Chapter Twenty-Two
Despite not knowing what we were doing with one another, what either of our intentions were, or where this was going, Thanksgiving was one of the best. Simply perfect.
Mack had a million-course dinner delivered and we used some fancy china dishes I wasn’t even sure why he owned. And we finished a bottle of wine in front of the fire, sitting on a blanket, our backs to the sofa, legs in front of us, thighs touching.
“Actually, you should thank Corey,” Mack joked, smoothing his palm down my thigh, goose bumps lighting up my leg. “He ordered the food.”
Running my hand down his arm, I inquired, “More important, tell me—why do you have more kitchen and dining stuff than a bridezilla?”
Mack turned to face me, smirking, and asked, “Jealous?”
I squeezed his arm. “No…no, I am not…”
“I feel wounded. You really know how to make a guy feel like he’s on top of the world…” We teased back and forth for a bit until Mack admitted, “My designer. I had nothing to do with any of it. I bought the place on spec. I used to live in a pre-war place down in the Village, and when I relocated my offices up here, I decided to move myself. Bought this based on the floor plan and let her do her thing.”
Sipping my wine, I listened.
“I mean, Sherry, interior designer to only the most selective clientele, said I needed ‘all the trimmings.’ Corey gave her my American Express card, and she had at it. I think this was the first time I used those fancy plates.”
I couldn’t help my hand reaching out and running down his cheek. “I’m honored to have been the one to use the fancy plates, as you call them.”
He took my wineglass and set it behind him on the side table, disposing of his right next to it before cupping my face. “Paper plates, expensive shit, it doesn’t matter. I’m honored to have spent this day with you, Frances. Beautiful Frances, it’s the first holiday in a long while I’ve spent with someone who mattered.”
I mattered.
It was the kindest thing anyone had ever told me—after feeling discarded by everyone in my life.
Mack ran his lips along my chin. “I can feel your brain working overtime—don’t. Enjoy the moment. It’s Thanksgiving and I’m thankful for you.”
Our lips met. At first, the kiss was soft and tender, two people showing feelings rather than telling. Our mouths picked up fervor as we slid toward the floor, my back resting on the soft rug, Mack hovering over me. His hand slipped under my silk blouse, his thumb and pointer finger finding my nipple. A low moan escaped my chest as he twisted and plucked the tender spot, my legs squirming under him, seeking friction.
“Mack,” I whispered.
“I got you,” he said, his hand traversing south, leaving my nipple cold and lonely until he found my heat.
As my body temperature soared, Mack took me there with a hand shoved between my velour leggings and my core. It wasn’t a scene out of a movie where the couple is naked and the flames are flickering off their smooth skin as they make love in front of the fire. It was raw and wicked and decadent. I pitched myself up a tiny bit to yank Mack’s shirt over his head. Thankfully, he’d gone with a Henley rather than a button-down. My lips sucked harder on his nipple as I began to reach a crescendo, thanks to Mack’s fingers.
“I want you,” he drawled while sucking on my earlobe, his thumb pressing down on the exact right spot, stars clouding my eyes.
“I’m there.” I half whispered, the other part shrieked. He didn’t let up as my climax hit, rather wrung it out of me before shoving my pants down, fast as hell, my small thong going with them. I’d been barefoot for hours so there were no shoes in the way.
I tried to help with Mack’s pants, but he wouldn’t have it. “In a hurry,” he grumbled, standing and shucking them down.
I couldn’t help the smile that broke out on my face. Mackenzie Miller is in a hurry for me…
And he was. Without pause, Mack was back down on the floor, ghosting over me, his hot breath on my neck. I felt butterflies swimming in my gut and a pulsing tingle in between my legs.
“Please,” I spoke, my voice raspy with want and need. He entered me slowly, decadently, taking his time with each draw until the veins bulged in his neck. Running my hand over his stubble, I mumbled, “Faster.”
I wanted it and knew he needed it. He didn’t wait to oblige.
Picking up speed, Mack slid in and out at a brutal pace and it wasn’t long before the stars hit me again and he was shaking inside me. We waited out each sensation, Mack pulsing, me drawing every last wave from him—happily.
Afterward, we lay there for a while, neither of us speaking, only touching, quietly savoring the moment. Our breaths started to even, and our damp skin began to cool and dry. It was the most fulfilled I’d felt in a long time, or forever. Sated from sex, not starving for affection, and complete in a way I hadn’t known existed for me…
The following morning I woke up tangled in Mack’s sheets. Turning, I caught the man who’d left me feeling all kinds of ways before falling asleep, his features still and content. While watching his chest rise and fall peacefully, I felt something deep in my chest. I wondered how anyone could have hurt him so much…
“Morning,” he grumbled with his eyes closed. “I feel you watching me, and I like it.” His voice was still sleepy.
