie's face, overwhelmed. "Tell me you love me," she demanded, a whisper against Maggie's lips. "Tell me you want me, Maggie."
Maggie was openly gasping, holding on so tightly to Bianca, literally aching with want, with arousal, for Bianca.
"I love you," she whispered, in such a way, Bianca's heart slammed against her chest. "I want you so badly."
Bianca moaned, the cry torn from her throat as she slammed her mouth down hard on Maggie's, drowning in those words.
"God, Maggie-"
She ached, shifting over, tangling in her sheets, and suddenly encumbered, Bianca found herself ripped from the dream, splayed against the bed, legs wide open, heaving.
She was sweaty. Hot. Aching all over.
"Oh, God," she muttered, eyes closing as sudden vivid images of it came back to haunt her, keeping her ridiculously turned on.
She was dream cheating again.
Bianca bit her lip, shaking her head in recrimination, trying to shake the image of Maggie in the towel out of her head.
"Tell me you love me," she demanded, a whisper against Maggie's lips. "Tell me you want me, Maggie."
Bianca swallowed hard.
She glanced at the time, and suddenly fumbled for her phone, dialing numbers fast.
Collapsing against the sheets, Bianca sighed in relief when an accented voice answered, "Bianca?"
"Lena," she breathed. "I just wanted to hear your voice."
end chapter
Coming Soon
Aiden clears Kendall, Maggie meets Jonathan, and Bianca receives some surprising advice from Babe.