He knew by the way she melted into him, and the fact she hadn’t tried to hold a conversation that she was experiencing the same thing. When the song ended and she drew back, he could see the reluctance he felt in her eyes.
She cleared her throat and moved out of his arms. “I...uh...should get going. I’m supposed to video chat with Mr. Nakamori in about an hour.”
He smiled and straightened his back. “That’s right. Good luck.”
“Thanks.” She nodded and scratched her temple. “Now I just need to figure out where to go on his website and how to activate the chat. It’s in Japanese.”
“I’d be happy to show you,” he said.
She gave him one of her thousand-watt smiles, and he felt an unfamiliar expanding feeling spread in his chest. “Thanks, Mac. That’d be so great.”
The way she looked at him was great.
Like he mattered.
“I’m going to say my goodbyes to your aunt and uncle, then head home,” she told him.
“Is that where you’re going to do the chat? Or at your office?”
“At home,” she replied.
He nodded, noting guests were starting to leave. “Okay, I’ll be there in about twenty minutes. I told my uncle I’d help clean up.”
She frowned. “Should I stay and help too?”
He shook his head. “No. You go ahead. This won’t take long.”
With a nod, she turned and walked toward the door where his aunt and uncle stood, saying goodbye to their guests. Mac headed for the ladder, and with Connor’s help, he removed the banner and the rest of decorations. He’d just put the ladder away when he ran into his aunt and uncle.
“Thanks for staying to help clean up,” Uncle Alex said, cupping his shoulder. “I hope it didn’t ruin your plans.”
He frowned but didn’t bite. He knew a fishing expedition when he saw one.
“Yeah, we saw you talking to Stefanie.” His aunt smiled, also fishing.
“And dancing,” his uncle added with a grin.
Ah, hell. This wasn’t good. It was definitely getting back to his parents...if it hadn’t already.
Aunt Leeann nodded. “Yeah, that, too. I just hope staying behind to clean up didn’t ruin any plans you two might’ve had.”
He smiled. “No. You didn’t ruin any plans. We’re just friends.” He leaned in to kiss her on the cheek and wish her a Happy Birthday again.
And ten minutes later, he parked in front of Stefanie’s house and reminded himself of the “We’re just friends” remark he’d told his aunt. He was only here to help her get set up to chat with Mr. Nakamori.
Nothing more.
Determined to keep to that strategy, he knocked on her door and entered when she answered. He’d been here before, when he and Connor had carried in her couch last year. The open living room/kitchen combination was similar to his own, but on a smaller scale.
“Thanks for helping me,” she said, walking toward a desk in the corner she already had set up with an extra chair. “I know it’s a little early, but I’d like to run through it a few times before I need to actually do it in a half hour.”
“No problem.” He motioned for her to sit in front of the computer, then took the other seat and walked her through the process several times in less than five minutes.
She sat back and smiled at him. “Thanks. That wasn’t as bad as I thought, now that I know what to look for.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, it can get confusing.”
“Where did you learn the language?” she asked. “The military?”
He nodded. “I did some online courses and also took classes at a local college near base, but the best training is always hands-on.” Which was why he hadn’t just gone through the website and activated the chat for her. He knew first-hand the brain retained more by doing.
“So...you’ve been to Japan.” Her gaze grew dreamy. “I’ve never been anywhere but Texas and Nevada—well, the states in between when driving, of course.” She glanced over at the painting above her couch. “But someday, I’ll change that.” Blinking, she shook her head and stood. “Sorry, forgot my manners. Would you like something to drink?”
She walked around him, headed through her living room to her kitchen. He knew what she was doing. Putting distance between her and her moment of honest emotion. And him. She was no doubt berating herself for losing control and showing weakness in front of him.
He recognized the act because he was an expert himself. Hell, he thought he’d invented the move. Guess not.
“Water would be good,” he replied, following her into the kitchen.
