Page 150 of Rising Heat

“That sounds…exhausting.”

He doesn’t answer right away.

“Nobody said it wasn’t.”

Silence settles between us again.

The brownstone comes into view at the end of the block, familiar now in a way that stopped feeling neutral somewhere between the pool table and the drive home. Mack eases the Buick to the curb, the engine cutting with a soft finality that leaves the quiet between us feel thicker.

Neither of us reaches for the door. We just sit there in the dark, both of us fully aware of where this could go and neither one of us pretending otherwise anymore.

“Well,” I start, because apparently I have no survival instincts left, “that was…”

I trail off, mostly because every word that comes to mind feels either wildly insufficient or far too honest to say out loud.

Mack nods toward the front door.

“I’ll walk you up.”

Heat pools low in my belly. Walking me upstairs feels dangerously close to continuing this, and at some point tonight, I stopped pretending I didn’t care if that happened.

I glance at him for half a second, already knowing I’m not going to say no.

“Okay,” I say.

The front door closes behind us with a soft click that echoes more than it should. I head toward the stairs automatically, keys already in-hand, the awareness that started back in the bar still crackling between us.

Mack falls into step behind me, close enough that I can feel the heat of him at my back every time the stairwell narrows. His boots land a beat behind mine, slow and unhurried, and every few steps I catch myself easing back just enough to shorten the distance before remembering I’m the one doing it.

My pulse kicks harder as I slow near my door without fully stopping, and the distance between us shortens naturally until I can feel his broad chest against my shoulders. My keys brush against the lock before I pause and look over my shoulder.

“Mack…”

“Yeah, Darcy?”

“...have you talked to Tyler today?”

“I did.”

“So…he told you then?”

“Told me what, exactly?”

I swallow.

“I…I went to see Tyler last night. At the firehouse.”

The silence stretches between us, and for a moment I’m terrified I just ruined everything.

“I know.”

“You…what?”

“I know, Darcy. He told me.”

“You knew the whole time?”

Mack doesn’t hesitate.