“Letitia—I mean Mrs. Braselton—knitted it for me to keep away the chill. Didn’t have the heart to tell her I have at least a dozen of them.”
“You’re a good man.”
“I figured I’d better get it out before she came over. Problem was, I couldn’t find it anywhere.”
Mrs. Hoosier tipped her enormous head to the side.
“I’m guessing I know the culprit.”
“The cleaning lady found it at the bottom of Mrs. Hoosier’s toy box.”
At the mention of her name, the German Shepherd licked her owner’s hand.
“I’ll be expecting Mrs. Hoosier,” Mackenzie promised. Then, because she’d secured permission from him a long time ago, she stroked the dog’s head.
Mrs. Hoosier gave a soft whimper. It didn’t seem possible that an animal that big and potentially ferocious could make a contented, gentle sound.
“Shall we?” Mr. Greene asked the dog.
Responding to her master, the dog stood.
After he’d given a wave, the pair continued on their way and Mackenzie made a dash in from the cold.
When she was settled and thawed out, she told herself she was going to call Kennedy and cancel their evening. She had even dug his business card out of her pocket before hanging up her coat, in the closet this time.
But even the sound of his voice would make her pulse skitter, she knew. She’d become a bundle of insistent hormones, and she’d agree to anything he suggested.
Hell’s frozen balls.
She put both the card and her cell phone on the entryway table, just in case.
In the kitchen, she dumped Mrs. Hoosier’s treats into their plastic box and fastened the lid before putting away the rest of the groceries. All the while, she continued to debate what to do about the annoying and overwhelming Kennedy Aldrich.
Common sense reminded her that nothing good would happen if she went out with him.
But, good grief, even her elderly neighbor had a visitor.
And then there’s the sex…
She poured another cup of coffee and nuked it in the microwave, not that she needed more caffeine. Her nerves were jittery enough as it was.
Even as she told herself she should cancel, she was mentally running through her clothing options.
Her phone rang and she froze.
She took her time crossing the house, but when she picked up the cellular, she saw her mother’s name on the screen.
Of course it wasn’t Kennedy.
To her knowledge, he didn’t have her number, not that it would be difficult for him to find it. But she’d already figured that he was a man who behaved with deliberate intent. He’d said he would pick her up at seven. So that meant he’d pick her up at seven. No need to reconfirm.
She was stunned when her mother said that she and her estranged husband had moved back in together.
“I don’t expect you to understand, but I got lonely,” Audrey explained.
“That’s not a good reason to stay with someone,” Mackenzie insisted. She spent a lot of her free time alone, and sometimes the loneliness ached. But that wasn’t a good enough reason for her to make another mistake. And this way, her time was her own, she was free to work when she wanted, stay up all night watching television, or snuggle in her pajamas all day Sunday. She could cook dinner or skip eating entirely. She never had to answer to anyone. And she never had to worry about who her husband or boyfriend was screwing. All in all, she loved being single and refused to give it up.
“It’s more than that. I missed him.”
She began to pace the length of the house, from the entryway to the kitchen and back again. “Are you sure you were missing him?” Mackenzie pressed. To her knowledge, her mother had already filed the divorce petition.
“Yes. I had dates with a couple of other men.”
Already?
“But the more time I spent with other men, the more I realized how much I had in common with Larry. Not just kids, but memories, good times. A history. About a month ago, we started talking on the phone again.”
“You didn’t say anything.”
“I know. But I didn’t want you or your sisters trying to talk me into anything. I wanted to make my own decisions.”
When Mackenzie reached the back door for a second time, she removed the security panel so that Mrs. Hoosier could come in. “And?” she prompted.
“We went out for coffee two weeks ago, and then the relationship rekindled. We realized we still loved each other.”
How was she supposed to respond to that? She settled for, “Mom, I just want you to be happy.”
“Then giving it a second chance is the best thing,” Audrey said. “If it doesn’t work out, we’ll know for sure. But if it does…”
All around her, relationships seemed to form the fabric of life.
She shook her head.
Her mother updated her on Larry’s three children, and Mackenzie’s half-sister, then ended by saying she and Larry hoped everyone would come over for Sunday dinner in the near future. “You’re welcome to bring a date. I assume there’s a special man in your life?”
Mackenzie gave a noncommittal answer. Adjusting to her mother’s new reality was going to be enough of a challenge.
Her phone signaled that she had received a text message, and after wishing her mother well and ending the call, she read it.
From Bella.
She and James had enjoyed their evening. If she was up for it, she was welcome to join them at a sport’s bar tomorrow afternoon to watch the New England Patriots football game on television.
Absently she wondered if the cold was affecting people’s thought processes. Her own included.
Maybe humans were hardwired to seek company during cold weather. Survival instinct. Stay warm or die. That had to be it. There couldn’t be any other rational explanation.
She powered up her computer, responded to a few emails, scanned the news headlines then headed upstairs. Energy zipped through her so, for the first time since early spring, she cleared off the clothes that were hanging from the exercise bike, plugged a headset to her phone, selected a techno music app then hopped up into the saddle.
