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He kisses my neck again, and my amusement catches in my throat. The feel of his lips against my skin is almost more than I can bear. His hot, minty breath. The low hum vibrating through his chest and into mine. The sound shoots straight to my core, and it clenches on reflex. He pulls away and drops a kiss on my forehead, leaving me reeling and way more turned on than I have any right to be.
“You’re right, babe,” he concedes. “I’ll wait ‘til we get home.”
Home?My brain short circuits, overwhelmed by my pulsing core. What the hell is happening?
“Kate?” Wes interjects.
Mack’s thumb brushes against my waist as he lifts his head, putting a few inches of much-needed distance between us. And boy, do I need it. Mack turns toward the culprit’s voice like he’s surprised and just remembered we’re very much in public. But he doesn’t let me go. He keeps his hand beneath the hem of my shirt, pinning me in place against the mirror while meeting my ex’s gaze. I feel like I’m on fire. I can’t decide if it’s embarrassment or lust heating every inch of my skin. I’m not sure which is worse.
After all, jumping Macklin’s bones, especially when we only recently established we’re friends, is probably frowned upon.
I tuck my hair behind my ears, smoothing down the messy strands, pasting on the fakest smile known to man.
“Wes?” I say breathlessly. “Uh, hey.”
“Hey.”
Mack stands to his full height but tangles our fingers together, holding my hand as his attention shifts from Wes to me and back again. “Kate?”
“This is Wes,” I offer. “My ex. Wes, this is…” my voice trails off, and I peek up at Mack, unsure what the hell I’m supposed to say.
“Macklin,” Mack answers for me. He offers his hand for Wes to shake. “Nice to meet you, man.”
“You too,” Wes replies tightly. He looks at me again. “It’s been a while. I stopped by Butter and Grace again but didn’t see you.”
“I’ve been busy.”
Wes glances at Mack again and frowns. “Yeah. I can see that. Uh, it was good running into you. We should catch up when your friend isn’t around.”
I almost snort as the wordfriendrolls off his lips but choke it back. “Sure thing.”
“Yo! Wes!” Levi calls from near the free weights.
Wes hooks his thumb toward his friend. “I gotta go.”
“Good seeing you,” I add.
His gaze slides down my body, hesitating on the slip of skin between my shirt and leggings, and lands on my hand intertwined with Mack’s. He clears his throat and shakes his head. “You too.”
He walks back to the free weights, leaving me alone with Macklin, my savior slash mindfuck.
Giving Wes my back, I face Mack fully, my veins swimming with frustration and confusion and attraction and every other freaking emotion in the book. “What the hell was that,friend?”
“It was me helping you. You’re welcome, by the way.”
I scoff. “Uh-huh. Thanks a lot. Maybe I want the guy back. Did you ever think of that, buddy?”
“Trust me. Your ex wants you back as well.” He inches closer. “And while Iamyour friend, if I were you, I would be careful before going back to him.”
“Why?”
“Because you deserve a guy who understands there’s so much more to you than your diagnosis. And if he was willing to let you go once because of it, who’s to say he won’t do it again when things get rough?” He kisses my cheek, and my breath hitches. “You deserve more, Kate. A hell of a lot more.”
I shouldn’t like his kiss. I shouldn’t like the feel of his hands on my waist or when they’re intertwined with my own. It blurs the lines I’ve created even more, leaving me feeling whiplashed.
With a question on the tip of my tongue, I meet his gaze, but he shakes his head.
Leaning back in, he explains, “He’s still watching us.”
