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CHAPTER 5
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 6
‘Did he really say that? Please, God… let me die now!’ Blood pounded in Mackenzie’s ears as Wyatt sank back into his seat. His chair creaked in the sudden silence. George ran his hand down the front of his white dress shirt.“I’ll… Uhm… I’ll get you some fresh rolls… give you the time to decide…” He looked curiously at Wyatt, then scuttled away without a backward glance. Slowly, the tables around them returned to their former buzz. Mackenzie stared at her date in stunned silence. ‘He knows... Dammit, Benjamin!’ Her brother had no right to divulge such personal information. Heat climbed her neck. Anger and embarrassment warred in her. Was her virginity the reason for Wyatt’s brusque behavior?“I’m… Mackenzie, I’m really sorry. I don’t know why I said that…” Wyatt heaved out a breath.“Forgive me, I didn’t mean to cause a scene.” Not trusting herself to answer, Mackenzie pursed her lips and counted to ten.
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 7
Heat again filled Mackenzie’s cheeks.“Well… We finished early.” Her traitorous stomach announced its emptiness at that moment. Whether or not Estelle heard the rumbling over the loud music, she took Mackenzie’s arm to lead her to a table laden with food.“Try these crab cakes, Mackie. I’m working with a new caterer, and I need your honest opinion…” Mackenzie turned to Estelle.“This is too much… I can’t believe you had the time to plan this party with the wedding next weekend…”“I didn’t want your birthday to get lost in the shuffle… It is a very important day in the Swanson family. And I’m going to be a part of this family quite soon. You see, I never had a sister, Mackie. I wanted to get us off on the right foot.”“Thank you… From the bottom of my heart…” Mackenzie’s gaze swept the room, while unwanted emotion clogged her throat.“All this was so… so very thoughtful of you.” Guilt tightened her chest. Maybe she hadn’t given Estelle
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 8
Wyatt’s attention swept over Mackenzie’s scattered admirers. What the hell had gotten into them? The lot looked as though they’d escaped a stint on death row.“I won the challenge? What are you talking about?”“There you have it, Mackie.” A guy with red hair peeked over the back of the couch.“I told you he should be the one to show you.”“Show you what? Can someone please tell me what is going on?” Wyatt demanded. A devilish spark lit Mackenzie’s eye. She stood, then moved around the coffee table, stopping inches from him.“We were discussing the most effective means of seduction…” Wyatt narrowed his eyes. A wave of irrational anger swelled in him.“The hell you were!”“Oh, yes…” Mackenzie leaned toward him. Her palm grazed his chest. His pulse kicked into gear.“You see, we talked and talked and it seems that the answer is exactly what Cher is saying in her song: if you wanna know if he… wants you so, it’s in… his
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 9
Wyatt gripped the steering wheel and glared at the red traffic light. The air had grown heavy. Moisture swirled around the streetlights, distorting their glow.“Dammit!” he said slowly squeezing the wheel. “Dammit!” Guilt gnawed at him. He couldn’t stop thinking of her. The memory of the look on Mackenzie’s face as she confronted him tightened his gut. When he’d made that deal with Benjamin, he hadn’t thought of the consequences. He hadn’t thought of Mackenzie. At the time, she’d been a faceless chore, a means to his selfish ends, not a flesh-and-blood woman.“Dammit!” exclaimed again hitting the wheel. The light changed. Wyatt whipped into a parking lot, then circled around toward her apartment. He had to see Mackenzie… He had to apologize to her and somehow, explain how all that had changed once they’d met. She must know that Kimberly meant nothing to him. She must know that any fleeting attraction he may have felt for that woman van
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 10
His answer made Mackenzie smile and relief rolled over her. Her own boldness amazed her, but she’d never yearned for anything more in her entire life. Wyatt had instilled a great hunger in her, making her body ache with pure need and lusty thoughts.“Good… Then let’s go to bed,” she said and took him by the hand. Wyatt didn’t protest as he followed her to her bedroom, stopping her only when they reached the big bed. After pulling back the covers, he turned to Mackenzie, then brought his lips down again on hers. He reclaimed her mouth with the steady thrust of his tongue, kissing her while he lowered her gently to the mattress. His hands kneaded her breasts, rubbing their erect buds until Mackenzie moaned with pleasure. She tugged at his shirt, pulling it from his waistband. Wyatt broke away to whip the garment over his head. Sighing, Mackenzie let her gaze drift over his sculpted torso. Her pulse quickened. His shoes and slacks joined his shirt
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 11
With a soft groan, Wyatt rolled to his side, taking her with him so as not to disturb their intimate embrace. She let her gaze drift over his restful face, memorizing the curve of his cheek, the straight, strong line of his nose, and the shadow of his lashes beneath his closed lids. Warmth expanded her heart. His eyes flickered open. Wyatt swept a strand of hair back from her face.“Are you okay, sweetness?” Mackenzie had to swallow before answering. For some reason, her throat had constricted.“I’m fine. And you?” His sexy smile appeared again. Apparently, that was all she needed to get her to want him again. Her blood thrummed as he cupped her jaw and brushed a tender kiss across her lips.“I’m more than fine. And you are a… sex goddess.”“Now, don’t go putting me on a pedestal or something.”“No, angel.” He snuggled her closer, trapping her legs between his.“I like you where you are.” Mackenzie stroked her fingers down his
