She’d rather go bald. At least there were wigs to fix that. Nothing was going to prevent total humiliation if she went emotional and confessed her jumbled feelings for Mack.
He was laughing softly, his grip on her legs relaxing. His soft lips pressed against her inner thigh. “You’re incredible,” he murmured.
It was going to happen. She was going to say something embarrassing. Shoot. Blinking hard, she pushed him back into the chair.
Time to hide her face and regroup.
Kindra went down on her knees.
Mack’s eyebrows shot up.
He opened his mouth to say something.
She didn’t wait to hear. Pulling his erection out, she bent over and took a nice long luscious suck.
Mack stared at the ceiling and gave a lusty sigh. Damn, he felt good. Never better, in fact. The lack of sleep didn’t bother him.
Not when he had spent half the night having hot, satisfying sex with Kindra. She was incredible. Giving, daring, yet shy. The way she was in bed reflected the complexity of her personality out of bed.
Full of surprises.
Mack rolled over in Kindra’s guest bed and watched her sleeping, her auburn hair spilling across her face. She had pulled the blanket up tightly under her chin, and her lush mouth was open as she breathed in and out with a soft whisper.
Settling himself up against her back, Mack stroked her smooth thighs. His body responded instantly and a huge boner was pressing into her backside in less than thirty seconds.
He couldn’t help himself. She did things to him, made him feel a way he never had.
When she woke up, he was going to convince her that they needed to see where this could go. In bed and out.
No time like the present. Dusting a kiss on her shoulder, he reached around and slid a finger inside her, then back out, teasing her clit.
He felt her body swell and moisten. Her eyes popped open. See? She was awake. Perfect.
“Mack,” she murmured, her voice heavy with sleep. “It’s too early.”
“Then why are you wet?” He sucked her earlobe.
Already her body was rocking against his hand, her breath hitching.
“I’m not,” she insisted. “I’m still asleep.”
“Then you must be having a damn good dream.”
Kindra’s fingers clenched the sheet as she moved faster against him.
Mack added a second finger and sent her over the edge. She shuddered and relaxed back on the pillow.
“Mmmm.”
“My thoughts exactly.” He rubbed his lips across her cheek and pulled his hand back.
“So what are your plans for the day?” He pictured snuggling half the day away, maybe grabbing some lunch and a movie, sharing a shower. Stopping by his apartment for fresh clothes and his toothbrush, then hightailing it back to Kindra’s for another night together.
Driving in to work together tomorrow.
Kindra stiffened. “Today? Oh, I have… things to do.”
“What things?” He didn’t like the sound of that. “I was hoping we could hang out. Naked. All day.”
“No, no.” Now she scooted away from him and sat up, hugging the sheet around herself. “It’s girl stuff, but stuff I have to do.”
Mack asked, “What girl things? Like getting a wax or something?”
He pictured Kindra, fully bare, his tongue sliding over every inch of her soft smooth skin, teasing apart her lips with his tongue and making her scream for him…
She turned back to him. “Mack. Listen, we need to talk.”
Interesting. He was about to be shown the door. There was a “thanks for the dick, but I’m good” coming up.
“Look, I’m sorry, but I don’t think it’s a good idea to see each other again.”
Yep. There it was. “Seriously?” Now he sat straight up. What the hell was she talking about? He had just decided they were perfect for each other. She couldn’t possibly mean that their one-night stand was a real, honest to God, one-night stand.
“This was fabulous, really, an amazing night, but that’s all it was. You know that.”
He didn’t know that. God, he felt so cheap, so used. Then he almost laughed at the absurdity of that thought. Normally he would say easy come, easy go. Literally. That’s fully what he had intended to do. But now he wanted more. Call him a greedy son of a bitch, but he did.
“If it was so fabulous, what’s wrong with a repeat?” He tried to stay cool, nonchalant. He wasn’t going to fucking beg for her attention. Hell to the no.
Gently, she gave him a small smile, clutching the sheet across her chest. “Your twelve hours are up.”
