The Sweetest Gift (The Gift) Read Online Free Page B

through the next
week,” Maggie sighed.
    “We’ll just keep ourselves distracted. Maybe we can go
over and play with Spencer a few times. I’m sure the kids will want to go on a
couple short expeditions.”
    “In the meantime, I want to hear some of those tapes
that you gave me,” Maggie said.
    She went over to the stereo and loaded a cassette into
the tape deck. Loud rock music came spilling out of the speakers, the music was
supported by a thunderous bass line. Maggie went back over to sit next to
Justin on the wicker couch. He put his arm around her and she leaned back
against him and closed her eyes so she could concentrate on the music.
Suddenly, she felt him tentatively kiss her on the lips. She wanted to stop
him, but it took her a minute or two to get out an ineffectual ‘no’.
    “I don’t think this is such a good idea, Justin.”
    “Are you sure, Maggie?”
    Justin continued kissing her and then she found herself
kissing him back. It had been a long time since she had felt so attracted to a
man, probably since the last time she and Zak had made love and that was two
years ago at this point. She pulled Justin closer and kissed him more deeply.
    “Maggie, I dream about kissing your soft lips. I’ve
never been able to forget about you. Even when I’ve been with other women, it’s
always been you that I want.”
    “Justin, why did you wait so long to come back?” she
asked.
    “I was so torn between my friendship for Zak and my love
for you. Zak has been my best friend all of my life, I couldn’t bear to hurt
him. But I couldn’t handle being around the two of you when you were so happy. I
wanted to be your husband and the father of your kids, but I couldn’t have
that. That’s why I couldn’t come home before.”
    “Justin, I’m supposed to marry Tucker now.”
    Justin didn’t say anything. He continued to kiss Maggie
and when he felt her relax and begin to surrender to him, he started to touch
her breasts. He was just unbuttoning her blouse, when they heard footsteps on
the gravel. Justin hurriedly buttoned her blouse back up again and was just
finishing when Zak flung the door open.
    “We’re back,” he said loudly and stood in the doorway
blocking everyone’s view for a minute.
    “What have you two been up to?” he asked, but he knew by
Maggie’s heavy breathing and flushed face exactly what they had been up to.
    “We were just listening to a tape of my band,” Justin
said and got up to turn the tape off.
    Tucker and the three kids followed Zak into the house.
Jake ran over to his mother and handed her a flower that he had found on his
walk.
    “This is for you Mama,” he said.
    “Thank you darling. It’s very pretty.”
    “That would look nice in your mother’s hair,” Justin
said. He took the flower out of Maggie’s hand and tenderly tucked it into her
long blonde hair behind one ear.
    “That does look pretty, Mama,” said Belle.
    “It kind of reminds me of when you wore the flowers in
your hair when we got married,” said Zak.
    “Maggie looked beautiful that day,” said Justin.
    “Well, I think she looks beautiful every day,” Tucker
agreed.
    Belle giggled and Maggie looked slightly embarrassed.
    “You look warm Maggie, can I get you a cold drink?”
Tucker asked.
    “Yes please, Tucker. That would be great.”
    Tucker went into the kitchen and came back with a
pitcher of lemonade and some glasses and then poured drinks for everyone.
    “It’s awfully humid here in Louisiana,” he said. “I
don’t know how you can live here year round, Zak.”
    “I guess I’m just used to it. Maggie used to find it
difficult though, being a Northerner.”
    “You’d like the climate in San Francisco, Maggie. It’s
moderate all the time,” said Justin.
    “Sounds good to me,” said Tucker.
    “Have you been back to Boston recently to see your
parents?” Justin asked.
    “We were back about a year ago. Tucker and I were hoping
to take the kids before we got