She snuggled into his body and smiled against his flesh. “I actually should go home, I have no clothes here and I need to work tomorrow.”

“No way, Red. I’ll come with you and sleep at your place. I have a job at the Bluebird Inn, it’s closer to your house anyway. I’ve realized I hate sleeping without you. I love that little body tucked into mine. I tried putting a pillow there last night but it was no good.”

“It’s nice to know I’m better than a bag of feathers,” she commented dryly.

“Oh yeah,” he agreed and rolled out of bed to grab a change of clothes and some toiletries.

Maggie watched him gather his things with a smile. So damned handsome and he loved her. She sighed happily. “You know, you could bring an extra few changes of clothes and leave them at my place, just in case.”

He looked around at her. “Yeah? That would be all right?”

“More than all right,” she said and he came back over to her, dropping a kiss on her lips.

“Okay. You should do that too. I mean, bring some stuff over here.”

“I like the idea of my panties in your drawer and some of my clothes in your closet, just in case a skank like Lyndsay comes over.”

He rolled his eyes. “I told you, I rarely brought women over here, Red. But I like the idea of your panties in my drawer, too.”

“Better in yours than Alex’s,” she commented with a grin.

He looked at her askance and then laughed. “I’m glad you can laugh about it.”

“What else can I do? I’m all cried out. Anyway, you make me feel like laughing instead of crying.”

“Good. Now let’s get over to your place and I’ll make you moan instead.”

“You’ve got a deal!”

They promised to meet at the courthouse at later that afternoon as they’d left the house.

When she got there, her nervousness abated when she saw Kyle and Edward waiting for her on the front steps. Waving, she climbed the stairs to meet them. Kyle stiffened up and a red flush broke over his face. Edward reached out to hold his arm, shaking his head once. Alarmed, Maggie turned around to see what he was so angry about and saw Alex walking up the steps behind them. His attorney put himself between them and Alex and ushered him inside.

“Kyle, cool down boy or I’ll make you wait out here. Maggie, darlin’, are you all right?”

Taking a deep breath to brace herself, she nodded. “Yes. Let’s go in, I’m ready.”

Kyle took her hand and they followed Edward into the courtroom where the rest of the Chases, Liv and Dee were already seated. Smiling at them all gratefully, she and Edward moved past them to a more forward row. Kyle stayed at her side, her hand still tucked in his even as they sat down. Shane came in through an interior door and sat down away from them all. Of course he was there as Sheriff but he caught Maggie’s eye and smiled at her reassuringly.

The judge addressed the prosecutor and Alex’s attorney before approving the plea agreement. Alex asked permission to address Maggie and the judge looked at her. “Ms. Wright, do you assent to Mr. Parsons addressing you?”

She leaned over and asked Edward if it would affect the protection order, which the judge had just made permanent and the no contact order and he shook his head no.

“Yes, Your Honor, he may address me.”

Alex stood up and turned toward her and Kyle squeezed her hand.

“Maggie, I’m truly sorry for frightening you and for the damage I did to your home. I won’t bother you again. I’m getting help in my counseling and I hope that someday we can be friends again.” He sat down and looked at his attorney.

Maggie just sat there. Be friends with him? Was he out of his mind?

“Very well, is that everything?” The judge asked.

“No, Your Honor, there is the matter of the stolen property belonging to Ms. Wright, and the photographs and negatives that he agreed to turn over. We have not received these items.” Edward stood and addressed the judge, back straight and Maggie felt in good hands.

The judge turned a steely gaze to Alex and his attorney. “Well?”

The attorney whispered to Alex, who began to argue with him. “Your Honor, Mr. Parsons has left these items at home and will forward them to Ms. Wright by the end of the week.”

“No!” Maggie said urgently to Edward. “I want those pictures and my underthings back today! He promised.”

“Your Honor, Mr. Parsons has known he had to turn over these items since he made this agreement last Thursday. My client is understandably upset. Not only has Mr. Parsons terrorized her and vandalized her home but he possesses intimate items belonging to her and has taken photographs of her, without her knowledge or permission. We are prepared to wait while a police officer escorts Mr. Parsons to his home to retrieve these items posthaste,” Edward said calmly but firmly.

The judge looked at Alex and then to Shane. “Sheriff Chase, can you or one of your men escort Mr. Parsons to his home to retrieve these items? Which, by the way—I have difficulty understanding why he was given them back after he was arrested to begin with?”

“Yes, Your Honor. I can send Officer Spence right now. The items were given back to Mr. Parsons by mistake, included in the inventory of his personal items when he was released from jail.”

“Do it then. Mr. Parsons. You have half an hour to produce each and every one of the items you agreed to in the plea agreement. If a single item is missing—a single photograph or negative—I will send you to jail for a week on contempt charges. Do I make myself clear? We will recess until two fifteen, at such time you had better be back here and in full compliance or I’ll toss your butt in jail.”