Maddie growled in frustration, which startled Thomas, causing him to release her nipple. She resituated him and patted his bum to reassure him. Venturing a glance at Mac, she found him watching her with thinly veiled hunger that zipped through her like an electrical current, settling into a throb between her legs.

As if he knew exactly what he did to her just by looking at her that certain way, he sat on the edge of the bed.

Maddie wished she could run away, but the twenty-pound baby anchored to her breast and the cut on her knee kept her from moving.

Thomas let out a cry to tell her he was ready to move to the other side.

“Could you. . . Turn away?” she asked.

“Do I have to?”

“Yes!”

Reluctantly, or so it seemed, Mac turned his back to her. “That’s about the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen,” he said in a strangled tone.

“You can’t see anything.”

“I have a very vivid imagination. Can I turn back now?”

“If you must.”

He not only turned back, he put his hands on either side of her hips and leaned in so his face was close to hers. “Kiss me.”

“No,” she said, turning away from him.

He took that as an invitation to lean over Thomas to nuzzle her neck.

She jolted. “Mac! Stop!”

“Not until you kiss me.”

“I haven’t even brushed my teeth,” she muttered.

“I don’t care.” Turning her face, he rubbed his lips over hers. “You make me crazy, Maddie. I’ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.”

“I wish you wouldn’t say those things. Whatever you think is happening here, I don’t want it.”

“I don’t believe you,” he whispered against her neck, sending a shiver racing through her.

A knock on the door interrupted the intense moment.

“We’ll finish this later,” he whispered, pressing one last kiss to her lips.

“No, we won’t.”

“Wanna bet?”

Oh, that cocky smile of his made her so mad! He always got exactly what he wanted, which was just one more reason to resist him. Maddie watched him swing open the door.

“Hey,” he said. “Come in.”

His friend Libby stepped into the room. “Hi, Maddie. How’re you feeling?”

“Like I got knocked off my bike by a big oaf who wasn’t watching where he was going,” Maddie said with a scowl for Mac.

“Cute,” he said, flashing that irresistible grin of his.

Libby giggled at their banter. “I’m glad I was able to help out today.”

“What do you mean?” Maddie asked.

“Oh,” Mac said. “About that. . . I meant to tell you. . .”

“Tell me what?”

“Libby agreed to hang out with you and Thomas while I’m at the hotel today.”

“But I never asked her—”

“I did.”

Maddie walked a fine line between wanting to yell at him and not wanting to be rude to Libby, who hadn’t done anything more than agree to help her misguided friend.