“It’s becoming a bad habit of mine. Staying over, never knowing if I have a clean pair of panties and not caring. And of course, surveying you while you sleep.” Squeezing my eyes shut, I growled. “Ugh, I didn’t mean that to come out like that, asking for more. Everything is perfect as is. I’m not probing.”
Sitting up, he pulled me into his arms. “Shhh,” he whispered into my forehead, his breath tickling my hairline. “More is what I was thinking too.”
I was about to ask what kind of more when Mack’s phone buzzed, interrupting the moment. I wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or a curse.
“One sec,” he said. “It’s Corey. And I want to continue the more talk, but I have to hear what he needs.”
I took advantage of him answering the call and went to the bathroom before padding toward the kitchen. Someone had come in during the wee hours and set up coffee service and laid out a fruit platter, and I wondered what Mack’s childhood was like when it came to holiday mornings. Did his dad spend time with him? Certainly, Milly was a cornerstone. I smiled to no one. At least he’d had my Paps’s Rosie…
Pouring a cup of coffee, I heard Mack strolling in while on the phone.
“Yes. That’s fine. Sydney can handle all this, and tell the tech department to attach the discount to every cart. We don’t want any unnecessary complaints,” he said, before he disconnected the call.
I walked toward the panoramic window in the corner of the living space and took in the blue sky, betting it was brisk and cold despite the sunny day.
“Gorgeous,” Mack whispered, his arm snaking around my middle.
“It is.”
“I meant you. In my place. I’d like more, you know?”
Turning, I asked, “Everything okay? With work?” It was a feeble attempt at distracting Mack.
“Yes. There was a tech error with the website, and it’s being resolved. Hopefully, all smooth sailing from here…but none of it matters. Don’t try and derail me…”
“What? Me?” I feigned innocence, but he wasn’t buying it.
Mack continued to gaze into my eyes. “When you’re ready, we’ll talk about it. But know this—I’ll only wait so long for you to say you’re ready to chat.”
I ran my hand over his bare chest, hoping he’d say we should go back to bed—the ultimate distraction.
“I think this corner would be a perfect place for a tree and, ironically, tonight is the start of Hanukkah. It’s one of those years where the Jewish holidays are early,” was what I got instead.
I nodded, knowing the Jewish calendar didn’t always sync up with ours. “I don’t know how it works, but your holidays fall on different days every year.”
“Something along the lines of the Jewish calendar following the moon.”
We stood like that, my hand on his chest, his lips meeting the top of my head, chatting by the window. It was commonplace and special in equal measure.
“What do you think about a tree in this space? Is it a good place?” he asked.
“Are you rhyming on purpose?” I couldn’t help but tease. I had no idea where this conversation was heading.
“No, I am most certainly not rhyming on purpose. I am waiting to hear your opinion.”
My head tipped back and I peeked to the side to look at the spot he was mentioning. “What I want to know is what does a tree have to do with the first night of Hanukkah?”
Mack let out a laugh and his breath ghosted my cheek. “Well, we were about to talk about more, and you’re making me wait,” he said while taking my hand in his, “so I decided how about we start by making room for both of our traditions. Then we can talk about making a place here for you…in a steadier fashion. I know you love your apartment and it’s all yours and I don’t want to diminish that.”
“I don’t want to wash away your traditions or replace them. I don’t want to disrespect what you believe in or Milly, or what she stood for…” I interrupted.
“Shhh,” he said, bringing an index finger to my lips. “We are not diminishing anything. Milly believed in love conquers all, and I know you would never strip me of my past, and I wouldn’t do that to you.”
He waited for a response, weaving our hands together, but I was in a trance, stuck on his love conquers all statement.
Mack took it upon himself to bring me back to the moment. “A tree it is! First comes the merging of customs and traditions we grew up with—”
“Then comes marriage…” I interrupted, foolishly.
“And a baby in a carriage.”
He spoke the words, but it was my fault. I’d led with the old grade-school taunt, and he’d finished it. Yet as soon as he said it I felt the blow.
Judging by the furrow in Mack’s brow, he was struck with it too. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”
Moving away, turning my back toward him and sucking in my emotions, I took a long breath.
All this more talk, teasing and taunting, joking…and I was making a fool of myself. “Of course you didn’t. Just like I didn’t mean ‘then comes marriage.’ We were both caught up in the moment. Let’s leave it be.”
Giving us both an out, I felt relief as I made my way back to the man who had stolen my heart without trying. Kissing his pec, allowing my lips to linger, I thought about all that just flew out of our mouths.
“I know that’s a lot to unpack, so why don’t we start with a tree and a menorah. Some simple fun,” Mack suggested, reading my mind.
I felt my head nodding against his warm skin. “Perfect,” I said and meant it. I was happy for the reprieve.
In my mind, there was a lot rumbling around and too many questions. But the idea of a tree and a menorah was kind of interesting… I hadn’t thought about what Christmas signified to me since losing Jeremy and the baby, other than a busy and fruitful time at work. I also never considered leaving my apartment or what that would say about me.
