Running Into You

Liam helped Maggie into the car and drove carefully to her place. She admired the soft leather of the luxurious BMW as she settled in. He carried the papers and followed behind her.

Once home, she walked in and stood in the living room for a minute, wondering what to do first. She sat at the kitchen table and asked Liam if he could get her some ibuprofen.

“Of course! Where can I find it?”

“Down the hall, second door on the left. There’s a bottle in the medicine cabinet.”

He nodded and got up and went down the hall into the bathroom to pick up the pills. He had to admit that it was nice, with a glass shower and a large tub.

The green dress that she was wearing that day in the rain was hanging on the back of the door.

The silk was ruined, and Liam’s guilt came back again. He took a mental picture of her size and resolved to replace it.

The other door in the bathroom opened into her beautifully decorated bedroom.

It reminded him of a beach hideaway, with sheer gauzy material over the four-poster bed. There were pops of teal and purple, reminding him of the tropics. He really liked it.

He made his way back to the kitchen, got her some water, and sat next to her while she took three pills.

“Thank you for bringing me home. I really appreciate it…”

“I figured it’s the least I could do after running into you again.”

She smiled. “Where are you from?”

“I’m from Westminster, just outside of London. My family still lives there. They run the London branch of the firm, and I run the Palm Beach branch. The other branches are in New York City and LA.”

“That’s impressive for someone your age. Good for you. Your parents run the London branch?”

“Yes, my parents are both lawyers, my brother Henry is also a lawyer, his wife Bethany and their daughter Ellie, and then my sister Liza and her husband William are both lawyers as well.”

“Wow! That’s a lot of lawyers in one family!”

He chuckled. “That it is. So, you’re a teacher?”

“Yes, I teach third grade at Macintosh Academy, and I love it. I’ve been there for three years and wouldn’t go anywhere else. It’s a great private school, and I love the families.”

“That’s lovely! What about your family?”

She swallowed. “I don’t have any family. My grandmother who raised me died about seven years ago…”

“I’m sorry, Maggie…,” he said softly, squeezing her uninjured hand.

Before anything else could be said, Brett came in carrying a bag of burgers, fries, and drinks from a local place they loved.

Setting everything on the kitchen table, he handed Maggie a large cup and a spoon.

“I figured a shit week like you have had deserves a large chocolate banana milkshake,” he said with a wink.

She smiled back weakly. “Thanks, Bear, I appreciate it. Love you…”

He kissed her forehead, smiling at his old nickname, and sat down, handing everyone their food.

“I called Mak on the way and filled her in. She said she will call you tomorrow and see how you are doing.”

“Thanks…I just thought of something… Bear, I need you to help me get undressed and into some pajamas…”

Liam immediately interjected, “I will! It’s the least I can do after all the trouble I’ve caused!”

Brett almost choked on his burger and started coughing a little. He was shocked at how eager his friend was. Maybe this was different for him. He would have to keep an eye on this.

“I’m sure you are very capable of helping a woman out of her clothes, Liam, but I don’t want to be fondled…this time…,” she said with a smirk.

Liam raised an eyebrow at her words. “I’ll remember that!”

“I am trying to eat here, people!” Brett yelled.

Maggie giggled and went back to her shake and burger. Brett shot Liam a questioning look, but Liam just shrugged as he ate. They talked about the game, both men giving Maggie the props she deserved.

“Mags played in high school and was really good but hurt her shoulder her senior year and missed out on playing in college,” Brett boasted proudly.

“Gee, thanks, Dad,” Maggie said.

“Good for you, Maggie. Tonight showed how talented you are,” Liam complimented.

She blushed at Liam’s words but continued, “I was thinking of coaching for a girl’s high school team next year. I heard that a couple of the local high schools are looking for coaches.”

“Mags, that is great! You would do awesome at that!” Brett exclaimed.

“I bet you would be brilliant, Maggie,” Liam said in his proper English accent.

She smiled broadly at them both and got up to throw her trash away in the wastebasket. She was starting to feel every ache in her body at this point and desperately wanted to go to bed.

“Bear, are you done? I’m exhausted and really want to go to bed…”

“Yeah, come on, Mags,” he said, wiping his mouth and following her back to her room.

She was comfortable being naked around him, despite his good looks. He had always been like a brother to her.

He felt the same way and didn’t think twice as he helped her take her shirt off, leaving her in her sports bra and short leggings.

It was a pain trying to get the shirt off the good arm and then carefully easing it off the broken one.

She had the thought of going out into the living room and teasing Liam with the outfit, but the pain was too much.

