Chapter Thirty
Mack held Kayla’s hand all the way up from the beach, through the resort, and up the stairs toward their room. She only dropped it as they approached their door because the resort cat who had adopted Mack on their arrival let out a long, disgruntled meow and launched herself into Mack’s arms.
Kayla had to raise her voice to be heard over the cat’s loud purring. “Wow, you sure have been busy this week. Any other women fall in love with you besides the two of us?”
Mack scratched the cat’s chin, making her little furry head tilt back and her eyes close in bliss. “No need to be jealous, this one is just a fling. She’ll forget all about me tomorrow.”
“I doubt it. You have a way of getting into a woman’s blood.”
Mack turned to her, and Kayla tipped headfirst into the crystal-clear depths of her eyes. How had she spent so many years in this woman’s presence and only now realized how captivating those green eyes were? “Right back at you, LaLa.”
Kayla lost herself in those stunning eyes, and the way that being around Mack felt so different now.
She didn’t notice that Mack put down the cat or opened the door to their room.
The next thing she was aware of, she was standing beside their freshly made bed with Mack achingly close.
She broke their gaze, instead letting her eyes roam all over Kayla’s body.
The inspection was so intense, Kayla could feel it like a physical touch.
A shiver of anticipation zinged across her skin.
Mack said, “It’s time I start that honesty thing.”
Kayla’s mouth went dry with the possibilities, but she kept her voice calm. “Okay.”
“It’s been a confusing day, and I’m exhausted.”
Kayla laughed. “That’s the understatement of the year.”
“I want to climb into this bed with you, hold you, and kiss you.”
“That sounds amazing.”
“I’m not sure how far I want to go beyond that. Like I said, it’s been a confusing day.”
Kayla’s heart rate kicked up at the thought of what Mack meant by going beyond kissing.
As much as she wanted that, and her body really, really wanted that, she would never ask for anything Mack wasn’t ready for.
“That’s totally fine. I don’t want to screw anything up, so no pressure.
I just really want to fall asleep in your arms if that’s okay. ”
Mack’s smile lit the room far more effectively than the dim bedside lamp. “That sounds amazing. We’ll just see what happens beyond that. Deal?”
“Deal.”
By unspoken consent, they moved together to the bathroom.
Kayla stowed her contacts into their case and then accepted a dollop of toothpaste for her brush from Mack.
They turned to the mirror and brushed. Every time Kayla sneaked a peek at Mack’s reflection, she caught Mack staring back at her, a gentle smile on her lips.
Once she added a little wink that made Kayla’s stomach flutter.
The level of comfort she felt shocked even her after such a tumultuous day.
Overall, though, the whole thing felt wonderfully domestic.
They had taken turns getting ready earlier in the week, so there was something special about this moment standing side-by-side.
She was shocked at how romantic it felt.
How right it felt. If she worked hard not to be a knucklehead again, this could be her life every night.
Just the thought made her lightheaded with giddiness.
Once her teeth were clean, Kayla took a turn in the toilet room.
To her immense disappointment, Mack had taken the opportunity to change for bed.
As much as Kayla appreciated the tank top and boxer combination, she would have loved to watch Mack put them on.
Or rather, she would have loved to watch her take off the previous outfit.
Kayla had always been bolder, so she didn’t hesitate to pull her sundress over her head.
Mack’s eyes went wide for a heartbeat, but she didn’t look away.
In fact, her gaze was laser-focused on Kayla’s pale blue, lace-trimmed bra.
So, when Kayla reached behind her to unclasp it, she didn’t turn away either.
As the fabric fell away, the cool night air hit her nipples, and they hardened in an instant.
Of course, Mack’s hungry stare might have had something to do with her body’s reaction, too.
Kayla said, “I’m all out of shirts to sleep in. Can I borrow one of yours?”
Mack’s eyes glinted. “Of course. Top drawer. There should be one or two left.”
Part of Kayla had hoped that Mack had been as bad at packing as she was.
It wouldn’t have been terrible to sleep topless with Mack, but she was determined to stick to her word.
She wouldn’t initiate anything, and that included teasing Mack to the point of starting something.
