Page 37 of Beacon

My skin and lungs and pussy are burning deliciously as he falls down on top of me afterward. His weight presses me into the mattress, and it’s exactly what I want right now.

Mack. Letting go of all his resistance. Letting me bear his weight, if only for a minute.

He gives my shoulder a few clumsy kisses as he catches his breath. “Are you sure that’s what you wanted?” he finally asks.

I turn my head to look over my shoulder at him as I say, “Yes. That’s exactly what I wanted.”

He must believe me because he doesn’t ask again. After a few more minutes, he rolls off me, turning me onto my side so he can spoon me from behind.

We both fall asleep like that.

7

Three weeks later,I wake up on a Thursday morning with Mack all over me.

I only know it’s a Thursday because that’s market day. It’s the only day of the week with a distinct feature, and without it the weeks would have blended into a blur of similar days.

Occasionally Mack gets horny first thing in the morning—unworried about realities like full bladders and morning breath—but today he’s still asleep. I’m on my back, and he’s on his stomach. But he must have rolled toward me at some point during the night because his head is tucked into the curve between my neck and shoulder, his arm is slung over my middle, and the left side of his body is resting on the right side of mine.

In a certain mood, I’m not at all opposed to such anarrangement, but this morning I’m hot and also need to pee.

I give his shoulder a little poke since often he’ll wake up easily, instinctively grabbing for the pistol he placed on one of my nightstands when he started regularly spending nights in here with me. This morning, however, he doesn’t wake up. Just grunts groggily and snuggles into me even more.

He’s heavy. And hot as a radiator. And my bladder is starting to dramatically protest the delay. But my heart gives a silly little spasm anyway.

At his deepest core, Mack is a warm, cuddly man, and it can’t help but come out in his sleep.

I hold out as long as I can, enjoying the feel of his big body and his possessive grip. But finally I have to give him a big push to free myself enough to roll off the bed.

He grumbles and mumbles, repositioning in the gap I left on the mattress, as I hurry to the bathroom.

As I pee, I come to the annoying realization that my period has started, so I have to do a quick search to discover that Chloe had some tampons and pads stored under the sink. After I take care of things, I wash my hands and face and check out my appearance in the mirror. I went to sleep with my hair loose since during sex Mack will pull out any braid or ponytail I tie. So at the moment it’s a mass of wildly tangled waves around my face. My eyes look huge and bluer than normal in this lighting. One of the thick straps of my knit gown isslipping down off one shoulder, and there’s a dark bruise on the right side of my neck from Mack’s mouth.

I look decidedly mussed. But oddly sexy at the same time. I kind of like the looks of me at the moment.

I have no idea why.

After briefly considering and discarding the possibility of brushing out my hair, I return to the bedroom.

Mack is still sprawled out, the covers pushed down to his waist, exposing his broad chest and firm abdomen. His eyes are closed, so I’m quiet as I step over and crawl into bed beside him.

Then I squeal when he rolls over on top of me without warning.

“You’re supposed to be asleep,” I tell him, giggling as he plants sloppy kisses all over my jaw and neck.

“You woke me up.”

“So now I have to pay?”

He pulls my gown strap down even farther so he can mouth the top of one breast. “If you call this paying.”

I’m still laughing softly as I run my hands over the smooth curve of his bare scalp and then down farther to the flat planes and rippling muscles of his back. “Don’t get too excited about whatever you have in mind. My period started.”

He lifts his head. “Since when has that ever bothered me?”

“Never. You’re never one to let a little blood stand inyour way. But I’m not sure I’m in the mood to get messy this morning.”

“Okay.” He gives my shoulder one more little kiss before he rolls over onto his back. His expression is relaxed when I check.

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