Page 75 of Blindsided
“I showed them my sketches and they loved them! And they love my Instagram page and they think Hercules could be the face of the line and they think the line should be called Pleasantly Plump Pets and they’re talking about converting my upstairs alteration area into the pet boutique and leasing property elsewhere and hiring another seamstress and bleddy hell, this might actually be happening. I could actually be a proper designer!”
I reach into my bag and pull out the bottle of champagne I picked up on my way home. “We need to celebrate!”
“Absolutely!” Mac says, grabbing the bottle from my hands and taking it into the kitchen.
I follow him in, still rambling on and on about how the meeting went. I think I might be repeating myself but I can’t help it. I’m just too excited for original words.
Mac pours us two kitten mugs of bubbly and holds his cup out to me, his tall frame bowing over me as he smiles fondly down on me. “Cheers to you, Cookie. I knew you had it in you.”
We clink our mugs and take a sip while I let that comment of his really sink in. Mac did know. I think he’s always known and if it weren’t for him, I may have never even had the confidence to say I had ideas to share with Sloan and Leslie. This moment, standing here with him in my kitchen, celebrating a success with someone I care so deeply about…it’s surreal.
“What’s the matter?” Mac asks, reaching out and rubbing his thumb along a wet trail down my cheek that I hadn’t realised was there. “This is happy news. Why the tears?”
“I know it’s happy news,” I state, sniffing loudly and holding his hand to my face. “I just can’t help but feel like none of this would have happened if it weren’t for you.”
“Me?” he asks, gazing back at me with an incredulous stare. “Cookie, this was all you.”
His features soften as he continues to tenderly caress my cheek like he’s done it his whole life. And the way his eyes crinkle in the corners as he gazes down at me is making it really hard to stop these bleddy tears.
My fingers fist his shirt as I try to figure out how to explain how he makes me feel. “Ever since you and I started spending more time together, you’ve pushed me in ways I’ve never been pushed before. And you got me to see my sketches as more than just a hobby that I didn’t have time for. Being with you has given me confidence in myself that I’ve never had before. Mac, I don’t know what I’d do without you in my life.”
I reach out and grab Mac’s mug to set it down on the counter with mine before wrapping my hands around his thick neck. I stare up, relishing in the size and beauty of him as he gazes down at me with a twinkle of pride in his eyes. I want him to look at me like this forever.
That thought propels me into yanking him down onto my lips. This isn’t a gentle, ease yourself into the swimming pool inch by inch sort of kiss. It’s a cannon ball off a diving board and sinking down to the bottom of oblivion kiss as our tongues thrash against each other and I allow myself to kiss him with wanton abandon as we swallow each other’s moans.
Mac’s hands wrap around my waist and glide down over my arse, cupping it firmly as he pulls me into his hard groin. The possessive embrace surrounds me with his delicious, manly scent that I want all over my body. My hands greedily mimic his, pulling him tighter against me. It’s a claiming of sorts as my hands slide over the delicious strength of him. It’s not enough. I need more.
God, I want this man. My best friend, whom I am madly in love with, and whom I think might be in love with me too. That thought causes a shiver to run through my body because is it possible? Could I really have this? This kind of deep, soul-shaking love?
Emotions overwhelm me, and before I know it, we’re moving out of the kitchen and down the hall, clumsily stripping off our clothes the entire way. Our mouths are fused together like if we break apart, we won’t be able to breathe without the other’s lips and yet still, I crave more of him.
We’re naked by the time we reach my bed, and when I lay on my back and wait for him to crawl on top of me, it feels like the first time all over again. What different people we both were that night. Me, scared and insecure, him, slow and careful. Now, we move together like one, both of us knowing each other’s bodies so acutely, all it takes is a single touch to set our hearts on fire.
Mac holds himself over me as he devours my breasts while my fingers thread wildly through his lush hair. His lips move down over my belly as he drags his silky tongue over my flesh and eventually up my neck like he can’t get enough of me, either. The kisses are driving me absolutely insane, and if he doesn’t push inside me soon, I’m going to lose my mind.
“I need you, Mac,” I pant, pulling him up to my lips and kissing him hard and fast. “I need you inside me. Now.”
He looks down as I wrap my fist around his length and position him at my centre. A deep, guttural noise from his mouth vibrates my chest as he watches himself disappear inside of me inch by glorious inch. His thickness makes me feel tight and full as he seats himself deep inside of me, my body a perfect mould for his in every way.
I pump my hips up into him, needing to feel friction, needing to climb this build that’s growing rapidly inside of me. Mac’s fingers lace with mine as he presses my hands against the bed, preventing me from touching him as he thrusts into me and continues to watch our bodies connect.
It feels good, but it’s not enough. I need more. I need him.
“Mac, look at me,” I pant, my voice coarse and dripping with desire. I want him to see what he does to me. How he makes me feel.
He ignores me, continuing to drive into me like my pelvis is his only concern.
“Mac,” I exclaim, my thighs tightening around his hips to stop his motions.
His head jerks up, his green eyes searching on mine.
“I want you to look at me,” I state firmly, my inner voice stretching her muscles.
A pained look flits across his face and is gone in a matter of seconds.
But I saw it.
I saw that doubt, that hesitation. That…regret?
