“Thanks.” I head for the fridge, suddenly pretty fucking hungry.

“How was your night?” She pulls herself up on the counter, watching me dig into some chicken pie dish.

“All right. You should have stayed. The girls wanted to talk some girly shit with you,” I tell her with a mouth full of food.

“Umm, the parties get pretty full on.” She picks at a thread on her nightgown and looks up.

“Does it still make you uncomfortable?” I place my plate on the counter and pull a bottle of beer out of the fridge.

“No, it doesn’t bother me at all. Just didn’t want to see some things.”

“What things?” I push, not sure what she’s getting at.

“Well, you know, what you do is your thing and I respect that. I just didn’t want to risk seeing something I’m not sure I’d be able to handle.”

“You think I’m gonna be all over some club whore in front of you?”

“Why not? You don’t owe me anything. Like you said, we’re friends, and I know you and Lissy were—” She stops for a beat and arranges her face. “Anyway, it’s not my business.” She slides off the counter.

What the fuck? How the fuck does she know about Lissy?

“I’m gonna head to bed. I’m tired.” She brushes past me and before I realize what I’m doing my hand reaches out and grabs her. Her body locks, tensing under my touch. I wait a beat, pausing for her to realize I’m not a threat. It’s only a few short seconds before she relaxes.

“You don’t have to worry about that, darlin’.”

“Oh, I’m not. I know you have needs. We both do.” She steps back out of my reach and I can’t help but want to pull her back.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” The question comes out as a growl because she’s pissing me off. Fucking needs. What fucking needs is she talking about?

“You really want me to answer, Beau?”

“Yeah, I really do.”

“Okay, well, I haven’t seen you with anyone since I’ve been here. You don’t have to hide it from me, Beau. I mean we have to be okay when one of us brings someone else home.”

I think my chest tightens and my arm grows numb. The thought of a man in my house, in her bed, could warrant a heart attack, right?

“Darlin’, you won’t be bringing a man into my home.” I shut that shit down right now. I wouldn’t be able to control myself if some fucker was in my house touching what’s mine.

“Well, I’m not talking about tomorrow, Beau,” she argues, making it worse.

“You won’t be ever.”

“Beau—” She starts to explain, but my mind blanks, white noise blocks her out. Need, fear, and anger simmer through me and before I think it through, I step into her space, dip my head and smash my mouth to hers. She fights it to begin with, her hands pushing at my chest. Until I reach around and pull her closer. A soft sigh dances from her lips and my tongue sweeps, seeking an opportunity.

I know we’ve been here before and I told her I wouldn’t go there with her again, but in this moment, none of that matters. What started as simmering desire transforms into intense infatuation. To have her, taste her, make her mine, it’s too much to resist.

I’m fucking done fighting it.

Seventeen

Mackenzie

The kiss takes me by surprise. My first response is to fight it, push back and end it. Until his hand moves to the small of my back and pulls me in closer while his tongue whispers along my lips coaxing my mouth open. Desperation replaces my shock, and I meet his hunger with my own.

I know this is what we both agreed shouldn't happen, but I can’t stop. I can’t step away from him. Ever since the night I kissed him, I’ve been dreaming of this. I’ve been dreaming of a hell of a lot more than this.

Deepening the kiss, I rise to my toes and reach up to run my fingers through his hair. He has it pulled back in one of those knots on top of his head today, so I rip it out and help it fall free.

He pulls back slightly and for a second, I think he’s putting a stop to this until he places his hand on my waist, picks me up, turns and plants me on the kitchen counter. His mouth finds mine again while my hands make quick work of disposing of his cut. Moving away from my mouth, his lips slide down my neck to my collarbone. His breath is warm, his beard a mixture of rough yet soft.

“Beau.” His name creeps past my lips. The hunger burning in my body brings the fire out in me.

His kisses stop, while he pushes the straps of my nightgown down my arms, exposing both my breasts to the cold air.

“Jesus, you’re more amazing than I could have imagined.” He lowers his mouth and takes a nipple between his lips and rolls it.

“Holy shit.” My hands find his hair again, pulling hard as his teeth graze my tight bud.

“Fuck, your tits are perfect, darlin’.” His gravelly voice shoots a jolt between my legs and a thrill down my spine. I don’t think I’ve ever had a man make me need this much.

“Don’t stop, please don’t ever stop,” I beg, dragging his head back to my breast. His mouth descends again, showing my nipple the same attention as before.

Rolling, nipping and tugging, the dampness between my thighs grows, arousal pulsing through me.

Pulling him off my nipple, I drag him back up to my mouth. He doesn’t waste a minute. His tongue darting past my lips and curling against mine.