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Chapter Twenty-Nine

FALLON

It was the morning of the book signing, and I woke up early so I could get to the bookstore and help Drea get everything set up.

I was in the middle of heading out the door when my phone rang. I didn’t recognize the number calling me, but I hesitantly picked it up anyway. “Hello?”

“Hey, Fallon, this is Cara,” a cheery voice on the other end said.

Cara? Why the hell was she calling, and how did she get my number? “Oh, um, hey, Cara.”

“I’m sorry, I know this is so random, but Drea gave me your number.”

I scowled. Of course she did. “Did she now? Well, how are you?”

“I’m good, I’m good. Actually, I was calling because I wanted to see if you might want to go out sometime soon. I know I asked you at your party, but I was drunk, so I didn’t expect you to take it seriously. I just wanted to ask you properly.”

I was grabbing my keys from the table by the front door when I paused. She was serious about going out? Should I tell Kenzie?

Mackenzie and I were not together, therefore I had nothing to tell her unless she asked, right? We were allowed to do our own things as long as we were being smart about it.

We agreed to keep things casual between us. I wanted to keep things casual, so no one got hurt. More specifically, so I didn’t get hurt.

“Sure, Cara, that sounds great. I gotta go, but call me later and we’ll work out the details?” We said goodbye, and I ran out the door, heading down to the bookstore.

Drea was running around like crazy when I finally made it. “Drea, relax. Everything will be fine,” I said in a soothing tone. “Everything is set up, and ready to go. Kaia and I are here to help, and Kenzie will be here later, so don’t worry!”

“I know, I know. I can’t thank you enough for your help, love. Also, I’m happy you invited her, but she’s ‘Kenzie’ now? Is there something I need to know?”

I groaned. “Drea, we have more important things to worry about. Do you really want to talk about my sex life right now?”

“You have a sex life now?!” she screamed.

“Drea!” I hissed.

I looked around, horrified as the customers around the store froze to stare at us. I gave them a polite wave and turned five different shades of red.

She winced and lowered her voice. “And you’re the one who said to relax. I’m just trying to listen to your advice.”

I laughed. “Yeah, okay.”

“So?” she pressed.

I sighed. “So, what? There’s nothing to tell. We’re friends, that’s all.” She looked at me with a skeptical glare. “Let it go, Dre, there’s nothing to tell, don’t you have something else to stress about?” I grinned.

“Bitch, we will be discussing this later! But yes, I really do.” I laughed as she headed to talk with Francesca who just walked in.

Kaia came up to the table where I was unboxing the books. “Do you think she’ll ever relax?” I asked her.

She laughed. “Probably not. One bad apple and she thinks the whole basket is poisoned. I don’t understand their issues with each other. Blair is always so nice to me when she comes in.”

“I know, me too. I don’t get it, but I hate how it always leaves Drea on edge for a few weeks. I’ll never understand why she keeps agreeing to do them. Maybe for business?” I shrugged.

She started helping me set up the table when Drea and Francesca walked over.

“Thank you so much for coming in, Francesca. I think it’s going to be a great turnout.” I smiled.

“Oh, thank you for having me. I hope so. I’m always nervous about these things, but the book seems to be doing really well.”

“I totally agree. It’ll be great, and everyone loves the book.” Drea beamed.

I had been standing next to a table, waving people over for a good forty-five minutes, and I was already ready to go home. I was just about to switch places with Kaia, who was at the counter checking people out, when I heard Drea’s voice.

“Hey, Mackenzie!” Drea yelled. I turned around to see her walk in, looking absolutely insane. She wore my favorite olive green button-down, leaving the top three buttons undone to show off her exceptional cleavage. The shirt was tucked into a pair of tight black jeans that hugged her perfectly, and she paired it with tan ankle boots. I really wished she would stop looking so damn good!

“Hey, Drea. The place looks great.” She smiled and waved before her eyes found mine, and her grin widened.

I returned the smile and went back to work, trying to gather myself before she came over. She walked up to me, standing there with an iced coffee and a pastry bag that most likely had banana bread inside.

“When I have a heart attack from all the coffee you bring me, I’m sending you my hospital bill.” I nudged her with a smirk, taking the coffee anyway.

“I’ll gladly give you CPR, especially mouth to mouth.” She winked and kissed my forehead.

