Chapter Twenty-Five
Kayla ran along the beach. The sun was hot against her skin, and the ocean was cool as it lapped against her bare toes. Her body felt lighter than it ever had. Her knee was strong and painless thanks to the soft, sandy surface. She could run like this forever and never tire.
Joy bubbled in her like warm champagne, and she laughed from the center of her soul, though she couldn’t hear the sound over the crashing waves. She was so warm and so comfortable, living entirely in her element.
She was so distracted by her joyful state that it took a long time to recognize the warmth of another person beside her.
She knew it was Mack even before she looked over.
Mack looked just as happy as Kayla felt.
The wind whipped loose strands of hair into wild shapes around her face.
She turned her crooked smile to Kayla, and fires erupted in her soul.
She laughed, and the sound sent a wave of electricity across Kayla’s flushed skin.
Distantly, Kayla recognized just how much of her skin she could feel.
Not only the usual arms and calves, but also her back and shoulders were warmed by the skin.
And other places. She looked down at herself and discovered she was completely naked.
It was just the sand, sun, and sea on her skin.
But she was on a public beach, in full view of hundreds, maybe thousands of tourists sharing the resort with her. She should not be naked here.
Instead of being self-conscious, however, the realization made her euphoric. Shocked by her own recklessness. She had never once in her life let herself be this free. It made her giddy. Who would have ever thought she would be so risqué?
She turned back to Mack to share her feelings of freedom.
Of course she would. She shared everything with Mack.
But as she looked over, she realized Mack was naked, too.
Gloriously, amazingly, tantalizingly naked.
They had seen each other in swimsuits this week, and that had awakened an appreciation in Kayla that she didn’t know she’d held.
They’d seen each other in just underwear once or twice in high school, but that had been when they’d run track together.
They had both been timid with their locker room nudity, as most kids their age were.
This was not the same. This carried a humming undercurrent of desire.
This was very much an adults naked together feeling.
Adults who had kissed, who were now naked together.
As soon as she thought of the kiss, Kayla stopped dead.
She certainly couldn’t run while her knees wobbled and her body surged with lust. Mack stopped, too.
Neither of them was laughing anymore, and the roar of the ocean faded as the roar of her blood picked up.
She stared at Kayla without the laughing or the teasing or any of the other walls they’d put up between them in the past. She was looking at her with a hunger that brought a stab of need to Kayla’s core.
Mack stalked toward her with an intention that was impossible to ignore.
She was a powerful, seductive creature, and she was clearly intent upon seducing Kayla.
Kayla was very interested in being seduced.
Mack’s movements showed off her lithe body to its best advantage.
Her muscles and curves were mouthwatering.
It seemed to take ages for Mack to cross the few feet of sand.
Kayla loved the chance to devour her with her eyes, but she was eager for the touch of her skin.
She knew how Mack would feel. Solid but soft.
Heated by lust and sunlight. She knew even before Mack held her that their bodies would fit into each other as though they were designed for it.
Then suddenly she was right there. Her hands were on Kayla’s skin.
Her lips searched out every inch. Kayla was lying on her back in the sand, Mack hovering above her.
They kissed with the same intensity they had the night before.
Their tongues danced together as though connected.
Mack knew just the pressure Kayla wanted.
The pressure she needed. Their bodies pressed together in all the right places and Kayla quivered with anticipation.
She wasn’t likely to last long under the skilled barrage of Mack’s attentions but Mack seemed intent on teasing.
She kept Kayla constantly on the edge of release.
She touched and withdrew until Kayla thought she might actually scream.
Before Mack could drive her to madness, Kayla took over.
She rolled Mack onto her back and took control.
With Mack on her back, Kayla took particular delight in turning the tables on the teasing. She explored with her eyes but was far less invasive with her touch. She wanted to make Mack beg. Something told her that if she heard a single “please” from her, she would find herself addicted.
Kayla trailed her fingertips up Mack’s side, nearly touching her breast but not quite.
She slipped her thigh between Mack’s, and she moaned into Kayla’s mouth.
