My Only One Read online

  “Shooting up a lab wasn’t going to change the results,” I can’t help but point out.

  “I know. It was wrong and I’m sorry. Really sorry.” She starts weeping again.

  I step back and call Quinn and explain the mess I’m in. Quinn promises to come right over.

  “The florist called,” she tells me as she walks to her car. “And said that your freight of roses are in. And, yes, I did say freight. How many did you order?”

  “A few. I’m going to get this woman a glass of water. Come over before I dissolve under her tears.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  Inside, I find my way to the kitchen and call Dally.

  “I thought you told me to go save lives.”

  “You can save mine,” I quip. I open a few cupboard doors before finding the one housing the glasses.

  “Oh?” She must sense the seriousness behind my words.

  “Yeah.” I sigh. “So the guy who shot up the lab died last night.”

  “What?” she yelps.

  I shove the glass underneath the water dispenser on the fridge. “I’m at his house right now and his wife is sitting on the front porch, crying her eyes out. She’s pregnant and about to pop.”

  “Oh my God.”

  “That was my reaction, too. Guy had a heart attack and died. I guess no one has updated the detectives.”

  “I can’t believe this. Also, why are you at his house?”

  “I just wanted to talk.”

  “I can’t believe you went over to his house! You were going to fight, weren’t you?”

  “He did shoot me, darling.” Taking the glass, I cross toward the front door.

  “I’m not mad that you went to fight him. I’m mad that you thought fighting him in your condition was a good idea,” she fumes.

  “I’ll have you know my condition is perfect right now.” I have plans to show her how perfect tonight.

  “I’m not going to argue with you about it now because of the whole situation. Do you need me to come over?”

  “Nah, Quinn’s got me covered. Hey, darling,” I say before she can hang up.

  “What?”

  “Life’s short so let me tell you. I love you.”

  Silence falls. I shoulder the door open and hand the glass to the widow. She takes it with a grateful whimper.

  “Darling?” I prompt into the receiver.

  “Why are you saying this now? On the phone?” she hisses.

  I glance over at the woman, who looks like she’s two steps away from the grave. Life’s a fragile thing. We experienced that two weeks ago and looking at the widow feels like an exclamation point on the end of that sentence. “Felt like the right time. I’ll see you at home.”

  Chapter 13

  Dally

  “Clear screen,” I tell the automated system I have for the phone in my lab. The screen fades to a picture of Mack and me and I know he must have had it put up because it wasn’t there the last time I was here. It’s a picture of me half asleep lying in his hospital bed with him. Something I was half forced to do. I say half because I wanted to crawl into bed with him so badly and wrap myself around him to reassure myself he was okay. The other half of me was scared I could hurt him. Mack was relentless and I learned him fighting to get me to lie down with him was going to cause more problems with his stitches than if I just gave in. So I did. It looks like now he or likely Star snuck a picture.

  Mack had all of this state-of-the-art stuff installed when he built my lab. I thought it was crazy to have my phone connected to a computer system but I have to admit that he was right. It is helpful when I am working and someone calls or if I need to make a call in a hurry while working on a sample. My hands are often full and it helps me out when I’m jammed up. Just like when Quinn’s texts came up I saw them clearly on the giant monitor on my lab wall. When the photos first popped up, my eyes immediately focused on the dark-haired stranger before I realized it was a distraction that Mack sent. He knew I’d want the goods on Quinn and he used it to escape. After a few minutes of asking Quinn questions, I realized exactly what my man was up to. That’s how I refer to him now. I called him to give him shit for trying to get one over on me and our conversation ended with him telling me that he loves me. He came right out and said it as if it were no big deal. I love you. The words tingle through my mind and body. I went from being mad at him to…God, I don’t know what I am.

  I put the lid on the test tube before doing a triple check of the label and putting it away. I pull off my gloves, throwing them into the trash. I stand there for a moment. Did he really say that? Of course he did. If these past few weeks have taught me anything about Mack it’s that he says whatever he wants. I’ve always thought he did but now I think he’s been holding things back. Even though he’s never exactly been shy with me, I’m starting to realize there are sides to him that I never expected. His brush with death has him more bold and demanding than ever.

