Mack shakes his head, reaching gingerly for a Boston cream, and I have to stifle my giggle.
Of course this asshole would go for the cream filled one. What are the fucking odds?
My giggle ceases because as he extends his hand to grab his donut, his cufflinks catch the light, glittering like stars in the night sky.
He wore them.
Regardless of what he says, or his bitterness towards me, his insistence that I forget about what happened between us, he fucking wore them. And that itself is a victory. But that victory is short-lived as he tearsinto his cream filled donut with a deep groan that goes straight to my cock.
Fucking hell.
I watch as he licks the cream off his lips, noting some of it spreads past the corner of his mouth. I swear he’s doing it on purpose.
I clear my throat. “You, uh, made a little bit of a mess,” I say with a smirk.
“Huh?”
I don’t think twice as I reach out, swiping the smallest bit of cream from the side of his mouth.
His gaze shifts to something harsh and sharp as he shoves my arm away.
“Fuck off with that shit,” he says, but his words are weak. Just like that morning he told me I wouldn’t like the outcome if I pushed too hard. If I didn’tforget.
I make a show of slipping my finger into my mouth, slowly wrapping my tongue around it as his gaze burns into me. I swear his eyes heat just a fraction, but I can work with that.
“There, all clean,” I say with a grin before I take another sip of my coffee. “So, Cameron?” I change the subject, knowing I can only push Mack in small increments. If I go too hard, too fast, he’ll run away, but he’ll tolerate small amounts. And hopefully, those small amounts will eventually grow and grow until he can’t resist my charm.
“What about him?” Mack asks, shoving the last bit of donut into his mouth.
“If he doesn’t show up today?”
“He’ll be here. Austen said he would.”
I purse my lips. “I know that, but in case he doesn’t…”
I sigh, pulling out the box with the rings, feeling a strange swell in my chest. I look at the simple black box in my hand as my heart races.
I look up at Mack and panic hits me. The box in my hand, the sight of him looking fine as hell in his suit…
I must’ve committed some serious sins in a past life to get this kind of torture.
I hold the box out to him. “I think it should be you. If he doesn’t show up, I mean.”
Mack stares at the box like it’s made of fire, his face pale.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” he barks.
“If something happens—”“Nothing’s going to happen, Alex,” he says, reaching for another donut. This one is glazed.I’ll give him something glazed.“And if it does, you’re his brother.Youshould be the one to hold onto… those.”
“Yeah, but I’m not close with him like you are,” I argue, and the minute I say the words, all victories disappear because it’s a truth I’ve never said out loud before.
“I’m not—” Mack stares at the box, then flashes his gaze to me. “Fine,” he says, swiping thebox from my hand. “But only because you’re pissing me off right now—as usual.” He grabs an iced coffee, shoving the box into his pocket and heading towards the door, only to be met by Austen. He stops dead in his tracks.
“You good?” Jordan asks. I hear the sincerity in his voice as he speaks to my brother. Austen smiles, but it’s fake as shit.
“Yeah. I’m great.” I watch as he feigns excitement. “I’m getting married today; what could be better?”
I lean against the island, eating the rest of my donut as I watch their exchange.
