Chapter 46
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
MACKENZIE
What is he trying to tell me?
Nate’s earnest expression is enough to make my heart race. I’m not sure where he’s going with this conversation.
“I know it’s soon, but whenever you feel comfortable, I want you and the boys to move in with me. I’m serious and don’t want us to be apart any longer. But I’m leaving the timing up to you. Whatever timeframe you feel the most comfortable with, I’m good. Whether it’s one month, two months, or an entire year, I don’t care as long as we end up together.”
My mouth dries. Nate can’t be serious. But he looks serious. He looks like a man on a mission, and that mission is to have me. I like that—a lot.
“It would be crazy for us to move in together. You know that, right?” I ask.
He nodded, a small, knowing smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “Yes, and believe me, I have been wracking my brain trying to figure out a way to prove how much I love you. All I can think about is offering myself. I’ve never given anyone a piece of me until now, but you have all of me. Believe me when I tell you I never thought I’d find anyone, let alone someone I’d consider family.”
His words are a slow burn, igniting something deep inside me. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“I know I probably have your head spinning with all these confessions, but I’ve held back for so long. I’m sorry I can’t come up with something better than offering myself.”
This coming from a guy who went after my brother.
I look Nate square in the eyes because what I have to say is important. I want to be crystal clear on my delivery. “Listen to me. This”—I wave a hand across the span of the house and between us—“us being here is big enough. God, Nate, you remembered the type of house I dreamed of staying in. The fact you took time to focus on me.” The floodgates threaten to break. I blink rapidly to prevent shedding any tears, but I harbor too much emotion. There’s no stopping the crack in my voice. “No one has ever done that for me.”
He moved closer, his face inches from mine, his breath warm against my skin. “You deserve so much, Mackenzie. I fear I’ll never be able to give you everything you deserve.”
“I don’t need anything else. I just need you.”
“So you’ll consider moving in with me then?”
I nod, the words tumbling out before I can stop them. “The one thing I’ve learned after everything I’ve been through is how short life can be. When you left, I thought I lost you forever. That hurt and scared the shit out of me.”
He reached out again, his hand cradling my face, his touch warm and comforting. “I’m not going anywhere, Grace. You’re stuck with me.”
My chuckle is more out of relief than anything. “I’ll go anywhere with you as long as we’re together.”
“So that’s a yes.”
“Yes, Nate. I don’t care what anyone says. I want our life to start now. You can move in with me tomorrow if you want. We’d probably have to look for a bigger home, though.”
He smiles, the kind of smile that makes my heart skip a beat. “ You wouldn’t care what Mrs. Morgan or any other old ladies in town thought?”
I shake my head, a grin spreading across my face. “Fuck Mrs. Morgan. I’m living my life for me. Well, me and the kids. And I guess you if you’re going to be moving in.”
He chuckles, the sound low and sexy, and I feel the tension between us shift. It is no longer about words or promises; it’s about the unspoken desire that pulses between us like a living thing.
His eyes darken into a look I’m getting to know quite well. My senses go on full alert. He’s up to something. He takes the wineglass out of my hand and sets it by his. That chiseled jaw, peppered with a five o’clock shadow, turns to face me, and I practically melt in my seat. God, he’s gorgeous.
“What would you say about moving here?” he asks, voice low and teasing.
I jerk my head back and look around the property. “What? Here? Is this house for sale?”
His lips curl into that cocky smirk I’ve come to love, the kind that makes my panties damp just by existing. “Yes, to this house, but no, it’s not for sale.”
I frown. “Okay, I’m confused. How could we move in here if it’s not for sale?”
“Easy.” His voice is smooth and confident as he shrugs. “I bought it on Saturday. That’s why I had to leave. My bank is in San Francisco.”
“What?” I screech. But seriously, what?
“Mark told me about this place, and it fits the description that you wanted.” His eyes darken, and I swear he’s staring straight into my soul—or maybe my panties. “You approve?”
I glance around the house, which fits my dream perfectly, and smile. I peek through the French glass doors that lead to the great room and take in the beautifully crafted hardwood floors and the room’s angles. It’s everything. But the way he’s looking at me? That’s the real thing that’s making my knees weak .
“It’s already furnished,” I say, my voice breathy because I can’t help it. “When did you have time to shop?”
His chuckles are low and dirty, the kind that makes me squirm. “I may have cheated, considering the place was turnkey. But we can always redecorate whatever you want. I figure that’s your department.”
