Mackenzie
They worked until the wee hours of the morning cleaning up the mess. While she and Blake were talking upstairs, Colton had brought over a few pieces of plywood, a push broom, and heavy duty garbage cans.
Jake and Graham had shown up as well and were scooping up broken glass when Mackenzie and Blake came back downstairs. She’d fed them with the few pastries that hadn’t hit the floor and made a pot of coffee to help keep the momentum going.
She erased the writing on the sandwich board and wrote a new message in chalk:
Due to unfortunate circumstances, Coast & Roast will be closed until further notice.
It saddened her that Alyssa was so troubled she thought trashing a place of business—two places of business—would get her what she wanted. The woman must be wrung out on drugs or that desperate for money.
Safely snuggled under the covers and in Blake’s warm embrace, Mackenzie nestled her cheek against his chest and sighed in contentment.
“I can’t tell you how sorry I am about your shop.”
“It’s not your fault. She’s crazy. You warned us all.” Mackenzie played with the dusting of dark hair on Blake’s chest and snuggled her body in closer to his.
Blake’s fingers made lazy circles on her shoulder and down her spine and he kissed the top of her head. “She hurt you because she knows how much you matter to me.”
“How does she know that?” Mackenzie bit back her smile and kissed his warm skin.
“I don’t know. Maybe because you’re hot and it’s obvious I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“Hm. That doesn’t mean you care.” She was playing coy—so unlike her—and loving every second of it.
“Could be the way I moan in ecstasy when I…drink your coffee.” Mackenzie twisted his nipple between her fingers. “Ouch!”
“So it’s my awesome coffee making skills that turns you on?”
“Oh yeah, baby. The way you grind”—he thrust his crotch into her thigh, making her laugh—“and stir.” He swiveled his hips in an over-exaggerated move. “And pour those coffee beans in a tall, paper cup. It makes me want to…drink. You. Up.”
Mackenzie burst out laughing at his corny lines. “You’re so cheesy!” Blake took that moment to pounce on her, gently crushing her to the bed.
“What? That doesn’t turn you on? ‘Cause baby, you turn me on.”
“I’m not sure what brought this side of you out, but it’s freaking me out.”
Blake pinned her hands above her head with one hand and scowled down at her face. “You making fun of me?”
“Totally.” Mackenzie giggled.
“You know what that means.” Blake’s eyes shone with torturous glee as his free hand made its way to her side, tickling her until her belly cramped.
“I can’t. Blake. Stop!” She laughed, tears pouring out of the corners of her eyes and down her cheek. “If you make me pee my pants…”
“There’s one way to solve that. Take your pants off.” With one quick sweep of his hands her shorts and underwear were off, flung over his head and across the room. “There. Now you don’t have to worry about peeing your pants.”
Mackenzie was too exhausted from laughter to be embarrassed. “You’re insatiable, Blake Riley.”
“It’s you, Mackenzie Pratt. There’s something about these big brown eyes and long, dark hair that captivates me.” He kissed her, taking his time sucking on her lower lip before releasing it. “And those lips.” He trailed kisses down her neck and nibbled on her ear. “And your skin. The way you smell like vanilla and chocolate and coffee all the time. I want to eat you up and sip you slowly, making you last until I’ve had my fill.”
Mackenzie’s body relaxed under Blake as he savored her, talked sweetly, and touched her with care. The man did things to her heart she didn’t think possible. To joke and laugh and kiss and make her melt all in a matter of seconds.
It wasn’t confusion in her chest or in her head. She knew exactly what she was feeling, and what Blake meant with his silly lines. It was the same with her. They were both uncomfortable with words of endearment, the funny, sexy, or obscure lines more their style.
“So basically…” Mackenzie moaned when Blake’s lips started traveling toward her breasts. “You’re just using me for my mad coffee skills.”
“Mm.”
“And for my brownies.”
“Your brownies can bring a man to his knees.”
“Speaking of…”
Blake’s head shot up, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “All you have to do is ask, sweetheart.”
“Will you say yes if I do?”
“I’ll say yes to anything you want. You’ve got me, Mack. All of me.”
“Can I ask you one question first?” Something that had been nagging at her for weeks, yet he always changed the subject, or distracted her with those sexy eyes.
“First?”
“Before you…” Mackenzie wiggled her eyebrows as he’d done so many times to her.
“Time’s running out so you better hurry. You can only be naked for so long before my body goes on autopilot.”
Oh, how she loved watching his body in motion. A thing of beauty it was. Hard edges yet a softness that kept her on her toes—and curled her toes. Bringing her hands to his shoulders, she played with the divot by his clavicle and slid her foot up his calf.
“Mack. Time’s running out.”
Remembering she had an important question to ask, she dropped her hands to her side and focused on his darkening eyes.
“Why do you call me Mack?”
“Does it really bother you?” Blake dropped to his elbows, his chest resting on hers.
It had bothered her the first few times, mostly because she liked it and she really didn’t want to like anything about Blake. When Mackenzie didn’t respond, he lowered his face to hers and sipped at her lips.
“There are times when I’m with you and it’s all I can do to keep my hands to myself, or to take things slow. I hold myself back so I don’t scare you away and it takes all the strength and fight I have in me to not scare you away. You take my breath away.” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “And there are times I don’t think I’m going to have enough air in my lungs to say Mackenzie before sinking my body into you and forgetting to breathe.”
“Oh,” she sighed. The air problem had trickled down to her. Mackenzie didn’t think she could form a coherent sentence, much less a word. Definitely not a three-syllable word. “Blake.”
“See? You have it easy. Blake. Mack. Those are good names to call out when you’re running out of air.”
“Blake,” she begged.
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“I think I’m falling in love with you.”
“Mack,” he moaned into her mouth. “I’m already there.”