One More Day (19 page)

Chapter 20

Ryan finished dinner and carried the plates to the coffee table.  The three of them dug in.  Mack ate as well as either of the guys.  Ryan wouldn't let her forget her meds, though, and the pot made her drink glass after glass of cherry kool-aid.  When they were done, he packed yet another bowl, smoking nearly half of it himself.

Climbing back on the couch, he convinced Mack to join him, then twined his body around hers.  They laughed, the conversation flowing from one thing to another, all of them glassy-eyed.  The euphoric feeling made Mack brave, and she no longer worried about showing affection to the best man she'd known.  When he kissed her neck, she closed her eyes and leaned into it, rather than trying hard to not make those around her feel awkward.  When he twined his fingers in hers, she snuggled closer.

"I want to ride on your bike again," she said, glancing up at him.

Ryan grinned and nodded.  "Anytime you want."  He looked at Colby.  "She's a fucking monster."

"Yeah?" Colby asked.

"No fear in this one," he said proudly, making Mack beam.  "She was egging me on."

"You didn't pull the Han Solo move?"

Ryan nodded, weaving with his hand.  "Like the fucking asteroid belt, bro, with my bitch clinging up against me.  Fuck yeah."

"What?" Mack asked.

They both laughed, but Colby answered.  "Babe, ain't just chicks that love that shit.  Having a hot girl clinging to ya, it's a pretty nice turn on."

"Oh yeah," Ryan agreed.  "Having one that knows how to move is even better.  Fucking last time I took a girl on my bike - "

She cut him off, "Thought you said no women had been on that!"

"Not that one," Ryan said.  "Shit thing I had in high school.  Yeah, she was like a damned brick on the back.  Kept thinking I was gonna dump it in the corners.  Not Mack, though."

"Bragging rights," she teased.  "That's all I am!"

Ryan shook his head.  "Oh hell no.  You're the fucking Venus de Milo, baby.  Yeah, I'd be bragging if I owned that shit, too."

"Owned?" she teased.

"The statue," he said.  "Not the woman.  You ever think about that, bro?"

"Owning a statue?" Colby asked.

"No!" Ryan laughed.  "That some guys think they can own a woman.  I mean, seriously.  Kinda goes the other way around, if you're doing it right."

"I own you?" Mack teased.

"Yeah," he said, then grinned.  "I'd fucking come on command."

"No!" Colby laughed, covering up the sound of Mack's giggles.  "Ah shit, he's just gotten deep on us."

"Seriously, though," Ryan said, chuckling a bit.  "Why the fuck do things happen the way they do?  I mean, I chased that hot little ass for a year."

"Did not," Mack countered.  "Reading a book is not chasing."

"Ok.  Checked out.  First time I almost had the nerve to talk to her, and some bitch starts asking me about my damned book."

Mack gasped, sitting up.  "Blonde, in a white sweater.  God, she was hitting on you so hard."

"No shit?" Ryan asked.  "I just wanted her to leave me alone.  I'd already decided what I was gonna say and everything.  It was like fate was shooting me down cold.  By the time she shut up, you'd left."

"You two are cute," Colby teased.  "Ryan, she knew the exact woman."

"Yeah."  He smiled down at her.  "I noticed.  But why was it that every time I tried, something happened to make me not talk to her?"

"You wouldn't have offered her a job," Colby said. 

"And I probably wouldn't have believed you," she admitted.  "Fucking hottest man I've ever seen wanting to talk to me?  I would have assumed you'd lost a bet or something."

"Shit," Ryan sighed.  "I'm so fucking hot, I've had five girlfriends in my life, and that includes Hailey."

"Hell," Colby laughed.  "I've even got you beat."

They both looked at Mack.  She shrugged.  "How are we counting?"

"People you called your boyfriend," Colby said.  "Sex, no sex, whatever.  But you had to have referred to him as your boyfriend."

Mack nodded, thinking back through her life, trying to remember.  "Three," she said.

