Sugar And Spice (23 page)

“Yes, ma’am.” Mack saluted her. “Oh, shit!”

“What?”

“Destry. I can’t leave him here all day tomorrow. It hasn’t warmed up that much. I’ll have to take him with us.”

“That’s no problem. Mom and Dad have a fenced backyard and a nice warm basement.”

“They won’t mind—”

She tapped his lips. “My parents are going to be so thrilled that I came home for Christmas and that I brought a handsome young man with me that they wouldn’t care if you brought a herd of buffalo with you.”

Mack laughed. “I take it that they’ve been wanting you to find a suitable young man.”

“At first, that’s what they wanted. But now, I think they’ll settle for any man who makes me happy, suitable or not.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “As far as I’m concerned, not only do you make me happy, but you’re very suitable.”

“In or out of bed?” He cupped her butt, shoved her against him, and rubbed her intimately.

Katie’s body tingled. “Well, I have to admit that I’m quite fond of you in bed. You’re a very talented lover. But you’re pretty wonderful out of bed too.”

“You, honey, are just plain wonderful.”

“Are you saying you like being with a good girl?”

“Oh, baby, do I ever.”

They both laughed, then suddenly as they stared at each other, they both grew quiet. Katie’s heart beat like mad. How could she be so sexually aroused all the time, every minute she was near Mack? This was certainly a new experience for her.

“It’s all new for me too,” he told her, just as if he’d read her mind.

“Mack…I—I don’t know—”

“It’s okay, Katie. You’re confused because you’ve enjoyed having sex with me and yet you still love Darrell. You shouldn’t feel guilty for enjoying being alive.”

She’d been about to say that she didn’t know how it had happened, how she’d fallen so hard so fast, that she was madly in love with him. But Mack hadn’t mentioned the word love, had he?

“You’re right—I shouldn’t feel guilty.”

“That’s my girl.” He hugged her. “Now let’s eat. I’ll call Destry in later.”

The day went by quickly. Too quickly. They had cuddled by the fire and talked, the way Katie had wanted to do. They had shared childhood stories and memories of their teen years, and they’d both touched on their professions. She loved being an interior designer as much as he had once loved being an Army Ranger.

“Would you believe that while I’ve been playing hermit up here in the mountains for the past eighteen months, I’ve been writing a book?” Mack hadn’t told another living soul about his writing. The first book was finished, the protagonist a hardened soldier turned P.I., and he was half-finished with the second book. Now all he needed to do was find a publisher.

Late in the afternoon, they had shared oral sex as they lay in front of the fireplace on the dark fur rug while Destry rambled around in the woods. Mack couldn’t get enough of Katie. If he took her a thousand times, he’d still want her. Again and again.

After dinner, they’d listened to Christmas songs on the portable radio, then he’d opened a bottle of wine and they’d toasted the season. It had been the best Christmas Eve he’d spent since he was a kid, before his mother died.

And here it was Christmas Day. He stared at the lighted numerals on his battery-operated digital clock on the nightstand. One-twenty a.m.

Katie lay beside him, sleeping soundly. After they had made love, he’d slept for a couple of hours, then woke, his mind whirling, wondering what today would bring. A part of him wanted to keep Katie there, in his cabin, isolated from the world. But she wasn’t an introvert like he was. She needed interaction with other people. Besides that, she had a family back in Cleveland. Parents, a sister, a brother, a couple of nieces.

One thing he knew for certain—he couldn’t lose her. He’d do whatever it took to keep her in his life.

And if she can never let go of the past? What will you do then? Katie couldn’t have a future with anyone until she accepted the fact that Darrell was the ghost of Christmas past.

The minute Mack pulled his Jeep into the driveway at her parents’ home in Cleveland, Katie noticed that the drapes in the living room moved and she got a glimpse of her sister, Kim, peeking out the window.

“We’ve been spotted,” Katie told Mack. “Brace yourself.”

“For what?”

The front door of her parents’ seventies brick ranch house flew open and out came Kim, followed by her twins. Kim was the spitting image of their father. Chestnut hair and chocolate eyes, tall and slender. She appreciated inheriting his lean frame but hated her prominent nose and square jaw.

While Kim and the girls rushed down the sidewalk, Kit came outside and stood on the porch. He lifted his hand and waved. Kit was his mother’s son. Blond, blue-eyed, and stocky. Of the three children, Katie had inherited equally from both parents: her mother’s blonde hair, her father’s brown eyes, her mother’s five-four height and petite facial features.

