Page 71 of The Devastation You Reap

"Leon?" she whispers, making me realize that I've been standing here silently for a few seconds too long.

"Shit, I—" Reaching up I rub the back of my neck feeling all kinds of things I know I shouldn't be right now. "You look… wow."

"Yeah?" A shy smile pulls at her lips as she reaches up to fiddle with a loose lock of her hair.

"Yeah." My heart pounds in my chest, my cock hard and ready from just one look at her. "Maybe we shouldn't go out," I say, taking a step toward her and sucking in a deep breath filled with her coconut scent.

"Oh?" A little disappointment slips into her tone.

"Yeah, I'm not sure I want any other men looking at you like that. Not when you're mine."

"Y-yours?" she stutters.

"Yeah, Red," I say, lacing my arm around her back and pulling her into my body, allowing her to feel exactly what she does to me.

She gasps as I hold her tight and drop my lips to her ears.

"Mine," I breathe, making her shudder in my hold. "You look breathtaking," I confess, dropping my lips to her neck and nibbling on the soft skin making her tremble with desire.

"T-thank you," she breathes.

My breath catches in my throat when I pull back and look into her darkening eyes.

Movement over her shoulder catches my attention and when I look up, I find Charlie leaning back against the kitchen counter watching us curiously.

I nod in greeting, wondering what the hell I was thinking coming back here last weekend. She really, really isn't my type.

"Have fun kids," she says with a genuine smile. "I won't wait up." She winks before pushing from the side and disappearing down toward her room.

"So where are we going?"

"Just a little place I know."

"What about the party? Is it a team one or…"

"It's just some friends."

"Okay," she says without a second thought and laces her fingers through mine when I reach for her.

Macie chats away about her day in the mall before telling me about Charlie helping to get her ready and her confusion over the fact she was willing to do so knowing that she was going on a date with me.

I soak up every word, noting her vulnerability and lack of confidence in her friend. I mean, I get it. Macie and Charlie are like polar opposites, and Macie and I met when I was seconds away from sinking balls deep into Charlie so I understand why it would be weird, but equally, I'm glad she's got the support. Something tells me that in a few weeks she's probably going to need it.

"We're eating here?" Macie asks as I lead her to a small Italian restaurant that sits on a quiet street on the other side of town.

"Yeah, you like Italian right?"

"Of course, who doesn't? It's so cute."

"I thought you'd like it." I hate that those words are true. This was the first place I thought of when I mentioned dinner. I could just picture her sitting in this small family restaurant enjoying Antonio's homemade pasta.

"I love it. The food smells incredible."

"It is. Best Italian in the state."

"Oh, I don't know about that," Gianna, Antonio's wife says, coming over to greet us. "We haven’t seen you for a while." Her soft smile is infectious.

"Things have been a little crazy but I knew I couldn't take my girl anywhere else."