Ben pleaded, “One song.”
Supplication from Wilson came next. “One song, cuz.”
I rolled my eyes and shrugged. “Fine. One song.”
After a ridiculous cheer, complete with whoops and howls, I glared at Ben. Then, awkwardly, I glanced around for the right place to stand. With his hand in the middle of my upper back, Mac led me to the rear of the fire truck.
“Here.”
I shook my head when he patted the rear step above the back bumper, indicating I should climb up.
He nodded in response. “Your stage, m’lady.”
I laughed and rolled my eyes.
The guys grumbled behind us and Mac suddenly grinned. It was a smile that took my breath away. “Give them a show and they’ll leave you alone. Maybe. I’ll help you up.”
Having that dazzlingly handsome man, with his blinding smile, focus his attention my way, I would’ve said yes to just about anything at that moment. His hands encircled my waist, and I was lifted onto the step as though I weighed nothing more than a hummingbird. The shiver of desire that wound through my body was immediate, intense, and triple X-rated. No man—and I do mean no man—had ever lifted me with such seemingly little effort. Reflexively, my hands clasped Mac’s shoulders and held tight, even after I was firmly settled on the platform. “You’re strong.”
He winked. “You’re light as a feather.”
Feeling drunk off the contact, I snorted.
His eyes darkened, and he held my gaze as his hands slowly released me, slipping from around my waist. “And incredibly beautiful.”
I straightened and looked around. Ben was staring at me with a confused expression that sent a rush of guilt to my warm cheeks. Slightly breathless from the intense moment with Mac, I cleared my throat, ran my hands down my dress to smooth it, and licked my lips.
Get it together, Mel.
How was I supposed to sing when suddenly I couldn’t remember how to breathe?
I knew what they wanted, and if I was truly getting out of here after singing only one song, that song would have to be “Alive in Your Eyes.” The guys quieted down the second I sang the first note, acapella. Matteo was recording me with his cell phone, probably to show his wife later, and Ben grinned as he leaned over and lightly elbowed the woman next to him, who was obviously Hailey.
I had only gotten through the first couple of lines when the whole group joined in, singing along with me.
“The beat of your heart… The words on your lips… Your love for me always… Alive in your eyes…”
I tried not to, but I gave in and glanced at Mac. His dark-blue eyes, laser focused on me, seemed to shimmer with a glint of molten silver. His gaze burned with the intensity of flames, never wavering from me while the same words of the same song I’d sung for audiences hundreds, no, thousands of times suddenly took on a new meaning to me. An old song transformed and was reborn. Our gazes were locked. Only a few feet separated us. He’d called me beautiful. Not just beautiful, incredibly beautiful.
As the song came to an end, an undeniable passion flowed between us. Again and again, it seemed I had to remind myself that I had a boyfriend. Why did that fact always seem to slip my mind the moment Mac’s gaze settled on me?
He extended a hand to help me down. When I hesitated, both his hands again wrapped around my waist, and he lifted me effortlessly. This time, even after my feet were firmly on the ground, Mac’s hands remained on me. We stood, gazing into each other’s eyes, frozen as though in a trance. Even in four-inch heels, my face still had to tilt up to look into his.
“Your voice is magnificent.” His had grown deeper, grittier, almost the same timbre as his growls.
My hands wanted to touch him as I searched his face. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for, but what I found was attraction, connection, a kindred soul. I couldn’t even sense that part of me that had for so long felt hollow, as though something was missing. Where had that emptiness gone?
I couldn’t tear my gaze away. My brain sent the signal for my mouth to work, to thank him, but all I could do was stare.
Caught in some sort of lovestruck limbo, the world around us faded. I swayed closer. His scent was warm and male and delicious. I leaned into his chest, and his arms wrapped around me, holding me tightly.
His eyes flicked to my lips. My jaw dropped with a breathy gasp. There was no stopping what was about to happen. It was inevitable. The magnetic force between us pulled us to each other. I couldn’t keep myself from glancing at his lips, imagining them pressed to mine. Would I feel the shadow of beard growth rough against my skin? I wanted to find out.
