Chapter 12
Cal
Once we clear the city limits, I finally address the elephant in the car. Not Mackenzie, ha-ha. “Are we done fake dating? I thought I’d hear from you to set up something this weekend.”
“I’m sorry, I got busy with work, and then I had plans with friends.”
“No problem.” What now? I don’t dare ask. Things are good again. She seemed so happy to see me. “How’s this for a fake date—shopping on Main Street.”
She smiles. “You really want to go shopping?”
“No, but I thought you’d like it.”
“What do you like to do?”
“Watch hockey, play basketball, read. You like any of those things?”
“I read, but isn’t that more of a solitary sport? Unless you want to read side by side in the library and hope someone gossipy wanders by.”
“Is that a no on hockey and basketball?”
“No on hockey. I could play basketball, but your height advantage feels very unfair.”
“I’ll lift you for the slam dunk every time you steal the ball. That’s what I used to do for my sister when she was little.”
“Do you see me like a sister?”
I get serious. “No. Not at all.”
“Cal, how is it that you bounced back so quickly from your ex? I imagine it must be hard to live with someone and then leave. Even tonight you got a box that basically says It’s over in bold print, and you’re here having fun with me.”
“I always have fun with you.”
She’s quiet, not pushing me but giving me space to share about Rayna if I want to. Without pressure, it’s easier for me to open up. “I guess, uh, Rayna felt I was too closed off, so she, uh, started seeing her ex, and that was hard for me.”
“Of course it was hard for you. So she was living with you and cheating on you with her ex at the same time?”
“He had a girlfriend. She said they never crossed the line, more like they were best friends again. She said she could get her emotional needs met with him and her physical with me.”
“Oh, Cal. That’s not right.”
“Yeah, so turns out the physical part fizzled out from the strain, and by the end we were more like roommates.”
I turn off the highway, deflated from the unhappy memories. This is why I keep deep emotions locked away. They mess you up.
“Why did she think you’d propose on Valentine’s Day, then?” she asks.
I force a flat neutral tone. “Because her ex got engaged, so she badly wanted us to get engaged too. Not because of me, because she was upset about him.”
“I hate her.”
I bark out a laugh. “It’s fine.”
“No, it is not fine. You didn’t deserve that.” She squeezes my arm. “Really, Cal. That’s not how you deserve to be treated. You’re a good man.”
A lump of emotion lodges in my throat, preventing speech. I nod once.
We drive for a while in comfortable silence. When I glance over at her, she’s sound asleep. I let out a slow breath, still overwhelmed by her kindness.
“You’re the best person I’ve ever met,” I whisper, only because I know she won’t hear a word.
Mackenzie
I wake as the car slows for the turn down my street.
Cal thinks I’m the best person he’s ever met.
I hold the sweet sentiment close to my heart.
He whispered it when he thought I was sound asleep, so I don’t want to bring it up.
I want to hug him. I missed him and was so happy to run into him tonight.
I’ve got a good man on my hands who makes me feel good, even though he comes with a lot of emotional baggage.
I’ve been cautious because he’s on the rebound, but Rowan and Cooper were a rebound situation with her being left at the altar and then boom! She fell for Cooper, and now they’re very happy together.
Look at me flipflopping about Cal when I’m normally on point with everything else in my life. But I don’t want the night to end. I ache to touch him and feel his hands on me, to lose myself in the pleasure that is Cal.
He parks in front of my house. All the reasons for keeping my distance vanish the moment his eyes meet mine.
“Good, you’re awake,” he says. “I thought I’d have to carry you in.”
Yes, please.
I’m the best person he’s ever met. That must mean this is more than sex to him. It’s time to take a risk.
“Will you?” I ask. “My roommate won’t be home for hours.”
He stares at me for a moment like he’s considering the invitation.
“Please,” I add softly.
He leans closer, pushing a lock of hair behind my ear. “Are you sure?”
I cup his face with both hands and kiss him. He returns the kiss hungrily, his fingers wrapping around my hair as passion takes over, leaving us straining to get closer in the confines of the car. Raw need twists desperately inside me, urging me to take everything he gives.
He pulls away abruptly, breathing hard as his gaze smolders into mine.
I give him a sexy smile, feeling hopeful.
He gets out of the car, walks around, and opens the door for me. I hope this means he’s coming in with me and not just walking me to the door.
I step out to find him searching my expression. “I want you, Cal.”
He groans and scoops me up, cradled in his strong arms as he carries me to the front door. So romantic! Kind of like the groom carrying the bride over the threshold. No, no, no, don’t go there.
“Let me down so I can open the door,” I say.
