Rose and Jacob

by Lexi Buchanan

  After being ravished on the kitchen table, Dean had carried her and all their clothes upstairs, where he’d proceeded to make love to her again, in the shower, then, when they came out, on the bed.

  She was sure that he would have made love to her again if Lucas hadn’t been due back with Thomas.

  Dean came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist to place open-mouth kisses along her neck. “Mmm, you taste good. I can’t get enough of you.”

  She smiled up at him, quickly kissed him, and then pushed him slightly away. “Thomas and Lucas are here!”

  Dean watched Mack hug Lucas and wished for things he’d never wanted before . . . until now. She was an amazing woman, and the more time he spent with her, the more he was falling in love with her. She’d said she loved him, but he hadn’t spoken the words to her. Was she disappointed? He didn’t want them to follow her declaration. He wanted to say them when she least expected them.

  Thomas seemed to have fallen for her as well, in a different kind of way. He also seemed to be pushing them both together, which was probably his way of saying ‘I approve.’

  “What have you been doing while we were at the beach?” Lucas asked, which made Mack blush and Dean smile.

  “I’ve been cooking and Dean has been trying to beat his score on that Wii game you both seem to like.”

  “Cool!” Lucas headed into the living room to check out Dean’s latest score.

  “Thomas, can I ask you something about Rose, please?” Dean asked, which drew both Mack and Thomas’s attention.

  “I guess.” Sitting down, Thomas looked apprehensive.

  “Why isn’t Rose’s name in the newspapers about her disappearance?” Thomas raised his head. “It says in the paper ‘missing girl,’ and they also ask for anyone to come forward if they know her identity. We visited the library archives this morning.”

  Thomas let out a long slow sigh. “It was Rose. Richard, who wanted to marry her, was the son of the paper’s owner at the time. My father had a word with him, and although something had to be printed, they made sure it was very small and with no names.”

  Mack and Dean shot each other a quick glance.

  “Looking back now, I guess they could have done that so Jacob, if reading a paper, wouldn’t have a clue it was Rose. Why, I don’t know. Perhaps they blamed him and thought he would suffer more anguish thinking she didn’t love him and had chosen Richard instead of letting him know that she’d died,” Thomas said.

  “That is sad. Did they ever find her?” Mack asked.

  Tears stung Thomas’s eyes. “No.”

  Mack took hold of Thomas’s hands while Dean put his arm around Mack’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Thomas,” she said, crying with him and for him.

  “Don’t worry. It was a long time ago. It’s just that reliving it is hard.” He patted Mack’s hand.

  “I’m not helping, am I?” She wiped her tears away.

  “It’s time I got everything off my chest. I’m feeling weary tonight, but maybe tomorrow.”

  She squeezed Thomas’s hand in thanks and stood up. She started to put the dinner out on the table.

  While she was lost in her own thoughts, Dean was inviting Thomas to go with them to the garden party tomorrow, much to Lucas’s delight.

  Chapter 28

  Dean was driving into the city with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen sitting beside him. He felt so much for her. She was amazing and all his. Since he wasn’t sure what kind of reception they would get from his mother, he hoped and prayed Mack would still be his at the end of the day.

  Before he went up to Cape Elizabeth, Cynthia, her mother, Gladys, and his mother were all hinting it was time to ‘pop the question,’ even after only one date. The rest of the time he was with Cynthia, she’d just kept showing up wherever he just happened to be. In the end, he’d stopped telling anyone at home where he was going and just said to use his cell phone if they needed him. He’d escaped to Cape Elizabeth and met Mackenzie. His Mack.

  He was smiling as he started to daydream about Mack. He’d been shocked when she appeared downstairs this morning in the soft, pale pink dress that fell like silk against her curves and gorgeous legs, emphasized by the strappy sandals she was wearing.

  “Lucas, stop fidgeting.” Mack twisted around to look at him in the back. He was in neatly pressed jeans and a striped polo shirt, which she’d insisted be tucked in, much to Lucas’s dismay and disgust.

  Thomas started a game of I Spy to try to occupy him.

