McKenzie Cousins Box Set One: Books One, Two, Three

by Lexi Buchanan

  Thinking all that though, I can’t help wondering what he sees in me when I look like a beached whale. My belly is only going to be getting bigger as well over the next three months.

  9

  Garrett

  Fastening the navy blue tie around my neck, I then adjust the collar of my white button down into place before turning and grabbing my suit jacket. Yawning as though I haven’t slept in weeks, I make my way downstairs and find Sirena with her feet up on the sofa and a paperback book in her hands. When she sees me her face lights up with joy causing my heart to flutter wildly in my chest. She’s so beautiful that I still have to pinch myself, to prove that she’s really here.

  She lays the book face down on her belly but then changes her mind and once it’s on the coffee table, she holds out her hands. “Will you help me up, please?”

  “Of course.” I place my jacket on the chair by the front door where my briefcase awaits, and move to assist her. “Here,” I tug her to her feet, “aren’t you supposed to stay put?” I raise a brow.

  “I promise to stay on the sofa for the rest of the day, but I want to spend as much time with you as I can before you leave so that means being in the kitchen with you . . . besides, I adore your kitchen.” One of her hands goes to her stomach and the other stays entwined with mine.

  “I can’t stay for long. I have a meeting at the new hotel.” I lead her into the kitchen and once she’s settled at the kitchen table, I place a cup of decaffeinated coffee in front of her. “There are some last minute changes that I need to go over with my staff otherwise I’d be spending the day here with you.”

  “You must be so busy with everything, and yet you took time off to help me,” Sirena mentions.

  While making up some scrambled eggs and toast, I think about how to answer her. She knows that I’m attracted to her but what she doesn’t know is just how much I want her to be at home inside these walls. She doesn’t know that I’m hoping she doesn’t want to leave. But I can’t tell her all that otherwise she’ll think I’m crazy. I probably am but now she’s here with me, I’m not going to argue with myself over something that I want so badly.

  Smiling, I sit next to her and after I’ve shared the food out between us, I brush my knuckles over her cheek before I cup one side of her face, stroking her cheekbone softly. “I’m never going to be too busy to help you when you need me.” I brush my thumb over her red lips. “No matter where I am, or what I’m doing, I want you to promise that you’ll always call me if you need me.”

  Her fingers wrap around my wrist. “You are a busy man, Garrett. I’d hate to drag you away from something that’s important.”

  Now I cup the back of her head and rest my forehead against hers. “You’re important, Sirena.” I hold her gaze and slowly pull away while she lets it sink in just how important I think she is. “You’ll upset me if you don’t, okay?”

  Her hand slips around my neck and I meet her halfway. The first kiss of the day is to be savored and that’s what I do. The lingering taste of coffee on her tongue excites me and it takes a great deal of effort to not drag her into my arms and carry her to my bed.

  Reluctantly pulling away, I notice the dreamy look on her beautiful face and feel satisfied that I’m the reason she’s so dazed. But I can’t resist her and quickly place one last kiss to her swollen lips.

  “Wow,” she mumbles, her fingers going to her lips, “I felt that kiss in more places than I think I should have.” Her cheeks flush to a delightful shade of pink.

  I still and then a huge grin spreads across my face as her words sink in. “That’s good to know.” Clearing my throat, I add, “Let’s eat before the eggs get cold.”

  Before picking up her fork, Sirena says, “I promise to call you if I really need to.”

  “And maybe text me during the day to let me know how you’re doing.” I grin.

  She laughs and shakes her head. “I will.” She takes a few bites of food. “This is nice.” Her smile turns wistful as she expands on her comment, “Sitting with a handsome man who makes my heart pound while eating a breakfast that he cooked for us.” She looks at her breakfast. “I’m experiencing a lot of firsts with you.”

  I tilt her chin up with my finger. “So am I, my beautiful woman.”

  Her happiness is catching and my heart feels lighter than it has done in years.

  Leaning forward, I place a kiss on her cheek and then scoop some egg onto her fork and offer it to her. Sirena holds my gaze while her mouth closes around the food and with that image in my head all my blood runs south.

  Her eyes fill with amusement as she sits back in the chair, but then her eyes close and she moans.

  My whole body freezes at the arousing sound while my hand shoots to press against my throbbing cock, praying for strength.

  When her eyes open they’re darkened with arousal and her breathing has become as heavy as mine, and I want nothing more than to have her sitting naked on my lap—or more importantly on my dick. I want to feel her wetness surrounding me as I give her more pleasure than she’s ever experienced before . . . at that last thought, I jump up from the table and clear my throat.

  “I better leave before I can’t.”

  Her eyes travel to my hand, which currently hides the sight of my erection from her gaze. “I think that needs taking care of before you go anywhere.”

  Groaning, I shove my hands into my slacks and straighten my aching flesh, using my belt to keep it against my body. “I’ll be fine.” I kiss her on the top of her head. “I hope.”

  She dips her head. “I want you.” Her gaze meets mine. “I want you so much that I ache.”

  Her eyes swim with tears so I quickly lean down and kiss them away. “I think we both know how much I want you.” I smile. “I missed holding you last night.”

