Three months later . . .
Heart so full it felt as if it might burst, Mackenzie tightened her grip on Muttley’s harness, and she heard the bus pull up.
Earlier that morning, Tia had stopped by with amazing news: Guide Dogs of Tennessee was so impressed with her and Muttley’s progress, they’d made Muttley’s placement permanent. To celebrate, Mackenzie decided to show off her new skills and head downtown to catch a bus.
Not just any bus, though, she thought with a grin.
The door swung open, and over the rush of air from the hydraulics, Mackenzie could make out enough distinct voices to tell her the bus was at full capacity.
“We got this,” she told Muttley, who barked in agreement, then started up the steps with a confident stride.
Taking a deep breath, she followed his lead—and her heart—as they took one more step toward their happy place. Muttley stopped right inside the door. Before Mackenzie could say a word, the conversation on the bus came to an abrupt stop and the collective attention swung to Mackenzie.
“Hey, y’all,” she said with a shyness that took her by surprise.
Her greeting was met with a few Howdys and the occasional Hey, darlin’, but one voice stood out from the rest. A voice that made her lips curl into a big grin and her heart give an even bigger thump-thump.
“Trouble?” Hunter said, his pleased surprise at seeing her on his bus loud and clear. “What are you doing here?”
“I have good news,” she said.
Two warm, strong hands slid around her waist as Hunter tugged her toward him. “I love good news. Almost as much as I love seeing you.” He brushed a kiss across her lips, short and sweet but with plenty of promise for later.
Whoof, Muttley barked but kept his butt cemented to the floor.
“Hey to you too, buddy.” Hunter gave him an ear ruffle, his other hand twining with Mackenzie’s. “Now what’s this news?”
“Tia called to say that the home study went amazing, and GDT doesn’t see a reason to have another.”
“I guess that means we’re stuck together,” he said to Muttley. Then, to her, he said, “I am so proud of you.”
“It was all the trips to the market and around town that sealed the deal,” she said, and no statement could have rung truer.
Hunter had been beyond amazing these past few months, helping her expand her world while showing her that love and independence didn’t have to be mutually exclusive. Real love was as comforting as it was liberating.
“It was all you. I was just along for the ride,” he said, giving her another kiss—this one a bit longer and a bit hotter.
Brody cleared his throat. “And we’re all along for this ride with you, and I’d like to get off, so please tell me the meeting is over, because I’m about to see things I won’t ever be able to unsee.”
“I can come back,” she offered.
“No way,” Hunter whispered. “From this angle I can see a red piece of lace beneath that dress. Celebratory red.” The gruff in his voice told her exactly what kind of celebration he was imagining. “Plus, these guys were all leaving anyway. Said something about throwing back a few brews at Big Daddy’s. Right, guys?”
“It’s been sprinkling all day and is supposed to really come down tonight, which is why I’m staying inside tonight,” Quinn informed them. “Not to mention the bus leaves at oh-dark-hundred.”
The band was heading out in the morning for New York, where in a week’s time they would be hosting the listening party for their new album. To build some hype around the upcoming release, they had also scheduled a mini radio tour, hitting a select few stations on their way north. It was the first time the entire band would be required to be present at all the radio stops.
Not surprisingly, the band had agreed unanimously to limit the trip to just major-market stations.
“Then you’d better get going so you avoid the rain, get a jump on packing your things,” Hunter said.
“My things are already packed,” Quinn argued. “They’re here. On the bus. Which is where I am planning on sleeping.”
“Well, change of plans. Big Daddy’s or head on home.” When no one moved, Hunter added, “I can always text your women and see which they’d prefer.”
There were a few grumbles, but one by one the band members told Mackenzie goodbye, except for Quinn—who hugged her while telling Hunter to go fuck himself.
“Night, darlin’,” Brody said, giving Mackenzie’s hand a warm squeeze.
She squeezed back. “Can you tell Savannah that she doesn’t need to bring anything tomorrow? I went to the store already.” Her chest filled with pride. “We’re having a tea party at my place.”
“I heard,” Brody said. “I asked if I could come, but Caroline informed me it was a girls-only event.” Brody paused. “Glad to have you back, Mack.”
“And I’m glad to see you go,” Hunter said, and this time he did kick Brody off the bus. Only as Brody passed by her, she caught a whiff of something that smelled a whole lot like—
Wet dog?
“Oh my God. Your jacket, it smells like wet dog. You were at Hunter’s that night.”
“Good luck with that, cuz,” Brody said as the door whooshed closed behind him.
“The night of the storm. When I walked out in my panties—oh God!” Her hands flew to her mouth in horror.
Hunter’s hands? They were back on her, molding to her hips as if she weren’t freaking out.
“Brody was at your house. I was in my panties. And you didn’t say a word!” She batted at his hands, but he just moved them lower. “Hunter, I’m serious.”
“You said panties. It doesn’t get much more serious than panties.” He walked around until he was behind her, and his lips grazed the outer rim of her ear. “Red panties.”
“You know I never sleep in pajama bottoms. You should have warned me,” she chided, but his body felt so delicious pressing into hers she couldn’t resist melting back into him and resting her head against his chest.
He slid his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. “It was only Brody.”
“Only Brody? He’s never going to let me live this down.”
“Trouble, he was so uncomfortable I thought he was going to stroke out.” He nuzzled the back of her neck and made her shiver—in the best possible way. “I doubt he will ever want to relive that particular moment. I think it was kind of like hitting on a chick at a bar only to realize she’s your first cousin and you aren’t in Arkansas.”
“Is that supposed to make me happy?” she asked, turning to face him. “Because it doesn’t.”
“How about this, then?” He leaned down and kissed her. Not softly either. It was one of those lay-it-on-the-line, blow-your-mind kind of kisses, where she had to wrap her arms around his neck just to stay standing. When he finally pulled back, they were both breathless—and she was feeling much happier.
In fact, she couldn’t remember what they’d been discussing.
“Getting closer,” she teased, threading her fingers through the hair at the back of his neck.
“When it comes to your happiness, Trouble, close doesn’t cut it.” Hunter slid his talented fingers down, over her hips and lower, and that’s when her heart gave one last thump before stopping altogether.
Because Hunter Kane, Sexiest Man Alive, was slowly unbuttoning her dress. She knew when he got to the bottom button, because her dress fell open and he sucked in a breath.
“Let me go on record as saying I am one hundred percent committed to your happy place.” He feathered kisses down her neck and across her collarbone.
“You are my happy place, Hunter,” she said, capturing his face between her hands so he could see how serious she was. “You always were, and you always will be. But promise me something.”
“Anything,” he whispered. “And everything.”
Those three words were spoken with so much conviction any reservations that may have been lingering deep inside her completely vanished—and she was filled with a warm blast of love and adoration.
“Next time we have visitors, you’ll give me a heads-up,” she said.
“Done.” He rested his forehead against hers. “And since we’re making promises, I need you to promise me something, Trouble.”
“What?”
“Promise me you,” he said before delivering a soul-melting kiss to her lips. “Every day, every second, every moment—promise me all of you.”