Mack stopped and wrapped both arms around her, simply holding her close. Awareness shot through her. He was so tough and appealing to her.
“Thank you for letting me be with you this weekend,” Mack said.
Sariah tilted her head up to look into his blue eyes. “Thanks for tracking me to the ends of the earth.”
He chuckled. “I would’ve, you know?”
She bit at her lip. “So now that you’ve found me, and gotten to know me a little bit, was it worth it to be more persistent than Colonel Sanders?”
“Colonel Sanders?” His brow wrinkled.
“He was rejected by 1009 restaurants before one agreed to his ideas.”
Mack’s throaty chuckle made her silliness all worth it, but then his gaze deepened. “You could reject me 1009 times and I’d keep coming back.”
Sariah’s heart leapt. The man for her would have to be persistent, but would Mack truly be that persistent? “So all your effort to find me was worth it?” she asked again.
“I don’t know yet.” There was a teasing glint in his blue eyes.
“Aw!” Sariah tried to pull back out of his arms but he held her tight. “So, when are you going to know?”
“After you kiss me.”
The words were said bravely but Sariah could tell they hadn’t rolled off his tongue. “How long have you been planning that line?” she asked.
“Since the first time I saw you.”
His blue gaze seared through her as he pulled her onto her tiptoes and bent down close. Sariah’s breath was coming in short pants and the cool spring air was suddenly blazing hot. She wrapped her hands around his broad shoulders, reveling in the muscle underneath her fingertips.
“What are you waiting for then?” she asked, her voice shaky.
Mack grinned slightly. “Our audience to disappear.” He tilted his head toward the front of her house. Through the Jeep’s windows her siblings pressed against the living room window were quite a sight.
Sariah sighed, knowing they wouldn’t be going away any time soon.
Mack chuckled, swept her off her feet and cradled her against his chest. Sariah gasped for air, clinging to his neck for stability.
“This isn’t going to get them to go away.”
“No,” he agreed, “But this will make it so they can’t see us.” With her still in his arms he knelt on the gravel drive and then spun around onto his rear and leaned against the vehicle.
Sariah leaned into him. “You’ll ruin your suit.”
“I have other suits.” He focused on her lips and murmured, “But this is the first time I’ve gotten brave enough to kiss Sariah Udy.”
Sariah could hardly think straight, let alone catch a breath. He smelled like his delicious sandalwood cologne and he looked even better. She ran her fingers up his neck and entangled them in his short curls. “Well then, you’d better not miss it.”
Mack smiled and his lips finally met hers. Warmth and joy rushed through her as he tenderly kissed her. There was nothing demanding about this kiss, it was as if he was savoring the connection rather than trying to passionately claim her, but there was still plenty of passion and sparks swirling between them. Mack’s hands were safely around her waist so she didn’t have to worry about him touching her neck or scars.
The kiss wasn’t long, but it still overwhelmed her senses. Mack tasted like her mom’s blueberry cobbler, his lips were soft and warm, and his body was hard and surrounded hers as if he would not only keep her warm, but protect her from every future harm or worry.
He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers. No words were needed between them and for once Sariah didn’t want to give a smart-alecky quip. She simply wanted to stare into Mack’s blue eyes and have his muscular arms hold her close.
The front door opened and his head swiveled toward the sound. Josh came around the back of the vehicle. “What are you two doing?” he demanded.
Mack chuckled and Sariah buried her head in his chest. He lifted her onto her feet and stood quickly beside her. “I’m just telling your sister goodbye.”
Josh’s eyebrows lifted. “Well, don’t do it on the ground.” He looked at Sariah. “Mom and Dad wondered if you were okay and asked me to come check.” His eyes widened, “But I wasn’t supposed to tell you that.”
Smart. Send the innocent little boy to check on them. “I’m good.” She looked up at Mack. “I’m as good as Mom’s blueberry cobbler.”
Mack’s gaze was full of her. “You taste better,” he whispered.
