Page 45 of Calling the Shots

This is good. We’re good.

“Gracelyn…”

Mack’s deep voice rumbles, his chest vibrating.

“Hmm…” I murmur, eyes still closed.

“I’m not a stay-the-night kind of guy.”

A surge of panic rushes through me, my muscles tensing.

I shouldn’t have trusted him.

“It’s been a long time since I dated anyone and I’m horribly out of practice. You’re going to have to be patient with me.”

I let the air out of my lungs, relief whooshing through me.

He’s not bailing.

His fingers slide up and down my back and I lift myself up on my elbows, gazing down at him.

“I’m not universally known for my patience, Mack. But I’ll try.” I drop my mouth to his, trying to kiss away all his doubts.

About us, our relationship, the future.

He kisses me back with a ferocity that takes my breath away. Off in the distance the owl hoots again, our very own aviary cheerleader. I take the sound as a good omen.

“And for the record, I don’t snore. I’ll prove it to you tonight.” He squeezes my ass and happiness surges through me, tingling all the way down to my toes.

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, Mack,” I tease, kissing him again.

This could be it.

I’m falling hard for this broody bachelor, the man whose been my mother’s next-door neighbor for years.

I just hope I don’t end up regretting it.

CHAPTER15

MACK

Istay the night with Gracelyn.

The whole night. Lying next to her in bed, listening to her quiet, peaceful breathing. Watching her chest rise and fall, white moonlight spilling through the blinds and bathing her in an angelic glow.

Fuck, she’s beautiful.

Every once in a while, she stirs. Curling up closer, her arm flings over me. A leg twines with mine, her foot tickling my calf. By dawn, she’s got me in a tight grip, climbing me like a tree.

Surprisingly, I don’t mind at all. In fact, I like it. Although I’m gonna be tired today since I spent most of the night watching her sleep.

“Morning, Firecracker.” I brush a golden curl off her forehead as she blinks her eyes open.

“You stayed.”

I nod. “Told you I would. So I did.”

Her neck bobs as she swallows, cheeks tinting a soft shade of pink.

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