Page 33 of Sustain

Suddenly, to my left is a small black furry face with two different colored eyes that are very curious about the current goings on in the room. Ian sees her too and starts chuckling.

“I suppose this is very impolite of us to do in front of our new guest.” He pushes up onto his elbows and gazes down at me, ignoring Stormy. “Thank you, Mackenzie.” He brushes his lips against mine and repeats the phrase, “Thank you.”

Something about him saying those words, in that way, at this moment, unlocks something in my chest. I don’t know if it’s the look in his eyes, or the tone of his voice when he says it, but something has shifted. It might have just shifted inside of me, and not him, but things are somehow different now.

I only hope it’s a good thing.

twenty

. . .

Hanging by a Thread

Ian

After I take a shower and cobble together a semblance of dinner for us, Mackenzie leans against me, leg propped up, contentedly petting Stormy who is decidedly comfortable in her new surroundings. Electricity still feels like it’s crackling through my limbs where they are entwined with Mackenzie’s. But it’s still the only electricity in the cabin. If not for the fire, we’d be sitting in the dark.

“She likes you,” I murmur, reaching over to give Stormy a scritch behind the ear.

“Yeah, I don’t know why,” she says dourly. “Me and pets don’t usually vibe.”

I can’t imagine anyone disliking Mackenzie. “How so?”

She sighs, continuing to drag her nails lightly through the cat’s fur. “I’m not sure. Maybe because I’ve never had pets. I don’t know how to interact with them. And it’s not like there’s a lot of opportunity on the road, outside of an occasional venue or radio station mascot dog or something.”

“Well, maybe you should reconsider. Stormy seems to have put some trust in you.”

“I don’t know,” she says doubtfully. “I mean, I’ve seen a lot of snakes on the road. You’d be surprised how many bands bring snakes on tour. It’s almost weird.”

She’s not wrong. I’ve seen my fair share of all sorts of snakes in my travels from venue to venue. “And how do the snakes treat you?”

Holding out her right hand, she points to a very intricate red and orange snake tattoo that wraps around her middle finger. “I got this one in honor of Betty.”

“And who is Betty?” It sounds familiar to me for some reason, but I can’t place it.

She chuckles to herself. “Betty is Trent from Incendiary Ink’s corn snake. She’s a sweetheart.”

Reptiles, or anything cold-blooded aren’t exactly my cup of tea, but I’m intrigued. “What makes a snake a sweetheart, exactly?”

“Well, in Betty’s case, she would seek me out if I was around. She liked crawling into my shirt and tickling me with her tongue.”

Of course, that gets an immediate dick twitch, and I can’t help sliding a hand under her shirt. Her smooth skin is warm and inviting. “Betty and I are a lot alike it seems…”

She laughs and jerks away, obviously ticklish. Stormy is startled and bolts to hide somewhere, giving me more room to roam. I take advantage of the opportunity and grab Mackenzie’s waist, pulling her closer despite her veiled protests. Her laughter dies as she gives in and melts into me, returning my kisses with an enthusiasm I didn’t expect, but that I love.

Before it escalates to another level, one that I can’t tear my mind from, I reluctantly pull away. Breathing heavily, we share a gaze so intense that I swear she can read my mind or see into my soul. I feel exposed and vulnerable, and I don’t know if I like it. I’m not used to it.

Even with Brianna, I never felt this way. Everything with her was on the surface level, where I knew where I stood. This is so different. This, whateverthisis, is tapping into emotions I didn’t know I possessed. Feelings I don’t know what to do with.

How the hell did we get here so quickly? Not quite two days ago, she was an intriguing industry peer. Now I’m bloody besotted like some teenager after one mind-blowing shag.

No. It’s not just that. It’s not just physical. And I know it.

And it bothers the fuck out of me.

“Sorry,” I mutter, pulling away and trying to compose myself. If left to my own devices, I’d ravage Mackenzie all over again right here and now. But I can’t do that. I need to find a way to control myself around her. How I go about that, I have no idea, but I have to figure it out. Otherwise, this can go balls up in a heartbeat for both of us.

I really don’t want to hurt her.

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