CHAPTER 77

“Why are you here, Macie?”

The guarded look on his face said he expected her to say I’m here for hot sex, baby cakes, strip.

And seeing him standing there, all tough and masculine and yummy—it was tempting to be flip and reduce this… need to be here for him tonight into nothing more than a physical act. But at some point in the last few days, things between them had gone beyond physical. So, she simply said, “I missed you.”

The energy drink in his hand stopped halfway to his mouth. “What?”

“I missed you.” She took a step toward him. “Surprised?”

“Yeah.”

“Me too. Look. I know you were upset tonight. I don’t know why, and I’m sorry I didn’t notice until right before you left.” Another step. “But I’m here now, in case you want to talk about it or something.”

Carter’s eyes devoured her. Then he threw the drink can over his shoulder and charged. A hand dove into her hair and his mouth slammed down on hers. Hot. Hungry.

Greedy. Achingly familiar.

During the consuming kiss, Carter’s body was