Page 29 of Lead Me A Stray

“Rory thought we needed a night out.”

“Y’all definitely deserve to let loose. You work too hard.”

“Stop laying it on so thick.” My sister glares. “Ask the girl to dance and bring her right back. I told you I don’t have the time to deal with the fallout right now.”

“Ouch.” I place a hand to my chest, hamming it up as I grab Piper’s hand and turn to her. “Can you believe how mean she is to her favorite brother?”

“You’re myonlybrother. Now git.”

Rory makes a shooing motion, and I don’t waste another minute getting lost in the other couples two-stepping around the dance floor.

“What are you doing?” Piper hisses, giggling when I spin her out and back in. She feels perfect in my arms, letting me lead as we engage in this new kind of foreplay.

“Makin’ sure every guy in here knows you’re mine.” The words are low and dangerous as I whisper them in her ear. She shivers and I pull her tighter against me, my cock hard where it rests between us.

“Mack, you can’t?—”

“I can, Honey Girl. You’re out of your mind if you think I’m letting anyone else lead you around this dance floor lookin’ like you do.”

“And howdoI look, Mack Crosby?”

“Like a fucking dream, Piper. You’re driving me wild in these little shorts, the denim molded to your perfect ass. You have no idea how bad I want you, how bad I want topeelthem off your body and?—”

“I’m supposed to be out withRory,Mack. You cannot say things like that to me.”

“Why, am I makin’ you wet, Honey Girl?” My grin is wolfish but turns feral the second she opens her mouth.

“That isnotthe point.”

“Lemme take you home.” I nuzzle my face into her neck, my Stetson shielding me from view as I drag my tongue up the column of her throat.

“But Rory?—”

“Is makin’ out with someone by the bar. Tell her I’m taking you home,” I beg, pulling back enough to look at her.

“This is crazy, Mack.”

“But you want it, right?” Swallowing hard, I add, “You want me?” Her mint-colored eyes are so warm and open, filled with hope and lust and something that might be adoration. It’s a heady combination, something that has my heart beating a little faster in my chest.

“Let me just go tell her goodbye,” she says, batting my hand away as she steps out of my embrace. “You’re gonna get us caught before we even get out of here.”

“Then move faster, baby. I don’t know how much longer I can last.”

And I realize as she walks toward my sister that I don’t just mean tonight. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this thing between us under wraps.

More importantly,I just don’t want to.

16

PIPER

It feels like I just fell asleep, sunlight mocking me as it trickles in through the blinds. I should really get up and head into work, but Mack’s arm is banded around my waist, my back firmly glued to his chest, and I wish I could stay like this forever.

Last night was amazing.

It was more than just the anticipation and sex—although that was all amazing—it was his desperation at the bar that went beyond anything I’ve ever experienced. He made me feel like I was the only woman in the room.

That he only had eyes for me.