She removed two bottles from the fridge and handed him one, before she opened hers and took a sip. He did the same, then lowered the bottle, all while watching her.
“So? Grand Canyon?” he asked.
She choked on her water. “What?”
He capped his bottle and set it on the counter she leaned on. “The Grand Canyon,” he repeated, and stood at attention in case he needed to use his body to block her, should she feel the need to escape again. “That’s where you want to go, isn’t it?”
Her eyes grew wide. “How’d you know?”
He smiled. “You have a photo of it in your back office at work, and a huge painting here at your home. Not hard to figure out.”
“Ah.” She nodded. “You’re right.”
“Is there any reason you didn’t just take a weekend and drive there when you lived in Vegas? It was probably only a five hour drive.”
Definitely doable for a weekend getaway.
“Four hours and thirty-eight minutes with light traffic,” she said, having obviously considered it. Her gaze clouded over. “I was supposed to go camping there with my dad, just the two of us, when he got back from deployment.” She shrugged. “He didn’t, so I never did.”
Ah, hell. His heart hammered an unrecognized cadence in his chest.
“I’m sorry, Stefanie.” He wanted to touch her, to console her, but knowing how defense mechanisms worked, he refrained. She’d only brush him off and close up.
Again, she shrugged. “I promised myself I’d go someday, you know, to sort of honor my dad and those plans.”
He cocked his head. “Why haven’t you gone with Chloe?”
She threw her head back and laughed. “Have you met my sister?”
“Ah, yes.” He chuckled. His brother’s wife was the type to trip over her own shadow. “She’s the accident-prone sister.”
“Exactly.” She grinned. “I don’t want her anywhere near a pothole. No way would I take her to the Grand Canyon.” Sobering, she inhaled and blew out a breath. “I plan to go once my business is more stable.”
He suspected she’d find an excuse even then. But it wasn’t his place to say anything, so he nodded. “I should leave so you can get ready for your call.”
She nodded but didn’t move, just held his gaze. Hers was still unguarded. And warm. And vulnerable.
Damn. He was a sucker for vulnerability. It brought out his need to protect and make things right. Heaven knew, she deserved those things. Primal urges funneled through him so strong, it made it nearly impossible to leave her side.
Her breathing changed, and gaze darkened before dropping to his mouth. “Mac...” She swallowed and trembled.
She fucking trembled.
It was too much. His control snapped. He reached out with one hand to grab her hip and haul her close while he shoved the other through her hair and held her head at his favorite angle. His heart pounded hard in his chest as studied her face, looking for signs that she wanted him to continue.
Just like at the penthouse, she ran her hands up his chest, over his shoulders and into his hair, pulling his face toward hers.
Didn’t get any more onboard than that.
For a beat, they shared a breath before her lush lips took his, nibbling, drinking, tasting her fill, and when her tongue lightly brushed his lower lip, a spike of heat shot to his rapidly tightening groin.
That was it. He was done. Control gone. He needed to taste more of the sexy woman.
A lot more.
Releasing her hip, he slid his hand around and cupped the sweet ass—that had tempted him at eye-level from the ladder earlier—and crushed her closer. She moaned into his mouth and he thrust his tongue inside, exploring her hot taste and delectable essence. She was exquisite. Damn exquisite. Her soft, sexy sounds messed with his pulse, and when their tongues touched, his erection throbbed.
Son-of-a-bitch, he’d never been this aroused this fast by just one kiss. Stefanie had him so off-kilter he lost sight of the horizon. He couldn’t get enough. She was addicting. And he was in trouble, because even when they broke for air, he needed to taste her, had to keep his mouth on her delicious body. Tugging her head back gave him full access to her throat, and he began to kiss a path down her neck. Her second moan and the way she wrapped her leg around his hip, stiffened his dick until the zipper of his jeans bit into his flesh.