“Brace yourself for the onslaught,” Katie said. “Here comes Kim and her twins, and Kit’s on the porch.”

Before Mack could reply, Katie opened the passenger door and got out, hoping to head her sister off before she reached Mack and bombarded him with questions.

Kit hollered, “Need any help with your luggage?”

“I don’t have any,” Katie replied as she reached out and hugged Kim, stopping her instantly. “My suitcase is still in my car, and the wrecker service won’t pull it out of the ravine until tomorrow.”

Kim’s eyebrows lifted in a just-what-have-you-been-wearing accusation. Katie’s smile told her sister that she had a secret. Kim mouthed the word you as she grabbed Katie by the shoulders and surveyed her from head to toe, then hugged her again. “You look wonderful,” Kim whispered, for Katie’s ear’s only.

“Having a man in your life agrees with you.”

Mack got out and rounded the Jeep’s hood, Destry at his side. Betsy and Becky stared up at Mack, their brown eyes filled with curiosity, then studied Destry as if the old Lab–collie mix was a wild animal.

“Is that your dog?” Betsy pointed to Destry.

“Yes he is,” Mack said.

“Are you Aunt Katie’s boyfriend?” Betsy asked.

“Betsy Diane Reid!” Kim scolded.

Grinning, Mack knelt down to Betsy’s eye level. “As a matter of fact, I am. My name’s Mack.” He held out his big hand. “Who are you?”

“I’m Betsy.”

Mack shook her hand. “Well, Betsy, it’s nice to meet you.”

“My name is Becky.” The shyer twin peeked out from behind Kim’s leg.

“How do you do, Becky.”

Both girls giggled.

“Goodness me, come on inside you two,” Kim said. “It’s cold out here.”

Kim rounded up her girls and herded them toward the porch. Katie smiled at Mack. He slipped his arm around her waist.

“What do I do with Destry?” Mack asked Katie.

“Open that gate”—she pointed to the wooden gate at the side of the house—“and let him have free rein in the backyard. You can come out later and put him in the basement if you think it’s too cold out here for him.”

“He should be fine outside until the sun goes down. He’d rather be outside than inside.”

Katie waited for Mack to get Destry situated before she headed for the porch. He put his arm around her again and they shared a private smile, each understanding that the other was remembering their time together in Mack’s cabin.

“Mom’s in the kitchen putting the finishing touches on dinner,” Kit said as they approached the porch.

“And she’s got Dad carving the turkey and ham.”

When Katie and Mack stepped up on the porch, Kit held out his hand to Mack. “I’m the baby brother, Kit Brown. I hear we owe you our thanks for rescuing Katie. Be prepared for a hero’s welcome from Mom and Dad.”

Katie felt Mack tense at the word hero. He’d told her how much he disliked being thought of as a hero, of having people fawn over him. She had asked Kim to forewarn everyone not to ask Mack about his limp, because it was a battle injury that he preferred not to discuss.

“I’m the one who owes your folks my thanks.” Mack’s arm tightened around Katie’s waist, drawing her closer to him. “I should thank them for producing a wonderful daughter like Katie.”

Kim cleared her throat as she opened the storm door and ushered her little ones inside the house. Mack and Kit shook hands, and Katie breathed a sigh of relief because her brother smiled at her and winked.

That meant Mack met with his approval, that his first impression of the new man in her life was positive.

By the time Katie and Mack followed Kit into the foyer, her parents had come out from the kitchen, her mom busy wiping off her hands on her apron.

“Mack, these are my parents, Janice and David Brown,” Katie said. “Mom, Dad, this is Mack MacKinnon.”

“You two made good time,” her father said, his dark gaze studying Mack, reserving judgment, as he offered his hand. “Are the roads pretty clear between here and Gatlinburg?”

“Seventy-five is completely clear,” Mack replied, shaking hands with Katie’s father. “The roads between Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge were still a bit slippery, but it was clear sailing after that.”

“My, my.” Katie’s mom stared at Mack, then went up to him and gave him a hug. “Thank you for taking care of our girl.” She pulled back and smiled broadly, showing off the deep dimples in her cheeks.

“We’re tickled to death to have you here today to share Christmas with us.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Brown.”