His own words thrown back at him and damn it if she didn’t sound like she felt sorry for him. When exactly had the balance of power shifted between them?
He knew. When he had gone from wanting to see if he could pleasure her to wanting to see her again. He’d thought there was an easiness to their sexy hookup that boded well for future nights together.
Obviously he had been completely wrong.
“Do you want some breakfast before you go?”
Her back was exposed, creamy white flesh mocking him, taunting him as she looked at him over her shoulder. Her beauty nearly had him reaching for her again, driving his cock deep inside her until she admitted she wanted more.
But he’d be damned if he’d grovel.
“No, thanks.” Like he was going to sit there in the kitchen and eat some freaking eggs while she wished him gone.
“Did I prove my point?” he asked roughly.
Her little pink tongue slipped out and licked her lip. “Oh, yeah, you proved it. This was much, much better than sexting.”
Damn fucking straight it was.
“Good,” he said, his jaw clenched. “Tell that guy to get some new lines, will you? That alone will make it better for you.”
Then he got up off the bed and strode to the bathroom, not sticking around to hear Kindra’s reply. The sudden image of Kindra in her computer chair letting that filthy guy talk nasty to her made him livid. Hot with fury. Who the hell even know who this guy was? Maybe he was a pervert talking to dozens of women.
If he couldn’t have her, he sure as hell didn’t want anyone to have her, especially not some Reddit Romeo who didn’t know sexy from sushi.
Mack closed the bathroom door behind him.
He’d proven his point all right. Proven he was an idiot.
Kindra stared at her screen. A half-dozen messages from Russ were winking at her. Subject headings like “Where are you?” “Miss you,” and “Feeling horny” leapt out.
She had yet to read any of them.
Listening to Russ talk about crotchless panties suddenly sounded about as fun as bleaching her mustache. A waste of a good ten minutes.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. She had sent Mack away that morning, determined to protect herself at all costs. There was a reason she stuck to a non-contact electronic love life. It wasn’t real. She didn’t risk attaching. That was who she was. She didn’t do casual and she knew letting Mack stay over had been a huge mistake. She was already liking him just a little too much.
Watching him depart, arrogant and smirking, had been the hardest thing she’d done to date, if she didn’t count jumping those hurdles in high school gym class.
But now she was supposed to resume her life.
Go to work. Wear boring clothes. Chat with Russ. Never have good sex again.
Wow, that sounded appealing.
Without thought, her hand ran the cursor through the computer menu. She retrieved the video she had made the night before. Thirty seconds later she and Mack were on her screen.
His voice was low, commanding. She watched herself, head thrown back, eyes half closed and breath hitching. She caressed her nipples.
Mack spread her thighs.
Kindra live began to pant in unison with her on-screen self.
Damn it. What the hell had she done?
So what if he didn’t wa
nt a relationship? She could have done this with him again.
Until he got tired of her.
Which would be worse in the end.
No, she had done the right thing.
Mack’s tongue plunged into her onscreen.
The doorbell rang. Kindra leapt up, slamming the lid on her laptop shut. Maybe it was Mack, coming back. Maybe he wanted to make her change her mind. Or maybe he had just forgotten his wallet or something.
She peered through the living room window as she ran to the door. Or maybe it was her friends. Fabulous.
Reluctantly, she opened the door.
Ashley groaned. “Oh, seriously, you’re wearing yoga pants again.”
“So?” They were perfect, It’s-Sunday-and-my-life-is-over pants.
Trish pushed past her. “Is he still here? How was it? You had sex with him, didn’t you?”
Kindra had no interest in dishing out details on her night with Mack. “No, he’s not still here, thank God, because you are being ridiculous and embarrassing.”
Ashley collapsed on her couch, enormous hoop earrings dangling down over her lime-green sweater. “But he was here right?”
