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"Nope, Gage needs help al that he does has got to be hiding deeper proble that he was a bed wetter Hishis pissed-on sheets out front for the other neighborhood kids to see Since that early embarrassment, he’s been unable to forain"

Mac threw his head back, howling with laughter He had no idea where Dominic cae would be amused by the other man’s assessmentwell, unless there was so on you, bro I feel like I should warn Gwen or soht as I am" At the look of dejection on Do Apparently, he wasn’t having any luck wooing his wo to his feet, he clapped his friend on the shoulder "I need you to hold down the fort for a few days Think you can handle that?"

Do?"

Mac grinned before throwing an i, crazy, and reckless for once inhis finger, Doist of it Wear a condoed his chair in answer, laughing when Do obscenities God, would he and Gage never learn to keep their feet firmly planted on the floor?

Chapter Twenty-two

"Co cartons of cookie dough ice crea so spoonful of the crea-suffering sigh "You were ht and reserved At least then, I had all your insults to keep le the e-eating, listening to sadMrs Ava Powers over and over on your notebook"

"Hey!" Ava protested around the spoon in her mouth "I’ve only done that once and it wasn’t on a notebook"

"Saroomen do when they’re lonely? Rent soas There’s a store on the strip called Cock of the Stars Want ht the Channing Tatue and, well, long story short, she seems to have thrown her back out"

"Ohabout everything you just said And tell et one" Ava knew she’d made a mistake with that last sentence when E left for a plastic friend Brant fu--"

"Stop! I know I literally asked for that, but please don’t finish your sentence Remember, that’s my brother" Ava shuddered

"Like a cha when Ava’s spoon clattered to the floor and she ran from the room

"So sick," Ava said under her breath as she walked into the bathrooht Her hair was sticking up in every direction and she had ice cream stains on the front of her white tank top She had been holed up in her hotel for hours Not seeing Mac was driving her crazy When she iotten about the trade show in Vegas Now she was a long way froers, and da of peace and security that ca to understand that it wasn’t having his company keep an eye on her thatMac close He was her anchor; his presence kept her grounded and all her fears at bay

Claire had said so alone to their rooms that ca her howbehind with Claire’s mother and their family friend Louise She had said that she just needed to be around Jason right now She reotten used to hi and he has tried to scale it way back since we’ve been ravity When he’s gone, I just sort of find hed sheepishly before continuing "I don’t oes on until he’s back, but inside, I’er and I’m a better person all the way around I’m the best version of myself when he’s near" At the ti before heading to her rooht

Now her friend’s wordsto put all these rules in place with Mac,to rely on someone else Was what Ava saeakness really just a natural part of being in love? Even Claire had ad better with Jason than alone If she really thought about it, all of her friends seehter with the person they loved next to theh life, always trying to catch her before she fell But she did want hi her what only he could--acceptance, strength, and love

When she heard the door shut in the other rooet her phone She ht not be able to see him, but God, she needed to hear his voice So intent was she on her task that she didn’t look up until she barreled into a hard chest A startled squeak sounded fro that surely her"Mac! Wh-where did you come from?" As he started to answer, she jus around his waist and her arms around his neck "Oh, who the hell cares? You’re here!" Mac easp next as her ht entrance into his e of the kiss

Soon Mac stu until his knees ainst hi to his back with her on top "I ed his tongue in her ainst her wet core Even through the material of his pants and her shorts and panties, she could feel every inch of hirab his belt buckle, desperate to lower his pants He reached for the he it over her head in one swiftthe front clasp of her bra She could barely concentrate on his zipper as he pinched a sensitive nipple before stroking the sting away He lifted his hips so she could slide his pants and boxers down, and she gave a shout of victory as his hugeshort work of her re her back astride him "Fuck me, Avie Give us both e need"