The low growl rolled from Mac like a purr as his fingers tightened, digging into my waist. I trembled in anticipation. He was going to kiss me. I was going to let him.
“Mel!”
Ben’s voice cut through the haze and I jerked back. Mac’s hands dropped. He turned away. My poor, denied heart banged around in my chest as my face and neck heated—no doubt as red as my dress.
Meeting my cousin’s eyes wasn’t easy, especially with the look of reprimand he wore.
Ben forced a smile. “Ready to go? Hailey finally agreed to meet me at Mimi’s later.”
I nodded and accompanied Ben to the sidewalk out front. “Yep, yeah, uh-huh. Ready.”
The guys said goodbye to me, and I waved, but my mind was elsewhere. On another planet. Once we got to the sidewalk, I left Ben behind and practically ran back to the B&B and straight to my room where I shut the door, closing everything out. I needed to process what’d just happened. Mostly, I needed to nix any discussion with my cousin about the fact that I’d almost just cheated on my boyfriend in front of him.
13
Mac
It was probably for the best that Mel’s cousin called her away. I had been completely enamored by the woman. Like, lost. In some sort of trance, reduced to a blathering idiot. But, damn, she was beautiful and had the voice of an angel. When she was close to me, I couldn’t fight her magnetism.
I needed to stay away from her.
I should’ve been thankful when I got Heather’s text asking if I could leave work early and that she needed me. I would have been if her urgency wasn’t because Warren was having an episode and she wanted to get him to the hospital. Jenny was MIA again and someone needed to care for Amethyst.
I shot her a quick reply: On my way. Then I headed straight to their place.
Heather was in the driveway shifting her weight nervously from one foot to the other. Ame was in her arms, and a pale Warren slumped in the wheelchair beside her. His face was contorted in pain and, even though it was hot as balls out, he was trembling as though he was freezing.
Heather and I exchanged glances. Hers, worried. Mine, I hoped reassuring.
I helped Warren into the passenger’s seat of Heather’s car, closed the car door, then took Ame from her arms. Warren had lost so much weight. He was a shell of the man he’d been six months ago.
“You sure you don’t want me to tag along?”
“No, no, Mac. We’ll be fine. I’ll call or text with news.”
I kissed her forehead. “If you change your mind and decide you want me there, even if it’s just for some emotional support, don’t hesitate. Promise me.”
She managed a tight smile. “I promise.”
With Ame tucked in the crook of my arm, I stood watching in the driveway as Heather pulled out and drove her mate to the ER. This was nearly as hard on my sister as it was on her mate, and I pitied her once again for fate bestowing a human mate on her.
Ame spent so much time at my place that my guest room was now a nursery. She had a crib, rocking chair, changing table, and everything else she might need, including bottles, toys, diapers, and baby shampoo.
It was still early, but I was restless. Worries about Warren, about Heather, and thoughts about Mel were abuzz in my brain. Instead of going straight home, Ame and I took a stroll and ended up at Latte Love.
Paige looked up from behind
the counter, grinning when we stepped in. “You brought Amethyst!”
I pressed a kiss to Ame’s head. “Yup. My best girl and I are hanging out tonight.”
“She’s such a doll baby.” She hesitated. “How’s Warren? Is he doing okay?”
I forced a smile and nodded. “Heather is taking him in tonight, but he’s a tough bastard. He’ll pull through.”
We both knew I’d said those words for my benefit. I needed to hear them out loud.
Paige blew out a sigh and shook her head. “He is tough alright. I just think the world of Heather and Warren. I’m praying for their family. Tell me what I can get you, Mac.”
I ordered a couple of croissant sandwiches, which she gave me two for one since it was getting late and she wanted to get rid of the last of her baked goods, or so she claimed. I sat in a furry pink chair near the picture window, behind a potted palm that almost reached the ceiling. Paige seemed to have a thing for large plants. Ame stared up at the fronds, fascinated. She reached for one, her chubby little baby fingers opening and closing as she nibbled the knuckles of her other hand and slobbered drool down her chin.