  “It isn’t too far now,” Dean announced, hoping his body didn’t misbehave with her so close and smelling so delicious.

  Mack was sitting in the front seat, and she was starting to get more nervous the closer to their destination that they got. She’d never been in the position of ‘meeting parents’ before. For the first time in her life, she was with a guy she had fallen in love with so getting approval from his folks would mean a lot. Then there was Cynthia, who Dean had told her didn’t mean anything to him, or did she? Mack had spent practically all her time with Dean since he’d arrived in Cape Elizabeth so there hadn’t really been time for him to spend it with anyone else. There hadn’t been time for him to sneak back to Boston, either. Ugh. She was driving herself crazy with all these thoughts.

  Dean quickly glanced at Mack and took hold of one of her hands. “Mack, it’ll be okay, I promise. Don’t be nervous.”

  “I can’t help it. I’ve never met a guy’s parents before, and knowing there’s going to be a woman there who thinks she’s yours is making me a nervous wreck.” Mack tried to smile but failed miserably.

  Dean pulled over to the side of the road, climbed out of the vehicle and walked around to the other side. He opened Mack’s door, unclipped her seatbelt, and then looked at the back at Thomas and Lucas. “Just give us a minute, guys.”

  She climbed out of the car to join Dean. He took hold of her hand, pulled her around the back of the car, then into his arms where he held her tight. “Just remember that you’re the one I want, for always Mack. No matter what anyone says or does, it’s you, and only you, making my heart pound and my blood heat. No one has ever made me feel like this before. Just remember that, okay?” He tilted Mack’s face up to his and placed a very gentle, very sweet kiss on her lips. “All right, Mack?”

  “Okay, Dean. Just try and stay close,” she asked, still feeling nervous about meeting his parents, but more sure of herself with Dean.

  He grinned. “Wasn’t thinking of doing anything else.”

  She’d just climbed back into the car when Lucas tapped her on the shoulder. “Auntie Mack?”

  She turned around to face him. “Are you okay?”

  With his face all scrunched up in a frown, he asked, “Do you love, Dean?”

  Mack felt a blush start to creep up her neck to her face with Lucas putting her right on the spot, but she answered honestly, “Yes. I do, Lucas.” She looked at Dean.

  Thomas just smirked while sitting back in his seat, enjoying the discussion.

  Dean grinned, leaned forward, and placed a slow kiss to her lips. “I love your Auntie Mack as well, Lucas. Is that okay?

  Mack was mesmerized, while Dean smirked, feeling rather pleased with himself.

  After some thought, Lucas said, “Yeah, that’s cool . . . I guess.”

  “Thomas, will you be all right meeting Jacob?” Mack asked with some concern, trying to change the subject.

  “I think so, Mack. I never actually met him apart from that brief time on the cliffs when Rose met him for the first time, but he may remember my name, unless we just forget about my surname for today?”

  “Okay, that might be for the best, at least at first,” Mack replied.

  Dean pulled into his parents’ drive, only to find there were already a lot of cars parked in it. He felt nervous and wondered just what kind of garden party was taking place this afternoon. When he’d spoken to his mother yesterday, she’d said it was ‘just family,’ and the last ti
me Dean counted, family didn’t include this many people.

  As Dean switched the engine off, he ran around to help Mack out of the car, not wanting her to break her neck in the sexy-as-hell heels.

  He stood there admiring her legs until he felt her knowing grin. She knew just how much she aroused him. “You enjoying the view?”

  “You have no idea how much.” He smoothed his hand over her hip and pulled her close while his hand traveled south to caress her bottom.

  They heard some chuckling from the back of the car, which reminded Dean to step back and open the door so that Thomas and Lucas could climb out.

  Lucas was still looking as neat as a pin, and Thomas looked as though he was really enjoying himself at Dean and Mack’s expense.

  “Dean. You’re finally here. Cynthia has been asking for you!” Mack froze at this comment from an older woman who was, obviously, Dean’s mother.

  “Mack, remember what I said on the road, okay?” he whispered to her, trying not to panic himself.

