Book 2: What Happens Here - Chicago (What Happens Here Series)

Chapter 11 - Mackenzie

Mackenzie was relieved that Jasmine had made the flight and was on her way to Chicago with the man that she loved. She was still amazed at the lengths that Valentina had gone to in order to try to keep Ethan and Jasmine apart. If she hadn't been there, Mackenzie would've thought what had happened was a script from a Lifetime movie!

Valentina Moretti was clearly a nutjob, and a part of Mackenzie knew that they hadn't heard or seen the last of her. Last night after the reception, Shane had been kind enough to walk her back to her room, but not before they'd sat outside by the pool and talked for hours. She'd shown him pictures of NJ and had shared funny stories with him about her baby boy that had made Shane smile, and each time he'd done so, it had caused butterflies in her stomach. Shane had reciprocated and had shared details about his own life as well. He'd shared some of the funny stories from not only his childhood, but also stories that involved some of his famous clients. Shane's sense of humor had made her laugh so hard that she had even snorted a few times, which hadn't happened since......Nick.

The night that Mackenzie had met Nick, they'd spent hours talking and laughing in much the same way, and when she'd accidently snorted, Nick had just stared at her as if she were the most beautiful thing in the world. She had been embarrassed initially, but when he'd told her that he thought it was adorable, and had leaned down and kissed her, any feelings of embarrassment that she'd felt all but disappeared.

Last night when she'd made that same exact sound, and one that she hadn't made since before Nick died, it had caught her off guard. She'd reflexively covered her mouth with her hand and stared wide eyed at Shane. He'd smiled at her, but when he'd looked at her in the same way that Nick had, her heart had leapt from her chest. She had felt lightheaded, and although the thought of Shane kissing her had excited her....an overwhelming sense of guilt at that fact had filled her a moment later. Mackenzie had quickly stood, and told Shane that she needed to get back to her room so she could check on NJ. Although he'd looked momentarily confused, he'd simply nodded his head, rising to his feet as he'd said, "Yeah...of course. I'll walk you back to your room."

They'd walked in silence, and after finally arriving at her door, Shane had paused as if he wanted to say something, but Mackenzie had thanked him and rushed inside, quickly closing the door before he'd had a chance to. Once the door was closed, Mackenzie had released a slow exhale as she'd pressed her back against the hard surface and covered her face with trembling hands. A multitude of emotions had flowed through her, and not knowing how to process them in that moment, Mackenzie had rushed into the huge bathroom, and after starting the water in the shower, she'd stripped out of her clothes. Completely naked, Mackenzie had stepped beneath the spray, and gasped at the coolness of the water. The water had been a bit cooler than she would've preferred but Mackenzie couldn't have cared less because she'd needed something to numb her senses. She had felt too many confusing and overpowering emotions to fully process any particular one, so she'd allowed the empty numbness that she'd perfected since losing Nick to wash everything away.

Twenty minutes later, Mackenzie was stepping out of the shower. She had mechanically gone through the motions of bathing herself, which was more like muscle memory than anything else. With both her hair and body clean, Mackenzie had run a brush through her thick, dark tresses, and afterwards she'd brushed her teeth. When her nightly ritual was completed, she'd pulled Nick's Old Navy sweatshirt out of her suitcase, and after pulling it on, she climbed into bed. The sweatshirt had been the same one that she'd worn every night since he'd died, and after excessive washes, it had become practically threadbare in places. After she'd settled beneath the cool sheets, Mackenzie had pulled a pillow to her chest and fell into a dreamless and fitful sleep.

Earlier that morning when Jasmine had come to Mackenzie's room broken-hearted and completely distraught, and she'd shared what had happened with Valentina, Mackenzie had been reluctant to reach out to Shane. After the way that she'd pretty much slammed the door in his face the night before, she'd felt like an idiot. She wasn't sure if he'd even want to hear from her again, so she'd debated on reaching out to him. But after seeing how devastated Jasmine had been and going with her gut feeling of there being more to the story about what had happened between Ethan and Valentina in his suite, Mackenzie had thrown caution to the wind and had stepped out into the hallway to make the call, which had turned out to be the best decision that she could have made.

As they'd driven back to the hotel after ensuring that Jasmine had made the flight to Chicago with Ethan, Mackenzie had found herself seated next to Shane on the drive back. Every so often when the vehicle would shift in one direction or another, Shane's leg would bump up against hers.

The feeling of his warm skin against hers had caused tingles to race over her body, and when the soft, dark hair on his calf grazed the skin of her leg, goosebumps had raced over her skin. What the hell! Her body had only reacted to one man like that, and that had been Nickolas. The fact that her body was having any sort of reaction to Shane Reyes bothered Mackenzie and had her closing her eyes as she tried to block out the feelings of desire that were coursing through her.

Mackenzie felt Shane nudge her with his elbow right before he leaned his body against hers and whispered, "Hey. Are you okay?" Damnit. Even the sound of his voice, with its husky, seductive tone had moisture pooling between her legs, and Mackenzie shifted in her seat in an attempt to not only put some distance between them, but to press her thighs together as well to suppress the ache that his scent and his nearness were causing to her body.

Mackenzie wasn't sure how to handle the feelings that Shane was stirring inside of her, or the reaction that his nearness was having on her body. Since the night she'd met Nickolas Sutton at their high school's football game all of those years ago, he had been the first and only man that had this effect on her body. In actuality, Nick had been Mackenzie's first and only...everything.

And now, Shane Reyes sat just a bit too close to her, and his closeness was causing feelings inside of Mackenzie that she never thought she'd feel again. Realizing that he was waiting for her response, Mackenzie opened her eyes and gave him a half smile as she said, "Yes. I'm great. Thanks." And just like the first time he'd done it...Shane smiled, and it took everything inside of her not to melt into a damn puddle at his feet.

Mackenzie was in so much damn trouble....