I held her close and blew out a rough sigh of frustration. I hated that I had to just sit back and watch my sister go through such a tough time and that there was nothing I could do.
I would give everything I owned if it would take away the pain and suffering she and Warren were going through. They were both good people and deserved better. For me, the worst part was being powerless, feeling helpless against fucking human diseases.
Ame yanked me out of my thoughts and into the present moment by grabbing my face and attempting to shove her slobbery fingers into my mouth. When I snapped my jaw together, pretending to bite them, she giggled and squealed before slapping the shit out of my cheek, leaving wet streaks of baby saliva. I barked a laugh and leaned far enough away that she couldn’t do it again, but she pouted so I moved back. Another rough slap and I growled firmly but gently to get her to soften her blows. Her little shifter strength was intense.
When I heard the bell over the door chime and a second later, smelled a fragrance that teased a groan from my lips, I knew before I brushed the palm leaf aside who had entered. Mel. She looked as good as she smelled. She’d changed out of the formal dress and into a pair of leggings, an oversized T-shirt, and those combat boots. She somehow looked just as elegant and just as jaw-droppingly beautiful as she had when she was dressed to the nines.
She must have sensed me staring at her. She turned, her eyes met mine, and I watched a pink blush bloom over her cheeks. She gave a little wave and turned back and forth a few times, as though debating whether she should come over to me.
I told myself to drop the leaf back into place, not to give off mixed signals or encourage any interaction. Myself didn’t listen. I smiled and nodded at her. “Hi there. Didn’t expect to see you here.”
She bit her lip and held up her finger to me. At the counter, she ordered a sandwich from Paige and then turned and looked as though she was at war with herself. That changed the second she spotted Ame. Her eyes brightened and she inhaled sharply. “Oh!”
Ame smacked me once more for good measure and then reached out for Mel at the same time Mel crossed the room wearing a big smile, her eyes riveted on Ame.
Mel stopped in front of us, giggling. “Can I hold her? I love babies.”
If I had any sense of self-preservation, I would’ve said no. I would have gotten up and run out of there as fast as my feet could take me. I didn’t.
But it wasn’t entirely my fault either.
Ame and Mel made that impossible. The look in Mel’s eyes was one of intense longing, and Ame… She extended both arms and thrust them toward Mel, her little face straining as she fought to get away from me and closer to Mel.
What the hell?
I handed Ame over and watched my little drool-dlebug wrap her chubby arms around Mel’s neck. She immediately opened her mouth and covered Mel’s face in drool kiss.
I laughed, the sound pained as I watched them. “Sorry about her drool.”
Despite her huge smile, I was surprised to see tears gather in Mel’s eyes. She blinked them away and eased herself into the seat across from me. “Don’t be sorry. I love it. She can drool all she wants. She’s beautiful.”
Watching the two of them, I felt an overwhelming sense of warmth. It felt too natural and she looked too good holding Ame.
“Is she…yours?” Her tone was oddly tight as she asked.
“Yes. I mean, no. Er…kind of.”
Mel stared quietly with a brow raised slightly.
I snorted. “She’s my niece. Grandniece, technically. My sister’s daughter’s baby. Her name is Ame—Amethyst.”
Mel’s shoulders relaxed and released a wistful sigh. “That is a beautiful name. For a beautiful little girl. And fitting. Do you know the story in Greek mythology?”
“No. I didn’t know there was a story.”
“Amethyst was a mortal on her way to pay tribute to the goddess Diana when she got caught in an argument between the gods and found herself face to face with tigers sent by Dionysus, the god of wine. To save her, Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure crystal that was so beautiful that when Dionysus saw it, he was overcome with sorrow and remorse and cried tears of wine. His tears fell over the statue, staining it and making it even more lovely.”
Ame managed to hook two of her fingers into Mel’s earring and was pulling at it. I leaned over and slid my hand around the back of Mel’s neck to hold her steady as I unwrapped Ame’s fingers. “She’s beautiful, but she’s handsy.”