  There is no doubt in my mind that Mack wants me but still I have this small nagging thought in the back of my head. Why did he wait so long? Did this shooting have him making rash decisions? When we first met, I thought he couldn't stand me. I figured that he only accepted me because I am around so much. My best friend is his sister-in-law so he really doesn’t have a choice in the matter. I wasn’t going anywhere so either way he would have to deal with me. Over time the two of us grew on each other and formed our own friendship. I think maybe we both friend-zoned ourselves because we were afraid of rejection. I shake my head at myself as I pull off my lab coat. This isn't what I should be thinking about right now. My emotions have been all over the place these last couple of weeks.

  I need to focus on my anger. That’s easier to handle. I can’t believe he went to that man's house. He has no regard for his own safety. What he discovered there makes it hard for me to stay mad at him. Especially when he decided to end our call with an I love you.

  I pull off my lab coat and head toward my computer, wanting to know more about the man that shot Mack. We’ve obviously done lab work for the man. I’m not sure how much information I’m going to find out, but something is telling me to dig for his wife’s sake. That poor woman. I can’t imagine what she is going through. I know her husband shot Mack but I also know Mack has a big heart when it comes to the underdog. I’m sure between him and Quinn they are going to try to help her in some way. That’s the type of people they are. Actually that’s how the entire Castile family is. They are always willing to lend a hand or help those that are less fortunate. I'm the perfect example of that. Mack took a chance on me. He invested in my dream when no one would. Maybe there is something I can do too. Maybe this woman’s unborn baby does have a family out there somewhere. I could try to help her take the steps to find them. Once things settle down, I'll mention it to her. For all I know she won’t want us to dig. That was something she’d need to decide.

  I leave the office and take the elevator down to the garage. I’m delighted to have a car back and be able to drive myself places again. Even though having Mack as a chauffeur wasn’t such a bad thing. I look down at my phone and see Mack messaged me to head to his house after work. I can’t wait to see him, not only to know he’s okay, but also to rip into him for being an idiot.

  I pull up to Mack’s place and park my car. I gather my bag, climb out and head up the walkway. I find a rose at the bottom of the steps. I bend down to pick it up and proceed up the stairs. Before I reach the front door I see that there are others scattered about. I mosey over and pick those up also. I don’t even bother to knock and push the front door open to see thousands of roses everywhere.

  There are so many that it’s ridiculous and over the top. “See, you can’t be mad at me,” he says as he walks out of the kitchen with a glass of wine in his hand. I not only smell the roses but I can smell he’s cooking something too. He’s right though. I can’t be mad at him. In fact, all I can think about is what it would be like to come home to a man like Mack every night. T
he silly things he’d do to make me happy.

  I take the glass of wine from his hand. He leans down and brushes his mouth against mine. His words of love still play in my mind. I’m sure he loves me. We have known each other a long time but is it a deep love like Maisie and Star have? Mack is a good man. We all know that but I also know that he can jump from one project to another. I worry that I could be messing up our friendship. I can’t help but think again; why now? It’s the one thing I need an answer to.

  “We need to talk.”

  Mack pulls back from the kiss. “That’s never a good sign.” He lets out a long sigh. “Over dinner. I bet you barely ate your lunch.” He guides me over to the table to sit down.

  “This was supposed to be about sex,” I remind him.

  “There will be sex.” He smirks as he takes the seat next to mine.

  “But—”

  “But I’m in love with you and you’re freaking me out and I’m trying not to panic,” he says, cutting me off. “Eat, darling. Let me take care of you for once. You’ve been taking care of me for weeks.” He leans over in his chair, kissing my neck. “Relax and let me love you. I promise everything will be fine.”

  His simple words lift a weight off my shoulders that I hadn’t realized had been there since I thought I’d almost lost him. He is right. Life is too short. I am going to live in this moment. The rest can wait for tomorrow.

