Page 13 of Tempting the Tender Guy: Imperfect Heroes

I get to my feet and look around the apartment. It’s small and a basic box consisting of a living room and a tiny kitchen. It’s also overflowing with knickknacks, paintings, and colorful blankets and pillows in a wide array of fabrics and textures.

Even with the addition of blankets and pillows on the couch, I don’t think that would help it much in terms of comfort. No worries, I have a very nice couch at my place where we can snuggle up together and watch movies.

“What’s that smile for?”

Seeing movement out of the corner of my eye, I turn, and my smile grows. “Sadie.”

Her long blonde hair is swept back into a low ponytail, leaving only some shorter pieces around her face. I cannot pull my gaze away from her. She’s the light to my moth and all I can do is go to her.

CHAPTER SEVEN

MACK

My hands skim along the sleeves of her sweater, the soft material gliding under my fingers. Her face tips up expectantly. I claim her glossy lips.

She tastes of mint, cool and fresh.

Kissing Sadie is both exciting and familiar. The way our mouths fit together perfectly, each lick and flick of her tongue against mine sending my desire higher, feels like this is something we’ve done a hundred times before and something I hope we’ll do a million more.

Her tiny moan brings an answering one from my throat. Slim fingers clutch my shirt, keeping me tight against her.

I move my hands up her arms, to the firm rounded curve of her shoulders, holding her close as our kisses move from passionate to ravenous. At the feel of Sadie’s hands sliding to my ass, her fingers clenching it, a groan breaks free from me. Burying my face in her hair, breathing in the soft feminine fragrance of her, I work to control my need as my cock strains for release.

“Sadie.” Her name leaves me on a hoarse exhale. With effort, I pull myself from her, needing the space to clear the raging desire that is urging me to toss her down on the uncomfortable couch and fuck her silly.

“Mack? Is something wrong?” she asks, gliding her tongue along her wet lips. I wonder if my taste is as addictive as hers is.

“Nothing is wrong. Everything is positively right. I’m about to take out a beautiful woman on a date.”

Her smile is instantaneous.

I’m thankful the drive to the park is short because Sadie chatters the entire way and while I’m happy to listen to her, I’m having problems following the conversation until I turn the radio completely off.

“It was distracting,” I murmur, tossing her a grin.

“Am I talking too much again?”

“It’s because I want to concentrate on what you’re saying that I turned the radio off,” I answer honestly, even as a bit of panic beats in my chest.

No more putting things off. I need to get in with my doctor to see what’s up with my hearing. I had a bad ear infection once as a kid, but I recall having a lot of pain with that. I haven’t experienced any pain at all. Something is obviously wrong, though.

Pulling through the open gates of the park, I feel Sadie’s curiosity. “Might be a little chilly for a walk,” she says.

There’s an enclosed glass gazebo along with cabin rentals here at the park. I rented the cabin with the gazebo once I started planning this date. At this time of year, nobody really books the cabins so getting the one I wanted at the last minute wasn’t an issue. Since I hope to be here with Sadie after dark, having something to block the wind and chill is important. Even so, I came earlier and set up a portable heater.

“We won’t be walking far,” I assure her, reaching for her hand.

Driving the final distance through the park to the cabins with our joined hands on her warm thigh has my thoughts moving to the cabin that I also paid for. My hormones are on overdrivebeing near her and I know it’s only a matter of time before I give in to the need to have her.

“Camping?” Sadie asks as I pull my truck up to the assigned cabin and park.

I laugh and bring her hand up to my lips, kissing her knuckles. “Not quite.” Nodding my chin to the left, I indicate the glass gazebo. “I thought a picnic dinner would be fun.”

A grin of delight brightens her face. “That sounds lovely!”

Slinging the blanket over my shoulder, I grab the cooler of food while Sadie dashes ahead to check out the gazebo.

The wind pulls at my clothes as I make the short walk to the gazebo and I’m glad I had the foresight to have the heater at ready.

---