There was something about being unable to breathe, drenched in sweat, pulse hammering that cleared her mind. Most times.
Today wasn’t one of them.
Today she noticed that her ass hurt from where he’d finger-fucked her.
She was also aware of the stiffness of her muscles. That would fade, she told herself. But it didn’t. It just seemed to get worse.
Damn, why had he left such an indelible mark on her, her home, her psyche?
The sound of insistent barking drowned out the techno music. Which meant that she had company. And so did Mr. Greene. Definitely the cold weather. “Coming, Mrs. Hoosier!”
She pulled out the earphones and slowed down her pedaling.
Before she could hop off the bike, the dog was there, in the doorway, ears standing up.
“I know. I know. I need to move faster.”
The ever-helpful and clever German Shepherd had thoughtfully brought along the treat box, its handle delicately held in her mouth.
Mackenzie blinked. The plastic tub had been sitting on top of the counter. “You’re resourceful,” she told the dog.
Mrs. Hoosier dropped it on the floor.
“Who’s got who trained?” Mackenzie asked. She put her palm up and Mrs. Hoosier backed up a couple of steps.
Mackenzie took out a treat and tossed it to the dog. She snatched it in the air, then pushed her giant paws out in front of her as she lay down to chomp it to bits.
“Clever girl,” Mackenzie said before heading to take a shower. She told herself it still didn’t mean she was going out this evening. But she realized it might.
She washed her hair with the lilac-scented shampoo. Reminders of Kennedy were everywhere, especially when she soaped her body. Her nipples hardened as she passed her hands over her breasts.
&
nbsp; Despite her resolution not to think about him, she remembered him saying he had toys. And that he wanted to use them. Damn if she could shove aside that comment. Instead, she was wondering what toys he had.
She also recalled him saying he wanted her to forgo panties and wear a butt plug to dinner tonight. Since she didn’t own one, that wasn’t happening, even though the idea tantalized her.
By the time she stepped from beneath the spray, she was half-aroused.
If he could have this effect on her when he wasn’t around, no wonder she was helpless to resist him when he was.
Mackenzie slipped into a pair of yoga pants, even though she had never worn them for anything more strenuous than cooking dinner. She added a fluffy Cambridge sweatshirt then slipped her feet into fuzzy slippers.
What man wouldn’t be turned on by her right now?
She was wrapping her hair in a towel when Mrs. Hoosier jumped up. It sometimes amazed her that such a large animal could move so fast.
The dog disappeared for a few minutes then returned with a box of treats.
“You can wait a while longer.”
Mrs. Hoosier tipped her head to one side and an ear flopped over.
“You know I’m a sucker, don’t you?”
Big brown eyes looked back at her, unblinking.
“Fine. One more,” she said. “But that’s it.”
Mrs. Hoosier pawed the box until it flipped over.
“I swear you understand English.”
The dog sat.
Mackenzie opened the box and tossed another treat into the air.
After grabbing it, Mrs. Hoosier settled down again.
“When you’re finished, you can put the box back in the kitchen.” Mackenzie squirted styling spray into her hair, scrunched the strands then got out the hairdryer.
Shocking her, when she went downstairs, the box was in the middle of the kitchen floor.
The dog actually put things back better than she did.
Mackenzie brewed a fresh pot of coffee, then carried a mug and her pile of mail into the living room. She flipped the switch to ignite the gas fireplace. Mrs. Hoosier wandered in and plopped down, hogging the heat.
Even though it was only Saturday, she spent a couple of hours going through her mail and making notes. She kept glancing at the architectural magazine. Several times she picked it up, flipped it open, scanned it then closed it again.
Kennedy had said he’d consider information she sent over. So what did she have to lose? She should seize the opportunity. No matter what happened in their non-relationship.
She snatched up his business card then crossed into her office and put together a customized presentation for him. As a finishing touch, she grabbed a copy of Aldrich Enterprise’s logo from the Internet and added it to the opening slide.
Satisfied, she copied the email address from his business card and attached the file. She hovered over the send icon for a full minute as she waged an internal battle. She should have one of her sales team make sure she hadn’t missed something. Then again, she might change her mind if she waited.
Closing her eyes, she sent the message.
The sound of a car engine jolted her. Mrs. Hoosier scrabbled to her feet and all but slid across the floor to look out of the window. Curious, Mackenzie followed.
A small sports car, ridiculous really in this weather, pulled away from the curb.
Mrs. Hoosier didn’t pause as she dashed through the house and out of the doggy door.
“Mrs. Braselton, I presume,” Mackenzie mused. Dusk was already gathering, and a chill seeped through the back door. She replaced the security panel.
She checked the clock. A little past six p.m.
Which meant she either had to get ready or she had to tell Kennedy she was standing him up.
And the truth was, she wanted to see him as much as she needed her next breath. That alone should have convinced her to call him, but it didn’t.
She bolted up the stairs, yanked out a short—stupidly short, black, sleeveless—dress and hung it on the back of the bathroom door. Then she pulled out her flat iron and plugged it in. Not that she could ever tame the wild locks.
Since her hand was shaking from nerves, she decided to grab a glass of wine to drink as she put on her makeup.