There was just something about forehead kisses that made my stomach swim—especially from her. That one little gesture had a way of making me feel like I was all that mattered. Safe. Secure. And even though I knew I shouldn’t have felt that way, it didn’t stop the feeling from surfacing.

“I’m sure you would. Thanks, Wildcat. I really needed this.”

“You’re welcome. The turnout looks pretty good.”

I was unboxing copies of the books to be signed when she came to stand next to me.

“Yeah, not bad. I think we had about twenty-five people show up.”

“That’s a decent amount. Has Drea been making you work hard?” she asked. Her fingers delicately grazed mine before she intertwined our hands together.

Just feeling her hand against mine was making my stomach knot. A small smile appeared on my face when she started caressing my hand with her thumb.

I chuckled. “Not really, just waving people over when it’s their turn. I’ve been doing some riveting stuff over here.”

“Well, you look good doing it.” I felt a light squeeze of my hand, and I returned the gesture, wanting to stay connected like that for as long as I could.

I was wearing a basic floral mini dress with black flats. I smiled and accepted the compliment. “Thanks. You look good, too, but I would appreciate it if you could dress like a slob for one day in your life. It’s kind of annoying, to be honest, that you always look so damn good.”

She turned her head and grinned. “I’m sorry, I’ll try harder next time.”

“So, I was thinking, when I’m done here, maybe we could go grab a bite? I haven’t eaten all day, and I’m starving.” She released my hand, and I looked down at the emptiness.

“Well, I can’t stay long, actually,” she said, pausing before continuing. “I just wanted to pop in to see you and help out if I can, but… I have a date.” She said it almost as if she were afraid to.

I tensed and locked my eyes with hers. “Oh, you do?”

“Yeah.” She didn’t elaborate, and I wasn’t sure I really wanted to know.

She quickly looked away, and I felt like I wanted to be anywhere else.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, I couldn’t take it anymore, and I cleared my throat. “Okay, well, have?—”

“Shit. Hey, love?” Drea cut in.

“Yeah, Dre?” I whipped my body toward her, relieved for the interruption.

“Can you go to the back for more receipt paper and sharpies? We’re almost out.”

“Yeah, of course!” I shouted.

I let out a breath of relief, turning back to Mackenzie. “I gotta go, but enjoy your date.” I gave her a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes fully.

“Oh, okay. I’ll see you later?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said, and walked away, trying to ignore the nauseous feeling in my stomach.

She was going on a date? With who? What were they doing? Had they gone out before? I had so many questions... but little desire to hear the answers.

The thought of her touching anyone else made my skin itch. I knew it shouldn’t have. This was what I wanted, right?

Still, wanting it and actually living it were two different things, and I wasn’t sure I was as okay with the living part as I thought I would be.

Maybe going out with Cara would be a good thing. It seemed Mackenzie was taking advantage of dating other people, so maybe I should, too.

“I really like the view from back here.”

I dropped the box of markers and turned around to find Mackenzie grinning at me with her arms crossed, that beautiful smile on full display. She was annoyingly gorgeous.

“Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” She laughed.

“Jesus, what are you doing here?” I asked, scowling as I waited for my heart rate to return to normal.

“You invited me, remember?” She smiled.

I narrowed my brows at her. “What are you doing back here , Mackenzie?”

“You’ve been back here for a while, so I asked Drea if I could help.”

“I thought you left for your date?” I asked, picking up the markers, trying to keep my hands busy and my eyes anywhere else.

“Not yet. I have some time.”

Well, good for you! I’m relieved you had time to fit my peasant ass into your busy schedule of going out and finding someone else to fuck in your bed.

“Oh, well, I’m fine.” I turned back to the shelf, pretending everything was perfectly normal.

“Fallon, are you upset about something?” she asked. Hell yeah, I was upset! Although, I shouldn’t have been.

I snorted. “What? Why would I be upset?”

“I don’t know, you just seemed a little tense when I mentioned my date. I just wanted to be honest.”

“You’re the one who pulled away, but thanks for being honest. I’m not upset—I’m fine.”

“Okay…” If she didn’t believe me, she didn’t show it. She started walking toward me. “So, how can I help?”

“Mackenzie, go, enjoy your date. I’m fine back here,” I said dryly.

“I have time. Let me help, Fallon.” Her tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. That voice always got me to do whatever she asked.

I sighed. “I can’t reach the box of receipt paper, up there on the shelf, next to the cleaner.”

