Page 72 of Beacon

“Maybe we’ve been taking care of each other. Maybe that’s how it should be.”

He’s searching my face, like he’s trying to read my mind. I’m not sure what he sees there, but it appears to satisfy him. “Maybe so.”

We’ve been having a very intimate conversation, murmured next to the fire, but when I glance around, no one appears to be noticing us. So I stretch up to press a kiss on his mouth. Just a light one. Sweet.

He makes a soft sound in his throat and holds the back of my head to keep me in place as he responds,moving his mouth against mine just as gently but hungrier somehow.

Needy.

I rub his chest as we kiss, and it goes on a long time. Soft but not sexy. It fills me with a deep emotion made up of trust and affection and knowledge and strength.

Strength.

I’m not sure how long we would have kissed like that had Langley not giggled and Rose said, “Does someone really have to tell you two to get a room?”

We break apart, me giggling and Mack smiling.

“Sorry,” I say. “We’ll behave.”

I glance over and catch Maria looking at me. She’s never been interested in romance. Definitely not with a man but apparently not even with a woman. Not once in all the time I’ve known her has romance even appeared to cross her mind. Mostly she seems faintly impatient that people keep pairing up and having babies since it gets in the way of the work she wants to do.

But she holds my gaze, amused and unsurprised. And she says, “I’d rather you two be happy than behave.”

Mack and I don’t get back to the Carlsons’ farmhouse until after dark.

Greta is still up, sitting by Ben’s bedside. When shehears us enter the house, she comes out to check on us, and we ask her if she needs any help.

She doesn’t. She appears hopeful about her husband’s condition, so that’s encouraging.

We say good night and head down the hall to the guest room, surprised when a door opens across from ours and Chloe appears with long, rumpled blond hair and Sammy in her arms.

She blinks at us, as taken aback as we are. “Oh hi. Thought I heard something, so I was checking to see if Ben is okay.”

“Greta says he’s fine for now,” I say softly since the lights are out in the bedroom behind her. Jimmy must be asleep. “Sorry to wake you.”

“I wasn’t asleep.” She smiles down at her son. “He eats like it’s a competitive sport.”

Mack chuckles, and I do too.

Chloe’s expression changes as she gazes up at Mack. “Jimmy told me what happened. You saved him. And Ben and Greta. All of them. Again. There’s no way to ever thank you.”

“You don’t have to,” Mack says gruffly.

She shifts Sammy into one arm so she can reach out to gently touch Mack’s arm. “Maybe not. But I’m going to keep trying.”

Mack doesn’t respond in words, but he hasn’t withdrawn. He smiles at her again.

Chloe’s eyes move to me. “I’m really glad you were able to find him.”

I don’t know what to say to that—since the words seem to mean more than their surface—but it doesn’t matter because she’s stepping back into the bedroom and closing the door.

Mack and I glance at each other. Then by mutual accord walk into our guest room. We’re back in the nice one since everyone else has already left.

We wash up and undress in silence. I pull on my gown, and Mack climbs into bed completely naked. I scoot over toward him immediately, relieved when he pulls me into a soft embrace.

I don’t have the energy for sex tonight, and I’d be surprised if Mack does either. But I need him. Desperately.

Exactly like this.

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