“Huh.” I shift to face him again. “It’s a good thing you asked me to move in before telling me you bought this.”
“Why?”
“Because you’d spend the rest of your life wondering if I stayed because of the house or you.”
That smirk turns predatory, and my thighs clench in response. “Oh, yeah?”
I nod, licking my lips. “Yep.” My voice is husky, dripping with need, and it’s all the invitation he needs.
Nate doesn’t waste a second. He tackles me onto my back, his body slamming mine onto the couch, his weight pinning me down in the best way possible. I can feel his cock, already hard as steel, pressing against my thigh, straining against the fabric of his jeans. My hips buck up instinctively, grinding against him as a low growl rumbles from his chest.
“Fuck, Mackenzie,” he breathes, his voice rough, raw, and full of want. His hands are everywhere—tangling in my hair, gripping my hips, roaming over my ass like he’s memorizing every curve. “I’ve been dying for this.”
“Then stop talking and take me.” My voice trembles with desperation, but it’s been too goddamn long since I’ve had him inside me, and I’m not about to wait another second.
He doesn’t need to be told twice. In one fluid motion, he scoops me up like I’m nothing. His arms bulge with the strength that only comes from years of military training. He carries me to the bedroom like I’m his fucking prize, and honestly, I feel like one. My pulse races as he lays me down on the bed, his hands already tugging at my clothes like they’re his sworn enemy.
“God, you’re fucking beautiful,” he murmurs, his eyes dark with lust as he strips me bare. “I wish you could feel just how much I love you.”
But I can. With the way his lips find mine and taste of sweet wine and promises. With the way his hands move with a familiarity that’s both comforting and intoxicating, he lets me know how much.
His hand slides up my thigh to my ass, and that touch. It fucking sets me on fire, and it’s all I can do not to melt into him. When his hand slides between my legs, I’m already soaked, and the smug grin that spreads across his face tells me he knows it.
“You missed me that much, huh?” he teases, his voice low and dirty, his fingers brushing against my clit just enough to make me whimper.
“Shut up and fuck me,” I gasp, my hips arching up to meet his hand. But he doesn’t give in that easily. Oh no, Nate Dixon likes to take his sweet fucking time, and right now, he’s determined to make me beg.
His mouth descends on mine in a kiss that’s all teeth and tongue and hunger, and I’m fucking drowning in it. His hands are everywhere—squeezing my tits, stroking my pussy, teasing my nipples until they’re hard as pebbles. I’m writhing beneath him, desperate for more, but he’s playing his usual game of torture, and I’m about to lose my goddamn mind.
“Nate,” I moan, my voice breaking as his fingers slide inside me, curling in the way to hit that perfect spot. God he’s so good at this. “Please.”
“Please what?” he growls against my neck, his breath hot on my skin as he bites down gently, leaving a mark that I know will linger for days. “Tell me what you want, baby.”
“I want your cock,” I gasp, my hips rolling against his hand. “I want it now .”
Finally, he stops teasing. He strips off his clothes in record time, and I swear to god, the sight of him naked should be illegal. His chest is broad and chiseled, his abs flexing as he moves, and his cock— fuck —his cock is thick and hard and just begging to be inside me .
He positions himself between my legs, his hands gripping my thighs as he guides himself to my entrance. The first push is electric, his cock stretching me open in the best way possible, and I can’t stop the moan that escapes my lips.
“Fuck,” he groans, his voice strained as he sinks deeper, filling me inch by glorious inch. “You feel so goddamn good.”
And I do. I feel every ridge, every pulse of him as he moves inside me, his hips slamming against mine with a rhythm that’s fucking perfect. My legs wrap around his waist, pulling him closer, and his hands grip my ass as he fucks me harder, deeper, until I’m screaming his name.
He whispers my name like a prayer, his voice shaky with emotion. “Mackenzie,” he says again, and it’s all I need to hear before I’m tumbling over the edge into a world of pleasure that only he can give me.
We collapse into a tangled heap of sweat, skin, and satisfaction, his body still pressed against mine as we catch our breath. His lips brush against my forehead in a surprisingly tender kiss, and for a moment, everything feels perfect.
“I love you,” he murmurs.” His voice is soft but full of emotion, which makes my heart swell.
“I love you too,”” I whisper back, tracing lazy patterns on his chest.
This man. This fucking man. He’s my everything.