life, I felt like I had some kind of control.” Mac’s pain ran deep, and it hurt me, just sensing it. “I sound like an asshole, right? You want me to leave?”
He sat up, and my legs felt like they might float off the couch. Like the only thing grounding me to the furniture was the weight of his body.
“No. I mean, I don’t want to like what you’re saying, but you make it really hard when you explain it all so logically. Your reasoning makes sense to me.”
“You don’t think I’m crazy? Should be locked up somewhere to think about my actions?” He tried to joke, but I knew a part of him was serious.
“You’re not crazy. I get why you did it. But I do have to ask you something,” I said, wishing I could take back the words the second they left my mouth.
“What?”
I was embarrassed, but it was too late to turn back now. “Do you look at me differently for agreeing? For saying yes to your rules that time last year?” I wondered if he thought all the girls who had agreed to his arrangement were foolish, myself included.
His hand reached out and cupped my chin, holding it tight. “That would make me a hypocrite. I can’t make up a list of rules and then think less of you for agreeing to them.”
“I mean”—I kept my face firmly in his grip—“you could. But you don’t? You’re sure?”
“I could never think less of you,” he said seriously, and suddenly, his lips were pressed against mine, his tongue sweeping across my lips before moving inside my mouth.
This kiss was pure decadence. Like every second that passed between us was meant to be savored and worshipped. Mac was a master with his mouth, and I couldn’t help but want it all over my body. If he kissed like a god, I could only imagine the way he did everything else.
Moaning, I pulled away, my eyes fluttering open to look at him. He looked like a Southern California surfer, born and raised on the sand, even though I knew he was from landlocked Arizona. He was like the boy next door, if the boy next door was gorgeous with the body of an athlete and arms you constantly wanted to grab just to make him flex.
Mac gave me a quick peck before grabbing the pillow, fluffing it up, and lying back down in my lap, facing the TV. I reached for the remote and turned up the volume to give us both a moment to collect ourselves or to get lost in something else for a while. The night had been so serious, and I wanted to lighten it up.
His arm started flailing around on my body, smacking my stomach, and I laughed. “What are you doing?”
“Where’s your hand?” he asked, still smacking around in search of it.
“Here,” I said, shoving my arm toward him.
He grabbed my hand and placed it on top of his head. A request without words.
“You want me to play with your hair some more?”
He nodded his head, and before I knew it, I was doing as he’d asked. I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, but he started breathing heavy as his chest rose and fell in perfect rhythm.
Mac Davies had fallen asleep in my lap.
No Days Off
Mac
I
startled awake, my body jumping and jerking as I opened my eyes and wondered where the hell I was before sitting up and cracking my neck. The television was on, some infomercial trying to sell the world’s best knives that never needed to be sharpened. Ever. Self-sharpening knives. Cool.
Swiveling my head, I looked behind me to see Sunny’s tiny body curled up on the couch, taking up as little space as possible. Shit. I’d fallen asleep here. Reaching for my phone, I checked the time before pocketing it. It was after four in the morning, and I fought the instinct to slip out the front door and escape without making a sound. I knew it would be a dick move, so I forced myself not to make it. I’d already made so many when it came to this girl.
I scooped Sunny into my arms, her silver hair spilling over as I walked into her bedroom and laid her on top of her bed before figuring out how to unmake it and tuck her inside. I stopped myself from laughing at the amount of throw pillows she had when her eyes fluttered opened.
“Mac? What time is it?”
“Early.”
“Are