  Dean took a tight hold of her hand to reassure her that he was totally hers. He then led the way to introduce her to his mother. “Mother, I’m sure Cynthia can manage on her own. I want you to meet the woman who has stolen my heart, Mackenzie Harper. Mack, this is my mother, Anne.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Mack held her hand out in greeting, only to be ignored.

  “Who are they?” Anne asked Dean. She tried to drag him away from Mack, but he was having none of it and stayed attached to her.

  “This is Lucas. He’s Mack’s nephew, and this devil is Thomas. He’s a good friend to us both. Actually, I think he’s trying to steal Mack away from me!”

  “If I was a hell of a lot younger, I would give you a run for your money, young man!”

  “Wouldn’t I get a say in any of this?” Mack asked as she raised one of her eyebrows at Dean and Thomas.

  “No, babe. I’d just carry you away and tie you up until you agreed to be mine,” Dean announced, laughing.

  “Mmm, would you now?” Dean’s eyes filled with heat at her unspoken invitation.

  “This is ridiculous. What am I going to tell Cynthia and her parents, now you’ve turned up with this—” Anne trailed off, waving her arms toward Mack, Thomas, and Lucas.

  Dean tightened his hold on Mack’s hand as she tried to break free. He wasn’t sure if it was to go back to her car or to hit his mother. She would be within her rights to do either. Dean was getting really pissed.

  “Okay, Mother. I will say this for the last time. Please do not mention Cynthia or her parents to me again. This is Mack, and she is my woman. The woman I’m in love with. You will treat her with respect. You will also treat Thomas and Lucas with respect and you will drop this whole idea of marriage regarding Cynthia.” He paused. “Do I make myself clear?”

  She stiffened her spine. “Very.”

  “Dad, this is Mackenzie, otherwise known as Mack.” Dean had spotted his father coming toward them.

  Dean’s father held his hand out to Mack. “It’s nice to meet you, Mack. Please call me James.”

  “Nice to meet you too, James.” Mack released his hand. She was still upset over the reaction from Dean’s mother.

  Dean continues, “This is Thomas, a good friend, and this is Lucas, Mack’s nephew.”

  “Nice to meet you both. Glad you could all come today.”

  James watched his wife disappear into the house. “Sorry about your mother, son. You know what she’s like with Cynthia and her folks.”

  “Hopefully, this is the end of it.” Dean felt Mack start to withdraw from him. He turned to look at her and saw that she was holding back tears.

  She took a deep breath. “I don’t think I can do this, Dean.” She started to back away slightly.

  “Mack, please don’t go. I promise to stay by your side. Ten minutes, then we’ll go the minute you say.” He took hold of her face and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, before pulling her into his arms for a brief hug.

  James realized, upon hearing his son talk to Mack and seeing his show of affection toward her, that she meant a great deal to him. “Mack, please join us. I suspect Anne may already have learned her lesson.”

  “Ten minutes.” Mack took hold of Dean’s hand. Lucas slipped his small hand into her other one.

  “Dean, your grandparents aren’t here. Some friends of theirs are going on vacation tomorrow so they wanted to have a quiet afternoon with them.”

  He looked at Mack.

  “Don’t worry, Dean.” She squeezed his hand, hiding her disappointment. “Let’s do this.”

  They walked around the side of the house, which was huge. Mack very nearly walked into Dean when he stopped, rather abruptly.

  “Dean, what’s wrong?”

  Too stunned to answer, he looked at his father. “Dad, we don’t have this much family!”

  “I think your mother got carried away.”

  “Auntie Mack, I need the potty,” Lucas announced as he tugged on her hand.

  “I’ll take you, Lucas. I could do with a bathroom break myself,” Thomas added, taking hold of Lucas’s hand.

  “Follow me. I’ll show you where they are,” James said.

  Mack watched Thomas and Lucas walk off toward the bathroom and wished she could go with them. With a quick glance over Dean’s shoulder, Mack could see a lot of people, some of whom were watching her and Dean together. She felt so nervous.

  “Babe, come here.” Dean pulled her into his arms. “Don’t worry, I’ll look after you.”

