Heat of the Storm
Page 19

He shifted his attention to the crowd below. “Yes.”
“Does this mean you’re—” she searched for the right word, “—over what happened between us?”
“Are you?”
“Yes,” she lied.
His jaw tensed. “Aren’t you tired of lying to yourself?”
“And what am I lying about?”
“The way you feel about me.”
She released a tired breath. “What does it matter now? You’re dating someone else.”
A glimmer of triumph. “And that bothers you.”
“No,” she lied again.
Will shook his head in frustration. “I can’t do this anymore, Mac.”
Panic tugged on her gut. “Do what?”
“Keep coming back here, acting like we’re best friends.”
“We are best friends.”
“We should be more,” he burst out, anger staining his voice. “And if you can’t give it to me, that more, then maybe it’s time I moved on with my life.”
She chewed on the inside of her lip. “With Holly?”
“Maybe.” He made an annoyed sound. “And maybe not. Either way, I’m not putting myself through this shit anymore.”
Her panic intensified, snaking through her intestines and squeezing hard. “I knew this would happen if we slept together,” she whispered. “I knew you’d leave.”
“It would’ve happened regardless.” Pain creased his handsome features. “I’m not leaving because we had sex, and it’s not because I’m bitter that we won’t do it again. It’s just too hard, Mackenzie, wanting you this badly, knowing you want me too, and having to fight you every step of the way.”
The car started its descent, and anxiety rolled through her. Soon the ride would end, they’d get off, he’d find Holly, and then he’d walk out of her life. And his helicopter would crash in the jungle, and she’d lose him for good. Forever.
Unless she stopped him.
“Will,” she began hoarsely.
He raked both hands through his dark hair, eyeing her grimly. “Yeah?”
“I…”
I love you.
“I don’t want you to go.”
His mouth tightened. “Then give me a reason to stay.”
Desperation rippled up her spine. She opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. But no words came out. She couldn’t find her voice, couldn’t find the courage to tell him how she felt.
Her silence dragged on far too long. Each second ticked by painstakingly slow, and Will’s expression went from impatient to irritated to resigned.
The ride came to its conclusion, and a lanky teenager stepped to the platform and lifted up the bar. Without a word, Will slid out of the car. Mac trailed after him, struggling to meet his powerful strides.
“Wait,” she said in frustration, latching onto his muscular arm. “I need to tell you something. Please, Will, wait.”
Her peripheral vision caught a flash of red, and she turned to see Holly standing by the exit gate, clad in a filmy red dress that swirled around her thighs.
“I’m tired of waiting,” Will replied flatly.
He shrugged her hand off him and marched to the exit. Holly frowned when she noticed his expression, which Mac imagined to be fierce and resentful, but the brunette didn’t have time to react because, in an instant, Will pulled Holly into his arms and kissed her.
Mac’s heart promptly plummeted to the pool of pain and bitterness in the pit of her stomach.
Chapter Six
Will wasn’t sure why he’d decided to kiss Holly. They’d agreed to some tame hand-holding and a few pecks on the cheek, but the ire coursing inside him like a volatile ocean current had inspired this impulsive decision. Screw Mac, and her excuses, her fear, her denial. She didn’t want to give him a reason to stay? Fine, then he’d show her exactly what she would be missing. To hell with her.
His mouth closed over Holly’s, swallowing the shocked little sound she made. Carson would kill him, yes, but to hell with him too. Placing his hands on Holly’s round bottom, he pulled her toward him, thrusting his tongue into her mouth and kissing the living daylights out of her.
His body reacted the way it always did when his tongue was in a warm female mouth. His c**k grew hard, his pulse quickened, but he suspected the result had more to do with the fact that Mackenzie was watching. He sensed her presence, felt her beautiful blue eyes on him, and he knew she still stood by the gate, witnessing this kiss.
To his surprise, Holly responded to him, twining her arms around his neck and sinking into his body. Her small br**sts pressed against his chest, and though they stimulated a pleasurable sensation, it was nothing compared to the way Mackenzie’s full br**sts had felt on his bare chest.
Damn her.
He fondled Holly’s ass, tangling his tongue with hers, wishing it could be this simple. Kiss another woman, love another woman.
But it wasn’t, and the hopeless realization that he could never get over Mackenzie Wade prompted him to end the kiss.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured against Holly’s lips then slowly drew back.
She stared up at him with wide eyes and flushed cheeks. “It’s fine.” After a second of hesitation, she lifted her hand and touched his chin. “Are you okay?”
He practically choked on the word “no”.
Holly shot a discreet glance behind them, where he knew Mac was still watching. “Let’s go then.”