“Jake...” After saying his name, MacKenzie had difficulty pulling her thoughts together. She knew what she should say, what she wanted to say, she also knew if the words left her mouth they would be a lie. She wanted to push him away, yet at the same time she wanted nothing more than to experience his touch, his lips pressed against hers, being held close and desired. It had been too long since a man had touched her with desire. What she could see in Jake’s eyes was an expression of what she so desperately needed, a validation that she was a desirable woman. Somehow the words she knew he needed to hear wouldn’t leave her mouth.
The shouts of Happy New Year, reverberated around them as they stood secluded in their little grotto. Unwilling to take the chance of exposing what she was thinking, MacKenzie lowered her eyes and prepared herself to walk away.
**********
“That tells me nothing, MacKenzie.”
“Jake...”
“Do you need me to show you what you want, what we both want?” Although Jake posed a question, he didn’t wait for a reply. He was a Kingdom, and while he would always respect the wishes of a woman, he knew MacKenzie was torn between what she thought she wanted, and what she was feeling.
Jake was sure she was unaware that she was leaning closer and closer to him. He also saw the indecision in her eyes. The color of her eyes had been one of the first things he had noticed about her. Her eyes were beautiful, and he soon realized they were also an infallible indicator of her true feelings.
Jake came to a decision. If she wanted to continue her misplaced dislike of him, he would give her a reason. It was only a kiss. Just one kiss. It was a New Year and as much as he wanted to draw his next breath; he wanted to know how her lips would feel moving against his.
Gone were the thoughts that his family was standing only yards away, and the sounds of the cheers that echoed around them. This moment was the only impetus Jake needed to find her lips, the stroke of midnight heralding a moment neither of them would forget. He would make it a moment she would never forget. He didn’t know where he stood with her. All he knew was; he needed to feel her, to taste her, to be given a chance to eradicate his past insults.
**********
With the first touch of Jake’s lips against hers, MacKenzie sighed. The sudden sound shocked her, she knew what it represented. She had been waiting for this moment since the first moment they met.
Jake didn’t rush; rather he stepped closer and took her face between his large hands and held her steady. The warmth of his palms, the feel of his lips sent sensations of pleasure through her. When he moved his lips from side-to-side against hers, MacKenzie’s mind went blank. All she wanted to do was to savor each touch, to give in to the very feel of him.
With his lips barely touching hers, MacKenzie became aware that Jake had grown still. Although her eyes were closed she knew he watched her, was waiting for her to look at him. For a brief moment she hesitated, unsure of what she would encounter once their gazes met.
Unwilling to retreat, MacKenzie’s eyes slowly opened only to be snagged by orbs of the darkest green. This close to him, she became aware for the first time that the change in the color of his eyes was not complete. As the lights from the Christmas tree twinkled around them, in their depth was their usual green.
Pulled into the glow of his eyes, MacKenzie tried to gauge what she saw, what his expression meant. To her, his look seemed to speak of possession. Even as the thought sprung into her mind, she refused to allow it to gain purchase. As far as she was concerned this kiss was a one-time, never to be repeated incident.
“Now that’s where you’re wrong, MacKenzie.”
“Did I say that out loud?”
“Yes, you did. Speaking your thoughts out loud is something you really need to work on.”
“I don’t usually do that.”
“Then it must be me; do I affect you, MacKenzie?”
“Yes. No, no, you do not.” In all honesty, at first MacKenzie had no idea what she had just been asked. The sound of Jake’s laughter shifted her startled eyes back to his. At some point in their brief exchange, her gaze had become captivated by his mouth. Shaking her head, she attempted to clear her mind, unsure of what she was getting herself into.
“Why don’t I help you to make up your mind?”
Before a coherent thought had time to run through her normally overactive brain, Jake bowed his head and took possession of her lips.
The feel of his powerful arms encircling her body caused MacKenzie to suck in her breath. His arms felt wonderful. She could feel their strength, the ripple of his muscles as they flexed then contracted when he pulled her ever closer towards him. Following quickly behind her first thought was the recollection that she had given birth just a few days ago, and her stomach was still huge.
Sucking in her stomach, MacKenzie attempted to pull away. When her subtle bid to sever their bodily contact failed to work, she stuck out her bottom in an effort to minimize their contact.
“MacKenzie, stop it.” Jake laughed. “I’m aware you’ve just had a baby. I’ve seen her; I’ve held her, and I’ve even kissed her. Now I want to hold and kiss her mother, stomach pouch and all. Is that okay with you?”