“Kind of, yeah.”
“I came for you, Lo. Happy birthday.”
“You did?” I give him puppy dog eyes. “That’s so sweet of you.”
He shrugs. “We’re friends, right?”
We were friends. I mean, he’s shoved his tongue down my throat twice now, and I wasn’t exactly opposed to either time. Mace is hot, and not just in a typically Aussie kind of way, but in a leanly muscled, heavily tattooed, this guy could just as easily hold a knife to my throat while he fucks me and I might even be okay with it kind of way.
I laugh and walk my fingers over his chest, admiring the warmth of those hard muscles. “Why haven’t we slept together?”
He stiffens and his smile vanishes. “What?”
Oh shit. I said that out loud.
“Mace.” I roll his name over my tongue, pressing my palms flat against his chest. His very ripped, tattooed, feels-so-good-in-that-ripped-up-sweater chest. “Do you want to have sex with me?”
His brows shoot skyward. “How drunk are you?”
“Drunk enough to know I would never have the courage to ask you that when I’m sober.” I bite my lip. “Why? How drunk are you?”
“Drunk enough to pretend I don’t know better.”
“So, do you want to—”
“Are you kidding?” He leans in, his breath hot on my neck as he whispers. “All I’ve wanted since the day I met you is to see yousprawled out beneath me, your pink pussy dripping with cum as you beg me to fuck you.”
Fire ignites within my veins, and I want that too. So badly. I lean up on my tiptoes and whisper, “Then take me to my room and fuck me, Mace.”
I lean forward and kiss him. For a beat it seems he’s too stunned to kiss me back and then his hands are in my hair and his tongue is down my throat and it’s the perfect way to ring in a birthday I didn’t want to celebrate.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lo
One month later
Mace and I bring the last of the boxes inside and set them on the living room floor. I hate this apartment. It’s sterile, too pristine with its all white furnishings. I glance at Gabe’s tan leather recliner and wonder how it will ever fit in this space, whether I’ll ever fit into his life now that the hell beast has saddled him with their kid.
Mace wraps his arms around me and presses a kiss to my neck. “Maybe you and I should think about moving in together?”
I still. “What?”
“Why not? I spend all my time at your place anyway.”
“No offense, Mace, but I have a roommate. And she’s not exactly your biggest fan.”
“Then it’s a good thing I’m not askingherto move in with me.”
I turn in his arms to face him. “You’re serious about this?”
“Yeah, why the hell wouldn’t I be?”
“I ...” I can’t think of a single reason.Why can’t I think of a single reason? “I-it’s just a big step.”
“That the last of them?” Gabe asks, coming out of the bedroom with Tommy.
I give him a tight smile and nod. “Yeah. That’s it.”