“Here,” she said, putting her hands on my waist and slowly moving me to the side. Her touch was more than I could physically handle. It felt like a thousand tiny suns burning into my skin. “Let me help.”

Her words were soft spoken, and I only hoped she couldn’t hear my breath catch. If only she knew what she did to me. The walls of the back room were inching closer and closer, making my breathing uneven.

She got the box off the shelf and put it on the floor next to us. “Have I told you how beautiful you look today?”

“Mackenzie, please. Don’t—” The words barely left my mouth before she grabbed me, pulling me close in one swift motion that stole my breath away.

“Jesus. You know what that does to me.” The words came out breathlessly.

“Why do you think I keep doing it?” She grinned. “It gets you to stop talking so I can kiss you.” She put her hand on my cheek and slid her thumb across my bottom lip. I didn’t have time to resist before her lips met mine, and just like that, all thoughts disappeared.

But, if I was being honest, I couldn’t have resisted anyway. I could fight it all day, but the moment her lips touched mine, I was completely gone.

I felt her desire for me with every breath, every touch of her lips against mine. It was sensual and caring, yet passionate and filled with so much need, like it was the last kiss we’d ever share.

She backed me into the shelf, causing the cleaners to fall off and roll onto the floor. My squeal was muffled by the press of her lips. I could only hope the noises out in the bookstore drowned out the ones back here because, with Mackenzie, it was never quiet.

She turned us, walking me backward until a chair hit the back of my knees. The kiss broke as she sat me down.

By that point, I was pretty sure the air from my lungs was lying on the floor with the bottles of cleaner as we stared at each other in silence.

After a quick, heated moment, our mouths crashed together again—tongues tangled, hands pulling at hair. It was primal, and holy shit, it was hot.

When she broke the kiss again, she moved down to my neck, biting and sucking on my collarbone as her name came out in a moan.

Her lips were still on my neck as her hand slipped under my dress, cupping one of my breasts.

She lightly flicked my nipple piercing, causing a gasp to be released. “Shit,” I whispered, “do you know what you do to me?”

She looked at me and grinned. “I think I have a pretty good idea.”

Her hands fell down to the hem of my dress and she lifted it up to my waist, baring myself to her.

I enjoyed the smile that played on her lips when she saw I wasn’t wearing underwear. I told myself it was because I didn’t want underwear lines, but I think we both knew the real reason.

She kissed my thighs apart, and I threw my head back. “You. Are so. Beautiful,” she said between kisses.

“You always say that.” I let out a breathy laugh.

“And, it’s always true.”

She started kissing and licking the crease between my thighs and aching center, and I arched slightly, tangling her hair in between my fingers, desperate to feel her mouth on me.

“You’re so needy, baby girl.” Her voice was soft, and the way she said “baby girl” almost ended me every time—primal, filled with so much need and desire.

“For you? Always,” I moaned. Somehow, she always got me to be so vulnerable and honest during sex. Outside of this, I would never have admitted that so willingly.

She swirled my throbbing clit with her tongue, and I gasped, needing so much more. “Fuck me,” I panted. “Please, Kenzie. I need you.”

“Anything for you, sweetheart.” This woman was going to be the death of me…

She inched two fingers deep inside me, and I let out an embarrassingly feral moan. I swear I could’ve died in that moment. The way she looked at me, the way she touched me… I never wanted it to end. That moment was the only thing that mattered.

She finger and tongue-fucked me into pure ecstasy, and it felt as if I was on the edge of unconsciousness.

When she lightly nipped my sensitive clit with her teeth, and curled her fingers to hit that perfect spot simultaneously, I knew it was only a matter of time before I shattered into nothing. I could feel my orgasm building and building. I was seconds away from?—

“Oh my God!”

My heart stopped briefly, before trying to leap out of my body.

I tensed and quickly stood up, adjusting myself. Mackenzie, though, didn’t seem to be in any rush—she stood calmly, not freaking out at all.

A horrified expression crept across my face, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. “Drea! Uh… Mackenzie was just helping me with the boxes.” I could barely get the words out.

“Clean this up, and then get the fuck out of my store!” Her eyes were dead set on mine before she turned and walked out of the room.

Drea and I bickered like siblings all the time, but she’d never gone as far as kicking me out of her store. I needed to fix things.

“Oh my God!” I slouched onto the floor covering my face with horror, while Mackenzie just stood there, chuckling.