Rose

by Alison Chaffin Higson

  She stayed silent, not sure whether it was a good idea to meet his family after only knowing each other for a short time.

  “Mack?” he asked nervously.

  “Are you sure you want me to meet your family?” she whispered.

  Dean took hold of Mack’s hands. “Yes, I do. I need to warn you though, Cynthia, who I mentioned before, will be there trying to get her claws into me… you know… maybe this isn’t a good idea after all.”

  She heard Dean say Cynthia was going to be there, so Mack decided there was no way her man was going to a party without her, when another woman wanted him. No way in hell.

  “Yes, we would love to go,” she replied. She noticed part relief, then fright, cross Dean’s face. She giggled. “I’ll sharpen my knives, right? No one messes with my guy, so don’t be surprised if I can’t stop touching you all the time, laying claim to you!”

  “Christ, you’re hot when you get pissed, and babe, you can touch me as much as you want. I’m all yours!” Dean whispered into her ear, feeling relieved and happy that she obviously felt something strong for him.

  Thomas stood up and took hold of Lucas’ hand, with a cough trying to smother his laughter at Mack and Dean, said, “We’re going to the beach for the afternoon, so I’ll have the boy back home for dinner.”

  “Are you sure, Thomas?” She was worried about leaving Lucas all day with him.

  “Of course I’m sure. I’m not about to miss dinner!”

  They finished their lunch in silence, as they watched Thomas and Levi take Lucas across the road to the shady part of the beach. Mack, for the second time, wondered what it would be like to live in Cape Elizabeth instead of the city.

  “You finished?” Dean asked her rather abruptly.

  “I am, thanks. That was really good.” Mack wiped her mouth on her napkin.

  She watched Dean place the dishes onto the bar and let her mind wander back to last night, how he looked naked and aroused.

  Dean started to walk back to Mack, noticing the steamy look in her eyes and hesitated. “What do you want to do now?”

  She licked her luscious lips and stood. “Mmm, how about going back to my place and getting naked?” she whispered.

  Dean tightened his hold on his jacket, picked the helmets up, then practically dragged Mack out of the door and onto his bike.

  <><><>

  To try and keep his libido in check, Dean took some deep breaths as he waited for Mack to climb off his bike, then he followed her into the cottage.

  She dropped her jacket on to a chair at the kitchen table, then turned and perched on the edge of it, looking up to meet Dean’s eyes. She stared at him, then licked her lips and watched his eyes go from hot to blazing in seconds. “Make love to me, Dean.”

  “My pleasure.” He couldn’t wait for her anymore, and dropped his jacket to the floor, ripped his t-shirt off over his head, and with a couple of strides over to Mack, his lips met hers in a very hot fiery kiss.

  Mack was seeing stars, and before she could think anything else, Dean’s hands were on her butt as he pulled her into him.

  She raised her arms so Dean could remove her t-shirt, then as he looked down at her bra-encased breasts, his eyes glittered. He moved his hand between them and unclipped her bra. First he pulled one cup away and placed a kiss to her rose-colored nipple, which had shivers shooting down Mack’s spine. He removed the other cup from her breast, then pulled the bra down her arms and tossed it on a chair. He bent and gave her other nipple a quick lick before he pulled away slightly to take in much needed air.

  He looked down into Mack’s eyes and moved in for another taste. She tasted of chocolate and woman and he couldn’t get enough of her.

  Her hands stroked up and down his back. He was so close to losing it, and needed her to stop, if he had any chance of making this good for her. Breaking away from her mouth, he kissed and nibbled along her neck, down to her collarbone, and then kissed and sucked her nipples.

  “Dean,” she groaned.

  Her breasts looked well loved. He pushed her back, so she was lying on the table while he unzipped her jeans and pulled them down her legs and off with her underwear. Mack was so aroused. She wrapped her legs around him and couldn’t stop rubbing herself against him. Dean wasn’t faring any better as his hips had a mind of their own, grinding against her. “You drive me totally crazy. You know that, Mack?”

