Page 74 of Beacon

I wash my hands and face in the basin and then decideto brush my teeth too. Mack has been shucking his trousers, but he pauses, completely naked, to watch me as I finish up.

“What?” I ask, glancing at him over my shoulder.

“Nothin’.” He’s always had a faint Southern accent, but it’s stronger than normal at the moment. “Just wondering why you might need minty-fresh breath at the moment.”

That makes me giggle too. I don’t answer. When I’m done brushing, I climb back into my side of the bed and smile at him.

He does a quick brush of his own teeth and then joins me. My eyes have adjusted to the dark room enough that I can see he’s partly erect as I get under the covers.

“How do you feel today?” I ask him, rolling onto my side so I can see him better.

“Pretty good. Kinda horny.”

I can’t seem to stop giggling. It’s obviously his intention, but it’s also some sort of overflow of giddiness. Joy. I can’t remember the last time I felt like this.

I wonder if I ever have.

“I mean after yesterday,” I explain, trying to rein in the laughter.

“I knew what you meant,” he murmurs, scooting closer. “And I told you the real answer. I feel good. Better than I thought I’d ever feel again.”

I make a little sound in my throat even though I’m still smiling at him. When he leans over to press a sweet kisson my mouth, I return it, playing lightly with his beard as our lips move together. “Me too,” I say into the kiss.

Very gently he strokes my messy hair. Then my back. Then my bottom. He’s still kissing me when he murmurs, “Good. Then turn over.”

It’s the disconnect between his tender touch and the gruff authority of his tone. It momentarily stumps me. “Wh-what?”

“You heard me. Turn over.”

My mind finally catches up, and both my heart and my pussy clench in excitement. I roll over onto my stomach. “We’ll need to be quiet. Don’t want to wake the house.”

“I can be quiet.” His voice is thick. Deliciously hot. “Can you?”

“I think so.”

“That hasn’t been my experience with you recently.”

I sniff. “Well, I haven’t been trying.”

“And you’re going to try now?”

“Yes. I’ll be quiet.” Despite the discussion—or maybe because of it—I’m shaking slightly with anticipation. My skin has gotten hot, and an ache is growing between my legs. And all I’m doing is lying on my stomach, halfway under the covers. Mack hasn’t even touched me yet.

“Good.” He draws back the covers slowly, baring my body to the air. I don’t know how much he can really see, but it feels like he’s staring at me hungrily.

“Mack,” I say at last when he still doesn’t move.

“Yes?”

“Aren’t you going to do something?”

“What do you want me to do?”

“You know.”

“Do I?”

“Yes. I didn’t think you were the type to play games.”

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