Part 3 (1/2)
Ophelia suddenly felt like c.r.a.p. Her thoughts had all been centered on her life, and not on Mac's. ”Are they all right? Did something happen?”
Mac crossed over to pick up her hand and hold it carefully between both of his much bigger and stronger hands. ”They sounded okay, but they called an emergency family meeting for tonight. I want you to meet them, Ophelia, but I don't want you to feel uncomfortable the first time you meet. G.o.d only knows what this meeting is all about!”
Mac released her hand and pulled her close to wrap his arms around her. ”We've had other family meetings that have been nothing, and occasionally we get one where one of my siblings drops a bomb on my parents.”
Ophelia hugged him back. ”It's okay, Mac. I understand. You go on and hopefully it will turn out to be nothing major and you can have a nice visit. Will you come back here tonight?”
Ophelia stopped abruptly, hoping she didn't sound as needy and pathetic to Mac as she had to own ears. But seeing Mac shake his head negatively didn't rea.s.sure her.
”I doubt my parents will release us until it is too late to drive back. They like it when we all stay overnight. That way my mom gets to make us all breakfast one more time and have her table filled with her children once again.”
Ophelia smiled, nodding her head. She had to blink quickly as tears came to her eyes. ”That is sweet, you know.”
Mac kissed Ophelia on her forehead, pulling her close to his chest once again. ”Believe me, Ophelia, I'd much rather be here, with you.”
Emotion clogged her throat suddenly and she could only nod her agreement. Eventually though, Mac had to kiss her goodbye. After that, Ophelia had felt like her small apartment was huge, empty and very lonely.
”Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Ophelia, and get busy!”
She quickly finished putting her groceries away before she went into the bedroom and changed into her ”cleaning clothes.” From that point on, if it didn't get out of her path, it got cleaned. Finally, after a relaxing bath, Ophelia settled into her bed, exhausted. She drifted in and out of sleep, until almost midnight when her phone rang.
”Wha...h.e.l.lo?””Hey, honey. It's me, Mac. I'm sorry I woke you up.”Mac twisted restlessly on his old bed. It seemed funny, but even though he was the oldest and first to leave the house, his parents had not redecorated his childhood bedroom. It was still decorated from his years at college with a full-size bed. He was getting used to that size of bed since that is what Ophelia had, but he was most comfortable when they slept at his house, using his California king-size bed.
Through the phone Mac listened as Ophelia woke up. He did feel badly about waking her, but he'd been lying on this d.a.m.ned bed trying to fall asleep for the last forty-five minutes. Finally he'd decided that if he could just hear her voice, then he'd be able to get to sleep. He was thankful this was Friday and Ophelia could sleep in tomorrow. He did pause though, regretful that they couldn't be leisurely waking up Sat.u.r.day morning.
Ophelia groaned. ”That's okay, sweetheart. I miss you.”
Mac caught his breath at Ophelia's simple admission. There was a definite strange feeling in his chest and he had a d.a.m.ned good idea what the cause of it was. ”I miss you, too. I am sorry for waking you, but I've been lying here for almost an hour trying to fall asleep.”
”Your parents have room for you?”
”They've kept my room the same as it was when I finally got out of college and left for Hollywood in search of fame and fortune.” Mac could hear Ophelia chuckling through the phone connection.
”So does it have all your childhood stuff and your Alma Mater banners on the walls?”
”Oh, yeah. They redid the others' rooms after they left, but then when they left it was because they had gotten married.”
”So how many kids were there-and I probably should have asked this sooner- you aren't married, are you?”
Mac laughed softly. ”No, Ophelia. I am not married and there are no other attachments in my life, besides my family.” Mac hesitated, wanting to ask Ophelia about the man she had been involved with when she lived in New York City. Before he could decide on the best way to bring up the subject, Ophelia was asking him a question.
”How was the family meeting? I don't mean to pry. I mean... I don't want you to feel that you have to tell me.”
Mac grinned as he listened to Ophelia stammering over the phone. ”I understand, sweetheart. I don't think you are prying. The funny thing is that I should have brought you with me. It turns out my sister saw us last Sunday at the music festival. Do you remember that kiss I gave you after you won that stuffed bear? That is when my sister Maureen caught sight of us. Needless to say, my mother was concerned. I'd told them about taking a dance cla.s.s, mentioning you.”
”Your sister hadn't heard?”
”Well, Ophelia, you were wearing that cap that matched mine, along with that too big sweats.h.i.+rt. Maureen didn't think you looked like any kind of dancer she'd ever seen.”
”d.a.m.n! I better look at my b.u.t.t in the mirror tomorrow. All that good cooking of Mrs. Russell's must be going straight to my a.s.s.”
Mac laughed out loud before he could stop. ”Your b.u.t.t is perfect, babe. It has just the right amount of padding for doggie-style-”
”Mac!” Ophelia squealed into the phone.
”Hmm, I bet you are really blus.h.i.+ng now.”
”Perhaps.”
”I'm hot a good deal lower than my cheeks, honey.” Mac grinned as Ophelia gasped.
Ophelia listened to Mac on the phone. Hearing his voice was doing all kinds of arousing things to her body. She was surprised that just the sound and tone of his voice could elicit such a pa.s.sionate response in her body. The deep huskiness seemed to tickle up and down her spine and out along her nerve endings. In the darkness, she s.h.i.+vered.
”Mac?” She whispered his name into the phone, and wondered if he could hear the need in her voice.
”What, honey?”
”I wish you were here, in bed with me.” The groan that echoed through the receiver told her more than any words that his wishes were the same.
”I would have something for you, if I was,” Mac told her barely above a whisper.
Ophelia giggled, pretty sure she knew what he meant. ”Hmm. And you are sure that this is something that I would like?” she teased him quickly.
”I believe you would, pretty lady. Up to date you've been quite appreciative.”
Ophelia gasped at Mac's words, barely holding back her laughter. ”I think you are being very naughty, Mr. MacDonald, and if your mother knew how you were talking to a lady-”
”Then who was the wildcat in my bed last night?”
Ophelia caught her breath at Mac's question. As a joke, sort of, she had purchased a tiger-striped body briefer that fit her like skin. Feeling bold, she had also purchased some black and gold narrow ribbon. Sitting in her office before leaving for Mac's home, she had cut and tied the ribbon to simulate a lion tamer's whip. The look on his face when she had told him that ”tonight the tiger becomes the master” had told her how powerful her words had been.
”I hid your whip, Ophelia. Next time the tamer may decide he prefers life as the male tiger.”
Ophelia filed that bit of information in the back of her head, remembering that she had seen a pair of tiger-striped silky shorts that would work quite well if he wanted to play that scenario. ”I might let you catch me next time.”
”You are driving me crazy, woman! I'm developing a real 'hard' problem that just may require attention,” Mac growled into her ear.
”I've never had phone s.e.x before,” Ophelia told him softly. His immediate groan told her of his reaction to her words. ”I did take a rather hot bath earlier.”
”Oh, yeah? What made it so hot?”
”I lit some candles first and poured a gla.s.s of the red wine you decanted the other night.”
”Bubbles?”