She hopped out of her truck and restrained herself from running inside. Instead, she sauntered as if she hadn’t a care in the world, just as Kelsie had taught her.
Bruiser glanced up, those twinkling eyes sliding down her body and back up like a lover’s caress. Mac shivered, and as she started to slide into the opposite side of the booth, Bruiser shook his head and patted the spot next to him. Mac hesitated briefly, then sat. He slid closer, their thighs touching, and rested his arm across the back of the booth, rubbing her shoulder with his strong fingers.
“Miss me?” He grinned at full wattage, as if really happy to see her.
“Like an ice storm on a Seattle freeway.”
“Good. I missed you too.” Insults didn’t deter Bruiser. He glanced around. “No Craig tonight?”
“No, he’s going back over some leads.” Mac refused to give in to the guilt.
Bruiser frowned. “Is that all he ever does?”
“Pretty much twenty-four seven, and I do mean that. He doesn’t sleep much. Finding out what happened to Will is his life.”
“I think that’s sad.” Looking down, Bruiser toyed with his coaster. After a few moments, he looked up. “You know, I’ll do that for you if it’ll help.”
“Do what?”
“Come on to Trudy. See what I can find out. I draw the line at getting naked with her though.” His grin returned. “There’s only one female I’m interested in getting naked with right now, and she’s sitting next to me.”
“You’re toying with me.” Mac so wanted that to be true.
“Oh, yeah, and I’d like to do so much more.” One corner of his mouth kicked up in his trademark lopsided grin, as he cocked his head at her, while that stubborn lock of blond hair fell across his forehead.
Their gazes caught and held. A tremor rumbled from her toes to the tips of her newly highlighted hair, with the epicenter right between her legs.
Bruiser wound several strands of her hair around his index finger. He brought them up to his nose and inhaled. “Your hair smells damn good.”
“And you look damn good.” Lately, the man had this more-than-a-five-o’clock-shadow thing going on, and it was sexy as hell. She’d never been much for facial hair, but Bruiser could have hair on his shoulders and back, and she’d still find him bone-jumpingly drool-worthy.
They ordered dinner and huddled together in their little dark corner like two lovers, or at least would-be lovers. Mac sipped cheap wine. She’d never acquired a taste for the expensive stuff. Give her white zin or chilled red any day. Bruiser sucked down a microbrew, and soon they were debating the merits of 3-4 defenses versus 4-3, whether or not Zach had enough gas left in his tank for another season, and the odds on Tyler molding the young offense into a cohesive unit.
They talked so much that they didn’t even notice the place had emptied out and the staff watched them with undisguised annoyance. Bruiser dropped a big bill on the table and grabbed Mac’s hand. “So, my place or yours?”
“Mine is closer.”
“As long as your dad stays far away.”
“He will. He thinks I’m sick. He’s never been good at playing the role of nursemaid.”
“So you lied to him?”
“Fibbed. For the greater good.”
Bruiser threw back his head and laughed as they crossed the parking lot. “Mac, you’d better watch it. You’re getting more and more like me every day.”
“That’s a scary thought.”
“Yeah, one of me is enough. Even I admit that.”
“I don’t think you’re nearly as bad as you pretend to be.”
“Now don’t go giving me a conscience. That’s never been part of the deal.”
“You volunteered to chat up Trudy.”
“Yeah, well, momentary lapse from my selfish reality. Plus, if it helps get me in your pants, then game on.”
“You don’t fool me, Bruce Mackey. Under that pretty-boy exterior is a real person and a genuinely nice guy.”
“You’ll never hear that from me.” Bruiser’s jaw tightened, making that cleft in his chin even more pronounced. He stared straight ahead, his gaze distant and his expression closed. She’d hit a sore spot, but damned if she knew what.
In a matter of seconds, the pretty boy was back in character. “If being a nice guy gets you horizontal, I can manage that.” He grinned at her, but Mac wasn’t fooled. She’d seen something deeper, more than just the surface stuff he showed to the world.
He stopped beside her car, then flattened her against the driver’s-side door and gave her a deep, sexy kiss full of promise and expectations before he pulled back. “See you in a few.”
Mac gasped for breath and clutched the door handle. He’d sucked the oxygen right out of her lungs and left her gasping for air and longing for dirty sex.
Well, two could play this game, and she had a small head start.
As soon as she pulled into her driveway, she raced into the house, ran to her room, and locked the door, knowing he’d be right behind her.
Mac threw on the revealing, little pink sundress Lavender had given her and adjusted it for maximum cleavage. She slid off her panties and threw them in a hamper. After running a brush through her hair, she fluffed it up, took a deep breath, and entered the living room.
Bruiser stood near her mantel, staring at the pictures. He turned, holding one in his hand and studying it intently. “Your brothers?” he asked without looking up.
“Yes. Will’s on the right, and Clint is on the left.”
Bruiser studied the photo for a moment more, then glanced up and opened his mouth to comment but the words came out in an unintelligible stutter that sounded something like, “Holy shit. You look stunning.”
Mac’s face turned fifty shades of red. She stared everywhere but at him. “Thank you. Lavender gave me this dress.” Moving next to him, she took the picture from his hand and put it back
