CHAPTER 9

Alysha

DURING THE REST OF MEAL my face felt like it was on fire, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Somehow this guy, this genie had found a direct line to my libido, and strangely enough my heart.

At first, I had thought Mac was an egotistical asshole. I had had every intention of keeping him at arm’s length and out of my way. Problem was, to get rid of him completely meant making my wishes but the more I got to know the mysterious genie the less important that seemed to be.

The tension between us on the way home was stifling. When we arrived at my apartment, my nerves shot at being alone with him. Now that there wasn’t a public place, or other people in the way, there was nothing to keep us from exploring the sexual energy between us.

“So,” I started placing my keys on their designated spot on the table by the door. I slowly twisted around to face Mac and leaned back against the small table. His eyes meet mine and for a moment, I thought he was going to take that next step. The one that I longed to take but was too chicken to make the move. But the moment was over before either of us did anything and an awkwardness filled the space.

“I’m going to go take a shower,” Mac said.

“Uh, okay,” I replied and then gave him a half smile, “I’ll be right here.”

Lame, Alysha. So lame.

My gaze trailed after Mac as he moved across the room to pick up the towel I had given him the night before. I didn’t even try to pretend I was interested in something else as he walked to the bathroom door and then shut it behind him without a backward glance.

My shoulders sagged and I let out a heavy breath. “Fucking Christ,” I growled at myself, “What is the matter with you? You act like he’s the first guy you’ve ever been in lust with!”

The door to the bathroom opened and Mac popped his head out causing me to jump in place, “Where is your bathing supplies?”

With a shaky hand, I pointed to the bathroom and said, “In a basket beneath the sink.”

Mac glanced behind him and then turned back to me, “Thanks,” before he closed the door once more.

I collapsed against the table causing it to wobble, almost tipping me onto the ground. Quickly standing up, I searched around my apartment for something to keep myself busy and not think about the very naked, very wet genie in my bathroom.

I grabbed my book bag off the ground and pulled out my statistics book. Statistics had been one of today’s classes in which I hadn’t been paying attention. I was lucky the professor had outlined all the homework assignments in the syllabus at the beginning of the semester, or I would have been screwed.

Pulling the paper out, I scanned down until I found today’s date and groaned. Ten pages to read and at least a dozen problems to get through.

Well, at least, I wouldn’t be thinking of Mac’s rippling abs as the water trailed down and wrapped around his . . .

I shook my head ,snapping out of my daydream. No, don’t go there, Aly. I forced my attention back to the book in front of me and began to read that day’s assignment.

The subject must have been boring because Mac’s hand on my shoulder shook me awake. I’d fallen asleep on the couch. I blinked up at him in confusion and then my gaze dipped down, taking in his bare chest and the towel barely wrapped around his waist. If I just reached out I could pull it off and see what was beneath it.

My hand itched to do just that, but Mac’s voice stopped me from actually performing the action. Blinking once more, I yawned, “What?”

Mac smirked down at me with a knowing look, “I said, do you happen to have any other clothing I could wear. Or maybe you could wash these?” he held up the clothes he had previously been wearing.

“Can’t you just magic yourself some new clothes?” I asked, frowning at the bundle in his hands while at the same time trying not to think about his almost nude form.

He sighed and tossed his clothes on the couch beside me, “I wish it were that simple. I might have the ability to grant your wishes, but I can’t make things appear out of thin air for myself. So I have to rely on getting new clothes whenever I am out of my bottle.”

“But you were able to disappear and reappear so easily. How is that any different?” I got up from the couch and moved past him, making sure I didn’t touch his bare skin.

“That’s different.”

“How so?” I asked over my shoulder as I made my way to my pile of clean clothing. I knew I had something of Jared’s in there somewhere. Of course, they were completely different sizes but hopefully, I could find something that would fit him. I made a mental note to take him to Wal-Mart later.

“We are bound by the bottle. My magic wants to be close to you, so all I have to do is let it,” he explained, and then suddenly his slightly damp chest was right in front of my face.

“See?” he smiled down at me and I gulped.

Taking a step back, I handed him a shirt and pair of sweat pants. “Here, they won’t fit perfect but they’ll do until I can get you some real clothes.”

“Thanks,” Mac took the clothes from my hands and the electricity that went through the spot where our hands had touched ran a direct line to my nub.

