Just One More Reason: A Small Town Opposites Attract Romance (Cottonwood Falls Book 2) by Oona Ryda & Candace Ayers

Author:Oona Ryda & Candace Ayers [Ryda, Oona]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lovestruck Romance
Published: 2022-05-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 16

Mackenzie

Golden rays of sunlight fall across my face. A cool breeze flutters the sheer curtains. I stretch. Where am I?

Bed.

A long, heavily muscled arm covered in tattoos is wrapped around me, holding me close to a hard body. I don’t remember falling asleep, but I suppose the long day and relaxing evening snuggling on the couch with Lukas and Noah had a potent effect on me.

“Morning, Wildfire.” I feel a kiss on the back of my head.

“Morning,” I say in a groggy voice. “How’d I end up here?”

“You and Noah both passed out.” Another kiss, this time to my shoulder. “So I carried you to bed.”

Holy shit. Carried me to bed? I feel as though I’m swooning a bit.

He nuzzles his nose behind my ear, then nips little bites along the cord of my neck. His dark hair is rumpled and messy and his eyes are sleepy.

“You have a way with children,” he tells me.

Me? No, I don’t, not really. “What makes you say that?”

“Noah.” His tongue glides along my collar bone and my breath gets heavy. “The way he responded to you. It’s unusual for him. It usually takes him weeks to open up to someone.”

“Really?”

“Last night...I haven’t seen him like that in a while.” He exhales slowly from his nose. “He really likes you.”

Again the pang of guilt shoots through me. I’m phony as a three-dollar bill.

I turn, burying my face in his chest. Lukas’s hands stroke up and down my back with soft caresses. The birds outside chirp in the trees and the scent of sun-warmed grass wafts through the screen carried by a gentle breeze. It’s a perfect moment. Lazy, warm, comforting. If I could, I would stay in this peaceful cocoon forever.

Fuck! I have to get a hold of my emotions. While I’m falling for Lukas, he’s falling for Mackenzie Jordan, receptionist—a woman who doesn’t exist.

My eyes snap open. “What time is it?” I ask, sitting up and ripping myself from the comfort of his arms. He glances over at the clock. “Six.”

“I have to be at work soon.”

“At six in the morning on a Saturday?”

I nod quickly. “The salon opens early on Saturdays. It’s our busiest day.” It’s a partial truth, but no salon opens that early, especially not one in a small town. The excuse sounds lame even to me. The rest of the truth is that I’m not scheduled to work today at all. I’m supposed to meet with Gil to check in.

I rush into the bathroom and finger-comb my hair, which does absolutely nothing to tame the wild curls. I still have my makeup on from last night, and I run my fingers under my eyes to wipe off the smears.

Shamelessly I dig through his medicine cabinet and find mouthwash, which I use to rinse my mouth before smoothing my sleep-rumpled clothes.

When I emerge, Lukas is no longer in bed, and the covers are thrown back haphazardly.

Descending the stairs, I find Lukas leaning against the doorway to the kitchen where I smell coffee brewing.

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