  Chapter 14

  Mack

  A hum vibrates through my body as we eat dinner. The talk that seemed important to Dally never surfaces. Instead we talk about the widow. Dally suggests setting up a trust for the child’s education. It’s a great idea which I text to Quinn immediately. I ask about the coffee machine. Dally assures me it’s the eighth wonder of the world. We keep it light but underneath it is a low thrum of arousal.

  I can see it in the way her pulse flutters rapidly at the base of her neck and in the way her skin is growing rosy with desire. The food I made could’ve been delicious or it could’ve tasted like cardboard. I’m not paying attention because my eyes are glued on Dally. Eating has never been an erotic thing before but watching her lips close over the tines of a fork makes me want to go feral.

  With a lot of effort, I manage to restrain myself. Once she’s finished eating, I lead her to the bathroom where her bath awaits. The candles have burned low and the scent of rose blossoms fill the heated air. I fish out the hot stones I used to keep the bath water warm—a trick conveyed to me by Star.

  “This is beautiful,” Dally says. “All of it—the dinner, the flowers, and now this.” She sucks in a breath. “It’s almost too much.”

  “Not possible when it comes to you.” I help her take off her shirt and then her pants. Her hands come up to cover her tits because even though we’ve fucked ourselves in front of each other for nearly two weeks straight, she’s a little shy. I kiss her softly on the lips and cup her breasts, rubbing my thumbs over those pert nibs. Her mouth opens underneath mine and our tongues tangle. Kissing her is never just the act of our lips meeting. Instead, it’s like taking a piece of her inside me, swallowing her flavor, her essence.

  Reluctantly, I peel myself away. “In you go. The water is going to get cold.”

  “The remote unit you installed on these water pipes is nice,” she says as she climbs into the large tub.

  “Technology can be good for some things.” As soon as it came on the market, I had the place retrofitted with automated everything so that the shower turns on at precisely the right time and warms to the exact temperature. Works wonders for the bathtub, too.

  She relaxes against the backrest, stretching her arms out. I kneel beside the tub and get to work. With a rose-scented bar, I soap her down, paying extra attention to all those hidden places—behind her ear, the back of her neck, the undersides of her arms, the inner thighs. I spider my fingers up her legs. She parts them as my fingers glide in between her cunt lips.

  Her mouth falls open and a moan spills out. “That’s right, darling, let me give you a good massage in your pussy. It’s been a long day, hasn’t it? Let me work your stress out.”

  Her pussy is hot and juicy. I slip another finger inside of her channel and work her with long, steady strokes until she’s arching and gasping, her fingers clutching the sides of the tub as the orgasm overtakes her body. She’s sloe-eyed and dazed as I lift her out of the tub and carry her into the bedroom. I lay her wet body down on the bed of roses and shed my clothes.

  “Ready, darling?”

  She nods. “I’ve been ready.”

  I climb on top of her and push her knees up until her pretty pussy is exposed. Her lips are plump and glistening. Her hole is ready for me. I take my cock in hand and press it against her entrance.

  “Wait.” She panics when my head breaches her opening. “You’re so big. I don’t know if this is going to work.” Her pink cunt lips press on either side of my shaft. I can’t back out now. I really can’t.

  “I’ll go slow,” I say in choked tones.

  It’s hard, though. Massively, monumentally hard to move slow because she’s so tight and hot and wet and it’s every fantasy I’ve ever had balled into one tight cylinder ready to explode. Sweat breaks out on my forehead and trickles down my back. My veins pop out and my chest heaves with effort. I’ve never worked harder at keeping still in my entire life.

  Her cunt swallows another inch of me and then another until my cock is fully encased inside the hottest, tightest, wettest sheath ever created. The urge to spend myself is almost overwhelming. I knew I wasn’t going to last, but I didn’t realize I’d be this weak. I take some of the knowledge I’ve learned about her body from our self-pleasuring this past week and apply it. I know she likes her clit pinched. I do that and she lets out a soft moan. I know her tits are sensitive. Bracing myself on one arm, I lean forward and start sucking. Her legs fall open even wider.

