Winter Awakening by Elizabeth Lennox
Chapter 9
“You finished packing?” Mack observed, eyeing the boxes stacked neatly against the wall of the small family room.
Kate looked around, hands on her hips as she smiled with success. “Yes!” she laughed. Moving along the stacked boxes, she let her fingers trail along the cardboard. “These are things she’ll need when she moves into her apartment.” She reached the second stack of boxes. “These are items that no one will ever need, but my mother asked me not to throw out, so I’m taking them to the church to be donated. They still have value, although I’m not sure what that value is.” Kate shook her head slightly, then moved to the open boxes. “These are things that are broken, useless, and have no reason not to be thrown out.” She grinned up at Mack. “I thought this would be overwhelming but,” she looked around at all of the boxes, “it was actually pretty cathartic.”
Mack leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. “So, you’re finished? You’re heading back to Florida?”
Kate shook her head and Mack watched the overhead lights dance in her dark hair. “No, not yet,” she sighed and the tight band around his chest eased slightly. “I still need to finish getting the house ready for sale.” She paused and looked around. “Right now, this place is still stuck in the seventies.” She looked at Mack, grimacing at the idea. “The décor needs to be updated in order to get a good price. Otherwise, my mom will lose thousands of dollars when she sells.”
“Don’t you need to get back to work?”
Kate shrugged, her eyes shuttering. “I told my boss what was going on and asked for a leave of absence. I have a ton of vacation time accrued, so I’m still getting paid. But…” she looked away and shrugged as Mack’s internal warning signals screeched loud and clear.
What was she hiding?
“I have a plan,” she finally said. When she peeked up at him through her lashes, Mack knew he was right. She was definitely hiding something. It was the same look she’d always had when she tried to keep a secret.
Leaning forward, he pressed a hand to the wall on either side of her head. “What’s going on, Kate?” he asked, his voice soft and smooth.
She shrugged and looked away. Another warning sign.
“Why? Are you sick of me?” she asked. Was that hurt in her eyes?
“Nope. Never,” he replied, wrapping an arm around her waist.
She rolled her eyes even as she slid her hands up his chest. “Your enthusiasm is a bit underwhelming, Officer.”
He jerked her hips closer. “Does this prove my enthusiasm?” he asked, his erection pressing against her stomach.
Kate’s grin widened. “I see that you’re still randy.”
“Around you? Always.”
She laughed, then went up on her toes to kiss him. “You’re such a charmer!”
He growled as he bent down. She yelped in surprise when he tossed her over his shoulder. Those shrieks morphed into laughter as he carried her up the stairs. “Is this charming enough for you?” he asked, swatting her bottom when she squirmed.
“No!” Kate laughed, clutching his belt for balance.
A moment later, he flipped her onto her bed in the guest room, coming down over her. “How about this?” he asked, nuzzling her neck with his lips and teeth and tongue.
Kate sighed, shifting her body under his. “Getting better,” she purred.
“How about this?” he offered, nudging her legs apart to make room for his hips.
“Nope,” she laughed. “You’re going backwards.”
He lifted the hem of her sweatshirt, his strong, callused hand sliding up her side to cup her breast, pinching her nipple ever so slightly. “Is this better?” he asked, as he pulled the lace of her bra back, his thumb scraping over the swollen tip.
Kate couldn’t answer him. His magical fingers had stolen her words away. Words were no longer possible. Not when Mack did things like that to her body!