He slid his hand from her ass, down to her bare thigh, stroking the soft flesh he’d wanted to touch and lick all damn day. Needing to feel more, he slipped his hand under her dress and retraced his way to her ass. Ah, hell. His heart knocked against his ribs. She was wearing a fucking thong. He caressed her sweet, bare cheek, tracing the line of the fabric, while he scraped his teeth against her neck and bit behind her ear.
The hitch in her breath and the way she trembled against him fueled his hunger to near breaking point.
“Meow.”
The sound of a cat crying made it through his muddled brain.
Shit.
He stilled. What the hell was he doing?
His gut rippled with disgust. If it hadn’t been for her cat, he would’ve taken things much further.
“I’m sorry.” He detangled himself from her hot body and stepped back, his voice a little hoarse because he was still a lot hard. “I didn’t mean for that to get so out of hand.”
Or for his hand to get a handful of her ass.
He was acting like a horny teenager. The lack of control ticked him the hell off. Especially since his brother’s sister-in-law was the cause. Despite what Stefanie thought, she was family.
For nearly two years, he’d been around the woman, sharing family functions, pizzas, barbecues, but not once—until that damn mistletoe incident—had he considered sharing body heat.
Where the hell had this attraction come from?
Better yet, where the hell had it been?
No. Hell, no. He didn’t want an answer to either question. Way too fucking dangerous. He needed to go. To re-group and plan a defense against his damn lack of one.
“Yeah.” She blew out a breath. “I didn’t mean to maul you.”
“Meow.”
She snickered. “Reggie is persistent. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants.” She moved past him to her cat, who sat expectantly in front of the couch. “What’s up, buddy? Tired of my bed?”
Mac muttered a curse and gave his body orders not to think about Stefanie and her bed.
He failed.
But he could relate to Reggie. He wasn’t the type to stop until he got what he wanted, either. And the fact he wanted to take Stefanie to her bed—and on her bed—sent up a huge red flag.
Time to go.
“I’m leaving for sure this time,” he said out loud, hoping it would stick in his brain better.
She straightened from her cat and smiled. “Okay. Thanks for the help...and the...uh...”
He scratched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to pinch it. “Restraint?”
Her brow lifted. “I was going to say lack of it, but if that makes you feel better, we’ll go with that.”
It didn’t make him feel better. But the amusement lighting her gaze and the smile on her face did. “Okay.” He walked over to pet Reggie then stood to face her. “Good luck with Mr. Nakamori.”
“Thanks.” She nodded. “And I’m almost done with some preliminary sketches I’d like to share with you this week.”
“Great.” He ran his schedule through his mind. “We have another job in Houston for the first half of the week, then we’ll be back here on Thursday.”
“Perfect. I’ll have them finished by then,” she said.
Her gaze was open and sparkled with excitement. “I’d better freshen up before my call. Someone ravished me in my kitchen, and I’m not sure that’s the look I want to project to Mr. Nakamori.”
“Ravished is a good look for you.” It slipped out before he could stop it. But it was true. Her riot of hair, lips swollen from his kisses, the flush in her cheeks, yeah, she was stunning. And if he didn’t get his ass moving, he might suffer that lack of restraint again. “You go ahead and get ready. I’m leaving. See you Thursday.”
And to make sure he didn’t make her late for her call, he walked right out her door. She didn’t need him messing things up, and she sure as hell didn’t need him messing with her, but he wasn’t the only one who lacked restraint.
Her heated responses had accelerated his lack of control. Mac wasn’t sure what to do about that.
But hopefully, by the time he saw her again on Thursday, he’d have his shit together.
Chapter Seven
By the time Thursday rolled around, Stefanie had finished all of her preliminary sketches for Eagle Security and Investigations, including a last-minute idea that’d popped into her head Sunday night.
She’d been riding a very successful high from her call with Mr. Nakamori—her latest client—and an incredible ravishing from Mac earlier that evening. All that positive, excess emotion had put her into creative overdrive, and gave her a moment of clarity about his logo.
“That’s your best work yet,” Abby said, pointing to the sketch Stefanie showed her friends on her phone. She was eager to show it to Mac, too.
