Page 16 of Mac (Demented Souls #7)

M ac followed her into the house, watching the hem of her little sun dress, wishing he could lift it and see what she wore beneath it.

If it was anything like the fantasy, he'd been letting run through is head for the last ten minutes, it was nothing.

The idea wouldn't leave him alone and teased through his mind until his jeans were tight, and he wished he hadn't even thought of it.

"Want some coffee?" she asked as they entered the kitchen. "Have a seat." Elyse waved toward the table.

"Coffee would be amazing." He sat and watched her move around the room.

Her light weigh dress spun and flared around her legs, making him want to run his hand up them and see if they were as smooth and soft as they looked.

She kept a running chatter as she moved around the room, pulling things from the fridge and out of cabinets.

"You like it black, right?" Elyse set a full mug in front of him after a few minutes, having used one of those fancy single cup coffee makers to make it. Mac had considered one of those but decided he drank too much coffee to be bothered to make more every time he wanted a refill.

"I do." He waited until she'd gone back to the stove before picking up the cup and taking a drink. He glanced at the cup and took a second drink. Maybe he'd get one of those fancy pots after all. This was pretty good. Or maybe it was something about the company that made it taste better.

Mac had made it half-way through the coffee when Elyse set a plate in front of him and a bottle of syrup on the table.

"Dig in."

He glanced at the plate then at her. "Where's yours?"

"Not quite done yet but eat yours while it's hot."

"I'll wait. Thanks." There was no way he was going to let her cook for him, and not wait until she could eat with him. What was the point in coming over here if he didn't get to eat with her?

"You sure? I don't mind, really." She went back to the stove where she flipped the slices still in the skillet.

"I do. I'll wait until you're done and can join me."

"Have it your way." She shook her head then finished cooking and turned off the stove. When she brought her plate to the table and sat across from him, Mac waited for her to use the syrup then added some to his plate and picked up his fork.

Flavor exploded in his mouth, making him close his eyes for just a moment. He was instantly reminded of Ma's French toast. He'd never had anyone's who tasted so much like hers.

For a moment, he saw her sitting across the table, watching him with the familiar smile he hadn't seen in more than twenty years.

He felt tears prickle his eyes and took a deep breath and found it had to be forced past an uncomfortable lump in his throat.

His ears rang and Mac had to set down his fork and focus on his breathing. In and out.

"Are you okay?" Elyse's voice sounded like it was far away.

Mac forced himself to nod. He took a deep breath and forced himself to breathe slowly. When he'd regained his composure, he took a breath and blew it out before picking up his fork once more.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Elyse was watching him, carefully.

"I'm all right." He forced himself to smile to reassure her.

"This is really good. I just wasn't prepared for how good it is, how much like my ma's French toast this is.

It's been a really long time since I've tasted anything like this.

" Mac took another bite, but this time he was prepared for the taste and it didn't send the same wave of overwhelming emotion that he'd just suffered.

He was able to enjoy it without having to stop like he had before.

"I might have to get you to teach me to make this too.

It's really good." He finished eating without saying much more.

"You cook?" Her brows lifted in surprise.

"I can. It's not my favorite thing, but eventually you get tired of eating out." Mac lifted one shoulder as he lifted his gaze to Elyse. "I do okay, but I'm no five-star chef."

"I'd be happy to show you. It's not difficult."

Mac stood, picking up his plate and taking it to the sink.

"Would you like more?"

He would, but he didn't want to ask or admit how much he wanted more. He could wait until she had time to teach him.

"I'm good. Thank you though." The last thing he needed was to have another attack of memory, he didn't need her to see him in the middle of a moment of weakness like that.

He drained the last of the coffee from his mug and set it in the sink with the other dishes.

"You want me to help with these?" He looked back to where Elyse still sat, watching him.

"No, I'll take care of them. You sure you don't want some more? I can toss a few more slices in the pan, it's no big deal."

"No, I'm good. Thank you though. It was really good and like I said, I'd love if you'd teach me to make it."

"Sure, no problem. I'll write down the recipe." Elyse stood and went into another room, coming back a few moments later with a pen and note card in hand. "This won't take me but a minute." She sat in her chair and bent over the task.

Mac found himself watching her, his mind drifting. He wondered what her hair would smell like. He knew if he kissed her now, she'd taste like cinnamon and syrup, but somehow that thought only made him want to kiss her more.

"Here you are." Elyse extended one hand in his direction. It held the 3 x 5 card she'd retrieved from the other room, only now it was covered in a small, neat print.

Mac accepted the card, scanned it and noticed it called for half and half instead of milk, but nothing else he'd have to buy special for the meal.

That wasn't so bad. If he started keeping half and half, he could make it any time.

As long as it hadn't been opened, the milk product lasted a long time, but it wouldn't last that long, he knew, not for a long while.

"Thank you." He tucked the card into the interior pocket of his vest. "What are you doing today?

" Mac decided in that moment that since the club didn't need him, he was going to take a ride.

