Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

Y ou Taste so Good

Ruby

“Come on,” Macklin urges.

“I can’t believe this is what we are doing,” I tell him. We came to some sand dune place and Macklin wants to rent ATVs.

“You either get on with me or you can get your own. It will be fun,” he assures.

“Fun?” I laugh. “I don’t do fun.”

Macklin frowns. “I know. You work too hard in school and on the track team. You always did, but you also need to know how to let loose.”

“Okay, now I feel like I’m out of my element here. I’ve been to my first college party since moving into the house, a boy saw me naked for the first time—that’s you, by the way—I am running off with my brother’s best friend, and cutting classes. Who am I?”

“Don’t overthink this,” Macklin advises because he knows me too well. “It’ll be fun. You can hop on the back of mine.”

The idea of holding on to him while riding this thing is enticing. We both get our helmets on and a guy who works here goes over the safety rules with us. I hop onto the back of the ATV.

“You’re going to need to hold on to me, Periwinkle,” he instructs with that deep sexy voice of his.

I wrap my arms around his middle, feeling the firmness of his abs. Macklin takes off slowly and then picks up speed.

“Holy shit,” I scream, but I am laughing out loud as excitement pumps through my veins in a way I haven’t felt before. Cool wind whips at my cheeks as Macklin drives us through the trail. There are sand dunes and dirt paths and so much open space and fresh air. It feels liberating. “This place is beautiful,” I shout over the noise of the ATV.

“That’s why I brought you here,” he shouts back. “We didn’t need another day in a polluted city. We need a break from reality.”

He is so right. I inhale the cool fresh air and enjoy the rush of the ride. We reach an opening to a forest and Macklin slows down. “We can take a break,” he offers.

I get off the ATV and remove my helmet.

Macklin does the same.

“Come here,” he urges and reaches for me. Looping his arms around my waist, he draws me into his body. His gaze rests on my lips. He’s breathing fast and so am I. My heart is still pumping fast when I move in and close the space between us. It feels like he is waiting for me to make the first move, and my lips feel like there is magnetic energy drawing me to him. I press

my lips to his and they feel cool at first, but we begin to really kiss and everything grows warm inside me. Our tongues mingle slow at first. Macklin groans into my mouth and something inside me snaps. I need more, no, I want more. I’ve kissed guys before, but no one has ever tasted like him, no one has ever made my body feel like it will combust if I don’t have him closer.

His hands come up and touch my neck and my cheeks as we kiss, and then he breaks the kiss and moves down my neck. “You taste so good, Periwinkle. Better than my wildest dreams.”

For a guy who doesn’t do relationships and is only about one-night stands, he is very sweet. He also has the art of seduction down pat.

Suddenly he’s pulling away. “Okay, break’s over.” He steps away.

“Uh, what? I thought we were just getting started,” I complain and pout.

He smiles like he finds me cute. “We can have a bite to eat,” he says instead. “Or we can have a picnic at our next location.”

“I’m not hungry for food,” I retort.

His gray eyes blaze. “You’re killing me, Periwinkle. But we aren’t doing more than kissing. It isn’t right.”

“You said you would help me solve my virginity problem,” I counter.

“That’s what I am doing. I’m romancing you. I’m seducing you. I’m showing you how sexy and beautiful you are. Besides, I have a hard time believing there haven’t been many guys who want to take you to bed.”

“That’s the problem. Guys are only interested in sex, not dating,” I explain.

“Knox was dating you. I heard all about what a nice guy he was and how he was willing to take things slow,” he reminds with raised brows.

“And all that was true, but it was me. I wasn’t feeling hot for him,” I confess.

His eyes drop to my chest. His teeth dig into his lower lip. I look down to see my nipples sharp enough to cut glass through my bra and shirt. Damn.

“But you’re hot for me,” he says like he knows. He isn’t wrong.

I nod. What is the point of hiding now?

“I need to tell Hayden, I’m feeling guilty, and I can’t go behind his back,” he says once again. I get he is loyal to my brother, but this has nothing to do with him.

“This is a me problem. I don’t want you telling my brother about my sex life. Let’s forget about Hayden for a bit. This is just me and you. You’re helping an old friend,” I tell him.

“We don’t kiss like old friends,” he points out, challenging me.

“Yes, we do. There is a sense of comfort and trust between us,” I argue.

“And fire,” he adds, the pupils in his gray eyes blazing.

“I can’t deny that,” I admit.

“Okay, back on the ATV, Periwinkle,” he orders with that deep voice of his. I don’t think I could ever get tired of being around him.