  “I couldn’t settle because your arms weren’t around me,” she admits.

  “Then why don’t we see how it feels sharing my room,” I suggest with my heart in my throat.

  Her eyes search mine and seeing what she needs, she says, “You really don’t mind me sharing your room?”

  I shake my head.

  “Good, because that’s where I want to be.” She grins brightly.

  “That’s where you belong, babe.” I slide one arm under her legs and the other around her back and carry her into the living room, settling her on the sofa. “I don’t want to leave but I have to, so please make this your home, okay?”

  “I already feel at home.” She smiles shyly.

  “Then that makes me even happier.” I kiss her nose and dash back into the kitchen to tidy everything away.

  My body is still on edge with arousal and knowing that she’s going to be in my bed tonight makes it worse. But first I need to get the dishes taken care of and while I’m at it, I make her a sandwich, which will keep in the fridge until lunchtime.

  Smiling to myself for thinking of everything—I hope—I dash back into the living room while fastening the cufflinks onto my sleeves. I pull my suit jacket on and straightening myself out finally look at Sirena.

  She holds a hand out to me, which I take and kissing her knuckles, I say, “I have to go, but please message me throughout the day so I know you’re okay, and take it easy.” I kiss her cheek. “I’ve made you lunch which is under cellophane in the fridge.” I kiss her again and groan. “I really do need to leave.”

  She laughs. “Go. I promise that I’ll be fine, and I promise to message, call . . . and that I’ll be here when you come home.”

  Sighing with relief, I realize that’s what I was afraid of—that she’d disappear while I was gone. “Right.” I grab my briefcase from the front door and with one glance at Sirena, head toward my car wondering what the hell is wrong with me.

  Wanting to constantly have her with me needs to stop because I’m not a possessive person, or at least I’m not usually.

  Pulling out of the drive, I glance at the house through my rearview mirror and the grin that spreads across my face wou
ld make my assistant think I’ve totally lost my mind.

  10

  Sirena

  Mid-afternoon and I’d finished the book that I was reading over an hour ago. Since then I’ve been pondering about calling my mom to let her know where I am. I’m holding back though because I’ll have to admit to my overnight stay in the hospital and she won’t be happy that I hadn’t called her then. Neither will Dad.

  With a heavy sigh, I drag myself from my idle position on the sofa and stretching the kinks out, I slowly head upstairs and to the guest room. Luckily, the night before I hadn’t unpacked, I’d just hunted through my things for what I’d needed. So now as I enter the room, I decide to put off calling my parents and instead I’ll sort my clothes out in Garrett’s room. Or is that too presumptuous?

  “Humph.” I get to my knees and opening my suitcases, sort my clothes into different piles: T-shirts, leggings, dresses, bra, panties, pajamas, socks, and make-up and toiletries. Thanks to my sister, Charlotte, I have more than I could ever need, enough to stay a long while.

  At that thought, I’m filled with excitement and when I should probably be wary of jumping into a relationship so soon after leaving Harry, I’m not. There’s something about Garrett that draws me to him and I feel so relaxed when I’m with him. Well, not all the time. Some of the time my blood heats and all I want is to be naked with him. I want to see every bit of his body, and I want to stroke the hard arousal that he was unable to hide this morning. Just the thought causes an ache between my thighs.

  Smiling, I get to my feet and grabbing each clothing pile in turn, place them onto the bed before I move over to Garrett’s room.

  When I catch sight of the huge bed in the center of the room it makes my heart pound. It has leaves and branches carved around the base with a matching headboard. The bedding is plain in an olive green color with white pillows. There are two wing-backed chairs set out near one of the windows with a small coffee table between. A dressing table with the same carved design sits to one side, but lacks much of anything else, other than a ceramic dish that looks to be holding loose change.

  It’s a beautiful room and I’m not all that sure I should put anything of mine in here. It would be out of place, although, I’m not even sure where anything would go. I pad over to another door and opening it, find Garrett’s closet, which is large. It has a round sofa banquette in the middle of the room in a deep green velvet. One side of the room holds Garrett’s clothes: shirts, slacks, jeans, T-shirts, long-sleeved T-shirts, shoes, boots, and sneakers. They look slightly squashed together, which makes me wonder if he’s moved everything from the other side for me because that’s empty.

  I feel almost giddy as I pull my cell from the waist of my leggings and let my finger hover over the call button for Garrett. I don’t want to disturb him but at the same time I really want to hear his voice especially when I ask about the closet.

  Before I can change my mind, I drop my thumb to the call button and it rings once before he answers.

  “Sirena, everything okay?” he asks just before I hear him excusing himself.

  “It is now, but I’ve interrupted you.”

  I move and sit on the round sofa.

  “You’ve called me, honey. I can’t tell you how happy that makes me.”

  “Really?”

  “It’s the first time you’ve called me.” I hear the smile in his voice. “Are you behaving yourself?”

  “I’m in your closet,” I admit, letting him here the delight in my voice.

  He chuckles. “You’ve discovered the space I’ve made for you, huh?”

  “I wasn’t sure, but I hoped, that you’d done it for me.”

