774. Chapter 774

She knew she looked great in dresses and short skirts; men had made sure she knew that since she grew out of her awkward high school moment and grown into dresses and alcohol and parties and forgetting.

And she definitely wanted to forget most of the things they’d said, and done, to tell her, to show her, what they thought of her legs.

If anything, it made her work harder at changing all that.

Because relying on her natural metabolism and form wasn’t going to cut it, with her new job at the DEO. And neither was all the drinking and partying.

So she started working out. Hard.

Hard because Hank Henshaw pushed her harder than she’d ever been pushed - which was saying a lot, because she grew up with Eliza - and hard because she had so, so much to prove, and even more to forget.

She got Vasquez to spar with her, and when they weren’t sparring, they were in the DEO’s training center.

She learned to squat and she learned to deadlift and she learned to kick and jump and sprint and just… everything.

She learned to use her legs for a different kind of power than seduction, and that power changes their shape.

Her legs grow and her jeans stop fitting and men don’t stop being disgusting but she stops thinking she has to be flattered by it.

She does, though, also stop thinking her legs are pretty. Because they’ve lost their overtly feminine edge and she’s often too busy to remember to shave and they’re always covered in bruises, now, and cuts and scrapes and scars.

She usually doesn’t think about it anymore.

But when she does, it’s with discomfort. It’s with insecurity and a pit in her stomach that mourns for when she used to be prettier. When she used to be the gorgeous girl instead of the strong girl, the sexy one instead of the scary one.

But then there’s Maggie Sawyer.

There’s Maggie Sawyer and a job that requires her to wear a dress to go undercover.

And there’s Maggie’s eyes sweeping up and down her body - though not nearly as obviously as the path Alex’s eyes trace up Maggie’s body - and then there’s Maggie’s hand, reaching out to hold hers like Alex is gorgeous, like Alex is sexy, like Alex is someone Maggie wants, naturally, to be seen with, to be with with, even though they’re just undercover and they’re definitely not dating and Alex isn’t gay, anyway, nope, definitely not.

But the thing is, she is. And god, Maggie’s lips are soft and warm and perfect.

But when Maggie’s hands trail down to her ass, her thighs, Alex stiffens.

Maggie stops immediately, withdraws immediately, apologizes immediately for not asking if her hands could travel there while they’re making out on the couch.

No one’s ever apologized to Alex for putting their hands on her before, and no one’s asked her if they could kiss her in a certain way before, and no one’s even stopped to notice when she was uncomfortable with something before.

Alex could definitely fall in love with this woman, if she hasn’t already.

And not just by comparison to jerks.

By comparison to… everything.

Maggie Sawyer is… everything.

But Alex’s legs? They’re… not. Not anymore. And she’s afraid Maggie will see that, will feel that, will realize that, and not be attracted to her anymore. Not think she’s sexy anymore.

And god, Alex revels in the fact that Maggie Sawyer finds her sexy. She’s terrified that she’ll stop. And she’s never been so invested in a relationship before, in intimacy before.

So she’s terrified.

Damn legs.

“Talk to me. If you want,” Maggie is inviting, soft and welcoming and concerned, making sure Alex knows she still wants her, but wants her on her own terms, wants her to want everything they’re doing, and won’t do anything Alex doesn’t desperately desire.

“I just…” Alex shifts on the couch so her legs are more covered, so they splay out less on the couch, so they look less thick than they are. “I like where you were touching me. I like everywhere you touch me.” She blushes and Maggie kisses her nose and yep, she’s definitely falling in love. “I mean, I like being touched by you. But I… I don’t want you to feel like you have to. Touch me everywhere. If you don’t want. Because my legs aren’t… it… never mind. We can go back to kissing. Can we go back to kissing? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said anything, touch me wherever you want, I - ”

“Whoa, hey, Danvers. I’m not gonna touch you anywhere you’re uncomfortable with. Does it scare you? Or trigger you? It’s okay if it does, sweetie, and you don’t have to tell me everything right now, but I need to know the basics so I don’t hurt or scare you or make you uncomfortable. Because that’s definitely the opposite of what I’m trying to do.”

“No, it’s not… nothing bad happened with my legs, it… no, it’s just… they’re not…”

She shifts again, and she tries not to cry as she watches realization dawn on Maggie. About her insecurity, about how stupid and childish she’s being, and how unsexy her lack of confidence must be…

But then Maggie is kissing her face - her cheeks, her eyes, her temples, her forehead, her chin - and murmuring to her as she does. “Alex. Your body is incredible. Your legs are incredible. And I don’t want to touch you anywhere you’re uncomfortable with, okay? That’s not what I’m trying to do. I’m not trying to get convince you to let me touch you anywhere, or see anything you don’t want me to, okay? But I just… I want you to know that your legs are sexy, Danvers. They’re strong and powerful and give me something incredible to grab on to, and that thickness is hot as hell. You’re hot as hell. Okay? And just… just know that I think that, that I feel that. We can go back to kissing, and my hands can be nowhere near your legs. Or we can go back to watching this damn movie, or whatever you want. Okay? I can just hold you. Whatever you - ”

None of that is what Alex wants. Well, she will. Later. But now?

Now she wants to feel Maggie everywhere. She draws Maggie’s hands back to her thighs and she’s nervous and she’s scared but she also trusts this woman, and she believes her, and god, does she want her.

Maggie moans softly as she squeezes Alex’s thighs slightly, and Alex is shocked when the heat from that movement shuttles through her entire body.

Maggie looks well and truly turned on, and god, she really did mean what she said, and god, she really can get used to this feeling.

Her face is still burning with tentative embarrasment, but her body is also burning with definite arousal, and it’s all because of the effect her legs are having on Maggie Sawyer.

Maybe there’s something sexy about being big and muscular after all.