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 12
“Mackie, there’s something I don’t understand.” She turned her face up to him, eyebrows raised in question.“You’re an incredibly sensual woman. I don’t see why… how you’ve waited this long.” Mackenzie looked at him in silence for a while, then sighed.“I’ve always had these romantic notions. I wanted it to be perfect. I wanted to wait for love. Especially after Helen’s ordeal… She’s my best friend and the one who drove me home earlier. Anyway, she got pregnant at sixteen, got married, and…the rest is history…” She shook her head.“Helen was a child raising a child. She’s never had a chance to really find out who she really is... The whole thing cemented my belief that I wanted to wait for my One… for true love.”“But after all this time, why now?” Her dainty shoulders shifted.“At twenty-five, I felt like some kind of freak. I never realized true love would be so hard to find.”“Hasn’t there been anyone else?”“Oh, there have been a number of m
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 13
Mackenzie glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It showed 4:00 a.m. and she was wide awake. Wyatt was near her, sound asleep, breathing deeply, his arm draped possessively across her waist. She never wanted this night to end. Her idea of Wyatt as her dream lover had been nothing compared to the real Wyatt who took her virginity. He’d made love to her with a depth of caring and intensity that sent her mind reeling. Her gaze traced the angles of his face and warmth filled her heart. She bit her lip.“Oh, God… Is this really happening? Is this true?” she murmured, covering her mouth. Wyatt had made her have feelings for him. How could she have gone from despising him to… to having these feelings in such a short time? No wonder Helen had been so apprehensive… Panic settled over Mackenzie.“What is going on with me? What the hell am I doing?” Was she falling for Wyatt, a self-proclaimed cynic and known womanizer, a man who’d tak
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IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 39
Wyatt paced to his front window and stared blankly at the maple tree in his yard. His temples throbbed. So much had happened lately, he hadn’t had time to assimilate it all. Yesterday, his father phoned to say his mother had called and they were getting together to talk. Wyatt’s trip to the mountains had paid off, after all. Maybe he wasn’t a stupid Cupid after all. Maybe this was a good sign. If his parents could come to terms, he, too, had a chance of mending things with Mackenzie. Jackson should have made it to her shop by now. Maybe Wyatt should have gone along to see how things worked out. He glanced nervously at the flickering candles he’d scattered throughout the house. He’d placed them in every room, anticipating Mackenzie’s wonder when she saw them. Surely, she would come to him… Soft music played on the stereo in the front room. Wyatt shook his head. If she didn’t show, he’d feel like the biggest fool for creat
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 38
Jackson Daniel Kingman glanced up and pointed across the room.“I can still see this place as it was back then… There was a long counter over there. I used to come by after work with my buddy and sit and drink cup after cup, just to watch her, just to hear her… It took me nearly three weeks to work up the nerve to ask Judi out. I knew I was a goner when she poured that cup of coffee in my lap.”“But… what happened?”“She tried mopping it up with a towel.”“No, I mean… Uhm… Why didn’t you two marry?” He shook his head.“It was a stupid thing, really.” His eyebrows furrowed.“We got into this stupid fight… The church double-booked us. I wanted to elope, but Judi wouldn’t hear of it. She had to have her church wedding.” Jackson paused, dragging his ragged hand over his face.“I thought she was getting cold feet… That she was stalling or something. All the churches around were booked solid for months.”“And what happened next?” Mackenzie asked.“My
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 37
With a scowl, Wyatt adjusted his sunglasses. Summer had hit the state with a vengeance, rolling in with record-breaking highs. The sun beat down on him. Heat shimmered off the road as he peered across at Mackenzie’s shop. He’d been a dedicated cynic for most of his adult life… So, how on the hell was he going to change into a true romantic overnight? Pacing the length of Benjamin’s office, while racking his brain hadn’t gained him anything but his partner’s frustrated glare. Wyatt had meant to escape to his favorite thinking spot, the roof, but lost in thought, he’d stepped onto an elevator headed for the street level. Wyatt exited, then kept walking. He hadn’t realized where he was headed until he arrived at this place. Somewhere along the way he’d lost his tie, and rolled up his sleeves. In spite of that, sweat soaked his shirt. All that walking, and he still hadn’t come up with a fail-proof, knock-her-socks-off kind of plan. He squi
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 36
