extremely entertained. “Is that the Funky Chicken?”
“Yes.” Unable to take it, I burrow my face into the crook of his neck. His breath hitches, but he doesn’t move, and I’m unwilling to move either. Macon makes for a surprisingly nice shelter; his skin is smooth and warm and smells of musky citrus. I almost can’t hear the stupid video. Almost.
Laughter rumbles in his chest and vibrates along his skin. “Oh, man, look at you go, my ‘Tiny Dancer.’”
“Shut.” I punch his chest. “Up.”
“Two hundred thousand likes and counting.”
“Noooo.” I press closer to his neck. “Make it stop.”
“Oh, come on,” he says, suddenly softer. “This video is a thing of beauty. People love it. You’re a badass, Tot.”
With a sigh, I lift my head. Despite my utter humiliation, a smile threatens. “I didn’t know what else to do. She left me waiting for two hours.”
Macon’s happy expression dims a little before he gives me a conspiratorial look. “Let’s put her profile on Tinder and say she’s into diaper play.”
I snicker. “And disco.”
“Diaper disco.”
We both chuckle softly. He doesn’t stop me when I take the phone from his hand. The video is over, and I force myself to look at it again. Nope, just as embarrassing the second time around. But it hits me that the angle of the shot is coming from the doorway to Karen’s office. “Oh my God. She’s the one who filmed it and put it on YouTube. That bitch.”
Macon peers down at the screen. “I’m pretty sure it was Elaine, her assistant.” His eyes gleam with glee. “You want me to have her fired? Disposed of?” He’s clearly joking and clearly enjoying the hell out of himself.
“No,” I mutter before hiding my face once more. “Just weigh my feet down with rocks, and fling me into the ocean.”
The warm weight of his hand slides to my hip and rests there. “That would be a massive waste of talent.” His voice is lower now, competing with the sound of the waves. The chair creaks as he adjusts a little, and I sink farther into the cradle of his lap, my head on his shoulder.
“I’ll say one thing,” he says after a moment. “Life with you isn’t dull.”
My smile comes out as a hum. The sun is no more than a tiny pinpoint of orange light atop an indigo sea now, leaving the sky violent shades of hot pink, lavender, and teal. Evening breezes play over us, carrying the scent of the ocean. It’s getting cold, but Macon’s body is warm and solid against mine.
“This place is utterly beautiful,” I whisper. “I haven’t said so before, but I love your house. Actively love it.”
He stills for a second before his fingers drift along the curve of my hip. “I do too—every board, window, and shingle. It’s too big for one person—hell, it’s too big for two—but it’s private, comfortable, and of course there’s the view.” Resting his head against the chair, he expels a long breath as if letting go of the day. The lines of his body seem to sink into relaxation. “I know I’ve had it easy when it comes to money. But every morning I wake up here and am grateful.”
My eyes drift closed. A warm lassitude fills me. I could sit here all night, listening to the steady beat of his heart and the even cadence of his breathing. Reality crashes over me. I’m sitting in Macon’s lap, cuddling him.
Holy hell.
As if pinched, I jump out of his embrace and scramble to my feet. He eyes me cautiously, clearly expecting an argument. Or maybe it’s disappointment in his gaze. I’m too unhinged by the idea that I’ve been snuggling with him to figure it out. I’ve been on his damn lap, and it hadn’t felt weird or wrong; it had felt normal, right, good.
Seriously, what the great hell, Dee?
Macon peers up at me, one thick brow quirked as if to say, “You’re the one who made yourself comfortable all over my lap.” Yeah, I did. Why did I do that? I take a step back, and my butt rests against the balcony railing. I have to think about something other than how very good it felt to be in his arms. I have to put an end to all this soft, dangerous emotion. He’s my boss. I’m here because of Sam. And then I remember . . .
“Why didn’t you tell me about the stalkers?”
His good humor shatters like dropped glass, and he stares back