“It’s a nice place. Mine, I mean,” I blurted out a few minutes later, after we had retreated to refill our coffee mugs.
“It is,” Mack agreed.
I stated the obvious. “This is nicer.”
“It’s bigger, that’s all. Look, we can table this talk for another time. I was thinking aloud and prematurely.”
A grin spread across his face, hitting the corner of his eyes, and it was another reason why I was falling for Mackenzie Miller. He knew how to read a room and gave me an easy escape.
“So, a tree? Real or fake?” The man in my mind changed the subject again.
“Are you sure? I mean, Christmas was mostly magical when I was a kid, but now it’s a hectic time at work for both of us and not much more than a beautiful escape in the city.”
“I’m sure. I haven’t lit the menorah with someone else, other than my aunt Susie, in a long while. Now tell me, what do you usually get? Real or fake?”
Running a hand through my hair, I took a beat to gather my emotions. This was all coming so fast—
Blowing out a breath, I answered softly. “I usually get one of those little real ones, for the corner…of my place.”
“Real one it is. But big and bold.”
“Baruch atah…”
“Baruh atah.” I repeated the prayer with Mack.
“Chhhh, like a rumble in the back of your throat.” He desperately tried to help me make the correct sound.
“You sound like you’re gargling mouthwash,” I couldn’t help but blurt out.
“I see you’re getting it,” he joked right back before kissing my cheek.
As we continued to say the prayer, Mack lit the first candle in the menorah. He had it set on a glass tray facing the window as soft jazz spilled out of his speakers.
“Thank you,” I told Mack, taking his hand. “That was beautiful.”
“No, thank you for doing that with me, and for picking the biggest, baddest tree in New York.”
“Of course I chose a biggie…you told me to.”
The tree place had delivered the giant fir within hours, which I knew cost a premium. Mack had offered to have it professionally decorated, but I’d insisted on stopping at my place and grabbing a few boxes of ornaments I had stashed under the bed. Together, we’d placed the mementos on the tree, and then I got it in my mind we needed the big, multicolored lights.
“Give me a second,” Mack had said. In a few minutes he was back, letting me know a late lunch was on its way along with lights.
“Corey?” I’d asked.
“He was looking for a reason to see me celebrate.”
The pair had discussed a few business items while we all ate Thai takeout, and then after a few jokes and laughs, Corey was gone.
“Come,” Mack said now, grabbing our glasses of red wine.
We walked toward the tree and stood looking at the view.
“To more,” Mack proposed.
“To more,” I agreed, not knowing what more looked like and not ready to discuss it.
Taking the stem of my glass and his, Mack set them down and snatched me for an embrace. Cupping my cheeks with his palms, he kissed me. With the fireplace roaring and our lips fused we slid to the floor. Not a man in his forties and a woman in her late thirties, but young lovers, getting to know one another’s bodies and hot spots.
I realized we were on the rug again, my back warm from the fire as Mack slowly pulled my blouse over my head, a button popping and rolling onto the floor. I felt the warmth of Mack’s palm graze up my side as he held me close and continued to kiss me senseless. My hand flitted under his Henley and traversed his skin.
We stayed like that for a while until I couldn’t take it and ripped off Mack’s shirt, bringing my mouth to his nipple and sucking. A moan barreled up his throat as his head tipped back, and I continued my course, flipping him over and making my way down the rest of his body. I made quick work of his belt and pants, shrugging them down with his boxer briefs. All olive skin and muscles, from the V to his length on display, and I couldn’t wait to get my mouth on him. His hips rose, beckoning me, and I slid my tongue down his hardness. All it took was one more moan and I began to work him harder, using my mouth and hand. It was like nothing I’d ever experienced in my life. With the flames flickering and the tree twinkling and Mack’s groaning, it was beautiful and sensual in equal parts.
I felt Mack’s hand come to the top of my head. “Frances, I want to be inside you.”
He urged me to slide up his body and made quite the show out of flipping me back over and running his tongue over my bra, the heat seeping through the lace and my nipple immediately hardening.
Before I could say I want you, Mack was grazing my core, the stubble of his five o’clock shadow tickling my thighs. It didn’t take long before I was coming apart with his mouth on me and I couldn’t even find a moment to be embarrassed by how I was rubbing myself all over his face, splintering into a million pieces.
“Mack, please,” I whimpered, and he didn’t make me wait, quickly slithering up my body and gently pushing into me.
Our mouths fused, our tastes mingling and bodies melding as one, and I was pretty sure if this was the more, I wanted it all.
“I think we’ve spent more time on the floor than anywhere else in the last twenty-four hours,” I joked, my mouth brushing against his hard chest.
“We can do something about that,” Mack said, taking my hand and pulling me up with him, leading me toward the bedroom.