"No shit?" Ryan asked.

She nodded.  "Yep."

Colby lifted his head and looked over the arm of the couch.  "Including or not including Ryan?"

"Including."

He nodded, then looked at Ryan.  "Including or not including Mack?"

Ryan sighed.  "Not."

"You?" Mack asked.

"Seventeen," Colby said.  "I was a fucking slut.  How many you fuck?"

"You first," Mack said.

"More than I called my girlfriend," Colby said with a grin.

Mack looked at Ryan.  He glanced away.  "I plead the fucking fifth."

"Nope," she said.  "You got me stoned, boss.  Have to answer."

"Four," he said.  "Your turn."

"One."

"How long'd ya date?" Colby asked, glancing over at Ryan.  Their eyes met for only a moment.

"Almost two weeks," she said.  "He dumped me because I was fat."

"Dumb ass," Ryan muttered.

"How many times, Mack?" Colby asked.

She held up two fingers and giggled.  "I'm damned near a fucking virgin."

"Doubt that," Ryan said.  "You're a fucking succubus."

She laughed.  "Not quite."

"Shit, bro," Colby said.  "That's pressure."

"Nah, man," Ryan said. 

"Yeah, I mean later, when this cancer shit's all over and she can fuck you."

Ryan looked down and laughed.  "You told him?"

She shrugged.  "It may have come up."

"She said she wasn't fucking her boss, bro," Colby said.  "I'm crass, I'm not fucking stupid.  I know where a damned cervix is."

"You two have some interesting talks while I'm not around, don't ya?"

Mack nodded.  "I like him," she told Ryan.  "He's sweet."

"So are you.  And you're killing my reputation as a damned stud."

Colby laughed.  "No way, bro.  Those damned bitches all want a piece of you.  If you didn't have that damned rule, you'd be a slut."

"Rule?" Mack asked.

"Shit," Colby said.  "Never mind, Mack.  Fucking pretend like I didn't say shit."

"I'll only have sex with someone I'm in love with," Ryan said.  "That's what he's talking about."

"Oh."

She didn't know what else to say.  Ryan had been in love with four women.  The most perfect man in the world, who could have had anyone he'd ever wanted, and he'd only ever met four women that he wanted to sleep with.  No wonder he wouldn't let her get him off.  Then she remembered the bitch in the office.

"You were in love with Hailey?"

Ryan laughed.  "No.  Didn't fuck her either, kinda pissed her off.  She tells everyone I did, but never happened."

"Serious?" Colby asked.  "Swore you hit that."

Ryan nodded.  "She came upstairs one morning, and caught me in bed.  Tried to fucking jump on me.  That's what ended it.  I told her to get her skanky ass off me if she just wanted to get off.  She got an eyeful though.  Unfortunately, so did I."

Mack looked at him for a long moment.  "That makes so much more sense."

"See," Ryan said softly.  "You should get me high more often."

Colby yawned and sat up, glancing over at them.  "I know there's a bed on third, so I'm taking it."

"All yours, man," Ryan said.  "You just have to clear it with Mack if you decide to move up there."

"Be kinda nice," Colby said.  "Ain't got furniture, though."

"Mack does.  Granted, if she doesn't want to live with me, you'd kinda be taking her flat."

"Seriously?" she asked, tugging Ryan's hand until he looked back at her.  "You really want me to stay down here?"

"Yeah," he said.  "I do.  I'd prefer it if you weren't puking, but yeah."  He smiled.  "Will you move in with me, Mack?"

She smiled.  "All yours, Colby.  I'm living with the Super Hot Guy."

"I love you two," he said, making for the stairs.

"Love you, too," Mack called back as he climbed out of sight.

"Now this," Ryan said, "is what I call a perfect night.  C'mon, sweetie, lets get some sleep, it's almost four."

Mack stood and stretched.  She didn't feel as light headed and giddy, but she still felt amazingly good.  Ryan slid his arms around her waist and guided her toward the bed, stopping when they passed through the large double doors to pull them closed.