“That’s weird,” Josh said.
“I’m coming in now,” Sariah said, though she didn’t want to let Mack leave. This weekend had been magical for her and she wanted it to continue.
“Bye, Mr. Quinn, sir.”
“Uh-uh, you said you’d call me Mack.”
Josh’s dark eyes filled with a mischievous light. “I said if you brought Kaleb Quinn to meet me, I’d call you Mack.”
“Josh!” Sariah shook her head. “Stop being so conniving.” She looked up at Mack. “You know what the baby of the family is like.”
Mack simply smiled. “I know all about being the youngest.” He moved quick, darting to Josh, picking him off the ground, and tossing him in the air like he was a baby.
Josh howled with delight. When Mack caught him, he gave him a quick squeeze and said, “We’ll see what we can do about you meeting Kaleb. Can you please call me Mack?”
“Yes, sir, Mack sir.”
Mack chuckled at him and then set him on the ground. “I’ll see you soon, bud.”
“Bye, Mack.” Josh ran back into the house, slamming the door behind him.
Sariah checked and everybody was still unfortunately pressed against the window. She focused back on Mack.
“I guess I’d better go before they send somebody else to check on us.” He smiled but he also pulled open the driver’s side door. She didn’t want him to go. She wanted to spend every minute with him. She had vacation days from school she’d never used. What if … No. She wasn’t brave enough to suggest she take days off school so she could stay with him twenty-four hours.
“Mack.”
He glanced over at her. “Yeah?”
“Am I going to see you again?”
He gave her a slow grin. “You thought you were getting rid of me that easily?”
She bit at her lip. “Not if I’m a lucky duck.”
He lifted his right hand and brushed his fingers down the left side of her face. “I’ve worked far too hard to find you, Sariah Udy. No way I’m giving up now.”
“So, it’s all about the pursuit. Not that you really want to be with the most hilarious woman I know.” She put her hands on her hips, hoping he didn’t realize she was also the most insecure woman she knew.
Mack chuckled. “You are hilarious and this has nothing to do with the pursuit. It’s all about me wanting to be with you.” He bent forward and gently kissed her then he pulled back and said, “You have my number?”
She nodded. Teresa and Allie had made sure of that.
“Will you text me, please?”
“I’ll flip a coin. You want heads or tails?”
He grinned. “No coins. I can’t leave this one to chance.”
“Life’s a gamble.” She shrugged innocently.
He stepped closer, his strong body brushing hers. “If you don’t text me, I’ll be waiting at the school Saturday at six o’clock.”
“If I do reveal the rock star I am and text you, you’d better be waiting at the school every day at six o’clock.”
“Every day spent with Sariah Udy.” He groaned, wrapped his hands around her lower back, and pulled her in close. “You have no idea how much I want to do that,” he murmured against her left cheek.
“Then why don’t you?” She was being all kinds of brave. What if she chased him away? She had no clue how relationships worked.
He looked down at her, so serious it scared her a little bit. “Sariah,” he said gently. “We both
know there’s something you’re not telling me.” His eyes flickered to the right side of her face and neck and back up.
Her chest tightened and terror rushed through her as all desire to tease with him splashed out like Josh had dropped another milk jug. It was not only going to make a mess it was going to curdle and reek. He wanted to see her scars, know what happened to her. Did she tell him about Tyler too? Was she ready for any of that? What if Mack saw her deformity, left her, and never returned?
“I don’t want you to tell me until you’re comfortable with me, until you know you can trust me.”
Sariah gulped, her worries changing to surprise. He was letting her off the hook. Asking her to learn to trust him. She didn’t know if she could ever trust a man, after what Tyler had done to her.
“I want to take this slow, and if I’m waiting at the school for you every day …” He shook his head. “I’ll push ahead too fast and maybe scare you away.”
Sariah buried the left side of her face against his chest. Could it be possible he was really this perfect for her? He wanted to take it slow. He wanted her to trust him.
