Page 105 of Choosing a Forever
I think she was going for something a little more modest, but the way the bust of the dress holds her breasts, tying in a pretty bow between them and cinching in at her waist before flowing down to her ankles; it’s downright sinful.
The pale green fabric looks stunning against the ink on her skin, and her makeup is subtle and simple. Herhair is loose, straight and sleek down her back. My little fairy.
She looks… different. And it’s a bit concerning because I want her to feel comfortable enough to be herself, but I won’t point it out in front of Enoch.
“Uh, not going to church on Sundays,” Enoch lies, his cheeks turning red as he studies Mack—a little too long for my liking.
“Stop staring at my wife,” I bark, startling all of us. I’ve never felt this… possessive of someone before.
Mack’s green eyes blink at me as a small smile tips her lips, and Enoch laughs.
“Sorry, man. I didn’t mean to stare. But can you blame me?” Enoch tosses Mack a wink.
“Don’t flirt with her, either. What the hell’s the matter with you?” I stride over to her and wrap my arms around her from behind, taking in her citrus scent.
Oh no, I’m going to get hard in front of Enoch. This was a bad idea.
Mack tips her head back and gives me a chaste kiss on the lips, one I’m dying to turn deeper but won’t because Enoch would probably like it, the weirdo.
“Don’t worry, Tal, I only have eyes for you,” she whispers, stroking my cheek as I melt into her.
“Stop it, you two are too cute, and I can’t stand it. I need to get out of here before I start crying about dying alone.” Enoch pretends to wipe tears away.
I roll my eyes again. “Thank you for taking Siren last night. I owe you, man.”
“Nah.” He waves me off. “You know I love spending time with her. The ladies love a dog dad.” He pumpshis eyebrows, and Mack snorts. “I’ll see you later, lovebirds.”
With a salute, he walks out the front door.
“Your friend is odd but nice,” Mack says, still wrapped in my arms.
“He’s got a thing for Lizzie.”
Mack snorts again. “Oh no, Lizzie would chew him up and spit him out. Besides, I don’t think she’s had a serious partner in a few years since she’s so busy with the shop. She’s very particular about who she dates, too.”
“He’s determined to make her his wife, but we’ll see if it wears off after getting his back piece done.”
“He’s getting a back piece from her? That seals it. Lizzie doesn’t date clients.”
“That’s what I said, but he said he’s going to wear her down and get her to agree to go out with him after it’s done.”
“Well, I wish him luck, but he shouldn’t hold out for her.” She turns fully, her arms wrapping around my neck, and my hands rest just above the curve of her butt. “Do you like my dress?”
“I love your dress, Firefly, but…” I trail off, unsure if I want to ask.
“But… what?”
“But doyoulike it? I’ve never seen you dress like this, not since we were teens, and I want to make sure you’re doing it for you and not because you’re trying to impress my parents.”
Her smile is soft, grateful, and stunning. “I’ll admit, I haven’t dressed like this in a while, and Ididpick this dress to fit in with your family, but I like it. It’s comfy, has pockets, and for the first time in a long time, I feel… pretty. Not just like a dark shell of a person trying to get by.”
I want to dive deeper and ask her what she means. Obviously, the trauma of losing her parents would have an impact on her mental health. Not to mention the way she had to step into a parental role for her sisters—one of whom has health issues that have caused a financial strain…
Damn.Have I been so selfish in wanting to get closer to Mack that I haven’t paid attention to how she’s doing mentally? Have I missed some signs or misread things?
And now I’m going to add more stress to her plate by taking her to a potentially hostile environment at my parents’ house.
I don’t want to get into all of it right now, especially when we’ve just taken a huge step forward, so I stick a pin in the idea for now, and I’ll circle back later—after we get through dinner.
