She swallowed. “Yeah.”
“I was wondering if we could try something. I know you need to get in a workout, and I don’t think we exhausted you enough. You seem like you still have too much energy.”
“I do?” She felt like a limp noodle, pliable to whatever Mack wanted.
“Yeah. I know all about being fit. You could use a better exercise routine than what we’ve done.”
“Is that so?”
He pushed the gelato aside and skimmed out of his underwear. Then he untied her robe, smiling as he parted it to stare over her nude body. He lay back on the bed. “Now turn around. Let’s get those jaw muscles working.”
“You might be a closet nymphomaniac.”
“Sadly, I think you might be right.” He turned her around as she knelt over him, her face aligned with his crotch. “But I’m only doing this for your own good, Cass. After all, you want to be on your best at work tonight.”
“So for the sake of Seattle, I should lower my lips and suck?”
“For the city, I think you have to.”
She laughed and got to work, forgetting everything but the scent and taste of Mack Revere as she sacrificed for Seattle once more.
***
Mack hadn’t felt so good in… Well, he didn’t know when. But he did know that orgasms must be good for the soul because he’d never slept so well. After leaving Cass yesterday—and hadthatbeen a lot tougher than he’d expected—he’d come home and gotten a ton done. An oil change on the SUV, some deep cleaning he’d been putting off, and a terrific run around the neighborhood.
He’d slept for a solid ten hours, something he hadn’t done in forever. Monday, he felt refreshed and high on life.
And maybe a little in love.
He’d wanted nothing more than to call and text Cass since he’d left her, but worried about scaring her off after their almost-spiritual sharing, he’d only texted her that he missed her twice, and that last one had been right before her shift, abe safe, miss uwith a big pink heart.
As he played with the kittens, he heard his phone chime and looked down to see a text from Tex, wondering what he had planned for their day off.
Mack thought about all he’d confessed to Cass the other day, about what he felt and what he needed to do for the health of the team. With a sorry heart, he texted the group to let them know he’d be busy the next few days with some major car maintenance and his parents, and that he’d see them Thursday at work and wished them a happy Thanksgiving.
No one seemed upset he was bowing out of “bro time,” which told him what he’d been suspecting—they secretly wanted to spend time with their girlfriends, not him.
He hoped this new state of being wouldn’t hurt their work relationship or the way they dealt with each other. Moving on from their little family hurt. A lot. But he didn’t want to be responsible for causing potential friction with their relationships. So when Reggie texted him later about hanging out the next weekend at his place for a group dinner, he told them maybe, knowing he’d later decline with another made-up excuse, maybe involving Cass.
Slowly, gradually, he’d exclude himself from the group. So that they’d feel better about doing what felt natural—building their new family units into their own happily ever afters.
That evening, he got a cute text from Cass to get some sleep and stop messing around with the kittens.
He smiled, took a photo of Copo climbing all over him, and sent it to her.
She sent one back of Jed with his mouth open andU win. Copo much cuter.
Smiling, he’d just found an old episode ofKnight Riderwith the incredible David Hasselhoff when his mother called. He answered and turned down the TV. “Hi, Mom.”
“Hey, honey. How are you?”
They made the necessary small talk his mother liked before diving into the meat of a conversation. “We’re having a family dinner Wednesday night. Can you come?”
She had his schedule, so she pretty much knew he had the night off. But talk about last-minute. “I can.”
“Oh good! Everyone will be here. I’m so excited!”
“Sounds good.”
