Page 131 of The Chance

“No one’s ever called me that before,” I admit softly without thought and bite my lip. “I don’t know why that matters right now.” I’m shaking my damn head like that’s all I know how to do when his face softens. “I should go.”

Mac reaches for me.

Fingers curling in thegimmegesture and all.

My stomach flips, those tingles that used to take up the back of my neck all shooting straight down my spine as I step into him.

His arms weave around my waist, chin tucked against my fluttering stomach as he stares up at me.

Just like that night in the bathroom after I was inside him for the first time.

My chest tightens up at the memory and all the lost time in between.

I want that time back. I want that so fucking bad.

“You still owe me.” My brows furrow. Hands resting on his shoulders. “The rest of the date I was promised.”

The thing in my chest skips an entire beat. “But Mac, you’re—”

“I’mfine,” he assures, squeezing my waist and even pinching the back of my thigh. “But it’s good to know where your head’sat, baby.” He winks and if he wasn’t already holding me up, my knees would have buckled.

“What?”

“Doc said no sex for a few days, but he didn’t say no making out.”

He tugs and I go willingly, my knees falling to either side of his thighs.

“Slow,” I demand to the fire burning in his eyes, my hands wandering into the hair at the nape of his neck.

He hums some deep sound that vibrates through me like a caress, and I suppress a shiver.

When did his nose get so close?

I nudge it with mine.

“Say you agree to that, Mac,” I whisper, desperate for one of us to keep some control over the flames stoking between us. It’s so thick. Hot. I swear I’ll let it burn me alive with a smile on my face.

“Mmm. What is it you told me before?” he asks, his lips feathering over mine in the sweetest tease. “As you wish?”

I release a breath through my nose and smirk.

“You remember that?”

Hands gripping my hips, fingertips curling into my ass, he nods. “There’s not a day—a moment—spent with you that I’ve ever forgotten.”

The organ beating in my chest sparks to life. Flies because of this man and everything he makes me feel.

I’ll always choose you.

A memory slides into my subconscious and has me tightening my grip on Mac.

Because it’s not the time where I told him the very same thing, but much earlier in my life that it was told to me.

Dark blue eyes just like mine had shone with fear. Terror even.

But more than that … wasadmiration.

Pride.

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