Needing Her (From Ashes #1.5)(12)

That mouth. Jesus, that mouth was perfect. How had I never noticed that? I loved that Maci swore just the same as her brothers did. It was just . . . so . . . Maci. But the way those full lips fell into her natural pout in the office had had me straining against my pants.

“Fuck!” I growled and slammed a hand down on the steering wheel before raking both hands through my hair.

I can’t think about her like this!

And yet, I couldn’t stop thinking about her like that. Her wild, vibrant red hair on my pillow with her body underneath me. That raspy voice of hers breathing out my name. Those full lips wrapped around my cock. All of it. All of her . . . was continuously playing through my mind.

Like a bucket of ice-cold water had been thrown on me, my phone rang, displaying Dylan’s name.

“Yeah?” I answered cautiously.

“Mini said you stopped by. What? No love for me and Kota?”

“Had to get back to work. Sorry.”

He grunted. “Have a question for you about Mini. Is she seeing someone?”

I muted the relieved breath that left my lungs, and didn’t even have to think about my answer. Maci would kill me if she found out I told them about the douchebag who came over. “No, she’s not.”

“You’re sure?”

“Yeah, Dylan, I’m sure.”

He spoke away from the phone, telling what I’m guessing were the rest of the brothers what I had said. “Okay, well, hey. Let’s all get together this weekend, grab some food and beers.”

“Okay, I’m off after today, so just let me know.”

“And, Connor.”

“Hmm?”

“My sister doesn’t need to hear your women screaming. Try to get them to keep it down, all right?”

So she had heard. Why is that bothering me so much?

“Connor.”

“Yeah, I got you. It won’t happen again. I’ll make sure Maci’s gone, or I’ll go to their place . . . something.”

“Appreciate it, bro. I’ll call you later, we’ll set something up for tomorrow night.”

“All right. Later.”

As soon as we were off the phone. I pulled up Maci’s name and sent her a message.

I’m sorry about last night

Maci Price: I’m not sorry I made your face green ;)

Which reminded me . . . hope she didn’t have any plans for the evening.





Chapter Four



Maci

“AMBER, IF YOU don’t let me get off the phone, then I’m never going to get ready. I love you, I’ll see you in an hour.”

“Ugh. Fine. Get ready, but we’re picking up this conversation later. I’m not letting Bryce ruin your chances of meeting someone else tonight.”

I eyed Bryce sitting on my couch and suppressed a sigh. “Whatever you say.”

“I’m serious!”

“Uh-huh. I got it. Getting ready now. Bye.”

Running into my bathroom, I took the towel off my head and threw it onto the floor before hastily running my brush through my hair. I was so behind on getting ready, and Bryce was one of those guys who got annoyed if we were late. Since Connor had confirmed there wasn’t a chance in hell for anything between us, I really didn’t want to start off a night with Bryce already bitching. And despite Amber still insisting on finding me someone . . . anyone other than Bryce . . . I wasn’t willing to go through the process. I couldn’t see the point in it. Not when we had a perfectly good—

“Son of a bitch! What the f*ck?”

I shut off the blow dryer and threw it onto the bathroom countertop as I spit out what had gotten in my mouth when I’d been freaking out, and rubbed at my eyes so I could look in the mirror. My entire head was covered in white powder. I was going to shank the bastard.

“You okay?” Bryce’s voice filled my hallway seconds before he appeared behind me. “What the hell happened to you?”

“I swear to God I’m going to kill that motherf*cker!” I screeched as I pushed past Bryce and stomped down my hallway.

And I mean stomped. I looked like a little kid getting ready to throw a fit over not getting any ice cream.

“Language, Maci, and where are you going?”

“Probably to jail.”

“What? Wait, stop walking!” Bryce grabbed my arm and turned me toward him. His eyes bouncing over my head and shoulders with confusion. “Who did this? What is all this, baby powder?”

I scratched at my head and neck and shook his hand off as I turned back to open my apartment door. “Probably.”

“I said stop!”

“I just need to kill him, Bryce. I’ll be back in five seconds!”

“Maci!”

I flung open Connor’s door and stormed over to where he was standing in the kitchen. Arms crossed over his chest, smirk on that stupid pretty face.

“You should really lay off all the coke,” he said. “Or I can get you help, if you need it.”

“I will f*cking murder you, you stupid piece of shit!”

“That’s the sweetest thing you’ve said to me all day.”

“Maci!” Bryce barked and I turned to look at him. “I said stop, and I mean now. Get back in your apartment, don’t make me say it again.”