With his back turned, Mack pulled off her shirt, yawning again.  It was shocking how many aches she had simply grown accustomed to, but now that they were gone, she felt even better.  She had just unbuttoned her jeans when she felt Ryan's hands on her ribs, his body pressing against her back.

"Now that's hot," he whispered, pushing the waist of her jeans lower on her hips.

She closed her eyes and leaned back against him.  So he only had sex with women he was in love with, she thought, enjoying the way he made her feel.  That's why he'd refused to allow her to get him off.  It was just one more hint of how good of a man he was, but a harsh reminder that she wasn't there, yet.  Who knew if she'd ever make that category, but Mack was determined to try.

"I feel amazing," she said, reaching one arm up for his neck.

He sucked in a breath, looking down at her body from over her shoulder, and slid his hands back up.  His fingers caressed her breasts, slowly gliding across her nipples, teasing them into hard pebbles.  Mack moaned softly and leaned into him, focusing on the feel of his hands.  The more he teased, the harder she breathed, and the weaker her knees became, until she was clinging to him, her body completely under his control.

"I think you like that," he said softly.

"Oh yeah."

Then his hands slid lower, pushing her jeans and panties down to her thighs.  One hand trailed lazily up her leg, and he shifted the other to her chest, pressing her back against him.  His dick was hard.  He sucked in a small breath as her ass pressed against it, the rough denim of his jeans pressing into her as his hand brushed the sensitive folds between her legs.  When Mack gasped, he caressed her again.

"Spread your legs, baby," he whispered, shifting so he could reach around her better.

She did, and his teasing, gentle hand caressed her again, one finger seeking, sliding between her slick tender flesh, pressing until she gasped.  He did it again, and leaned over, kissing her neck, moving so carefully.  Sparks radiated from his touch, and her knees went weak, but he held her up.  Teasing, tantalizing,  he tormented the hard knot.  She could think of nothing else as her hips tried to rock into his touch, one hand reached back to clasp the cloth across his thigh.  Her fingers dug in, holding her close to him as she moaned.

He rubbed faster, pressing just a bit harder, and she moaned, opening her thighs for him, his body protecting her.  His breath was coming faster with every twitch of her ass against his dick, and his mouth worshiped her neck and shoulder, making her unable to concentrate on anything but the fireworks between her legs.  The feeling building, surging coursing through.

"Oh god," she moaned.  "Don't stop, Ryan, please, just don't stop."

He didn't.  With a groan deep in his throat, he raised his hand from her ribs to her nipple, pressing his face into her neck, and she exploded.  Her hips bucked and her knees buckled as pleasure hit her, radiating from between her legs to the tips of her fingers.  He just held her, his eyes drinking her in as she climaxed in his arms.

He gently pulled his hand away and pushed her jeans still lower.  "Step out of those, baby, I got ya."

"Dear god," she breathed, pulling her legs free.  "I feel like Jello."

"Mm," he purred.  "I hope that's a good thing."

"Yeah, it is." 

She turned in his arms, and found his eyes watching her, seeking something.  Satisfied with what he found, that shy smile touched his lips.  He reached up, pressing his palm to the side of her face as he kissed her, guiding her back to the bed.  Then he eased her down before stepping away, pulling off his shirt, and casually walking to the other side of the room to throw both of their clothes in the hamper.

"Mack?" he asked, his back to her.

She moaned an acknowledgment as she slid under the covers, every fiber of her body satiated.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No," she said with a little laugh.  "That's about as far from hurting me as you can get."

He chuckled to himself and nodded, turning out the light before he removed his pants.  Naked, Ryan made his way back to the bed, sliding under the covers, but propped his head on his hand.  With the other, he traced the lines of her face.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.  "I'm going to have to get you stoned more often so I can do that again."

She blushed and shoved her head into the pillow.  "Not fair," she muttered.