Normally he and his brothers rode together, or at least in pairs, but once in a while they all went out on their own.

Usually when someone wanted to clear his mind or to have a little peace.

"Not much. I've got the day off and I thought I'd take a lazy day around here. Why?" She glanced up at him, an interested light in her eyes.

"I was thinking about taking a ride." He glanced at her and wondered. "You want to go with me?"

"What kind of ride?" She looked confused. "Where are you going?"

"No plan. That's part of the attraction. I just get on the bike and go where the wind takes me."

"But why?" She frowned.

Mac chuckled and spoke with a slow shake of his head. "The freedom. The wind in your face, the rumble of the bike under you." He glanced over at her. "I guess it's not something most people would understand."

"I don't really, but I'm willing to learn. If you might be willing to show me the draw." Her lips were rolled inward as she bit them, and her eyebrows raised.

"That's why I brought it up. I thought you might like to go along for the ride. Fair warning though, I don't know how long I'll be out, it might be most of the day, or even after dark before we get back."

Elyse lifted one shoulder. "It's not like I've got anything here waiting on me. Watering was the last of my chores around here. I've got nothing needing my attention until I'm due at work tomorrow morning."

Hope soared in Mac's chest. He liked the idea of Elyse on the back of his bike, feeling her pressed against him as they sped through the desert.

"I'd love to have you along, if you think you're up for it."

She tilted her head and watched him a moment. "Why wouldn't I be up to it?"

"It's a long time on the bike, and if you're not used to it, you'll end up sore. And it's out in the sunshine. So you'll need long sleeves and long pants, or you'll be sunburned."

"I hadn't thought about that, but I'll change so I'm better prepared, if you're still willing to take me along?"

Mac smiled, thinking of having her riding along as he rode. "I'm still willing."

"When do you want to leave?" She went to the sink and started on the dishes.

"How soon can you be ready?" He thought about what he wanted to do before they pulled out and figured it would take her longer.

"Half an hour?" Her voice didn't carry confidence and Mac got the impression she was asking more than telling him.

"I can do half an hour." And he could, but he didn't think she would be ready that quickly. He would do the few things he needed to do, and be ready when she'd said she could be, but wouldn't be surprised if it took her longer. "I'll go over to my place and get ready, see you in half an hour?"

"I'll see you then." She nodded at him but didn't walk him out. Instead she kept working on the dishes, as if trying to get them done so she could move on to changing clothes and be ready on time.

Mac let himself out and crossed the yard to his own house, then let himself inside. It didn't take him but a few minutes to fill the canteens he put in his saddle bags for long rides and put them in place. Then he gathered both helmets and made sure he had everything ready to go.

The doorbell startled him as he came back in from the garage. Wondering who it could be, he went to the door and checked the peep hole. He pulled his head back and felt his eyes go wide as he spotted Elyse on the doorstep. He hurried to open the door.

"That was fast, you got everything you need?"

"I think so," she stuck out one leg, "jeans and long sleeves, like you said. And the boots like you told to wear last time."

He looked her up and down. "Do you have a jacket? Leather would be best but denim or even cotton would work too."

"I have a leather jacket." She made a face. "I'll go get it."

"Sounds good. I'll back the bike out and meet you in the driveway.

" He watched as she made her way across the space between the two houses, her ass swinging in a way that made Mac's jeans tighter than they had any right to be, then closed the doorand went back through the house to the garage to back the bike out.

Mac had just hit the button on his handlebars to close the garage door and watched the door slowly slide downward when a movement from the corner of his eye drew his attention. He turned to find Elyse approaching, leather jacket in hand.

"Do I need to wear it? Or can we just take it?" The tone of her voice told him she didn't like the idea of wearing it.

"It's safer to wear." Mac shrugged. "I never intend to lay a bike down, but it happens once in a while. When it does, you'll be glad to have a layer of tough leather between your skin and the pavement." He ran one finger along the smooth surface of her coat. "Same reason you wear a helmet."

Elyse sighed. "Very well." She shrugged into the jacket without another complaint, then reached out for her helmet.

He handed it over from where it sat in his lap on the gas tank of the motorcycle, and watched as she settled it into place, and latched it.

When she finished, she gave him a questioning look, asking without words if she met inspection.

Mac thought she looked better than she had any right to, and far more beautiful than Mac deserved.

Still if she was fool enough to want him anywhere near as much as he wanted her, he wasn't going to do anything to discourage her.

"You look great, climb on."

Elyse's eyes went wide as his voice was carried through the headset he'd turned on in the helmets before he'd put his own on. "I can hear you!"

"The headsets make long rides easier. I'm not much for them for short rides, but they're nice for long ones.

" He waited while she climbed on behind him, then checked to make sure her legs weren't touching the pipes where she'd end up burned sooner rather than later.

That done, he finished backing out of the drive and pulled out onto the road.

He was looking forward to the ride ahead more than he'd thought possible, and that was given how much he loved to ride.