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I shouldn’t want this.
I shouldn’t want him.
Not only is this supposed to be a fake relationship with an expiration date, but I’m a strong, independent woman who can take care of herself. I don’t need someone opening doors for me, and I damn sure don’t need a man to buckle my seatbelt, but newsflash: I love it.
With him this close, he’s consuming every one of my senses. He said I smell good, but he’s the one who smells like every woman’s wet dream. A little woodsy scent mixed with spice. And he’s so close the warmth radiating from his body blazes on my skin.
“Thank you,” I mutter, barely managing to keep my need for this man at bay.
On the drive home, Mack is relatively quiet, but every few miles, I notice him checking the rearview mirror and I’m reminded of the lingering threat.
“I’m so tired,” I whisper, eyes on the road ahead as I feel tears form and the lump in my throat return.
Mack reaches over and takes my hand. “I’m sure you are. Maybe you can sleep in a little. I don’t have to be—”
“That’s not what I meant,” I say, cutting him off. “I mean, I am physically tired, probably more so than I’ve been in a really long time. But I’m tired of feeling like I’m constantly watching over my shoulder. I hate the way this person has disrupted my life… and yours… everyone around me. It’s infuriating and I’d do anything to make it stop.”
He doesn’t say anything, but his hold tightens and his thumb makes soothing strokes on my hand. It’s so comforting that I find my eyelids drooping before we make it to Mack’s house.
But when the car stops, I jolt awake, only to realize we’ve pulled into his driveway and there’s a new gate at the end of it, requiring a code for us to enter.
“When did you get a gate?” I ask, my voice hoarse with exhaustion.
“Yesterday,” Mack says, pulling the rest of the way up the drive and into the garage.
Once the overhead door is shut behind us, he opens the door and just looks at me for a minute before he speaks again. “I’m only going to say this once: you’re not a burden. I don’t want you to feel like you roped me into something or that you’re inconveniencing my life. I want to be here for you and anything I do for you is because I want to. Before you try to argue with me, just know this is one you won’t win. I’m happy to argue with you about a million other things, but not this, okay? This one is off the table.”
Swallowing, I nod, afraid of speaking.
“While we were away, I had a few upgrades made to my security system. The gate is one of them. Some of this stuff I’ve been meaning to do for a while, but just got comfortable and complacent. So, again, I’m not going to hear any of your bullshit about me doing too much. I wanted to do it and so I did it. End of story.”
Well, okay then.
Once we’re in the house, Mack quickly goes over the new and improved system, showing me a screen that displays views from all the cameras around his property. Between that and the gate, it would be literally impossible for anyone to come in without us knowing. And when we’re not here, it’s being monitored by a security firm.
It’s super high tech and above my pay grade, but it makes me feel safe.
Just like the man at my side.
“Thank you,” I tell him, warring with my emotions and knowing if I don’t go to bed soon, I’m either going to keel over or have a breakdown.
Wrapping an arm around my shoulder, he brings me into his chest and kisses the top of my head. “I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe.”
For a moment, I just breathe him in and appreciate his nearness. The way I don’t feel alone when he’s around. I think I’ve felt lonely for so long, I started to become callous to it. The pang of longing dulled to the point I forgot what it was like to need someone.
“How about a bath?”
The low timber of his voice sends shivers down my spine and the thought of Mack naked in one of his big bathtubs floods my mind.
“Only if you’ll take one with me.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
MACK
When I freeze,Greer’s body becomes a plank in my arms. She pushes away from me. “Never mind,” she says with a nervous laugh, her voice sounding so tired. “It’s fine. I don’t know—”
Cupping her jaw, I stop her backtracking and bring her eyes up to meet mine. “Whatever you need, Greer. Whatever you need.”