“Yes, we went out to dinner, then came back here.” Though they had skipped dinner. The memory made her warm. Kindra stuck her hands in her sweatshirt pouch and paced across the room. She felt a headache coming on. A real one this time, unlike the one she had faked for Russ.
“Well, change your clothes, then tell us all about it,” Ashley urged.
“Why do I have to change my clothes?”
“Because we’re going to the movies, remember?” Ashley said. “Did you forget?”
“Yes.”
“Must have been some night.” Trish grinned. “Details, dear, we want details.”
“Are you okay, Kindra?” Violet asked, pushing her glasses up with one finger. “You look like something’s wrong.”
Everything was wrong. Kindra stopped pacing and pushed her hair out of her eyes. “I’m not okay. I can’t quit him, you guys. One night and I’m hooked. I want more. I’m addicted to Mack. A Mack attack.”
Violet’s eyes widened. Trish gaped at her.
Ashley moaned. “Oh, no, you attached again. Kindra, how could you?”
“I didn’t mean to!” Like she’d set out to make herself miserable by falling for an unobtainable paragon.
“That must have been good sex,” Trish remarked.
“It was.” Better than good. Ecstasy inducing, mind bending, earth shaking, phenomenal fucking sex. She sighed.
“But it was more than great sex, it was… fun.”
“Um, I’m pretty sure sex is supposed to be fun,” Trish said. “I mean, call me crazy.”
Another lusty sigh emerged from Kindra. “No, I mean like it was hot and sexy and intense and yet, I enjoyed him. Like as a person. And now that I’ve let the cat out of the bag, I don’t think I can stuff it back in.”
“What do you mean?” Violet asked.
She wasn’t sure exactly. She just knew she couldn’t be the same old Kindra the wallflower anymore. She had changed. Mack had brought out parts of herself she had forgotten existed.
“I may not be able to have Mack, but I’m tired of being taken advantage of at work. I’m going to stand up for myself, and get some excitement in my life.”
“Does that mean better clothes?” Ashley asked hopefully.
“Will you quit bitching about my clothes?” she said in exasperation. “But yes, I could stand to upgrade my wardrobe. Maybe I’ll join a subscription service, where they send me outfits that actually look cute.”
“I think that’s a fabulous idea.” Trish clutched her enormous and expensive handbag. “Let’s skip the movie and go shopping instead. We can get a jump on your closet overhaul.”
Ashley stood up and hugged Kindra. “Hey, I’m sorry things didn’t work out with Mack, but you never know. Maybe he feels the same way about what happened between you.”
Hah. And Mack Stone was going to get a pet poodle named Bitsy. Please.
Mack sucked down his third cup of coffee in the last hour and glared at Jim, his co-worker. God, Jim was annoying. Of course, everyone was annoying this morning.
After a miserable Sunday afternoon wallowing in self-pity, Mack had spent a sleepless night. He’d woken up Monday morning with a pounding head. He wasn’t even sure what he was so sour about.
But then to make it all worse, Kindra had strode into work that morning looking breezy and sensual, confident and happy.
For the first time ever she was wearing her hair down at work. The soft auburn sleekness bounced over her shoulders, and she was wearing very subtle makeup that brought out her green eyes and made her cheekbones look a mile long.
Instead of black and severe, her outfit was new. Her blouse was a warm chocolate that made her skin glow. The cut was feminine, her ivory skirt tighter and shorter than he’d ever seen Kindra in. She had on burgundy velvet boots. Velvet, for fuck’s sake.
She looked fantastic. Gorgeous. Edible.
Damned if he wasn’t the only one to notice it either. Half the office staff was sniffing around her. The male half.
Mack stood over Jim’s desk, wishing Jim would put his doughnut down so they could solve the problem they were working on. Bright laughter floated over to them. Mack gritted his teeth and turned.
It was Kindra perched on the reception desk, surrounded by three guys. Mack rubbed his forehead. When she had seen him this morning, he had gotten nothing more than a cool hello.
He’d seen her naked. He had been inside her.
But these assholes got her smile, full attention and laugh.