She wanted to make Mack beg, but she couldn’t bring herself to break their kiss long enough to let her.
Instead, she explored Mack’s mouth with her tongue and pressed herself harder and harder into Mack’s center.
Mingled moans echoed in her ears, and she could feel her release achingly close. As close as Mack’s perfect body.
But something was changing. The sand felt different under her overheated skin.
And the way Mack said her name was changing.
Closer and farther away like a badly tuned radio.
One moment she was on top of Mack on the beach, kissing her neck, and the next she was twisted in bed sheets, Mack calling her name in a way that was less reverent and more confused.
Her core still throbbed, but everything else was different.
Without warning, Kayla had woken fully from her dream. She had rolled on top of Mack, her hand on her breast and one thigh between hers. It took her a long moment to understand her position, and an even longer one to admit it was wildly inappropriate. She scrambled backward in horror.
“Oh, fuck, Mack. I’m so sorry.”
Mack’s voice was thick and gravelly. “S’okay.”
“I was dreaming. Oh God, I’m so sorry. That was not okay at all.”
“Calm down, LaLa. It’s not like I’m complaining over here. I just prefer to make out with you when we’re both awake.”
Kayla laughed shakily. She lifted her hand to wipe her sweating forehead and saw it was trembling. Mack must have seen it too, because she scooted closer and wrapped an arm around her.
Mack said, “Hey, are you okay?”
“Not really, no. Please don’t comfort me. It makes everything so much worse.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m embarrassed and also a jerk. It’s completely not okay to touch you without your consent. While you were asleep, for fuck’s sake.”
Mack laughed again, her voice was far steadier than Kayla’s. “It really is okay. You were asleep, too. You weren’t trying to take advantage. You didn’t know what you were doing. Besides, you know I really enjoy kissing you.”
Kayla was still a little lightheaded from the dream.
Had it been a dream? It felt so real. She could still smell the lingering scent of sea salt and desire.
Guilt roiled in her stomach, but it was hard to hold onto when Mack told her not to, and her body still burned from the intensity of her need.
Worse, she couldn’t tear her eyes away from Mack’s lips.
What she wouldn’t give to be kissing her again.
She was a heartbeat away from asking if it would be okay when Mack pressed forward and captured her lips.
It was just like in the dream, but so much better because it was real.
Mack’s lips were really on hers. Mack’s tongue was really inside her mouth.
And just like that, she was lost again in the intensity and desire from her dream.
She slid her fingers into Mack’s hair, pulling her close, and Mack moaned into her mouth.
The guilt she felt from going too far earlier kept her from reaching out to touch as well as kiss, but Mack was clearly willing to take the lead on that as well.
Kayla leaned back into the pillows, and Mack followed her.
As much as she wanted Mack fully on top of her, she was more than happy to have her settle at her side.
That allowed her hands to roam freely across Kayla’s body, just like she wanted.
Her hand slipped beneath the loose hem of Kayla’s tank top, her touch sure as she slipped her palm up her side.
It was the first time Mack had touched her like this.
The first time her fingertips brushed against more intimate skin.
Had Kayla really craved Mack’s hugs before?
As good as they were, they were nothing compared to this.
Her touch was so sure. So reverent. Kayla whimpered as she caressed her ribs.
She needed Mack’s touch in other places.
She craved that confident caress on her breasts, between her legs.
God, was this really happening? It was Mack she was thinking about like that.
Her best friend. Since when did she want her as a lover instead?
That wasn’t even right. Want wasn’t a strong enough word.
There were no words strong enough for her desire.
If Mack didn’t touch her soon, she would burn into a pile of ash.
And then, Mack did touch her. Mack’s hand cupped her breast as she devoured Kayla’s mouth, and time stood absolutely still.
Her nipple hardened in an instant, and she knew the moment Mack felt it because she groaned.
The sound sent a shockwave of need through her like nothing she had ever felt.
Was this what other people meant when they said they were turned on?
Kayla thought she’d known what it felt like to want someone, but she had never wanted anyone like she wanted Mack in that moment.
It was visceral. Carnal. A soul-deep desire.
