well. Too well. And if the past is any indication of the future, I know it’s just a matter of time before reality bites me on the ass.
I just hope I’m prepared when it happens. I’ve let Theo lower my walls, and it’s a dangerous place to be.
But no matter how many times I go over every scenario, I know I’ll never really be prepared when Stefano finds me.
With my heart in my throat, I knock on the door.
My breath catches when he opens the door. He’s clearly just gotten out of the shower. His dark hair is damp, gray sweats hang loose on his hips, the leanly muscled contours of his chest and abs glistens with moisture.
“Is Logan okay?” he asks, brows furrowed, looking over my shoulder at my apartment door.
“She’s fine. Your mom’s watching her.”
“Oh.” He frowns glancing down at me, and combs his fingers through his hair, making his biceps bunch.
His dark eyes are hard, distant.
“I just…” I look down at the floor. Damn it. What am I doing here? He clearly doesn’t want to see me. “Never mind. I know you’re busy.”
I start to turn.
“Mackenzie.” His deep voice, and the use of my full name, stops me. “Come in.”
“Are you sure?”
His expression softens, just enough that I notice, and he nods, opening the door wider.
I move past, careful not to brush against him, but I can feel the heat of his body behind me as I walk into the large open kitchen.
He pulls two Heinekens from the fridge, uncaps them and hands one to me.
“Do you want a glass?”
“No, this is fine.” I stare at the green bottle and lick my lips nervously.
My heart races in my chest, and I can feel the familiar pressure of an anxiety attack forming.
I don’t know what makes me more nervous, having to tell him about Stefano, or the fact that he’s standing half-naked three feet from me.
“What’s wrong?”
I glance up and give a half smile, hoping to lighten the mood. “You’re not wearing a shirt.”
His brows knit when he looks down at his chest, then back up, one brow cocked. “And that’s a problem?”
“If you want me to put a complete sentence together, then yes.”
He smiles. The first real smile I’ve seen in days. “I think I’ll keep it off.”
When he moves towards me, I put my hand up, jerking my eyes from his chest to his face. “You’re mad at me, remember.”
“I remember.” He places his half-empty beer on the counter, then takes mine from my hand, placing it beside his. “But it still doesn’t change things between us.”
“It changes everything.” My back bumps against the counter’s edge when he moves in closer.
“How?” His fingers curl in my hair, pulling my head back until our eyes meet.
I swallow hard. “We have a daughter together.”
“We do.” His gaze is piercing. There’s a possessiveness I’ve never seen before. It both excites and terrifies me. “And?”
“I lied to you.” I’m digging my own grave, but I can’t stop myself.
“You did.” The muscles in his jaw bunch. “Want to tell me why?”
Yes. No. “I was scared.”
“Of me?” His thumb traces the line of my lower lip, and I feel the touch like a blaze throughout my entire body.
“No.” Closing my eyes, I inhale a slow steady breath. I can’t think when he’s touching me.
He lowers his head, his fingers tightening in the hair at the nape of my neck. His breath is warm against my lips and I want nothing more than to kiss him. To feel his body against mine.
I’d beg for it if I didn’t know it was wrong.
“Are you still afraid?”
“Yes.”
His lips cover mine. Soft and gentle. Time freezes. The rest of the world falls away and there’s just us. Theo and Mac.
Her pulls me tighter and I can feel his erection pressing against the material of his cotton pants.
My body responds, but my heart protests. I can’t do this. I can’t fall more in love with him. I can’t ache for things I know I can never have. It’ll break me.
But I’ve never been rational
I just hope I’m prepared when it happens. I’ve let Theo lower my walls, and it’s a dangerous place to be.
But no matter how many times I go over every scenario, I know I’ll never really be prepared when Stefano finds me.
With my heart in my throat, I knock on the door.
My breath catches when he opens the door. He’s clearly just gotten out of the shower. His dark hair is damp, gray sweats hang loose on his hips, the leanly muscled contours of his chest and abs glistens with moisture.
“Is Logan okay?” he asks, brows furrowed, looking over my shoulder at my apartment door.
“She’s fine. Your mom’s watching her.”
“Oh.” He frowns glancing down at me, and combs his fingers through his hair, making his biceps bunch.
His dark eyes are hard, distant.
“I just…” I look down at the floor. Damn it. What am I doing here? He clearly doesn’t want to see me. “Never mind. I know you’re busy.”
I start to turn.
“Mackenzie.” His deep voice, and the use of my full name, stops me. “Come in.”
“Are you sure?”
His expression softens, just enough that I notice, and he nods, opening the door wider.
I move past, careful not to brush against him, but I can feel the heat of his body behind me as I walk into the large open kitchen.
He pulls two Heinekens from the fridge, uncaps them and hands one to me.
“Do you want a glass?”
“No, this is fine.” I stare at the green bottle and lick my lips nervously.
My heart races in my chest, and I can feel the familiar pressure of an anxiety attack forming.
I don’t know what makes me more nervous, having to tell him about Stefano, or the fact that he’s standing half-naked three feet from me.
“What’s wrong?”
I glance up and give a half smile, hoping to lighten the mood. “You’re not wearing a shirt.”
His brows knit when he looks down at his chest, then back up, one brow cocked. “And that’s a problem?”
“If you want me to put a complete sentence together, then yes.”
He smiles. The first real smile I’ve seen in days. “I think I’ll keep it off.”
When he moves towards me, I put my hand up, jerking my eyes from his chest to his face. “You’re mad at me, remember.”
“I remember.” He places his half-empty beer on the counter, then takes mine from my hand, placing it beside his. “But it still doesn’t change things between us.”
“It changes everything.” My back bumps against the counter’s edge when he moves in closer.
“How?” His fingers curl in my hair, pulling my head back until our eyes meet.
I swallow hard. “We have a daughter together.”
“We do.” His gaze is piercing. There’s a possessiveness I’ve never seen before. It both excites and terrifies me. “And?”
“I lied to you.” I’m digging my own grave, but I can’t stop myself.
“You did.” The muscles in his jaw bunch. “Want to tell me why?”
Yes. No. “I was scared.”
“Of me?” His thumb traces the line of my lower lip, and I feel the touch like a blaze throughout my entire body.
“No.” Closing my eyes, I inhale a slow steady breath. I can’t think when he’s touching me.
He lowers his head, his fingers tightening in the hair at the nape of my neck. His breath is warm against my lips and I want nothing more than to kiss him. To feel his body against mine.
I’d beg for it if I didn’t know it was wrong.
“Are you still afraid?”
“Yes.”
His lips cover mine. Soft and gentle. Time freezes. The rest of the world falls away and there’s just us. Theo and Mac.
Her pulls me tighter and I can feel his erection pressing against the material of his cotton pants.
My body responds, but my heart protests. I can’t do this. I can’t fall more in love with him. I can’t ache for things I know I can never have. It’ll break me.
But I’ve never been rational
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