“Thank you,” she managed to squeak out. Pulling back from his embrace, she gave him a watery smile, praying she wouldn’t break down in front of him. “You’d better go catch that plane.”
He nodded. “I’ll see you Saturday.”
“I’ll be texting you before then.”
He grinned, climbed into his vehicle, and shut the door. Sariah stepped back. He slowly reversed and with one last wave, he pulled away from the house. She watched him drive around the park and then up the road before he disappeared from sight.
“You okay?”
Sariah jumped. She whirled to see her entire family standing there. Lily was watching her with understanding but worry in her eyes.
“I’m better than the Patriots on the football field,” she said, nodding vigorously. “So … what did you think of Mack?” She had to turn the attention away from herself. She was still close to tears, but it was because Mack was so great, not because he’d made her sad. Yet the fear of being destroyed emotionally was there as well.
“He’s the best!” Josh yelled.
“Hey.” Hyde lifted his hands, palms up. “I thought I was the best.”
“Oh! Sorry, Hyde.” Josh grinned. “You’re the best best, but Mack is definitely the second best.”
“Whew. I thought I got replaced for a minute.”
Everyone laughed.
“He seems like a really nice guy,” Sariah’s mom said.
Her dad nodded. “Not sure we can handle any more famous, burly football players in the family though.” He inclined his chin to Hyde.
Hyde smiled. “Yeah, I think I need to be the only one.”
Sariah rolled her eyes. “You all need to relax. We’ve been on two dates.”
“He tracked you down from Georgia and came to church and the family dinner. I think that’s a little more serious than two dates,” Lily said.
Caleb rolled his eyes. “I hope I don’t have to be that persistent when I find the woman I love.”
“It’s not love,” Sariah protested. The word persistent gave her both hope and fear. Mack said she could reject him 1009 times and he’d keep coming back. Was he just a smooth talker or could he really feel as deeply for her as he seemed to.
“I love him,” Josh said. He started running for the house. “Who wants to play catch?”
Sariah wrapped her arms around herself, chilled suddenly and wanting to be inside.
Caleb and Hyde said they’d play. Everyone else started filtering back toward the front door. Hyde stopped and edged in close to Sariah. “Are you feeling comfortable with Mack?”
“He’s a really nice guy, Hyde.”
“I know. You’ve just been through so much.”
“I’m not made of glass, bro. I’ll be fine.”
His dark eyes filled with relief. “So, you told him about the fire, and Tyler and … Denise?”
She shook her head jerkily, her stomach filling with acid. Someday, she’d have to tell Mack. What would happen then? “He knows something’s wrong, but he wants me to get to know him, trust him, before I tell him.”
Hyde nodded. “That’s pretty standup of him.”
“He gets my vote for stud of the year.”
Josh barreled out of the house with a football tucked under his arm. He slammed into Hyde. “Let’s play!”
Hyde picked him up and softly tackled him onto the ground. “I already tackled you.”
“No fair,” Josh hollered, laughing.
Sariah watched their antics, but her mind had driven away with Mack. How long did she have until he either saw her deformity or found out about it? Maybe it was smarter to tell him soon, but she wanted more carefree time with him. Time before it all crashed down.
Chapter Fourteen
Sariah shoved her water bottle and her phone in her purse and headed toward the front exit. Jane walked out of one of the treatment rooms.
“Relax yourself into a coma this weekend,” Sariah said.
Jane smiled. “Sounds lovely. Have you heard if they’ve found Scarlett Lily?”
Sariah shook her head. It was the big story this week that Scarlett Lily had disappeared from her Newport Beach home, not taking her cell phone or her Audi. The police weren’t leaking any details but the media were in a frenzy about it.
“Don’t you know her?”
Jane was Sariah’s closest friend at school and Sariah had made the mistake of saying Scarlett was even more beautiful in person when Jane had been dying over pictures of the hockey star, Josh Porter, and Scarlett Lily last fall.