She pulled Mack down and wrapped one leg around her waist. It was blissful to feel Mack like this, as close as she could be without being skin to skin.
Just the thought of that was almost too much to bear, but she needed to feel it.
Needed to feel Mack’s skin against hers.
Her shirt was already bunched up to reveal her stomach.
All she needed was to expose Mack’s. She fumbled with the tail of her T-shirt and almost had it free when Mack scrambled back.
“Whoa. Hang on a second,” Mack said.
All Kayla could do was whimper. The room was like ice without Mack touching her. The air was thin and worthless. Her heart roared, but it might as well have been pumping water for all the good it did for her limbs. Without Mack touching her—kissing her—the world barely existed.
Mack settled on the far corner of the bed, exactly as far away from Kayla as she could get and ran a hand through her hair.
It had come down out of its usual ponytail and hung messily over one shoulder.
There was absolutely nothing in the world Kayla wanted more than to be the one running her hands through that hair.
Hers would probably be just as shaky as Mack’s was now.
Mack said, “Sorry. I know I started that, but let’s cool things down for a minute.”
It wasn’t until that moment that Kayla realized how close she had come to starting something she couldn’t take back. Would she have wanted to take it back if it had happened? She couldn’t really let herself think about that right now. “You’re right.”
Mack’s breathing had barely slowed, and her voice was strained. “It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s just…”
“No, you’re right. I’m sorry. I got us both riled up, and maybe that was a bad idea.”
Mack’s eyes settled on her, and she couldn’t breathe. “I don’t know if it was a bad idea.”
“Neither do I.”
The admission was out of her mouth before she could think about it.
Wasn’t it a bad idea? It should be. She wanted Skye, not Mack.
Didn’t she? Thoughts were tumbling so fast through her brain that she could almost hear the buzz of them skittering around.
None of them were soaking in, though. Her mind was sluggish, and she couldn’t tell if it was from tiredness or lust.
Mack seemed to sense her feelings. Or maybe she had the same ones? She took a deep breath and said, “I think we should both get a good night’s sleep and talk about this tomorrow when things aren’t so…charged.”
“Yeah. You’re right. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay. We just need to talk before we do anything.”
“Yeah. We should talk.”
“But it’s late.”
“Yeah. It’s late.”
Why was she just repeating everything Mack said?
What did she really think? What did she really want?
Right now, she knew exactly what she wanted.
She wanted to strip Mack’s clothes off and see what other magical things her tongue could do besides kiss her silly.
Would she still want that tomorrow, though?
What about Skye? What about the life she had planned? What about her future with her fiancée?
Mack said, “Maybe I should sleep on the floor.”
“Absolutely not.” No matter what happened or didn’t happen, there was no way she wanted Mack anywhere but in their bed tonight. “I can behave.”
Mack’s laugh was accompanied by that crooked grin, and Kayla’s resolve melted like ice cream on the beach. “Not sure if I can.”
“I’ll sleep on top of the covers. Just don’t sleep on the floor, okay?”
“Anything you want, LaLa.”
Of course, Mack was the one to sleep on top of the covers, though.
Ever the considerate masc. It would have been infuriating if it weren’t so damn sexy.
Kayla lay down on the very edge of the mattress and switched off her bedside lamp.
She listened to the rustling of sheets and pillows as Mack tried to find a comfortable position.
If her body was anything like Kayla’s, it wasn’t the cold or the mattress that kept her from settling.
It was the ache of need refusing to quieten down.
They didn’t say anything else as the silence of the night took over the room.
It felt like they’d had their first fight instead of their first heavy make-out session.
The thought stuck in her brain. Calling it the first implied there would be a second, which she shouldn’t want.
After all, she was here to do this with Skye, not Mack.
Was that still what she wanted? What would it mean if it wasn’t?
What would it mean if it were, even though her body clearly wanted Mack?
Kayla’s stomach roiled with uncertainty.
It took a long time for her to fall asleep again, but her last thought before drifting off was that she and Mack really, really needed to talk in the morning. Preferably before she saw Skye.