“I re-varnished the porch swing.” He steps up to the stove and begins to fill up a plate with eggs and bacon.

“You did?” I slide off the counter and walk out to the front porch. I throw open the door and walk out to the swing. The faded peeled wood has been sanded back and now shines with new varnish.

“Came out good.” I turn back to see Beau standing at the door watching me.

“Yeah, it looks great. When will it be ready?”

“Tomorrow it should be good to go. I know how much you like sitting out here and reading.”

“You did this for me?” I spin back, trying to gauge his reaction.

“No, been meaning to do it for a while. Had the time today.” He turns and walks back inside like it’s no big deal.

He so fixed it up for me.

I follow him inside and take my seat back on the counter. I don’t push the swing, not wanting to make a big deal, but I can’t help smile about it. It’s a small gesture, but to me, it’s huge.

“What time did you come in?” I watch him carefully as he hands me my plate. I don’t bother moving to the table. My appetite’s coming back, so I dig in right away.

“You don’t remember?” He takes my plate out of my hands and brings it to the table. I only pout for a second before following the food.

He’s bossy even without words.

“No. I remember the girls leaving, Holly was last to go then I started to clean up. The rest is blank.”

“I got in around midnight. You were passed out on the sofa.”

“I was?” I look up, trying to remember. Shit, yes. I sat down when the room started to spin. I must have fallen asleep.

“You snore when you’re drunk,” he teases between mouthfuls of food.

“I do not.” I hide my face behind my coffee cup.

“You do. You even drooled a little.” He wipes his mouth, showing me how much I dribbled. My eyes must convey my horror because he starts laughing.

“You’re lying.” I don’t believe him. No way.

“I’m not lying, darlin’. You were snoring, drooling, and even mumbling in your sleep.” My head hits the table, as his laughter grows louder.

“Stop, just stop.” I look up and watch him enjoying himself way too much.

“Okay, so you don’t want to know what you proposed when I managed to put you to bed?”

I don’t answer, his laughter telling me it’s just as bad, if not worse. Instead of stressing about what I might and might not have said, I finish my breakfast, top up my coffee then take my ass to my favorite chair and decide to wallow for the rest of the day.

I’m never drinking again.

Sixteen

Beau

“So, how’s Mackenzie settling in?” Holly asks a couple of weeks later at a Friday night club BBQ. Nix had called a club meet earlier to discuss some shit with the Warriors and follow up on how Chad is still completely off the grid. Not one sighting. How the fuck it’s even possible I have no idea and I don’t want to get my hopes up, but it’s starting to look like he’s not going to make a move.

“She’s okay,” I answer and take another sip of my beer. I should probably be heading out, but tonight I’m finding it hard to go home. The last few weeks of having Kenzie in my home haven’t been easy. Especially after the night I told her just what I wanted to do with her.

The first few days after that evening were quiet, both of us treading carefully, but just like everything else, time has healed things and now it’s like we’re back to normal.

An ordinary Hell that leaves me not wanting to go home most nights.

It’s not that I don’t want her there. Fuck, far from it. She cooks dinner every night, keeps the place tidy, and last week even started on bringing back the garden I’ve managed to kill off.

The problem is more than all those issues. It’s knowing she sleeps next door to me every night, a thin wall the only thing separating us. It’s the showers every morning that force me to jack off to stop me from kicking the door down to join her. It’s the fucking nightie she continues to walk around in every night. The same one I told her not to fucking wear. It’s every single day knowing this woman, who wants me just as much as I want her, is so damn perfect, I know I can’t ruin her.

She’s driving me crazy, but it doesn’t stop me from going out of my way to find ways to talk to her, sit with her and even watch the stupid shows she likes to watch. I even went as far as fixing up the damn porch swing for her.

I’m twisted up over pussy and I’m not even fucking her.

“I’m surprised she’s not here,” Kelly continues to question me, only making my pissed-off mood darker.

“She worked earlier and decided to go home,” I answer, still not sure why I’m annoyed she didn’t want to hang back with us. I thought she would eventually get used to the club, the parties, and women, but it doesn’t seem she wants to. Not yet anyway.

“How about you? Are you doing okay?” Holly asks.

“I’m fine, Holly.” I let out a frustrated breath. It’s not like I want to be an asshole to her. I just don’t want to fucking talk about Mackenzie when I’m wound so tight.

Maybe I need my dick wet? Fuck her out of my head.

“Hey, Beau.” Lissy, Bell’s friend, interrupts my thoughts and takes a seat next to me.

“Hey.” I keep my eyes on my beer, the irony she just sat down not lost on me.

“Wanna get out of here?” She leans in closer so no one can hear. That’s Lissy, straight to the point.

Like me.

I think it over for a bit. Maybe it would help? I haven’t fucked anyone since Mackenzie came back into my life, maybe it will help break this connection we can’t seem to shake. It would be easy. Lissy and I spent a night together in Vegas a few months back. She knows what I like and clearly knows my tastes.

I look up and catch Holly watching. She looks away before I can tell her to fuck off.

“Nope, not tonight,” I reply to Lissy, my eyes on Holly. Lissy doesn’t say anything, not bothered by my rejection and again, I kick myself for knocking her back.

Fucking hell, what the fuck is wrong with me?

“I’m out for the night. See ya’ll tomorrow.” I stand and give a few head nods around the table before making my way around the clubhouse to my bike. I need out of here before I lose my cool.

“Beau, wait up,” Lissy calls out as I make it around the front and mount my ride.

“Lissy, don’t. You knew the fucking score back in Vegas. It was one time, not gonna happen again.” My tone isn’t nice, but she doesn’t seem fazed.

“I know, of course. I just wanted to say sorry. I wasn’t thinking. It’s why I followed you around here.” I look at her for a minute. She was a good fuck, into everything I put her through, but staring at her now, my head and my dick know she’s not what I want. Not what I fucking crave.

“No problem,” I finally say and start my bike up. The rumble of the pipes cut off anything else she could possibly want to say.

With one final head nod, I back out and take off, hoping a ride clears some of my head and I decide right then to take the long route home.

Maybe it’s not such a good idea to have Mackenzie in my space anymore if it’s messing with me so much.

But it’s not like I could ask her to leave.

I could send her back to the clubhouse?

No, there’s no way she would go for it, especially after demanding she move in with me. No fucking way.

After riding for over an hour, and no closer to coming to a decision, I pull up out front of my house, kick the stand down and climb off. The front porch light is switched off, but the kitchen light still glows, so I know she’s still awake.