  “That’s it, darling. Give yourself to me. Let me love you,” I murmur around her delectable nub. “I’ve waited my whole life for this.”

  “Oh, Mack. I love you, too.” Her hands thread through my hair, pulling me up so our lips meet. “Take me then. Fuck me like you mean it.”

  My mouth crashes down on hers and I jam my tongue into her mouth with the same force as I hammer my cock into her tender pussy. I take her then, because I can’t wait another second. My darling, my Dally, my eternal love that I’ve wanted for so long and I finally get to have her. The wait for my one and only has been worth it. Head spinning, body barely under control, I fuck her like I mean it. Like my whole life depends on it. Like she’s the only sun in my world. Without her I’m nothing. What a miracle it is she lets me have her.

  Chapter 15

  Dally

  I stretch, feeling the soreness in every muscle in my body. It’s a sweet ache that has me letting out a long sigh while melting more into the warm mattress. My body feels heavy and I never want to get up but the smell of bacon has my eyes slowly opening and my stomach coming to life. I roll over, looking at the clock. I already know Mack isn't in the bed. If he was he would be all over me. Who knew that Mack, the man who didn't care to be touched except by close family, would end up being a cuddler? Because that’s exactly what he is. If the man wasn’t wrapped around me last night he was inside of me. I couldn’t have imagined my first time to be any more perfect. Although we were desperate for one another the initial time, we spent the rest of the night learning and exploring each other’s bodies. I’m pretty sure Mack now has a mental map of mine.

  I sit up when I see it’s already nine o’clock. How the hell did I sleep so late? I grab my phone, checking to see if I have any missed calls or texts. I feel relieved when I don’t find any. It’s weird that my alarm didn't even go off. I slide my finger across the screen, discovering that the alarm feature has been turned off. I don’t have to ask to know exactly who did that. He likely even used my thumb while I was sleeping to unlock my phone. None of this is shocking to me. Mack always goes for what he wants. He�
�s made it clear these past few weeks that I’m that. Even after last night, I still worry about what this means for us.

  I told him I loved him last night. The words slipped easily past my lips as he was deep inside of me. They felt right in the moment. I’d seen the pleasure in his eyes as I gave them to him. I put down my phone, knowing the lab will be fine without me for a while. I told myself yesterday that I was going to let myself live in the moment and that’s what I’m going to do today. I plan to get more of a taste of Mack. Last night only whetted my appetite for him. I find myself craving his love and affection. I’m falling deeper and deeper down this rabbit hole of love. I don’t care how long it lasts. I’m going to enjoy every second with him that I can and pray if it doesn’t work out that our friendship will remain intact.

  I stand, making my way to the bathroom where I try to make myself look human. My hair is a mess and I could probably use a few more hours of sleep but as I gaze in the mirror, I touch my still swollen lips. I look sexy. I’ve never thought of myself that way but Mack makes me feel desirable. I don’t have self-confidence issues, I’ve just never been made to feel this way by a man. Sure, they’ve said I’m attractive but no one has ever looked at me as if they couldn’t live without me. That’s how it feels when Mack looks at me. I’m starting to think that I’m the one that can’t live without him. He is such a big part of my life now that it scares me to think about him not being in it. I push those thoughts away for another time.

  “You’re awake.” I drop my hand from my mouth to meet Mack’s eyes in the mirror. He comes up behind me, moving my hair off my shoulder to kiss the bare skin there. My shirt has slipped off, exposing it to him. To be honest, it’s his shirt that I picked up and slipped on.

  “I smelled food,” I try and tease. He turns me in his arms so that I’m staring at his chest. How can a person look so hot in a T-shirt? I suddenly feel shy. Touching him in the heat of the moment is much different than the position we are in now. Everything seems more intimate. Even though we’ve said I love yous, we also said this was only going to be sex. We agreed that we needed to get whatever this is out of our systems. He lifts me up and sits me on the sink.