Page 27 of Nixon’s Promise

I prayed in vain the disappointment I saw was because our encounter was over. He brushed my hair away from my face and cupped my cheek.

“McKenna,” he whispered. His tortured voice was too much.

I shook my head, afraid of what my own voice would sound like. He winced when he pulled out, took a step back, before he scooped me off the counter, holding me in his arms like a groom would carry his bride, and walked us through the living room and up the stairs.

We entered a bedroom and he gently laid me down and walked into the attached bathroom. Moments later he came back, spread my legs, and placed a warm washcloth on my girly parts. He did this in silence. It was tender and intimate. Something a lover does. We were not lovers but I allowed it, pretending for just a minute that’s what we were.

But I knew.

I wasn’t stupid.

As soon as the heat of the moment had cooled, Nix felt remorse.

I, however, did not.

“We should talk about what happened.” I hated the trepidation in his voice.

“It’s okay. I get it.” I started to get up but his big hand pressed against my chest and suddenly I was acutely aware I was still naked. “Really, Nixon. I’m cool. Everything’s fine. I should go. I told the kids I’d be right back.”

He moved his hand and I rolled away from him, wondering how in the hell I was going to get to my clothes downstairs.

Nixon stood perfectly comfortable in his current state of undress. Of course he would be, he looked better than a Greek god. He walked to a bag on the floor, pulled out a shirt, and handed it to me.

I slipped it over my head and tried to ignore the pissed-off look he was sporting. I didn’t waste any time dashing back downstairs. I quickly pulled my pants on, shoving my undies in my pocket, and balled up my shirt and bra. I did this, hoping both of my siblings were still in their rooms when I got home. The last thing I wanted was them seeing me in Nixon’s shirt. I slipped on my flip-flops and rushed to the door.

Nixon was already standing there. He’d put on a pair of sweats but his chest was bare. His big arms crossed and scowl pointed directly at me.

“We need to talk, McKenna.” His tone was firm, leaving no room for argument.

I was scared I’d do something embarrassing like cry if we talked. He must’ve seen something on my face because he pulled me into his arms, sighed, kissed the top of my head, then pulled away.

He let me go without another protest.

Thankfully, I made it to my car before the first tear rolled down my cheek.

I wasn’t sure why I was crying and suddenly I felt bone-tired. All the excitement and adrenaline had drained from my body, leaving me a ball of emotions.

I was so stupid, of course a man like Nixon Swagger would regret slummin’ it with a woman like me.

So, so, stupid.

12

Nixon was pissed. He’d been pacing his big empty house the last thirty minutes trying to come up with a plan. McKenna had been avoiding him. The first few days, he’d believed she’d been busy. But days had slid into a week, a week into two, and now there was no doubt she was ghosting him. And he wanted to know why. If she hadn’t felt what he did, he wanted to hear it from her. He’d damn well deserved that much.

He should’ve known the connection he’d felt with her clothed would’ve led to the reaction he’d felt when he’d finally slid inside of her. Nixon had been married for two years, had dated Alison for a year before that, and during their years together he’d never taken her bare.

He didn’t need a psychologist to tell him why he’d insisted on using protection with Alison. He didn’t trust her, not fully. Which also meant that Nix had known the marriage wouldn’t last, and he didn’t want an oops baby to tie them together.

Yet, without hesitation, he’d taken McKenna without a condom. After he’d come, the knowledge had slammed into his chest and he was so worried about McKenna’s reaction when he’d lifted his head and saw the panic in her honeyed eyes, he’d known he fucked up.

He’d wanted to talk to her, explain that what they’d done had meant something to him and he’d never do anything to harm her. He’d had a mandatory physical when he left the Navy and hadn’t slept with a woman since. But she bolted like the hounds of hell were nipping at her feet. She couldn’t even look him in the eye.

Now she was purposefully evading him. He was an expert in tracking, finding one beautiful female shouldn’t be this difficult. He could’ve just shown up at her house one evening, but he didn’t want to cause a scene in front of Zack and Mandy, so he’d gone over there while he knew they were in school. She hadn’t answered when he’d knocked and he’d gone as far as looking in her windows. The old blue truck and her Altima not being there was a giveaway she wasn’t at home, but he’d looked anyway.

“Fuck it,” he said to the empty room.

He grabbed the keys to his truck and headed for the door.