If they went beyond kissing tonight, Mack would have to be the one to decide, and Kayla would not put her thumb on the scale.
Still, it didn’t hurt to give her something to think about.
There were indeed two clean, neatly folded tank tops in Mack’s top drawer.
She was a size larger than Kayla, but the shirt smelled like Mack and was as soft as her touch.
It hung limply to her waist but was fitted enough to show the outline of her breasts.
Kayla was particularly fond of her breasts.
They were round and luscious and one of the few places on her body not marked by the scars of her soccer career.
Mack’s gaze on her was like a magnet, drawing her in but also separating her into all the disparate parts of herself.
A flush of heat tickled across her skin under that gaze.
It had weight like a physical touch. It made her crave Mack’s actual touch, and she practically sprinted to the bed.
Neither of them broke eye contact. Not as Kayla pulled back the sheets on her side of the bed and slipped underneath them.
Not as she scooted across the impossibly wide mattress.
Not even as Mack opened her arms wide and Kayla slid between them.
As their bodies came together, Mack let out her breath in a gasp against Kayla’s cheek.
Kayla bit into her bottom lip to hold back a groan.
How was it possible that it could feel so good to be held by someone?
She’d felt the warm pressure of another body against hers a thousand times before—she’d even felt Mack’s body against hers—but this was different.
This wasn’t an accidental spooning with her best friend.
It wasn’t even a heated make-out session with her fake girlfriend.
Just an hour ago, she’d told Mack she was in love with her, and they decided to try…
what? Dating? Were they real girlfriends now?
Was this their first night of many together?
She had a million questions, but she didn’t know how to ask a single one.
Mack reached out and tucked a loose piece of hair behind her ear. Her thumb traced a path across Kayla’s eyebrow and tapped lightly across her temple. “I have the feeling there’s a lot going on in here.”
Kayla tried to laugh, but she couldn’t quite take a full breath with Mack holding her like this. “Another understatement of the year. You too?”
Mack nodded and let her fingertips trail across Kayla’s cheek.
The touch left a searing path of desire behind it.
“Way too much.” Her hand continued moving, drifting down Kayla’s shoulder, then her back.
She pulled them closer until Kayla’s whole world was Mack’s face.
Mack’s breath. Mack’s lips. “Maybe I can help quiet down both our minds?”
She barely waited for Kayla’s nod before she closed the last of the space between them.
Her lips were like liquid fire against Kayla’s.
Her hand cradled Kayla’s hip, strong and sure, just like her kiss.
Kayla’s eyes fluttered shut, and she lost herself in the caress of lips and tongue.
Her senses shrank to only taste and touch.
She was a woman starving and Mack was the only sustenance she needed.
Mack deepened the kiss, both with her mouth and her body.
She rolled Kayla gently onto her back and pressed against her side.
It took her a long time to realize Mack’s hand had left her hip.
At first, it was just the brush of fingertips against her ribs, then she pressed her palm flat against Kayla’s skin and ignited an electric energy inside her.
Mack broke the kiss, and Kayla whimpered, trying desperately to chase after her lips. She pulled away only far enough to whisper, her voice strained and weak, “Can I touch you?”
“Yes. Please God, yes. Anywhere. Everywhere. Please, Mack.”
She was desperate and messy and begging, but not even a sliver ashamed.
She craved Mack’s touch more than she could ever think possible.
She knew in that moment that they would make love tonight, and she knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that it would be the best night she’d ever had.
Somehow that didn’t add pressure to the moment, only the delicious sweetness of anticipation.
Mack certainly took her time about it, but at least she was kissing her again.
Only this kiss carried the same desperation Kayla felt, and Mack’s hand trembled as she slid it higher and higher up under Kayla’s shirt.
By the time she finally cupped Kayla’s breast, she could have screamed in frustration.
In reality, it was probably only a few seconds, but a few seconds without that gentle caress was a lifetime.
Mack flicked her thumb across Kayla’s hard nipple, and she couldn’t help screaming into her mouth.
“Is this okay?” Mack asked breathlessly.
“More than okay. It’s amazing. Please don’t stop.”