Mel’s pupils dilated and the smallest breathy sigh escaped her parted lips as she looked up at me. I realized how close I was to her, how private our little corner was, and tightened my fingers on her neck searching her face, desperate for a sign warning me to back away.
Mel, tell me I’m invading your space, tell me I’m pushing you too far. Just tell me to leave you alone.
Instead, her lids fluttered and closed, her chin tipped up just the slightest bit. That was an invitation. An opening for me to kiss her, but if that happened, there would be no going back for either of us. Even Ame had gone silent in the face of our tension. The entire café seemed to disappear.
“Mel…” Her name was a moan on my lips as I drew closer.
“Three sandwiches, all ready! I threw in some cookies that we had left over too.” As Paige pulled back the palm fronds, I sank back into my chair, a guilty expression on my face.
Mel cleared her throat and smiled at Paige, color creeping up her cheeks. “Thank you. For the cookies. I’ve got to get going.”
I watched as she stood up, and with a flustered expression took the bag from Paige and stepped briskly toward the door. “Mel?”
She looked back at me and bit her lip. “Y-yes?”
Despite being horrified at my lack of self-control, I couldn’t fight a grin. “Can I have my niece back?”
“Oh my god!” She rushed back toward me and shoved Ame at me. “I am so sorry.”
Ame instantly burst into tears.
Paige stood back, giggling. “An almost-kidnapping. That’s a first for my shop.”
But Paige’s voice could barely be heard over Ame’s howls. Mel groaned and hurried away. With one glance over her shoulder at me, and a sympathetic and longing look at Ame, she fled the shop.
Ame instantly squealed and her little hand flew out and slapped me.
“I know, I did screw that up, didn’t I?”
14
Mel
I’m a skanky hoe. I am.
I almost kissed a man who wasn’t my boyfriend.
Well, technically, he almost kissed me. But I would have kissed him back! And I’d wanted him to kiss me. I’d wanted him to touch me and kiss me and cart me off to some romantic, secluded spot and make love to me under the stars.
I felt a connection to Mac, the kind of connection I’d been trying so hard to form with Adam. I nev
er totally blamed Adam. In fact, I blamed myself more than him. I’d never felt a deep soul-level type of connection to a man, and I’d known more than a few smokin’ hot A-listers during my celebrity days. None had ignited the fires of passion in me the way Mac the firefighter did. There’s irony for you.
Adam was a good-looking guy. Ugh! I’d been with Adam for almost a year, yet I’d never felt for Adam anything like I’d felt for Mac tonight. And we hadn’t even actually crossed that friendship line.
I sent an SOS text to Ingrid. Then I remembered she was probably having the time of her life at Mimi’s with the fire department and sent a cancel-the-SOS text.
I was sprawled across the bed in the B&B lamenting my situation when the door burst open.
“Ahh!” I jerked upright and let out an embarrassing scream. “Oh my god! What are you doing?”
Ingrid frowned and leveled me with a look. She didn’t appear to have been having as good a night as I imagined. “You sent me an SOS text.”
“And I canceled it! I shouldn’t have bothered you.”
“Do you see this face?” Her finger drew an imaginary circle around her face. “I only wish you would’ve texted me an hour ago. That whole outing was a damp squib.” She fell back on my bed next to me and pouted. “Your brother’s a wanker.”
“I’ve been telling you.”
I was used to Ingrid’s use of British slang. Even though she’d grown up in Syracuse with her mother, whose own British accent had never quite faded, Ingrid’s summers were spent with her father in England. Every year when she came home to the States, her accent was stronger than ever. “What’d he do?”
“No, no. I’m sorry.” She squeezed my hand. “This isn’t about me and my stupid one-sided obsession for your brother, who literally wants nothing to do with me. This is about you. Talk.”
“Are you sure? Because I’m always willing to talk about how stupid my brother is.”
Craved Mate: Cybermates Page 6