  She moaned. “Dean, now!” Mack grabbed hold of Dean’s arm and pulled herself up. She unzipped his jeans, pushed them down past his hips and took hold of his erection, which was throbbing and weeping in her hands.

  “Christ, Mack.” He moved her hands away before he totally lost it, and slammed his lips back down to hers. He grabbed her hips with his hands, moved her to the edge of the table, and thrust inside her to the hilt. He stopped briefly to try and calm himself down. “I’m falling in love with you, Mack.”

  Her legs were wrapped around his hips and her hands were holding his head in place to receive her kiss. “I already love you.” Then she grinned and squeezed her internal muscles. His eyes rolled back in pleasure. “Love me,” she whispered.

  He started to slide slowly in and out of her and couldn’t remember ever feeling so alive.

  Mack stared up at him. Her eyes were locked on his, as she ran her fingers through his hair. He quivered. She held his head and brought him closer for another toe curling kiss, while Dean started to move faster and faster, in and out of her.

  They moved their hips rhythmically in time, totally synchronized. Mack arched her back. “Oh, Dean… yes!” Mack shouted, as she started coming around him, sending Dean over the edge at the same time he felt her orgasm rippling up and down his penis.

  Dean collapsed on top of her. “Hell! I think I’ve died and gone to heaven!”

  “I’m too exhausted to think,” Mack gasped.

  <><><>

  Come dinnertime, Mack was once again in the kitchen, while Dean was trying to beat his score on the Super Mario Brothers game. All she could really think about was the gloriously sexy afternoon she’d just spent with him, in fact she was lucky she didn’t burn herself while cooking the dinner.

  After being ravished on the kitchen table, Dean had carried her and all their clothes upstairs, where he’d proceeded to make love to her again, in the shower, then when they came out, on the bed.

  She was sure that he would have made love to her again, if Lucas hadn’t been due back with Thomas.

  Dean came up behind her, and put his arms around her waist to place open-mouth kisses along her neck. “Mmm, you taste good. I can’t get enough of you.”

  She smiled up at him, quickly kissed him then pushed him slightly away. “Thomas and Lucas are here!”

  Dean watched Mack hug Lucas and wished for things he had never wanted before… until now. She was an amazing woman, and the more time he spent with her, the more he was falling in love with her. She’d said she loved him, but he hadn’t spoken the words to her. Was she disappointed? He didn’t want them to follow her declaration. He wanted to say them when she least expected them.

  Thomas seemed to have fallen for her as well, in a different kind of way. He also seemed to be pushing them both together, which was probably his way of saying ‘I approve’.

  “What have you been doing while we were at the beach?” Lucas asked, which made Mack blush and Dean smile.

  “I’ve been cooking and Dean has been trying to beat his score on that Wii game you both seem to like.”

  “Cool!” Lucas headed into the sitting room to check out Dean’s latest score.

  “Thomas, can I ask you something about Rose, please?” Dean asked, which drew both Mack and Thomas’ attention.

  “I guess.” Sitting down, Thomas looked apprehensive.

  “Why isn’t Rose’s name in the newspapers about her disappearance?” Thomas raised his head. “It says in the paper ‘missing girl’ and they also ask for anyone to come forward if they know her identity. We visited the library ar
chives this morning.”

  Thomas let out a long slow sigh. “It was Rose. Richard, who wanted to marry her, was the son of the paper’s owner at the time. My father had a word with him, and although something had to be printed, they made sure it was very small and with no names.”

  Mack and Dean shot each other a quick glance.

  “Looking back now, I guess they could have done that so Jacob, if reading a paper, wouldn’t have a clue it was Rose. Why, I don’t know. Perhaps they blamed him and thought he would suffer more anguish thinking she didn’t love him and had chosen Richard instead of letting him know that she’d died,” Thomas said.

  “That is sad. Did they ever find her?” Mack asked.

  Tears stung Thomas’ eyes. “No.”

  Mack took hold of Thomas’ hands, while Dean put his arm around Mack’s shoulders. “I’m so sorry, Thomas,” she said, crying with him and for him.

  “Don’t worry, it was a long time ago. Reliving it is hard.” He patted Mack’s hand.

