Page 35 of Hero Hair

Macs looks at me in a way he hasn’t done before. You’d think I’d suggested a visit to a proctologist. He’s met my mother. I assumed we were past this. I understand his need to keep his private life private, but this is a normal occurrence in a real relationship. Why can’t we have it in our fake relationship?

“I brought you into my home,” I add on.

He shakes his head. “That’s different. You bring all of your…men there.”

I scoff, pulling out of his arms. “I have to go, Macs. Call me later?”

He grabs my bicep, his grip loose. “No, no, no. Are you sure we can’t go to a hotel? I know there’s one several blocks over. I can drive us.”

Do I give in? I want his body, but I want his respect more.

“Call me,” I repeat. My voice waivers, but he’s too wound up to realize I’m on the fence. I’m seconds away from being his call girl. He’s a complete one-eighty compared to how he was in front of my mom and Charlotte. “Yeah?” I ask, prompting him to make up his mind or just freaking agree to call me later so we can get on with our lives.

He’s still staring at me, like I’m a freak on display. I have nothing to be self-conscious about, and I still find myself running my hand through my hair and smoothing my lips together, back and forth.

“Fine,” he growls. “I’ll drive.”

“Fine what? You’ll call me?” I smile at him.

His scowl doesn’t budge. His eyes narrow even further through his irritation. Macs bites his bottom lip. “We can go to my house. My living room,” he explains. “Not my bedroom.”

I jump up once and clap my hands together. “I’m so excited!”

He grunts and furrows his brow. Stepping back into his space, I lean up on my toes and put my lips against his. I’ve wanted to kiss him since he sucked his full pink lip into his mouth. His lips move against mine and he takes me against his solid body immediately. His hard length presses against my stomach and the anticipation is almost too much.

“No sex,” I say. It’s more of a question, even though I know we’ve played by the rules this far and he won’t mess it up now.

Looking around, he makes sure no one is looking before he readjusts his bulge, then he takes my hand and leads me to his car.

I text my mom and let her know that Macs and I are grabbing some dessert and I’ll see her at the apartment later. Charlotte texts me thirty seconds later. She’s obviously still with Viola.Third date, Tay. You know what that means?She follows up with a smiley face. I should be a real bitch and ask her to explain, in detail, what it is I’m allowed to do.

Instead, I text back,Everything but sex?

Macs is busy driving. He doesn’t take his eyes off the road. He’s zoned into it like I’m not even sitting next to him. I watch him while he’s busy with traffic. I try to remember the last time I was with a man as beautiful as Macs. It’s been a while. I’d have to break it down by sections. A body as perfect as Macs’? That one is easy. Moose. A face as attractive? I’m not sure I’ve ever been with a man with a face quite like Macs’, but maybe one other. He was a bronzed professional surfer. He had blue eyes and the most defined, sculpted chin I’d ever seen. He was an awful lay. He called me “dude” after he came on my bed sheets. Now that I’m thinking about it, that makes him sort of awful. I decide he shouldn’t make any of mybest listsfor that reason alone, his Adonis chin be damned.

Everything goes. NO penetration by penis. Because you’re so prolific I’ll add, no penetration by penis in ANY holes.Charlotte’s text is more graphic than I expected.

Don’t call it that. It’s a cock.I reply to her message right away, making a noise of disgust.Any holes would imply he can’t put his cock in my mouth hole. Allowed, right?I smirk.

“What are you groaning about over there?” Macs asks.

I jump in my seat a little bit. I looked away four seconds and he’s already tuned into me.

“Penis. It’s such a horrible word,” I tell him.

He laughs, but his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. He’s frustrated.

“When is the last time you’ve had sex, Macs?” I ask, letting my curiosity get the better of me.

He swallows, and then works his jaw.

“It’s been a while?” I ask. This realization makes me giddy even though I shouldn’t be. I don’t want to be excited he hasn’t banged any other chicks recently, but I already know I will be.

Charlotte texts back that blow jobs are permitted, even though she’s sure my mouth is on it right now.

He releases a drawn-out sigh. “Before you,” he whispers.

“You’re such a liar,” I clap back.

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