She smiled. “Thanks.”
They were in the back of Abby’s shop, sipping mid-morning coffees, before she and Mel had to head to their businesses to start the day. Abby’s grand opening on Monday had gone well, and according to her friend, a few customers trickled in for haircuts every day.
Mel nodded. “Yeah, he’s going to choose that one, I know it. And, hey, if you ever want to make some money on the side, or for fun, I’d love to have you sketch a few tattoos for my shop.”
Sketch tattoos?
Stefanie reeled back. “Really? I don’t know what to say. I’ve never thought about it.”
“Well, you should. You’re talented, and a lot of what you create would transfer well to skin,” Mel said. “They’re strong, but not too detailed that they’d get muddied.”
“Huh.” She furrowed her brow and sipped her coffee. “Who knew the process of creating logos was similar to tattoos?”
Her friend nodded. “I’m not saying details aren’t possible on skin, but they need to be carried out in layers. Like this.” Mel lifted her shirt to reveal a breathtaking tattoo of a hummingbird and flower, with a blue-sky backdrop on her shoulder blade.
Abby’s sucked in breath echoed Stefanie’s.
“That’s gorgeous,” she said. “Is it one of yours?” The location of the tattoo made it impossible for her friend to ink it, but it definitely looked like her talent.
Mel nodded “Yeah. My sketch, and my brother’s steady hand. He finished it a week before he died.”
Stefanie’s heart squeezed. The first week she’d met Mel, they’d bonded over their shared grief of losing a loved one. She knew the woman’s brother had overdosed two years ago, after returning from deployment. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s one hell of a memento,” Carter said, standing just inside the back door.
Stefanie hadn’t even heard him come in.
Mel stiffened and tugged down her shirt, before twisting around to face him. “Knock much?”
He cocked his head. “Wasn’t aware it was a requirement?”
“It’s common curtesy,” Mel replied.
He walked closer, his dark, wavy
hair brushing his shoulders as he shrugged. “It’s my sister’s shop.”
“So?” Mel raised a brow, along with her tone, her blue gaze blazing. “That doesn’t give you the right to just walk in.”
“It does when she’s expecting me and tells me to just walk in.” He stopped in front of Mel and stared down at her.
“Okay, kids.” Abby stepped between them, holding her arms out to separate the two. “Go to your corners.”
“Or get a room,” Stefanie mumbled.
Damn, those two had some series sparks.
“It’s okay, Mel. I asked Carter to come over to put this final rack together for me back here.” Abby pointed to a long box resting against the far wall. “And I did tell him to just come in.”
Mel lifted her chin. “Well...all right, then. As long as you gave him permission.”
“I did.” Abby nodded. “But thanks for having my back, in case I hadn’t.”
Carter frowned. “Since when have I ever disrespected your privacy, Abby?”
“Never,” his sister answered sweetly. “And I know you never would.”
Sensing it was time to chime in, she set her hand on Mel’s arm to pull her attention off the others. “About the tattoo sketching, I’ll think about it. I’ve kicked around the idea of creating one in memory of my dad but nothing I’ve come up with has hit the mark.”
“Yet.” A smile tugged Mel’s lips. “I have a feeling it will.”
Abby sighed. “I’d love one.”
Carter grinned. “With your phobia about needles? There’s no way I’d go through with it.”
“True.” Abby sighed again.
Mel chuckled. “I know. You don’t stick around my shop if I’m working.”
Stefanie finished her coffee and tossed the cup in the garbage. “Speaking of shop, I’d better get back to mine.”
“Me, too,” Mel said, walking with her toward the back door. “When are you showing those sketches to Mac?”
She shrugged. “Not sure. I have to call him first.” She wasn’t sure when the guys had returned from Houston yesterday, and didn’t want to wake him up if he’d arrived late. “Kind of waiting for a decent time to phone him.”
Mac (HC Heroes Series, #1) Page 7