The wine helped. Maybe too much. It hit her hard, reminding her she’d skipped lunch. It was already a couple of minutes before seven when she remembered he’d said to pack an overnight bag.
The realization made the upcoming evening more real. Was she really going to do this? Enter the man’s private lair and willingly stay there? It had been over two years since she’d spent the night with a man. That meant something, even though she wanted to pretend it didn’t.
More than a bit wary, but also with a bit of anticipation mixed in, she grabbed a canvas bag she’d bought on a Caribbean cruise that she’d taken to celebrate the signing of her divorce papers. She hadn’t hooked up with anyone, but she’d sat on her deck, reading paperback after paperback and drinking mojito after mojito.
Knowing she was stalling, she tossed in toiletries. Then she was stumped. What about bedtime? And tomorrow morning?
Damn. Could this be any more complicated?
In the end, she added jeans, a couple of pairs of underwear, high-heeled boots and a sweater. She selected a favorite oversized shirt for sleeping in. It was well-worn, pink and had stupid saying on the front. By the time he saw her wearing no makeup and snoozing in a baggy cotton thing that hung down to her knees, he’d give up the ridiculous pursuit of her.
By the time he rang the doorbell, she had a bit more courage than she’d had earlier.
As he’d instructed, she hadn’t put on any panties. She’d also opted not to wear pantyhose, figuring that his car would already be warm. And even if it wasn’t, the heated seats would be a godsend.
“Coming!” she shouted when he pressed the bell a second time.
With the wine cruising around in her veins as if it were a reckless car, she dashed down the stairs, holding onto the railing for balance.
This time, he pounded on the door.
In the entryway, she threw open the coat closet and dug out a pair of shoes. After smoothing down the dress and waiting a few seconds for the world to right itself, she propped one hand on her hip and jutted it out, hoping she was doing a halfway decent femme fatale act then opened the door.
“Holy, holy…” he said. He gave a long, slow wolf whistle.
Heat chased up her chest and settled in her face.
“Let’s skip dinner,” he said, closing the door behind him.
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Now that he was here, she wondered how she’d even considered canceling. He made thoughts collide, her body weak.
He backed her against the closest wall.
Boldly she grabbed his cock and felt it swell in his hand. “Your dick is hard, Master Aldrich.”
“It has been since I woke up, submissive Zee.”
His words combined with his husky tone made her shiver. She’d never known sex could be like this, so hot and all consuming.
“Panties?”
“Find out for yourself, Sir,” she invited.
He hiked up her dress. “I was hoping you’d obeyed.”
It thrilled her that he was enjoying her femme fatale role, too.
He stroked her pussy and she wrapped her hands around his neck, lacing her fingers into his too-long hair.
“Tell me you want it, Zee.”
“Yes,” she replied, meeting his gaze.
“Tell me.”
“I want you to fuck me.”
He reached in his back pocket and fished out his wallet. He tossed the well-worn leather onto the table and flipped it open.
While he was doing that, she unfastened his belt then the button at his waist. She placed her palm against his stomach and reached in for his cock. “I’m not the only one who doesn’t have on underwear, Sir.” The knowledge he was commando made her pussy
tighten a little.
With a curse, he turned the wallet upside down and shook out a condom.
“I’ll keep some in that glass bowl from now on,” she said.
“Good damn plan,” he said.
She moved her hand faster and faster, jacking him off, squeezing a drop of pre-cum from the head. With her thumb, she swept up the moisture and sucked it into her mouth.
He was staring at her, eyes the color of crushed pine needles. “Do it,” he said, handing her the condom.
She lowered the zipper and let his pants drop. They landed with a loud, metal clinking sound. Then she tried to rip the packet open. Impatient that it didn’t immediately give, she captured the edge with her teeth and ripped.
“That’ll work,” he said.
She used both hands to cover his cock with the latex then she continued to stroke him.
He sank his teeth into the vulnerable spot between her neck and shoulder. As she screamed, he lifted her from the floor. She put her arms around him for balance. He surged up as she sank down.
“Oh God.” She groaned.
As deep as he was, it still wasn’t enough. “More, Sir.” She hiked one leg, and he placed his forearm under her knee to help hold her. “Yes.” She moaned.
Then Mackenzie could no longer think. She could only feel. When they had sex, everything was right. Nothing else existed—no doubt, no fear, no worries about the future. “I’m…”
“Wait a minute,” he said.
She closed her eyes. He set a furious pace that made flames lick nerves.
He pounded her with his thick cock, filling her again. And again. Slamming. Intense.
“Sir,” she begged. No other man had ever asked her to delay an orgasm, and holding it back was sweet agony.
“Almost.”
Her pleas and moans became an entreaty. “Do me!”
He curled his hand into her hair and pulled her head back. “Open your mouth.”
She did.
He took her lips with the same ferocity that he fucked her cunt. Kennedy Aldrich consumed her.
“Come.” He said the word against her mouth. Simultaneously he lifted her leg higher and tugged her hair harder.
She dug her fingers into his back, holding on as he surged up inside her. She screamed as she orgasmed, and she let her head fall onto his chest.
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