We place our helmets back on and I get on after Macklin and wrap my arms around his waist. This time I press my face to his shoulder and it blocks the wind a little. We continue to ride up and down the hills and through the dirt paths. I wish I could tell him I’ve had feelings for him longer than I care to admit, but I know that isn’t what he wants to hear. He’s a good guy, and he’s helping me out because clearly there is a strong attraction between us.

When we finish the course we are on, we collect our bags from a locker and then Macklin is calling an Uber.

“What are we doing next?” I ask him.

“It’s a surprise,” he says mischievously.

“This whole day has been a surprise,” I retort.

“Just wait, it gets even better.” He waggles his brows. He said we wouldn’t be having sex today. I wish we were, but on some level, I like just hanging with him. Being able to touch him and hold him feels so freeing. Like I don’t need to hide my feelings. Even though to him this isn’t about feelings, it’s about helping me with my V-card predicament.

We get into an Uber, and I stare out the window of the car because this place is so picturesque.

“It’s really nice here,” he says like he can read my mind.

“It’s so beautiful and serene,” I tell him. As we were driving on the ATV, I took in all the beautiful colors of the leaves. It’s fall and all the yellows, reds, and oranges are breathtaking. We arrive at a marina and I give Macklin a curious look.

“Shane has a boat docked here,” he explains.

“Wow, you really thought this day through.”

“Not really, I knew Shane would lend me his boat and the ATVs are just fun,” he says with nonchalance.

“Cool.” We leave the Uber and Macklin takes out his phone to read Shane’s instructions on how to find his boat in the marina.

We walk down a boardwalk and on to a dock. “It’s the second boat on the right.” Macklin points.

“Um.” I pause. “That’s huge.”

“Shane makes good money,” he retorts. “It’s what your brother and I have been working for all these years.”

“Wow, I just. . .”

“Come on, Periwinkle.” He takes my hand and leads me to the boat. He gets on first and then offers me his hand to help me on board.

“This is. . .”

“I know. When Shane brought me here over the summer, I was speechless too.”

We head down some steps where there is a table and a kitchen area.

“I think we should eat lunch.”

“I have worked up an appetite,” I admit.

“I made some sandwiches. I hope that’s okay. If not, we can go to the restaurant by the club,” he offers.

“Sandwiches sound perfect.”

“Good, I made you turkey with tomatoes, cucumber, and mayonnaise.”

“You remembered?” I ask astonished.

“Rubes, I ate at Abuela’s all the time. If it weren’t for her, I would not be doing what I’m doing now. I don’t know how I will ever thank her enough.”

“I think she was just happy to have you around. She loves you,” I remind him.

“The feeling is mutual. When I think of all the times I wanted to quit hockey,” he says, shaking his head. Macklin had started on hockey way later than Hayden and it took a lot of work from Hayden and his coaches to help Macklin be the best he could be, but Macklin had drive and the belief that quitting wasn’t an option. He had been in the foster system several years before he ended up across the hall from us and lived with all kinds of foster siblings. Most of the time they were the type of kids to get into trouble, but Macklin had a good start to life. He had good parents who loved him and taught him a strong value system of hard work, and it was something he always had to fall back on.

Macklin unpacks his backpack. It’s filled with sandwiches, snacks, and two cans of pop. We get situated at the table.

“Today has been unexpected,” I tell him.

“You can’t just rid yourself of your V-card, Periwinkle. It isn’t that easy, and I don’t want you having regrets,” he advises.

My chewing slows. “I wouldn’t regret you.”

His jaw ticks. “You don’t know that. You’ve never done this before. I’ve met all kinds of girls, and the one’s I’ve been with, they don’t care about. . .they get around. But you aren’t like that. You won’t just give your body to just anyone.”

“I’ve tried, Mack. Damn, I’ve tried but it never feels right,” I confess.

“And that’s why I don’t want there to be any pressure. We need to let things happen organically,” he states.

We sit in quiet and finish our food, but it doesn’t feel awkward. This is Macklin, if there was anyone that I would be comfortable with in this world, it’s him.

After lunch, I yawn a little.

“We could have a little nap in the room,” he suggests.

“Nap, or make out?” I ask.

“You have a one-track mind.” He laughs.

“Because I am on a mission,” I counter.

He takes my hand, and we head to the bedroom. It isn’t a huge bedroom but there is a nice big bed with a clean white comforter. We get on the bed and Macklin turns on his side and leans on his elbow. His index finger comes up to my cheek and he caresses my skin.

His gaze is serious as he watches me and butterflies flutter in my belly. I’ve never wanted anyone more than I want him, but he said he won’t sleep with me today and I know Macklin. He isn’t a guy that goes back on his word.