a losing battle (free at last Book 2) by Annie Stone

Author:Annie Stone [Stone, Annie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-07-21T18:30:00+00:00

14

Mackenzie

When I get back downstairs, the delicious smell of braised meat enters my nose. They’ve remembered the potatoes, too. Usually, you’d eat a risotto with osso buco, but Carey doesn’t like it.

“Hey,” Carey says as I walk into the kitchen.

“Hey.”

I never thought it would affect me so much having Hunter here. I thought I could handle being near him—maybe tell him I realized I have feelings for him. But when he took me in his arms, I almost melted.

“Thanks for remembering the potatoes.”

“Sure thing, doll.”

Hunter snorts and smiles at Carey. “You’re still calling her that?”

Carey laughs. “Somehow, it stuck.”

I frown. “What was that stupid nickname about, anyway? You sound like a 1940s gangster.”

They both laugh but don’t reply. I give Carey a stern look.

He playfully raises his hands. “Okay, okay. In the beginning, we weren’t so sure about you.”

“I vaguely remember,” I say sarcastically.

“Mac,” Hunter says quietly.

“It’s okay. Forgiven and forgotten.”

“Anyway,” Carey says.

“Maybe we shouldn’t tell her.” Hunter sounds unsure.

“Mac can take it,” Carey says before continuing, “We thought Dad was just with you because you were young and hot. Like a sex doll.”

“A sex doll? Doll is short for sex doll?” I ask incredulously.

Hunter runs a hand across his face, looking embarrassed.

“But…you kept calling me that after you started to like me! Or are you just pretending to like me?” I ask, feeling my stomach grow queasy.

“No, Mac, no. It wasn’t like that,” Carey says, putting his arm around my shoulders. “We never pretended with you. Later, it took on a different meaning for us. Not sex doll, just an affectionate term. You know you’re family to both of us.”

I nod and look at Hunter, who looks sad. “I’m sorry Mac.”

“It’s okay, I—”

“What, baby?” he asks, coming closer.

“You’re the only family I’ve got,” I say and swallow.

“The three of us?” Carey asks.

“I shake my head. The two of you.”

They both hug me tight, and I’m glad to have them here, the three of us are back together, if only for a weekend.

After dinner, Carey says goodbye and goes off to a friend’s, and I load the dishwasher. Hunter tries to help me, but I tell him to sit down and rest on the couch. After all, he’s just gotten through BUD/S. I don’t really know what the training entails, but I’m sure it can’t have been easy.

When everything’s in the dishwasher, I go to the living room and sit with him, kneading my hands. He smiles and moves closer. He puts his giant hand over my small one.

“Why are you nervous?” he asks.

“I’m not.”

His smile brightens. “Don’t lie to me.”

“I…”

He smooths a strand of hair back behind my ear, strokes my cheek, and runs his thumb across my bottom lip. “Baby…” He puts his hands on my hips and pulls me onto his lap. I’m straddling him, his hands on my back. He pulls my hips toward his own. I can feel his arousal.

“Hunter…”

“Listen to me, okay?”

I nod.

“I love you, Mac. I’ve been in love with you almost from the first moment I saw you four years ago.

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