A light breeze ruffled Wyatt’s hair as he paused inside the threshold of Mackenzie’s shop. So many memories… He glanced toward the space in front of the long counter, where he’d first laid eyes on Mackenzie, and closed his eyes.“Hi,” a friendly voice broke his reverie. A sturdy brunette approached, bearing a plate of sweet-smelling cookies. She extended the plate.“Would you like one?”“No, thanks.” She shrugged, then nodded toward a far corner.“We always provide a little something for our readers to nibble.” Wyatt followed her gaze to a cozy sitting area, furnished with numerous mismatched, but comfortable-looking chairs. Nearly a dozen women filled the area, all chatting at once. A center coffee table already held a tray with a pitcher and glasses of pink lemonade.“Our reader’s group,” the brunette supplied without his asking. He nodded, quite impressed. Not only was Mackenzie a knockout, she had a good head for business.“Is your
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 35
The constant murmur of voices mingled with the clink of silverware against fine china. Mackenzie set down her water glass and pasted on a brave smile for Kenneth.“What will I do until you get back?” He reached over to squeeze her hand.“You’ll be just fine. You’re tough.”“I wasn’t so much this week. I’m not usually so mopey.”“You had your moments. But were just moments. I saw fire in your green eyes. I know who you are.” Mackenzie pulled her hand from his to fiddle with her fork.“How long will you be away?”“I don’t know. But I’ll be back before you know it.” Her throat tightened.“I’ll miss talking to you, Kenneth.” His eyes warmed.“I’ll miss you, too. But you’re not getting rid of me. We’ll still see each other when I get back.” She nodded as sadness settled over her.“Mackie, may I ask you something?” The serious look in Kenneth’s eyes sent a ripple of apprehension through her.“Of course.” He scoo
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 34
“No! Absolutely not!” Mackenzie shook her head. “You can’t do that. You two love each other. You are the definition of true love…” She pointed to her mother. “You always said she was your Little Dove.” Serena took the handkerchief Hank offered. She blew her nose with a hardy blast. “It’s true, darling.” Her eyes glittered. “I’m sorry. We didn’t want you to find out this way. We were going to tell you and your brother sometime after the wedding. We didn’t want to spoil things.” “Spoil things?” Mackenzie’s throat burned. She blinked, but this time her tears refused to be tamed. They spilled down her cheeks in hot torrents. “My God! You’re ruining everything!” She was acting like a spoiled child as she turned, then ran from them. All Mackenzie wanted to do was throw herself onto her bed, then kick and scream until she had no breath left in her. How could they? Had the world conspired to prove to
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 33
Wyatt’s heart thudded as Mackenzie moved down the aisle. Why was it that now that she was so beyond his reach, she’d become even more beautiful? His gaze swept over her slim form in the satin dress. Mentally, Wyatt caressed each hollow, each curve of her luscious body. Benjamin coughed beside him, jolting Wyatt back to the present. Good God, he stood before the altar of a church, lusting after Mackenzie. If there was a hell, he’d just gained entrance. She stepped up onto the raised platform, then maneuvered into place beside the petite brunette. Once Georgina joined them, the organist broke into the ‘Wedding March’. Estelle appeared at the back of the church, radiant in a pearl-colored gown, her father at her side. Clamping his mouth shut, Wyatt stood stiffly beside Benjamin as Estelle approached. The ceremony itself proceeded in a blur. Concentrating on the nuptials proved impossible for Wyatt when all he could thi
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 32
The next morning dawned sunny and bright. Kenneth called to say he’d be a little late, but they’d make it in plenty of time. Just hearing his voice was balm to Mackenzie’s aching heart. He’d shown up for the rehearsal dinner and she’d made it through by keeping her smile plastered on and nodding and agreeing with everyone. She’d left as soon as politely possible, feigning a headache. Kenneth arrived close to the time he’d promised. They’d just entered the vestibule when they ran into Mackenzie’s parents. Serena fussed with her husband’s tie.“Why did you wear this one? I had a nice one picked out for you. I don’t think this tie is right for this outfit?” With an impatient grunt, Hank batted her hands away.“This is a perfect tie. Sonia bought it for me for my birthday. At least she had the decency to celebrate with me.”“I was ready to celebrate with you. You just chose to go off with that floozie trainer of yours before I got back from my group
IT HAD TO BE YOU CHAPTER 31
Mackenzie forced her feet in the direction of the main doors of St. Thomas’s Church. She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders as she headed up the wide steps guarding the front. Her legs wobbled unsteadily and she wished desperately that Kenneth was by her side. Dread filled her at the prospect of seeing Wyatt again. Fresh pain seared through Mackenzie at the memory of finding Kimberly at his door, dressed in nothing but his robe.“I’m such an idiot…” she murmured. Humiliation filled Mackenzie at the thought of all the times she’d thrown herself at him. She really thought he cared for her. In his own way, Wyatt probably cared for all the women he slept with. He’d never made any promises and had been honest about his intentions. Like a fool, she’d let her emotions get all blown out of proportion, convincing herself he simply hadn’t yet realized his true feelings. She paused before the double wooden doors. Why had she l