  She breathed his scent into her lungs and raised her head up to meet his eyes.

  He lowered his mouth to kiss her. “Open for me, Mack,” he whispered against her lips.

  She did as he asked, then all her worries just fell away. She reached up to take hold of his face and deepened the kiss even more. One of Dean’s hands traveled south and landed on Mack’s bottom, which he squeezed, and then he pulled her even closer to him.

  James appeared behind Mack and cleared his throat, which broke them apart, although Dean refused to let go of Mack. “Dad.”

  “I think everyone gets the idea about the two of you now! Why don’t you go and introduce Mack?” James smiled and walked off to join the party.

  “You okay?” Dean placed a quick kiss on Mack’s nose.

  “No, I think you should show me your room.” Mack offered him one hell of a sexy grin.

  “Christ, woman. Come on, let’s go and join everyone. I need a drink!”

  They both laughed as Dean led Mack down to his ‘family’ and collected two glasses of orange juice on the way.

  He introduced her to so many people that she couldn’t remember who was who. Up till now, she hadn’t met any of Dean’s family members, other than his parents. None of his uncles, aunts, or cousins were present. Apparently, they were spread right across the United States and a couple even lived in Canada.

  While Dean talked briefly with everyone, Mack kept looking around to try to spot Cynthia. She was really curious as to what she looked like, and wondered why Dean wasn’t interested in the woman.

  Mack turned back to Dean and found a woman in a pink ‘something’ standing in front of her. She had no idea what to say, as anything she would have normally said flew out of her head. She’d never seen anything like it before, and had no idea what the woman was wearing. It looked to be a dress covered with feathers in different shades of pink.

  “Hello, I’m Mack.” She held her hand out, trying not to be too rude and stare.

  “Beryl. So you’re the woman who has my godson in such a spin, and his mother in such a bad mood.”

  Stunned, Mack felt tongue-tied, but Dean, thankfully, came to her rescue. “Aunt Beryl. I thought you were in England?” He leaned forward and placed a kiss to either side of her face.

  “I arrived back two days ago to find your mother with her panties in a twist looking for you. She wanted to know the best time of year for you to get married.” When she saw the look on Dean’s f
ace, she giggled like a fifteen-year-old schoolgirl. “Don’t worry. I told her you’d get married when you were good and ready, and not before, and definitely not because she wanted you to.”

  Dean grinned and then sighed in relief that he had someone else in his corner. “Thank you for that. This is Mack. The woman I’m in love with.”

  Beryl chuckled. “She introduced herself, although she left the love bit out of the introduction.”

  Mack decided she liked Beryl, once she got over the shock of seeing her dressed in feathers.

  “I can assure you, the feeling’s mutual,” Mack added, taking hold of Dean’s hand.

  “Well, it’s been interesting. Now if you’ll excuse me.” Beryl walked off toward another couple who had just arrived.

  “Dean, I haven’t seen you for a while. How are you?”

  While Dean had a conversation with a guy named Adam, Mack noticed two blond women talking and glaring in their direction—their faces twisted in anger. Was it Cynthia and her mother?

  Mack thought it best to look away so they didn’t come over. She looked back at Dean, who had let go of her hand and put his arm around her waist instead. He just wanted her as close as he could get her and wanted her to know he was there for her.

  She snuggled into Dean while she carried on looking around at the lovely tables covered with pale lilac tablecloths, vases overflowing with calla lilies along with an assortment of beverages and food. Even the trees around the garden had been decorated with lilac-colored ribbons.

  She felt so out of place at Dean’s family home, and really wished she’d refused when he’d asked her to come with him. She’d only agreed so Cynthia couldn’t get her claws into him. But realistically, she trusted Dean to be true to her.

  “I don’t believe we’ve met.” Mack turned slightly as Dean sighed at the inevitable.

  “Cynthia, Gladys, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Mackenzie Harper . . . Mack, this is Cynthia Brandon and her mother, Gladys.”

  “Hello.” Mack held her hand out in greeting, only to be ignored, once again. Dean tightened his hold on her and stiffened.