She smiled. “Right.”
“Look, Natalie—you made a brand new vein stand out on Mack’s head,” Cole kidded.
She gave Cole a look that could kill and turned back to Mack. “Let’s sit and talk.”
“She’s offering you candy, brother. Don’t get in the car.” This from Red Dog.
The guys snorted, trying unsuccessfully to stifle their laughter.
Ignoring them, she slid her arms around Mack’s neck. “Remember that thing we did this morning, baby?”
Cole almost choked on his beer. “TMI, Natalie.”
She ignored Cole and traced the contours of Mack’s ear with the tip of her finger. “You want to do it again, baby?”
Mack stared at her like he was completely under her spell. “Is this some kind of trick question?”
The guys all snickered.
Cole came to her rescue. “You treat him too good, Natalie.”
“I was just trying to be nice.”
“This morning you were real nice, baby.” Mack grinned at her.
“Yeah, well he’s not used to being treated that way.”
“Shut up, Cole,” Mack snapped. “You want wallpaper, baby, you got it.”
She gave him a megawatt smile and kissed him.
“When you come up for air, brother, there’s a fresh beer for ya,” Cole teased, setting a beer down in front of Mack.
Natalie pulled back. “I have to run. I have to pick up some wallpaper samples.”
“Okay, sweetheart. Do I get another kiss?”
“Later…if you’re good.”
“Ooh,” could be heard from all the guys.
Mack ignored her response, pulled her to him, bent her backwards and kissed her goodbye. After she’d sauntered out. He turned back to the guys. “I’m gonna lock myself in that goddamn bathroom, take a hot bath and slit my wrists.”
Cole burst out laughing.
“Don’t get any blood on that new flooring,” Crash advised, with a laugh.
“I should have stayed in bed this morning.”
“Suck it up, cupcake,” Cole jabbed with a smile.
“This is the kind of shit day that ends with some newscaster ending his story by saying… ‘before turning the gun on himself’.”
“Sounded to me like it started out real nice,” Cole chuckled.
“Yeah? Well, it’s all been downhill since then.”
“She’s got you wrapped, brother,” Cole teased him.