Page 105 of Mace

Toby steps into the kitchen, his hair sticking up in every direction as he yawns loudly. He frowns as he takes us in.

“Why are we all gathered in the kitchen?”

“Does it matter where we’re gathered, dork?” Ivy teases.

He walks to the fridge and opens the door. “I’m starving.”

“You know anywhere good around here that’ll deliver breakfast?” I ask.

Toby nods enthusiastically. “There’s like four different places that do amazing food.”

“Pick one and we’ll order. Pick something for your sister to eat as well.”

Maylie’s siblings seem to bicker about everything, and picking somewhere to eat becomes an argument.

I’m about to lose my shit when Maylie steps into the kitchen, still wearing my shirt and a pair of leggings that cling to every curve of her body. It feels as if she steals all the air from my lungs as her eyes raise to meet mine. This woman has cast a spell on me, because no one else is ever going to compare to her.

What I don’t like is the hint of shyness from her, as if she’s trying to work out what last night meant to me. I hold a hand out to her, gesturing she should come to me, and I don’t miss the little flicker of relief in her eyes as she crosses the kitchen floor to stand in front of me.

I pull her onto my lap, ignoring her squeals of protest, my arm banding around her waist.

“Mace! There’s a perfectly good chair right there.”

“I like you here,” I say as my nose goes to the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent. She smells of soap and something uniquely her.

I don’t want to play games or overthink every movement I make.

“We’re about to order some food,” I tell her. “You hungry?”

Her hand wraps around mine, which is resting on her stomach. For a moment, the image of a little swell beneath my hand fills my mind. I never thought about kids. Howcould I be a father when my own parents were fuckin’ disastrous? But the thought of Maylie carrying my baby sends heat scorching along my skin. Fuck, the idea of possessing her in every way is like a lit flame to kerosene.

“I’m starving.” Clearly, the words we had about me paying for shit has sunk in because she doesn’t argue about cost. Instead, she presses a sweet kiss to my cheek, and I want to crush my mouth to hers, but Toby and Ivy are watching us. I don’t care if they see, but I know Maylie will, so I tamp down my needs.

Despite the bickering, I like Maylie’s siblings. They seem like great kids, even with everything happening and everything they’ve lost, and it’s clear to me that Maylie has done a hell of a job raising them.

Maylie manages to get her siblings to order something, and we eat together before the two kids head back to their bedrooms to get dressed and ready for the day. Maylie tries to stand to clear the table, but I keep her in my lap.

“Everything okay?” she asks, and I don’t miss the uncertainty threading her words. “If last night wasn’t what you were expecting?—”

I cut her off before she can even go down that line of thought. “It was everything and more. Don’t ever doubt it.” I kiss her senseless, my body hitting the boiling point as she presses into me. Desperate need pulses through my veins as I grip her nape, tipping her head so I can deepen our kiss. I take my time, my mouth worshiping hers before moving down her neck, sucking on her skin.

She makes me feel drunk on her.

“Thank you for looking after my brother and sister,” she says when we’re forced to pull apart to draw in air.

“Babe, all I did was buy food and make coffee.”

“I know it seems like that’s all you did, but it means everything to me. I never have someone to pick up the slack.”

Those words hit me in the gut. Logically, I knew that was the case, but hearing her say those words makes me want to take that pressure off her shoulders even more. “Well, it ain’t just you anymore. Are you busy today?” I ask, threading my fingers through her hair.

She lets out a little moan. “If you keep it up, I’m going to fall back asleep. And no, I don’t have anything to do until work later. Toby will spend the day playing on his console, and I’m not sure what Ivy will do, but I doubt she’s going to want to hang out with friends, even if it is the weekend.”

“Would you come somewhere with me?”

“Of course.”

Maylie heads off to get showered while I put in a call to a prospect to come and sit with Ivy and Toby. I also ask him to bring my bike, which I’d left at the clubhouse.

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