Page 26 of Tempting the Tender Guy: Imperfect Heroes

Heat, want, and need explode in me. All of it centered in the wet throbbing spot between my legs. He sucks my clit without mercy. I tug at his hair, not sure if I’m trying to pull him away or make sure he doesn’t move as I’m racing toward what might be the most powerful orgasm of my life.

Relentlessly, his fingers press and rub at the spot inside that has me going off like a cannon. Mashing my pussy to his mouth, I come with a scream.

Mack eases off my clit and the throbbing of it feels like a heartbeat. Sweet satisfaction leaves my limbs weightless. I sink into the lumpy couch as if in a dream.

Pulling my pants up, Mack lays down next to me, holding me close. I snuggle into his arms and think about what an amazing man he is and how lucky I am to have him.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

MACK

Holding Sadie, feeling her body against mine, I relax fully for the first time since my diagnosis. Telling her wasn’t nearly as bad as I feared it would be. I feel silly for not doing so right away. It would have lessened a lot of the stress I’ve been dealing with for the past two weeks. The strain of pretending everything was okay was breaking me down, and I didn’t realize the toll it was taking on both me and our relationship.

I’m glad everything is out in the open now. Rubbing my nose into her hair, I breathe in the soothing scent that is Sadie and smile. I don’t know what made Yvonne or her grandmother decide to get me and Sadie together, but I’m beyond grateful. Sadie keeps calling the grandmother a matchmaker and I suppose that’s quite fitting.

Hugging Sadie a little tighter, I remind myself that I can’t fall asleep as I still have work tonight. It’s hard as even with the lumpy couch I feel so comfortable with her that if I close my eyes I think I could drift off.

Drift off with the taste of Sadie on my tongue and the smell of her on my fingers. I grin and run my tongue along my lips. Damn, she’s hot.

And she’s mine.

I never thought this day would come, yet here we are. I hug her a little tighter as my smile grows.

“Are hearing aids the first step or are you going to go for the surgery?” Sadie suddenly asks.

I stiffen and force my tense body to relax as embarrassment fills me. “I’m not sure. I haven’t looked into things much.” Basically I haven’t done squat with the information the ENT gave me. I haven’t even called the audiologist as I’ve been avoiding all thoughts of my hearing loss.

Sadie snuggles deeper into my arms and looks up at me. “Well, we need to start.”

Her use of we makes something in my chest turn over. How easily she’s accepted this when I haven’t even come close to coming to terms with it yet.

Obviously, I need to. I can’t move forward with my life until I do. And even with this, my future could be bright and happy as long as I have Sadie by my side.

“Yes, we do need to start.”

Wiggling in my arms, she sits up and I do the same.

“The closed captioning on your TV is a good start. I’m sure they have other programs that could help you. Speech to text for your phone. And sign language!” Sadie’s face shines with excitement. “I bet one of the local colleges has classes in ASL.”

I swallow hard. I love her support and I appreciate it, but I don’t want this to take over my life. I don’t want to be that guy that’s going deaf. Or for clients to shy away from me because of my hearing loss. For Sadie to know is one thing. I don’t need everyone else to know and treat me differently.

“Hey, I appreciate how well you’re taking this, but let’s slow down, okay? I’m still coming to terms with things.”

Sadie’s smile slips a notch as she sinks back down on the couch. “Sorry, I tend to get carried away at times.”

“And I l-” I break off as I almost reveal the true depth of my feelings. “And I appreciate that you want to help,” I say quickly hoping to cover my almost slip. “It means the world to me that you’re okay with this.”

“Mack, it’s you. Of course I’m okay with this. I’m not happy you have to go through it, but I want you to know I’ll be right there to go through it with you.”

Tears obscure my vision. I haul Sadie into my arms as I blink the moisture from my eyes and my chest grows tight with suppressed emotion. Words can’t convey what I’m feeling so I don’t even try.

Eventually I let Sadie go and regretfully head to work.

To my surprise, Terry is sitting in my chair when I walk in.

“Didn’t know you were a client today,” I joke, feeling lighthearted and happy in a way I haven’t in a long time.

Terry’s dark eyes roll. “I wanted to talk to you.”

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