Page 34 of Seizing Mack
Chapter Sixteen
~ Mack ~
Damn it!What was it about Nick Benning that made her go weak in the knees like some swooning girly-girl? Was it his boy-next-door smile? His have-sex-with-me-and-I’ll-make-it-the-best-you-ever-had eyes? Or simply the way her body lit up whenever he was within striking distance?
Resisting him took effort. The man could coax the habit off a nun when he turned on the charm. He probably didn’t even realize he was doing it. For some guys, oozing sex appeal was as autonomic as breathing, and Nick Benning had it in spades.
Corralling her wandering hormones, Mack looked at him with mock seriousness and lowered her voice. “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
He laughed, a deep rich sound that rippled through her lower core. “Come on. It’s not a state secret, is it?”
She bit her lip. A state secret, no, but not something she normally shared. Delilah knew, of course. And Jay. Beyond that, there really wasn’t anyone close enough to tell or who had cared enough to ask. Not even her father called her by her given name. Well, not unless the crafty old codger was laying a major guilt trip and attempting to cash in every father-daughter chip he had.
“Tell me.” He leaned forward, close enough that she could smell the cool mintiness of his breath and see the light dusting of shadow along his jawline.
“Why?”
“I’m curious.”
“I imagine that’s a good trait in your line of work.”
“I feel like I’m at a disadvantage here. You knowmyfirst name. I’m even willing to provide my home address and credit card information.”
Her lips quirked. If he became a permanent member (and there was no reason to think he wouldn’t), he would provide all of that information and more on his application. But that was all business. She would never use that for personal reasons. When she still said nothing, he added, “I brought you coffee.”
Ah, yes, the coffee. The quirk became a smile. That had been a pleasant surprise, coming back to the front desk to find a dark chocolate mocha with a shot of espresso waiting for her. It was exactly what she’d needed after her restless night and her morning clash with Princess Dee.
The grilling that cup of coffee had elicited, however, wasn’t nearly as enjoyable. Chrissy was still in the grips of the magical honeymoon phase and saw romance in even the most innocuous of gestures. Mack had tried to tell her that it wasn’t like that, but then she’d had to explain about their wager, which Chrissy insisted was like a munitions-centric form of foreplay.
“Yes, you did,” she agreed. “Thanks for that, by the way.”
“You’re welcome. I’m sorry I didn’t make it to O’Malley’s in time.”
“No apology necessary.”
“So you said.” His momentary frown suggested he did not agree. “Now stop trying to change the subject. Tell me your first name.”
“No.”
“Please?” he said softly, leaning even closer. Mack held her breath, afraid to take in any more of his scent. Nick’s fragrant men’s soap and deodorant was like crack to her jonesing libido, weakening her defenses. “I could look it up, of course, but I’d rather hear it from you.”
Her resolve was wavering. Maybe she could tell him. He was trying to be friendly, and friends did that kind of thing, right? It could even be like an inside joke between them, something the two of them shared but no one else knew. She licked her lips and opened her mouth to speak.
“Nick! There you are!” Dee’s sultry voice cut through Mack’s Nick-induced brain fog just seconds before the woman herself sashayed up and grasped his arm in an obvious claim. “You walked away before I had a chance to give you my number.”
Nick’s reaction was instant. He straightened, all traces of playfulness vanishing as he turned around to greet Dee. The interruption was a much-needed reality check, cutting through whatever ridiculous, pheromone-induced fog had temporarily hijacked her common sense.
Dee looked stunning, as usual, with her blonde extensions artfully braided and just enough bronzer to give her a healthy, radiant glow. Mack lowered her gaze self-consciously, taking in her plain wicking tank and unflattering shorts and her limbs slick with real sweat instead of the spritzed on, glittery kind.
Mack couldn’t compete with Dee, nor did she want to. If a man was incapable of looking beneath the surface, then he wasn’t worth her time.
“Nice, Mack,” Delilah said, wrinkling her nose at her. “Most people change into a bathing suit before they go swimming.”
Clearly, Delilah was still upset over Mack’s refusal to do her bidding. Rather than tell Dee what she really thought — they had an audience, after all — Mack opted for self-effacing humor. “Come on, Dee. No one wants to see that.”
Dee’s smile was like that of a shark’s as her eyes raked down Mack’s form — cold and predatory. Mack saw the virtual blade unsheathing and braced herself for the blow that came a second later. “Good point. Don’t you have some guys to beat up or something?”
Nick stiffened, no doubt a result of the awkward, rising tension, and Mack decided to make it easier on everyone. “As a matter of fact, I do.” Mack turned back to Nick, forcing a smile. “Nice talking to you, Detective. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