“Mercy, hon, you call me Janice.”

Okay, her brother liked Mack and so did her mother. Two down and two to go. Kim would come around pretty quickly, once she understood how happy Mack made Katie. Her dad was a different matter.

“We waited till y’all got here before opening presents, except for the girls,” Kim said. “Mom insisted.”

When they entered the living room, Kim’s husband, Greg, came forward and shook hands with Mack.

Kit’s very pregnant wife, Molly, hugged Katie and offered Mack a welcoming smile.

“I’m afraid I don’t have any presents for—” Mack tried to explain.

“Oh, goodness me, don’t you worry about that,” Janice told him.

Katie could tell that Mack felt uncomfortable as the family gathered in the living room. At her insistence, he sat on the sofa between Katie and her mother. Family tradition dictated that their father hand out the gifts, and one by one he distributed the gaily wrapped presents. When he handed Mack a box, Mack looked downright shocked, and by the time he had three gifts in his lap, his shock had turned to amazement.

If she knew her mother—and she did!—Janice Brown had sorted through the gifts she’d purchased for Greg’s December 31st birthday and Kit’s January 5th birthday for the items she’d given Mack: a beer stein—Kit collected steins, a pair of one-size-fits-all black leather gloves, and a book on antique firearms—Greg’s hobby.

Once all the gifts were opened, Katie’s mom popped up off the sofa. “Girls, come help me get dinner on the table.”

Katie gave Mack a “it-will-be-okay” look. He nodded and grinned, letting her know that he thought he could hold his own with the men in her family. God, she hoped so. She wasn’t worried about Kit and Greg. But she wasn’t sure about her father.

Mack liked Katie’s family, especially her plump, bubbly mother. He understood how Katie turned out to be such a nice girl. Her brother was a cutup, the kind of guy that put you instantly at ease. And her brother-in-law, though rather quiet, was friendly. He had expected the third degree from David Brown, but he’d simply asked Mack guy things, like his profession—retired army; his favorite sport and school team—definitely football and UT, which gained him a smile from the old man; and if he liked fishing—which he did.

By the time dinner ended and everyone was stuffed to the gills, Mack had begun to relax. Odd how quickly these people had made him feel like a part of the family. He’d forgotten how good that felt. He hadn’t been part of a real family since his mother died.

David Brown shoved back his chair and stood. “Okay, boys, let’s head down to my rec room before the womenfolk put us to work.”

Without hesitation, Kit and Greg rose to their feet. Mack glanced at Katie, who gave him a nod, indicating he should go with the others.

“Thank you for a wonderful meal, Mrs. Brown…Janice,” Mack said.

“You’re quiet welcome,” she replied.

David Brown’s rec room was in the basement—actually it covered almost half the basement and contained a large leather sofa, two armchairs, a big-screen television, a pool table, a computer, and two old arcade games. A stocked bar with a counter and three stools lined the back wall.

During the next hour, Mack played pool with Greg and then Kit, while David opened bottled beer and passed them around. It was apparent that Kit and his dad had a good relationship, despite the difference in their personalities. Kit had his mother’s fun-loving, outgoing personality, while David was more introspective, more guarded. A bit like Mack was himself. Greg had a quiet, easygoing way about him, and it was plain to see that there was mutual respect and genuine caring between him and his in-laws.

When Mack excused himself to go the bathroom, Greg told him to use the powder room upstairs. “My girls were playing down here earlier today and decided it would be fun to flush a deck of their Go Fish cards down the commode. We haven’t had time to make repairs yet.”

Chuckling, Mack nodded and headed upstairs. When he reached the door opening into the hallway leading to the bedrooms, he heard Kim’s voice coming from nearby.

“While Mom’s reading to the girls, I want you to tell me everything,” Kim said. “And I mean everything.”

“No way,” Katie said. “What happened between Mack and me is a private matter.”

Like a moth led to a flame, Mack eased the door closed behind him and walked quietly down the hall to where the voices were coming from. The bedroom door stood partially ajar.

“Then something did happen,” Kim said. “I knew it. I could tell just by looking at you that you and Mack made love. And it must have been great. The chemistry between you two is sizzling.”

Mack eased closer to the bedroom door, then leaned against the wall, out of sight, and listened. He knew he had no right to eavesdrop this way, but there was a good chance Katie would admit to her sister the truth about how she felt about him.