“Hey, Lucas. You want to sit on the bike and I’ll take you around the yard?” Dean asked him before the waterworks really started.
Lucas’s tears were instantly dry as he dived out of Mack’s arms and ran straight over to Dean, who lifted him aboard.
Dean winked at Mack. “You need your helmet on, young man.” He laughed as Lucas stilled with a cheeky grin on his face and allowed Dean to place the helmet on his head.
Mack felt a bit unsure about Lucas being on the Harley, and walked closer to Dean, who caught the frown on her face. He took hold of her hand and placed a kiss on her cheek.
“He’ll be fine, don’t worry.” He leaned in to give her another quick kiss, on her lips this time, before he climbed on the back of his bike. Dean surrounded Lucas with his body as he explained to him what the different instruments were for on the panel in front of them.
Mack walked over to the steps leading into the cottage and sat down beside Thomas. She couldn’t help blushing slightly when she met his eyes and saw the knowing look in them.
“I see you made friends with the neighbor then?” He chuckled.
She grinned. “Oh, yeah!”
Dean switched the bike on and very slowly put it into gear and started moving around the yard with an excited Lucas sitting in front of him. With a glance at Mack every time he passed, Dean winked at her, which really amused Thomas.
“Thomas, do you like Dean?” Mack asked just as Dean switched the bike off.
“I don’t swing that way!” He tried not to laugh at the stunned expression on Mack’s face.
With a laugh, she nudged him with her elbow. “You know exactly what I mean.”
“I only met him briefly this morning, but from what I can see and how he spoke to me, I would say he’s one of the good guys.”
“Thanks.”
“Auntie Mack, Thomas, did you see me?” Lucas just about managed to get out before diving on Mack.
“We certainly did. You were pretty good there.”
“Thanks, Auntie Mack.”
“He’s great.” Dean ruffled Lucas’s hair. “Listen, I’m going to leave you guys for now. I have some things to take care of. I’ll come round tomorrow, if that’s okay?”
Mack smiled up at Dean, slightly disappointed that he wasn’t staying for dinner. “We’ll see you at breakfast, right?”
Grinning, Dean asked, “Was that an invitation?”
“Sure was.”
“I’ll be there,” Dean replied, hesitating. He really didn’t want to end his time with Mack.
Mack turned to Thomas. “You going to eat dinner with us?”
“No, thank you. I’m meeting a couple of guys at the Irish Pub tonight so I’ll see you all at breakfast,” Thomas told her.
Dean took hold of her hand and pulled her toward him. “Walk with me a minute?”
Thomas grinned at the two of them and stood then took hold of Lucas’s hand. “Come on, Lucas. Show me that game you keep talking about before I leave.” They entered the cottage to give Dean and Mack some privacy.
They walked over to the front door of Dean’s cottage holding hands. He didn’t know what to say, because all he really wanted to do was drag her inside and never let her go. He wondered where in the hell that thought had come from. It wasn’t one he’d had before . . . ever . . . and certainly not for a woman he’d only just met.
Pushing the thought aside, he turned to Mack, took her face in his hands, and brought her in close. She put her hands on his hips and moved in even closer, coming into contact with Dean’s erection.
His mouth descended to ravish her with a hot, open-mouthed kiss. Surprising even herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck and raised one leg around his hips.
He pulled away from her mouth to take in some much-needed air, and then shuddered as she rubbed herself against him. “Mack, we have to . . . stop.”