Page 65 of Caged Heat

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

STEPH

“You’re smiling again,” my sister teased, bumping my knee. My cheeks heated, but I couldn’t deny the grin that had stayed permanently on my face these days. It had been five months since Mack and I had started our ‘food and orgasms’ ship. During that time, he’d shown me how amazing relationships could actually be.

And despite our limited time together, I always felt like a priority to him. Every morning, I awoke to a text wishing me good morning and one at night telling me to sleep well. He wasn’t stingy with his compliments or affection. There wasn’t a day that went by when I didn’t know he was thinking about me. And the days we got to spend together were explosive.

He stayed true to his word and didn’t control me. If anything, the man pampered me more than anything I could do for him. He made me breakfast in bed, sent me flowers, and when I needed a quiet place to study for finals, he offered his place even when he wasn’t there. Not once had he asked me to do any house chores. Shockingly, I found myself doing them to make things easier for him. The relief and smile on his face when I did something was reward enough, but the man insisted on spending time between my legs and paying me in orgasms. Who was I to deny him that?

I’d never had this much sex before. But neither of us could seem to get enough. Any time we both had free, we spent it together. Mostly naked. God, he had a great dick and knew how to use it. And the things he did with his hands and tongue were next-level criminal. He’d stayed true to his word and had worshiped every inch of my body. At this point, I was certain he knew it better than I did.

I constantly thought about him and missed him when he wasn’t near me. It had to be all the endorphins from the orgasms that had me feeling this loved up. Gross.

Tucking my phone into my purse, I ignored her knowing grin. “I’m just excited about this job interview.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. So, when will you put poor Mack out of his misery and admit you’re boyfriend/girlfriend?”

“What?” I scoffed, a weird fluttery feeling swirling in my gut. “We are not. Take that back.”

But… we kind of were, even if we didn’t use the words.

I graduated last month and had been searching for a job. I’d had a couple of offers, but they hadn’t been what I’d wanted. Since I still lived at home, worked at the bar, and had no debt thanks to Uncle Gus, I had the luxury of being picky. Today was my second interview with a design firm I was excited about working at.

Visions of working here, going home to Mack, and creating a life together played before my eyes before I could stop.

“What are you smiling about now? You’re not even looking at your phone this time? Are you thinking about spilling itching powder on the other candidates?” my sister whispered, breaking my happily-ever-after vision.

I snorted. “What? Why would I do that?”

“Dunno. Seems like something you’d do.”

Rolling my eyes, I shoved my sister. “I regret letting you accompany me.”

“No, you don’t. I’m great moral support. Go, Steph!” She lifted her arms and cheered. The other people in the lobby turned to look, and I laughed. My sister, ladies and gentlemen.

“You’re something.” I wrapped an arm around her and kissed the side of her head.

“Now, who’s being gross,” she groused but didn’t push me away. We were four years apart in age, but we’d always been close. She was starting college in the fall and taking my place at Bottle Grounds. We owed a lot to Uncle Gus.

“Stephanie Hartley,” the HR director said, pulling me from my hug. I smoothed down my outfit, grabbed my portfolio, and walked into the office like the badass I was. Mack’s text message replayed in my head.

Mack: You got this, Sunshine. Just be yourself. There’s no better person than you.

An hour later, I shook hands with the director and promised to submit my response to their offer within twenty-four hours. Outside, I portrayed the calm and professional candidate they’d just hired. But internally, I was a jittery mess of excitement. Had that just happened?

Walking calmly to the lobby, I pulled out my phone and immediately dialed his number.

“Hey, babe. How did the interview go?” he answered.

“I, um, I got it.” My smile broke free, and my heart raced with excitement.

“I knew you would! That’s amazing, Steph. I’m so happy for you. We should celebrate tonight.”

“Yeah. That sounds good. Oh, wait. We have that dinner thing for Jackson.”

“Right. I’m sure we could miss it.”

“Nah. It’s all right. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we are.”

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