AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And because she could, she leaned over and kissed where she’d touched.
“McKenzie, I don’t think you should—”
“Shh...” she whispered. “I know it’s too soon. That’s okay. I just want to touch you. Slower this time.”
Because she wanted to make as many memories as possible before the sun rose and their time in Tennessee ended.
* * *
As with the previous morning, Ryder beat her out of bed. Literally bed for them both as at some point during the night, they’d moved from his pallet to her bed and she’d slept next to him.
Not necessarily cuddled against him, but his arm had been around her when she’d dozed off into exhausted, but happy sleep.
She’d missed that arm when she’d awakened, missed the man she’d hoped to wake next to and even, perhaps, kiss good morning, too.
She supposed it was no wonder she’d slept late. There hadn’t been a lot of sleeping going on during the night and she suspected it had been almost morning when they’d moved to her bed.
That she’d enjoyed the night so much frightened her. She was just out of her relationship with Paul less than a month ago. She’d asked Ryder to come with her because she hadn’t wanted to jump into a new relationship and had never dreamed she’d become so emotionally entangled with him.
Had never dreamed they’d have done the things they’d done last night.
She needed to be careful. Ryder was a great guy, a phenomenal lover, but that didn’t mean he’d want anything more than this weekend with her.
Did she want more than this weekend?
That hadn’t been her goal when inviting Ryder. Quite the opposite. She’d planned to return to Seattle, take time to enjoy the city, enjoy life and her amazing career, to take some time for herself, no boyfriend required.
Which left her where this morning?
McKenzie wanted coffee but opted for a shower and full face of makeup prior to making her way to the kitchen.
“Morning,” her mother, Mark and her cousin’s family greeted.
But McKenzie’s eyes zeroed in on one person. One person who had mumbled a good morning, too, but who had barely glanced her way. Was he as confused about how they should act this morning as she was? Trying to figure out what last night had meant? Or if it had meant anything at all other than that they were physically compatible?
Very physically compatible.
How did one act the morning after the most amazing sex of her life which just happened to be with a pretend boyfriend and her family was there to watch her every move?
No wonder he couldn’t look at her.
“You slept late this morning.”
Leave it to her brother to point that out.
“I’m still on Seattle time.” True, although it had nothing to do with her being the last one to rise.
“I can’t believe you’re already leaving,” her mother sighed. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Me, either,” she admitted. “But I love my life in Seattle.” She really did. “You should come visit.”
“I will,” her brother commented and was the only one to do so.
McKenzie understood that. She was petrified of flying but forced herself to do so on occasion. Roberta hadn’t flown since her husband died. McKenzie doubted her mother ever would, again.
She walked over to her mother, kissed the top of her head. “I’ll come home again soon, Mama. Maybe at Christmas if I can arrange my schedule to be off work for a few days.”
“That would be wonderful.” Her mother patted McKenzie’s arm, then reached out and placed her hand over Ryder’s forearm and did the same. “You’re invited, too, of course.”