“I only saw her at a party.” She prayed nightly for Scarlett’s safety. She didn’t know her but Sariah had always thought she seemed like a genuine and beautiful person. It was sickening to think of her disappearing and what she might be going through.
“Your life is insane, my friend. Scarlett Lily at parties. Your sister getting ready to marry Hyde Metcalf. And best of all, you’re dating Mack Quinn.” She squealed. “He’s so hot. Only somebody as gorgeous as you could be by Mack Quinn’s side.”
Sariah smiled but her gut twisted. She and Mack had been texting all week and last weekend he had shown exactly how great he was. She was the farthest thing from gorgeous. Mack should have someone on his arm like those model-looking women at Bucky Buchanan’s Super Bowl celebration.
“See ya,” Sariah said and hurried away before Jane could say more. She burst out of the front door. It was chilly but not unbearable. She didn’t see Mack so she walked toward the parking lot. Several of her classmates walked past and said goodbye. Discreetly looking in windows, she couldn’t find Mack sitting in any of the vehicles. Not sure which rental he would have this week, she pulled out her phone to text him as she paced the now nearly-empty parking lot to keep warm. She could climb into her car, but he’d probably be here soon. She hoped. Her deep-seated trust issues reared up and she worried. What if he didn’t come? What if he realized she wasn’t a perfect model and moved on?
“Hey, lady,” a rough voice said from right next to her.
Sariah jumped back and clung to her phone. The man was rough-looking with scraggly hair and a long beard, dirty clothes and face. His blue eyes were cloudy and darted all over her body and then back to her face. He gave her a smile that looked more like a grimace, revealing tobacco-stained teeth. Sariah took a quick breath and said a prayer. She didn’t want to hold to stereotypes, but she also didn’t want to be alone with this man.
Her eyes darted around. Was Mack coming? Was anyone else around that could help her if this guy proved as dangerous as he looked?
She backed up another step.
“Got any spare change?” he asked.
Sariah clung to her phone and her purse. She didn’t have cash of any kind. “I’m sorry, I don’t,” she said.
“Liar,” he spit at her. “Give me some cash.” He stepped up closer.
Sariah shoo
k her head. “I don’t carry any cash.”
“Then give me that purse and I’ll see what a liar you are.”
He grabbed at her purse.
“No!” Sariah whipped her body away from him so he couldn’t grab her purse. He tugged at her hair and she screamed.
Tires rumbled into the parking lot and a door slammed. Sariah looked up to see Mack storming toward them.
“Mack,” she sighed. He’d come.
The man released her and turned to face Mack. He squealed and tried to dart away. Mack grabbed his arm and shoved him to the ground. “Stay there,” Mack demanded.
Sariah barely had time to reposition her hair around her scars before Mack’s blue gaze was sweeping over her. “Are you okay?”
She nodded.
Mack wrapped his arm around her, bringing warmth and reassurance. He pulled out his phone and dialed 911. As soon as he started telling the operator about an attempted assault the man tried to crawl away.
“Don’t try it,” Mack warned.
The man stared up at him. His eyes were still cloudy but they were filled with terror. Sariah wondered what he saw. As drugged out as he seemed, Mack probably looked like a terrifying giant instead of the gentle, kind man that he was. She cuddled into his side. He glanced down at her and tenderly kissed her forehead, whispering, “Sorry, dinner might be a little late tonight.”
She smiled and wrapped both arms around his strong abdomen. “As long as I’m with you I don’t care.” A truer statement had never come from her lips. Mack was massive and could probably best anyone who threatened her, but he was a gentle giant with her. She’d never felt so safe and desired. Maybe all her fears and trust issues could be resolved with Mack. He’d come for her tonight, exactly when she needed him. Would it be possible that he’d always come for her?
Sirens pierced the air and the man jumped to his feet and tried to make a run for it. Mack released her and flew after him, tackling him to the ground and holding him there until the policemen leapt from their vehicles with their guns drawn.
Quinn Family Romance Collection Page 36
