I shake my head helplessly. “Play it by ear?”
I pick up Danger and stand up, not surprised when he follows me. I aim directly for the surf, walking into the cold of the water. It’s bracing; it’s cleansing. It’s like reality returns, and I remember what is important.
I long to swim out until my feet can’t touch the bottom and the waves buffet me around, but now is not the time.
“I don’t want to leave,” I murmur.
“So stay.”
“I don’t fit in here. I never have.”
He starts laughing, huge belly rolls that amuse me as much as they annoy me.
“You’re my secret, the rebel wild child, Sofia Sol, one of the Sunshine Omegas. What do you mean you don’t fit in here?” he laughs as if what I’m saying is outrageous, but I’ve changed; everything has changed.
I can’t tell him why.
I stomp away from him, but he pulls me to a stop. I yank my arm free and turn away, but he cuts me off every time I try to go around him.
“Get out of my way,” I growl.
Mack and his stupid smile don’t go anywhere; he just leans in and suddenly kisses me. I freeze, holding motionless because Mack is kissing me. What is happening right now? His scent of warm concrete, rain, and cinnamon assaults me, and I lose my will to stop him; my anger seeps away as my fingers of my free hand curl into his shirt, pulling him closer.
I forget myself, lost in his taste, smell, touch. The way his tongue pushes into my mouth feels so right. He shuffles closer and murmurs something about mangoes. His fingers slip through my hair and cup the back of my head.
He pulls back, and his lips brush mine again, but that breaks me out of my frozen state. I moan and press my lips to his, leaning up into him as much as I can with the pup in my arms.
I can feel the Earth turning while we kiss. The sheer magnetic pull of him is impossible to resist. The surf sucks at our legs, splashing up to my knees, but I just shuffle closer to the huge alpha.
Mack pulls back with a smile. “It was worth the wait.”
I blink at him as he turns and starts walking. Leaving. Why is he leaving?
“The lighthouse is still there,” I say quickly, stalling for conversation as I hurry to catch up.
He looks at me with one eyebrow raised, like he’s laughing at me. “Yeah, it is.”
“Who owns it now?”
“HEY!”
Mack turns with a curse but lifts me up and spins us around. Cordie falls to her knees in the surf.
“Mack! You dick!”
My mouth gets dry as I stare at his profile. That was amazing. He moved so fast. Cordie would have had no problems slamming me into the surf.
Asher and Felix run on the beach towards us. Asher twirls around and around, a beer in her hand. I know that version of her.
“Come on!”
Mack sets me on my feet.
“Let’s go, Sunshine,” Cordie says and goes to where she dropped an enormous bag. “The crew is gathering.”
I take Mack’s hand with my free one and pull him along. “Come on, Mack. If I have to go, so do you.”
People are making their way down to the beach carrying coolers, chairs, towels, and booze. These random parties are for anyone in Sunshine. It’s just the beach, food, people, and a good time. All the shops shut so everyone can enjoy a break.