  “I’m not helping, am I?” She wiped her tears away.

  “It’s time I got everything off my chest. I’m feeling weary tonight, but maybe tomorrow.”

  She squeezed Dean’s hand in thanks and stood up, then started to put the dinner out on the table.

  While she was lost in her own thoughts, Dean was inviting Thomas to go with them to the garden party tomorrow, much to Lucas’ delight.

  Chapter 28

  Dean was driving into the city with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen sitting beside him. He felt so much for her. She was amazing, and all his. Since he wasn’t sure what kind of reception they would get from his mother, he hoped and prayed Mack would still be his at the end of the day.

  Before he went up to Cape Elizabeth, Cynthia, her mother, Gladys, and his mother were all hinting it was time to ‘pop the question’, even after only one date. The rest of the time, he was with Cynthia, she just kept showing up wherever he just happened to be. In the end, he’d stopped telling anyone at home where he was going and just said to use his cell phone if they needed him. He’d escaped to Cape Elizabeth and met Mackenzie. His Mack.

  He was smiling as he started to daydream about Mack. He’d been shocked when she appeared downstairs this morning in the soft pale pink dress that fell like silk against her curves and gorgeous legs, especially showcased in the strappy sandals.

  “Lucas, stop fidgeting.” Mack twisted around to look at him in the back. He was in neatly pressed jeans and a striped polo shirt, which she’d insisted be tucked in, much to Lucas’ disgust.

  Thomas started a game of eye-spy, to try and occupy him.

  “It isn’t too far now,” Dean announced, hoping his body didn’t misbehave with her so close, smelling delicious.

  Mack was sitting in the front seat and starting to get more nervous than she was before leaving Maine. She’d never been in the position of ‘meeting parents’ before. For the first time in her life, she was with a guy she had fallen in love with, so getting approval from his folks would mean a lot. Then there was Cynthia, who Dean had told her didn’t mean anything to him, or did she? Mack had spent practically all her time with Dean since he’d arrived in Cape Elizabeth, so there hadn’t really been time for him to spend it with anyone else, or for him to sneak back to Boston. Ugh. She was driving herself crazy with all these thoughts.

  Dean quickly glanced at Mack and took hold of one of her hands. “Mack, it’ll be okay, I promise. Don’t be nervous.”

  “I can’t help it. I’ve never met a guy’s parents before, and knowing there’s going to be a woman there who thinks she’s yours, is making me a nervous wreck.” Mack tried to smile, but failed miserably.

  Dean pulled over to the side of the road, climbed out of the vehicle and walked around to the other side. He opened Mack’s door, unclipped her seatbelt, and then looked into the back at Thomas and Lucas. “Just give us a minute, guys.”

  She climbed out of the car to join Dean. He took hold of her hand, pulled her around the back of the car, then into his arms and held her tight. “Just remember that you’re the one I want, for always Mack. No matter what anyone says or does, it’s you and only you making my heart pound and my blood roar. No one has ever made me feel like this before. Just remember that, okay?” He tilted Mack’s face up to his and placed a very gentle, sweet kiss on her lips. “All right, Mack?”

  “Okay, Dean. Just try and stay close,” she asked, still feeling nervous about meeting his parents, but more sure of herself with Dean.

  He grinned. “Wasn’t thinking of doing anything else.”

  She’d just climbed back into the car, when Lucas tapped her on the shoulder. “Auntie Mack?”

  She turned around to face him. “Are you, okay?”

  With his face all scrunched up in a frown, he asked, “Do you love, Dean?”

  Mack felt a blush start to creep up her neck to her face, with Lucas putting her right on the spot. “Yes. I do, Lucas.” She looked at Dean.

  Thomas just smirked while sitting back in his seat, enjoying the discussion.

  Dean grinned, leaned forward, and placed a slow kiss to her lips. “I love your Auntie Mack as well, Lucas. Is that okay?

  Mack was mesmerized, while Dean smirked, feeling rather pleased with himself.

  After some thought, Lucas said, “Yeah, that’s cool…. I guess.”

