Eraser Platinum (9 page)

“Mackenzie!” he called out in warning a few thrusts later.

“Yes!” she replied on a scream as her body shook with her climax.  He released himself a moment later.  Her eyes stared into his as he came undone, his mouth hovering over hers.  When he stopped moving she closed the gap to kiss him.

“Marry me,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around her waist where she stood in front of the mirror in their bathroom.  She was rinsing her toothbrush and didn’t skip a beat before answering.

“Marriage won't work for me. I don't see the point.”  She’d answered him in much the same way, time and time again.

“Get the week off work.”

“What?  Why?”  She caught his eye in the mirror.

“Because we are going to put that passport of yours to good use.  I'm going to show you what a good marriage looks like.  How
our
marriage would be.”

“What do you mean?”  She returned her toothbrush to the holder and turned to face him.

“It's time you met Mom and Dad.”  Mackenzie gasped and Nate put on a fake English accent.  “We're going to London, baby!” he said, before he left the room.

She turned back to her reflection, her mouth agape. 
London?  He can’t be serious.

“I’m serious.”  Mackenzie looked over her shoulder to see him leaning against the door frame.  He looked down at the stressed look on her face.  “Relax papillon.”  He stepped closer to cup her cheek.  “My parents will love you.”

“Nate-”

He cut off her words with a kiss.  If there was one thing he’d figured out since being with Mackenzie, it was that sometimes it was best to just stop her from thinking too hard.

“We’re leaving for London in the morning?  How did you even manage that?  You only just told me last night.  I’m not ready.  I’ve got to pack and-”

“Relax.  There’s plenty of time.”  He leaned across the table, placing his hand on hers.  She let out a frustrated sigh and Nate couldn’t help but chuckle.

“It’s not funny.  I haven’t even called Jonathan yet.”

“No need.  I took care of it.”

“What?  When?”

“While you were sleeping.  Which brings me to my next question. Have you decided about The Blue Room?”

Mackenzie’s head was spinning at the change of subject.  “I, um…”

“Need more time?”

“Yes,” she replied, having spent the previous day mulling it over she still hadn’t decided.

“Okay.  Speak to me when you’re ready.”

They were seated on the back deck enjoying Sunday brunch.  It had been relaxing until now.  Now Mackenzie felt overwhelmed.  She’d never been overseas before.  She thought there would be more planning involved.  She hadn’t even got used to the idea and now they were leaving in less than twenty-four hours?

“I have to go to my apartment.”  Mackenzie quickly stood from her chair.

“Why?”

“My passport is still there and I need to get the rest of my clothes.  If I’m meeting your parents I need … shit Nate, I have to go!”

“Mackenzie.”  His voice held an air of authority.  It stopped her in her tracks.  He stood beside her and cupped the back of her head.  “Relax.  I’ll get Simon.  We’ll all go together.”

“No!  You stay here.  Simon can take me.”  He couldn’t read her expression but she looked uneasy.

“Papillon-”

“Nate, please.”

“Everything is going to be okay with my parents, Mackenzie. I promise.”

She gave him a tentative smile and walked inside to get her suitcases and to find Simon.

“Andrea, thank god ...!”

“Hey Mack!  How’s it going?”  Andrea pulled her robe tighter around her body and leaned against her open apartment door.

“Can I come in?”

Andrea raised her eyebrows.  “Um, I…”

“Sorry, am I interrupting something?  Is Henry over?”

“Yes, he is.  He’s just taking a shower”

“It’s okay, I’ll go.”  Mackenzie turned to walk away before spinning back to face her friend.  “It’s just ... I could use some help.  When you get a chance, can you come to my apartment?”

Fifteen minutes later, Andrea knocked and opened Mackenzie’s door, to find her standing in the kitchen, wine glass in hand.

“Great minds,” Andrea said, producing a bottle of her own.  Mackenzie got out another glass and the two of them took seats at the kitchen table.  “So what’s up?”

Mackenzie slumped in the chair opposite.  “
Everything
.”  She sucked in a lungful of air and then the words started flying form her mouth in a rush.  “So I move in with the guy, which is a huge thing for me,
massive
, because I’ve always been on my own.  A big enough adjustment, right?  And the house?  It’s a mansion with servants, Andrea!  I don’t belong there.  But I love it, I really do.  And Hilda and Simon are so nice, it kind of feels like home already.  But now … now he’s buying me a freakin’ bar and whisking me off to England.  I can’t own a business!  What am I supposed to do with that?  How am I ever supposed to accept that kind of gift?  I’ve never been in a plane, let alone over-freakin’-seas!  He won’t stop asking me to marry him!  And I have to meet his parents
tomorrow
, Andrea!”

Andrea laughed.  Then she laughed some more.

“It’s not funny!”

“It is!”  She continued to laugh until Mackenzie joined in.  “You should hear yourself!  Here, I think you need more wine!”  She poured Mackenzie another glass.  “And then I think you should slow down your words and start that story all over again.”

A couple of bottles of wine later, Andrea and Mackenzie had somehow managed to get her suitcases packed.  They were both more than a little buzzed when Mackenzie received a text from Nate.

Where are you?  Is everything okay?

“What is it?” Andrea asked.

“Shh, shh, it’s Nate,” Mackenzie replied, with her finger to her lips.

“He can’t hear us, Mack,” Andrea whisper-giggled back.

“Oh right, ha ha.”

It took a few goes, due to her lack of hand-eye coordination, but Mackenzie managed to shoot a text back.  And it felt like only seconds later that Simon knocked at the door to collect her and her bags.

“Thank you so much for tonight, Andrea.”

Andrea’s brow scrunched in confusion.  “It’s day time.”  Then she looked out the window to the night sky.  “Oh right.  I’ve been here all day?”  She stumbled back to her apartment but Mackenzie grabbed her before she could enter. 

“Thank you.”  She hugged Andrea tightly.  “I really needed a friend today.”

“Any time, Mack.  Consider us besties now!”

“Absolutely!”

He stood in the doorway and looked down at his phone again.

Fine!  Pls Sinom puck up now redy fuck luv U xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

If it wasn’t for the fact he’d already sent Simon on his way to collect Mackenzie, he would have been over there in a flash after a text like that.  But Simon was parking the car outside her building when it came through and had called him back minutes later to let Nate know that she was fine.  Drunk, but fine.

He looked up to see the car pulling in the driveway.  As soon as Simon parked, Nate opened the car door to find a sleeping Mackenzie in the back seat.

“Mackenzie,” he whispered, gently shaking her shoulder to rouse her.

She woke up instantly and staggered from the car.  She curled her arms around him and gripped his ass, looking up at him with a dreamy look on her face.

“Have I told you how happy you make me?” she asked then hiccupped.

Nate chuckled, wrapping his arms around her.  “No, but I’d love to hear it.”

“So happy,” she slurred.  “Nate, so very, very happy.”  Her eyes drooped and she gave him a lazy smile.

“Right.  I think it’s time for you to go to bed.”  She nodded and he swept her into his arms to begin the walk to their room.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  “I’ve never been so happy in all my life.  Thank you.”

“No, thank
you
, Mackenzie.”

She was back to sleep in his arms before they’d even reached the top of the stairs.  By the time he placed her on the bed she was snoring softly.  It was adorable.  He carefully removed her clothes, folded the duvet over her and then set about getting himself undressed.  When he crawled into bed, Mackenzie rolled into his side, slinging her arm across his body.