She turned her back to Brett and he helped take the sports bra off. They almost had it off when the strap got caught on her finger, and Brett yanked.

“MOTHER FUCKER!” she yelled as the tears instantly fell.

“Shit, Maggie! I am so sorry! I thought it was off!”

Liam all but ran into the room at her scream and saw Brett holding the piece of clothing and Maggie sitting on the edge of the bed, shirtless, clutching her bandaged arm to her chest, covering her breasts.

He knew he shouldn’t be, but he was getting hard looking at the sight of her half naked on a bed.

“Everything okay?” he asked carefully.

“Brett is not a good nurse, Liam. Just remember that,” Maggie said trying to breathe through the throbbing in her arm.

Neither man knew what to do at this point as she just sat there. Finally, she told them to give her a minute.

She didn’t care that Liam was in her room at that point, she just wanted to get on her pajamas and sleep.

“One of you idiots get in my top drawer and find a large blue T-shirt with a gator on the front and hand it here.”

Liam was the closest and opened the drawer to find all of Maggie’s underwear, bras, lingerie, and some pajamas.

He cursed under his breath at the sight of the thongs and lacy bras and the feel of the silk on his hands as he looked for the elusive shirt.

Finding the one at the bottom of the drawer he pulled it out and handed it to Brett. He hated closing the drawer but didn’t want to look like a pervert either.

Brett took it and helped ease the hurt arm in the hole, then pushed it over her head as the good arm went in. She pulled the shirt down and looked at them both.

“It’s a damn good thing for humanity that neither of you is in medicine!”

They looked at each other and then grinned at her. She stood up and Brett helped her get the sling back on and secured the arm.

She used her good arm to pull down the leggings and her underwear, carefully moving them over the bandages and scraps on her legs. She threw the items in the hamper and stood up.

Both men were very thankful, for very different reasons, that the shirt covered her unmentionables below her waist as she walked to the bathroom to brush her teeth and wiped her face.

Liam discreetly tried to adjust himself and realized that as she bent over the sink, the shirt rose and showed the delicious curve where her legs met her ass. Brett saw him, smacked his arm, and glared.

“Dude!”

“I’m sorry! I can’t help it!” Liam whispered back angrily.

She came back out and asked if Brett could get her a bottle of water and the painkillers from the kitchen. Then she looked at Liam and noticed the slight bulge in the front of his pants.

“Did you enjoy the show?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I purposely lifted the shirt a little to show my ass as payback for all your comments on the field,” she said, looking proud.

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow. “Oh, darling, the sneak peek was very nice. I can’t wait for the full show!”

“Oh, that’s not going to happen!” she said confidently.

“We shall see about that, Maggie. We shall see,” was all he replied, and she gritted her teeth as she got into bed.

Brett came back with the requested items and helped her prop herself up on the pillows, so she was sitting up. He kissed her forehead and tucked her in.

“If, and that’s a big if, you behave yourself, and the pain is low on Saturday when you get your cast, I will let you work the upstairs bar with Sheila and deliver drinks.

“But if you are in too much pain, and I know when you are in pain, I am sending you home. Got it?”

“Got it. I will behave myself, I promise! Thanks, Brett.”

He nodded and turned to leave. “I’ll bring up your bag from my car and lock up for you. Let’s talk tomorrow.”

She blew him a kiss as he walked out.

“Can I call and check on you tomorrow, Maggie?” Liam asked.

“You can call, doesn’t mean I will answer, now does it?”

God, he loved her cheeky mouth! It made him want her that much more. “Well, then I guess I will roll the dice and see if it’s my lucky day!”

She rolled her eyes and settled deeper in the pillows. “Good night, Liam, I would say thanks for the help, but you caused this,” she said with a yawn.

“Good night, Maggie,” he said and left the room.

Gus came out of his hiding place on the couch and rubbed Liam’s legs again. Brett walked in and was shocked at the scene.

“That cat likes only four people: Maggie, Makayla, Mike, and me. Wow…”

“He did this the other day when I dropped Maggie’s phone off. She was pretty stunned too. What about her ex and your other friend?”

Brett shook his head. “Hated Jason. Hissed and ran every time he came over. Olivia too. He must be a really good judge of character…or an idiot easily distracted by English accents!”

Liam laughed and landed a playful punch to his gut. “You really are a git, aren’t you?”

Brett just laughed as he turned the lights out and closed the front door behind them, checking to make sure it was locked.

Liam took one last look at the door, thinking of the beautiful woman behind it. He shook his head and headed to his car, thinking that he desperately needed a cold shower.