  “Thomas, will you be all right meeting Jacob?” Mack asked with some concern, trying to change the subject.

  “I think so, Mack. I never actually met him, but he may remember my name, unless we just forget about my surname for today?”

  “Okay, that might be for the best, at least at first,” Mack replied.

  <><><>

  Dean pulled into his parents’ drive, only to find there were already a lot of cars parked up. He felt nervous and wondered just what kind of garden party was taking place this afternoon. When he’d spoken to his mother yesterday, she’d said it was ‘just family’, and the last time Dean counted, it didn’t include this many people.

  As Dean switched the engine off, he ran around to help Mack out of the car, not wanting her to break her neck in the sexy-as-hell heels.

  As he was standing there admiring her legs, she grinned up at him, knowing how she aroused him. “You enjoying the view?”

  “You have no idea how much.” He smoothed his hand over her hip and pulled her close while his hand traveled south to caress her butt.

  They heard some chuckling from the back of the car, which reminded Dean to step back and open the door, so that Thomas and Lucas could climb out.

  Lucas was still looking as neat as a pin, and Thomas looked as though he was really enjoying himself at Dean and Mack’s expense.

  “Dean. You’re finally here. Cynthia has been asking for you!” Mack froze at this comment from Dean’s mother.

  “Mack, remember what I said on the road, okay?” he whispered to her, trying not to panic himself.

  Dean took a tight hold of her hand, to reassure her that he was totally hers. He then led the way to introduce her to his mother. “Mother, I’m sure Cynthia can manage on her own. I want you to meet the woman who has stolen my heart, Mackenzie Harper. Mack, this is my mother, Anne.”

  “Nice to meet you.” Mack held her hand out in greeting, only to be ignored.

  “Who are they?” Anne asked Dean. She tried to drag him away from Mack, but he was having none of it and stayed attached to her.

  “This is Lucas. He’s Mack’s nephew, and this devil is Thomas. He’s a good friend to us both. Actually, I think he’s trying to steal Mack away from me!”

  “If I was a hell of a lot younger, I would give you a run for your money, young man!”

  “Wouldn’t I get a say in any of this?” Mack asked, as she raised one of her eyebrows at Dean and Thomas.

  “No, babe. I’d just carry you away and tie you up until you agree to be mine,” Dean announced, laughing.

  “Mmm, would you now?”

  “Th
is is ridiculous. What am I going to tell Cynthia and her parents, now you’ve turned up with this…” Anne trailed off, waving her arms towards Mack, Thomas, and Lucas.

  Dean tightened his hold on Mack’s hand, as she tried to break free. He wasn’t sure if it was to go back to her car or to hit his mother. She would be within her rights to do both. Dean was getting really pissed now.

  “Okay, Mother. I will say this for the last time. Please do not mention Cynthia or her parents to me again. This is Mack, and she is my woman. The woman I’m in love with. You will treat her with respect as well as Thomas and Lucas.” He paused. “Do I make myself clear?”

  She stiffened her spine. “Very.”

  “Father, this is Mackenzie, otherwise known as Mack.” Dean had spotted his father coming towards them.

  He held his hand out to Mack. “It’s nice to meet you, Mack. Please call me James.”

  “Nice to meet you too, James.” Mack released his hand. She was still upset over the reaction from Dean’s mother.

  “Dad, this is Thomas, a good friend, and this is Lucas, Mack’s six year old nephew.”

  “Nice to meet you both, glad you could all come today.”

  James watched his wife disappear into the house. “Sorry about your mother, son. You know what she’s like with Cynthia and her folks.”

  “Hopefully, this is the end of it.” Dean felt Mack start to withdraw from him. He turned to look at her and saw that she was holding back tears.

  She took a deep breath. “I don’t think I can do this, Dean.” She started to back away slightly.

  “Mack, please don’t go. I promise to stay by your side. Ten minutes, then we’ll go the minute you say.” He took hold of her face and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, before pulling her into his arms for a brief hug.

  James realized, on hearing his son talk to Mack and seeing his show of affection towards her, that she meant a great deal to him. “Mack, please join us. I suspect Anne may already have learned her lesson.”