He sets me down, his hands running up and down my sides as I fumble to get the key out of my purse. I push one of his hands away. He wraps the other arm around my waist, pressing me back against him, his voice a husky whisper in my ear. “I want you so bad. Can you feel how much I want you?”
His heat and hardness press into my backside, bringing a rush of desire that leaves my legs weak.
“Yes,” I manage. “Don’t touch me for a moment so I can get us in.”
He chuckles and releases me.
I finally manage to get the door open, shut it, and lock it behind us. Then I grab his hand, leading him upstairs, turning on lights as I go.
Once in my room, I turn on the bedside lamp and face him, stripping out of my dress. He sucks in air as he takes me in wearing only panties, a strapless bra, and heels. The moment I step out of my heels, he wraps his arms around me.
“Let me do the rest.” His voice is gravelly, scraping against my insides. He kisses along the column of my neck as he removes the bra, shifting to kiss and lick my breast before drawing my nipple into his mouth with a hard suck. I moan, my head dropping back.
He gives the other breast the same treatment, the tug of pleasure a direct line to my sex. His hands slide down my sides, slipping under the edges of my panties and peeling them down.
“God, Mackenzie, you’re so sexy.”
He makes me feel sexy. “Thank you. Your turn.”
“Not yet. Lie on your back and spread your legs for me.”
I comply, used to his commands in the bedroom. He directs the action, and my surrender is the ultimate pleasure for both of us.
He settles between my legs, shifting down to give me one long lick. My breath shudders out. He places my leg over his shoulder and then the other, leaving me wide open to his touch. A long moment passes where he just gazes at me. I whimper, dying for his touch.
“Cal, please, I need you so much.”
“Good, baby, that’s what I like to hear.” He strokes with his fingers, delicately parting my folds before his tongue joins the action. My hips jerk. He hums against me, the vibrations rocking me to my core.
And then he slides a finger inside me as he works magic with his mouth.
I rock helplessly against him, racing to the peak that’s just out of reach.
His name is a litany on my lips until no sound is possible.
My fingers clutch the sheets as he takes me on a never-ending pleasure ride, pushing for more and more and more.
“I’m close,” I say urgently, and he backs off. I grip his hair, desperate, canting my hips up.
He lifts his head. “I want to play with you more.”
I whimper as he laps gently. Oh God, I’m so achy and needy. I need him to fill me. I need release. I lift my head, propping up on my elbows. “Cal, please.”
He smiles, pushes me flat on my back, and continues the sweet torture. I collapse, throwing my arms wide in complete surrender. He immediately ratchets up the pace, the pressure. My surrender unleashes the beast.
My head thrashes on the pillow as the room fades from view, my senses dimming except for the white-hot pleasure at my center as Cal owns my body.
He crooks his finger, pressing up at the same time as he takes and takes and takes.
The release slams into me, and I cry out, bucking against his hold.
He keeps me close, guiding me through wave after wave of pleasure until I’m spent.
He shifts away. I hear the rustle of the condom wrapper from my nightstand, and then he’s back, sliding deep into me. He groans into my neck. I wrap my arms and legs around him. Finally, the empty ache is filled.
He lifts his head and kisses me. “So good. It’s so good with you.”
“It’s us.”
He starts to move, keeping a slow and steady rhythm, pushing as deep as he can go.
He slides a hand under my hip and angles me up to take more of him.
Something about the angle hits just right.
I grab his ass and pull him closer, needing more.
He gives me exactly what I need, pumping hard and fast, both of us racing to release.
My climax hits in a rush, my insides clasping him rhythmically.
He lets go of his tight control, pounding into me until his own release hits. He throws his head back with a groan. A few moments later, he shifts to collapse next to me on the bed.
I turn off the bedside lamp and flop back on the mattress, too spent to do anything but float in the aftermath of pleasure. Long moments pass in mutual blissed-out exhaustion.
Eventually, he pulls me into his side, and I rest my head on his chest with a satisfied smile.
He kisses my hair. “How long do you think it’ll take to get each other out of our systems?”
Out of our systems?
The words are like a splash of cold water. This is just sex for him. I’m the best person for sex. I’m such an idiot, reading into something that wasn’t there.
I turn the bedside lamp back on and stare down at him. “What do you mean get each other out of our systems?”
“All this crazy sex. Eventually, we’ll get it all out of our systems.”
I clench my jaw.
“Probably take a long time,” he adds.
I speak through my teeth. “I’m thinking now. Now is when we get it out of our systems.”
He props up on his elbows. “Now?”
“You should go. This was a mistake.”
He looks at me for a long moment. “Okay.”
I watch as he dresses, and then I watch him walk out the door, anger and tears battling it out inside me.
Tears win.