  “After knowing what it feels like having you snuggled up beside me, last night without you was hard . . . in more ways than one,” he whispers.

  “I can’t wait until tonight,” I admit softly.

  Garrett groans. “I think I’m going to need some ice shoved in my shorts after this conversation.”

  “Pity you’re not here, I could have done the shoving,” I tease. “Now I’ve given you the thought of having my hand in your shorts, I’m going to go and hang some clothes.”

  He makes a deep grumbling sound and then mumbles, “I’ll see you as soon as I can.”

  “I’ll be waiting.” I give him a husky laugh, feeling a new burst of energy run through my veins.

  Wasting no time at all, I have all my things hanging in the closet with Garrett’s and find myself sitting on the round sofa again when I hear a noise from downstairs.

  It sounded like the front door being opened and closed.

  Quickly moving to the bedroom door, I listen closely, hearing two women talking, which deepens my frown. I thought perhaps it was Garrett who’d raced home, but that isn’t the case.

  “Are you sure he won’t mind finding me here when he gets home?” one of the women asks.

  “I’m sure. He just needs a push in the right direction and seeing you here waiting for him will tip the scales,” the other replies.

  I don’t freaking think so!

  Letting the bedroom door slam closed, I hear, “Someone else is in the house,” from below. Holding the bannister, I slowly make my way downstairs with my cell clutched in my hand and my thumb hovering over Garrett’s number.

  Only seeing the top of the women’s heads, I have no clue as to who they are until they turn and face me. Garrett’s sister-in-law and the blind date wear matching shocked expressions, but his sister-in-law pulls herself together first.

  “What are you doing here? You need to leave,” she informs me, bristling. “Leave now.”

  I raise a brow, bristling at her harsh tone. “Excuse me, but I live here. I think you’ll find that I’m not going anywhere.”

  The blind date gasps and looks at her friend, who ignores her.

  “You do not live here. I want you to leave this minute before I call the police and have you charged with trespassing.”

  “I’m not the one trespassing,” I counter as I lower myself into one of the chairs in the living room. Lightheadedness is a pain in the butt now that I’m pregnant and the shock of the women before me certainly hasn’t helped.

  “We’ll see about that.” Sister-in-law stomps her foot and does an about turn, pulling the other woman with her into the kitchen. Probably plotting on how to get rid of me.

  I’m so tired that I almost drift into sleep when they reappear, heading for the front door. As I watch my eyes widen when two police officers enter.

  “Arrest her for trespassing,” she says. “This isn’t her house and she hasn’t been invited here.” Garrett’s sister-in-law needs a smack across her gloating face and if there weren’t officers present I might have done just that. As it is, I have to behave, but I know who to call.

  He answers on the first ring, “It’s me,” I whisper, close to tears.

  “You’re upset, what’s wrong?”

  “The two women from the restaurant are here and they’ve called the police to have me arrested for trespassing.”

  He curses under his breath. “I’m five minutes away, Sirena. Make sure the officers know that, okay? And I promise everything is going to be fine.” He breathes heavily. “I’m going to put a stop to her meddling ways once and for all when I get there. Hold tight, honey.”

  “Alright.” I end the call and slowly lower my hand to my lap and focus on what’s being said by the door. Both officers seem to be annoyed as the sister-in-law waves her arms toward me, her face getting redder the she talks.

  The younger of the two officers moves over to me and crouches down. “I’m Officer Sheridan, are you okay? Can I get you a drink of water maybe?”

  I shake my head no and let the tears fall. “I live here,” I whisper.

  “Mrs. Hudson says that she often comes over to her brother-in-laws house and that he would have told her if he had a woman living with him.”

  I hold the officer’s gaze and he smiles before continuing, “Something tells me he
doesn’t tell her anywhere near as much as she’d like.”

  Wiping my tears, I offer him a wry smile. “I agree.”

  “You called him?”

  I nod.

  “Good, she’s giving me a headache and my partners about to loose his temper.” He grins and hearing a car come to a speeding stop outside, he stands.

  We all look to the open front door and in dashes a disheveled looking Garrett. His eyes frantically search and then land on me but when he takes a step the sister-in-law gets in the way.

  “Garrett, I’m glad you’re here. That woman has broken into your house and was just awful to us. You need to sort this out.”

  Garrett’s face tightens as he faces her. “Jenny,” he says with anger lacing his voice, “get out of my way.”

  She stills and Garrett steps around her before coming to my side were he picks me up and sits back down with me on his lap. He then caresses my face and kisses me all to briefly on the lips before resting his forehead against mine. “I’m so angry with her,” he whispers.

  “I know.”

  Garrett kisses me one last time and loosening his tie looks at the women and officers.

  “Jenny, why are you and Annalise in my home without being invited?” he asks and Jenny blushes while Annalise looks at her friend.

  “Apparently she comes over often,” I inform him and his eyes narrow.

  “Jenny?”

  “We’re family of course I come over often to make sure you’re alright,” Jenny offers.

  Garrett shakes his head and turns to the officers. “I’m sorry she has wasted your time. I’ll let her explain her reasoning to you because I have no clue.” He asks Jenny, “Where did you get the key to let yourself in without my permission?”