Kindra had a great laugh.
“Damn,” Jim spoke around a mouthful of doughnut. “Something is different about Kindra this morning. Maybe she finally got a little action over the weekend.” He snorted in laughter.
Mack turned and glared at Jim. “Watch your damn mouth.”
Jim stopped laughing. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked, clearly annoyed at being snapped at. Then his eyebrows raised. “Oh, wait, shut the fuck up. Kindra was with you this weekend, wasn’t she?”
Mack didn’t answer, but turned back to watch her and her entourage.
Jim said, “Don’t even bother to deny you. So you opened the sexual floodgates up for her, huh? Good job, buddy.”
Mack wanted to punch him. “Don’t be a dick. Kindra’s sex life is none of your fucking business and you really shouldn’t talk about a co-worker like that.”
“You probably shouldn’t fuck a co-worker,” Jim said mildly. “But calm down. I’ve never seen you look so ticked off. Has the great Mack Stone finally fallen?”
Like a boulder.
“What, because I’m defending Kindra from you being a pig?”
Jim laughed. “Yeah, that’s totally what is going on here. Not.”
Without thinking, he marched himself over to her and interrupted rudely by elbowing past Bob from payroll.
“I need to talk to you.”
Kindra flushed. She darted her eyes around and her shoulders tensed. “I’m busy right now.”
“I don’t care.”
Kindra glared at him, held her chin up high and walked away, her hair swinging.
Mack stood there flabbergasted. She had walked away from him.
A hand touched his arm. He looked down at Ashley, who was tugging him away from the crowd.
“What?” he said, trying to pull his arm out of her grip.
“Get a clue, Mack,” she whispered. “You can’t just embarrass the hell out of Kindra by acting like a total dick and then expect her to listen to you.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He really didn’t. Okay, that was a total self-serving lie. He knew the number one thing Kindra did not want was unwanted attention at work. He needed to apologize.
Ashely shook her head. “You’re a tool. I honestly don’t know what she sees in you.”
Was that just an off-the-
cuff comment or did it mean something? “I think she sees me as the guy who got her off. Multiple times.”
“You’re an idiot. She likes you. It’s not just about sex for her.” Ashley glanced around, her voice low. “But you didn’t hear that from me. I will kick you in the nutsack if you tell her I said that.”
Mack eyed her. “Damn. Got it. Thanks for the info. Do you think I should ask to see her again?”
“No, I think you should both spend the rest of your lives wondering if this could have worked out, because that’s healthy.” She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you should tell her!”
Mack barely even noticed Ashley’s sarcasm. If Ashley was wrong about Kindra’s feelings, then so what? You never got what you wanted unless you asked for it.
And if she was right…
Oh, man. He was in for some amazing Friday nights.
Mack had an idea. He bent and squeezed Ashley by the shoulders. “Thanks, Ashley. I owe you one.”
Then he turned and headed to his office, determined to get his sexy little co-worker to admit she wanted more of him.
Kindra was still in shock an hour later. What exactly had Mack been doing?
Had she wounded his male ego by telling him one night was enough?
Rubbing her temples, she spat hair out of her mouth. Wearing the hair down was supposed to be symbolic, but it was just getting on her nerves. She was constantly pawing it to get it out of her way.
The words on her screen were blurring in front of her. She’d been hiding in her office since she had walked away from Mack, and she couldn’t concentrate on anything.
She’d been staring at the same proposal for a solid thirty minutes and the words were dancing tiny tangos with each other.
Frustrated, she pulled her phone out. It was frowned on to have phones out at the office but everyone did it anyway. Besides, she had to do something. Anything to distract her. It was possible there would be another desperate message from Russ begging her not to sever their relationship.
Those had been his exact words after she had emailed him the night before telling him she wasn’t interested any longer. The word relationship made her snort out loud.
Talking about sex with a complete stranger you had never laid eyes on and could be catfishing you was not a relationship.
Hard Drive - Erin McCarthy Page 7