278. Chapter 278

She doesn’t register it for a minute or two.

“Can you pass me that measuring cup, please, babygirl?”

Their relationship is new – not so new that Maggie doesn’t know her way around Alex’s kitchen, that Alex doesn’t know exactly how many yoga classes Maggie goes to per week – but it’s new enough.

New enough that Alex is still getting used to calling Maggie her girlfriend; new enough that Maggie is still trying to calm herself down, trying to convince herself that Alex is worth trusting, that she isn’t just Alex’s coming out affair.

New enough that Maggie has called her gorgeous, but not babe; new enough that Maggie has called her sweetie, but only when she was crying; new enough that this? This whole babygirl business?

Makes Alex’s heart jump and makes her cheeks grow red and makes her stammer and splutter and generally lose her grip on the whole language thing.

But only a minute or two after the endearment slips out of Maggie’s mouth.

Because it feels natural, it feels right. And it feels… it feels like coming home.

“Here you go, Detective,” she flirts, making sure to graze Maggie’s fingers with her own, to bend down and kiss her forehead, her nose, in a way that always brings out Maggie’s dimples.

But then Alex freezes, and then the spluttering begins.

“Wait, Maggie, I – what – did you – it – babygirl?”

“I’m sorry, is – is that not okay? If it’s not okay, I don’t – ”

“I didn’t say it’s not okay – ”

“Because I don’t wanna make you uncomfortable, Danvers – ”

“No, I wanna be. Your babygirl. I want… that’s what I want.”

“Yeah?” Maggie looks up at her with wide eyes and the beginnings of a smile.

“Yes.” Alex’s voice is soft and her lips are softer when she leans down to kiss Maggie’s.

“Good then. My babygirl.”

Alex blushes and preens and squirms in the way James swears only Maggie can make her do.

Because she’s never liked being anyone’s, never liked the possessiveness, never understood the intimacy of endearments like that.

But being Maggie’s? And Maggie integrating that affection, that… love… into her language?

That kind of intimacy feels, now, absolutely perfect.