“Uh, yeah. No problem,” I muttered as my eyes kept locking onto the kissable lips just inches from mine. I took a step backward and my foot caught on one of the many objects littering my floor.

I let out an alarmed cry, but instead of hitting the ground, a warm pair of arms wrapped around my waist. Pulled flush against the very chest I had been ogling, I became acutely aware of Mac’s thoughts on our position. And he was happy. Very happy.

My eyes met Mac’s as I breathed out, “Good catch.”

“So, as you can see,” his voice rumbled through his chest and into mine, shooting straight down my spine, “My body wants to be near you . . . almost desperately.”

His words brushed against my mouth as his face lowered toward mine. My skin burned where his hands held me close, one on my back and another on my lower hip. I forced myself not to arch into his touch.

A brush of lips was all it took to open the flood gates. Mac’s mouth engulfed mine as my hands came up to wrap around his neck. Our tongues tangled together, his taste an intoxicating mixture of the Hawaiian pizza we’d just had and his own flavor. I ran my tongue along his teeth and he nipped at it causing a moan to slip from my lips.

Mac’s hands dipped down to cup my backside. My legs automatically came up to wind around his waist pushing myself closer to him. When our centers met we groaned in unison and paused to take in the feeling. Then we are were kissing again. Mac stumbled through the pile of stuff on the floor and then my back was pressed against the wall.

Even that wasn’t enough for him, because one minute I was kissing Mac in the middle of my tiny apartment and the next a weird rippling came over me. I pulled away from him and opened my eyes. Mac leaned over me and from the softness beneath my back and the familiar ceiling, I knew I was lying on my bed. I didn’t have a chance to even question it before my genie took my mouth once more.

My legs spread apart on their own as Mac settled between them. The position more intense than the last, it didn’t take long before it was only reasonable that we would either have to stop or go to the next level.

Mac moved away from me and reached out down. I stopped his hand as it grabbed a hold of the towel around his waist. He frowned at me, his eyes questioning.

“Wait,” I said, my voice husky and breathless, “Too fast.”

At my words, Mac dropped his hand and shifted off of me. He sat beside me on the bed and I slowly moved into a sitting position as well. We were silent for a few moments, neither one of us looking at the other.

Mac broke the silence first, “I’m sorry if I crossed a line. It’s been a long time since I’ve been with anyone, let alone someone as tempting as you.”

My face heated at his words and I ducked my head down to hide my grin. “It’s alright. I haven’t been with anyone in a while either.”

“Not even Jared?”

I frowned at the mention of my ex. “No, we have been done for a long time and there is no way I would ever get back with him. Even for a triple berry tart.” I shot him a lopsided grin hoping to ease the tension.

He smiled back at me in return and I relaxed a bit. Mac got up off the bed and the towel slipped down. Licking my lips, I almost hoped it would fall, but then chastised myself for being such a pervert. I was the one who had wanted to slow down. I couldn’t have it both ways.

“I guess I’d better get dressed,” Mac winked and then made his way to the bathroom where he’d left his clothes. I wasn’t ashamed to admit I’d watched his butt the entire way there. When he closed the door behind him I collapsed on the bed.

What a crazy two days. I’d gone from hating my job and wishing bodily harm upon my boss, to having my own genie who’d fulfilled that very wish and now might end up being even more than just a stranger. So maybe the bodily harm part was pretty bad. I winced. Okay, a lot bad. But that was before we had started to get to know each other.

And now. I sighed and clasped my hands over my heart. Now, I was on the verge of jumping his genie bones.

I needed to be more careful. While a one night stand was all good and well—Jade would even have applauded it—I couldn’t do that with Mac. I still had two more wishes left and then he would be gone. So if we started anything it would be only temporary and I had to make sure my heart knew this.

As I slipped under the covers, I frowned hard. The likelihood that I’d be able to separate myself enough to take advantage of what Mac was clearly offering was slim. I’d never been a love-‘em-and-leave-‘em type. Doubted I ever would be. Which meant unless I was prepared for heartbreak, I shouldn’t let anything else happen between me and the delectable Mac.

Letting out an aggravated breath, I plopped back on my pillows. I’d just have to keep my distance from him. Make sure we weren’t alone longer than needed.

Just then Mac came out of the bathroom wearing only the sweat pants. They were tight on him, as I’d thought they might be, and hung low on his hips showing a delicious line pointing straight to his . . .

Cold showers. I would need lots and lots of cold showers.