Dancing With the Devil Read Online Free Page B

“Soph.” Just like nobody called Mackenzie “Mackenz.” Except Grady.
    They rode the rest of the way in silence. When they got to the reservoir, Grady parked by the side of the road and they walked through the woods to the water’s edge. He untied the line and held the boat steady while Mac climbed in. They pushed off from the shore and glided out a ways before Grady picked up the oars. It was quiet; the earth was dark, but above, it glowed. The crickets were starting up, and birds flew in swoops and turns, silhouetted against the still-light sky.
    The air smelled like the new earth of spring; Grady and Mackenzie both heaved a huge sigh at the same moment. They smiled at each other and the knots in Mac’s stomach relaxed. He loved her. It didn’t matter that Sophie and Grady would be living in the same house. He was totally over Sophie. Anyway, he had broken up with her . Besides, she’d be his sister now. So all bets were off, right?
    If only I could be sure , Mackenzie thought.
    â€œGrady, stop. Stop!” Mackenzie sat up, tugged at the bottom of her shirt, and tucked it into her jeans. Grady sighed. He rolled onto his back, his arms flung above his head. He groaned. The blanket they’d brought in the boat was spread out on their rocks, the outcropping that crowned the closest island in the reservoir.
    â€œJesus, Mac. You’re going to give me blue balls. Can’t we at least do something ?I don’t know one other guy whose girlfriend won’t at least go down on him.”
    â€œDon’t be gross.” Mackenzie buttoned her shirt to the top until it looked like she was wearing a turtleneck. “I just can’t. I just … I just … can’t.”
    Grady sighed again. “Mackenz, we’ve been going out for what? Almost six months already? That’s a record. It was okay in the beginning, but c’mon. Now you’re just not being fair.”
    â€œHow am I being unfair? Just because I don’t want to do that with you?”
    â€œBut don’t I have any rights? You look so beautiful, your hair, your long legs … do you have to be so hot?” Grady rolled over onto his stomach and pressed into the rock. He groaned again. “It’s just so frustrating.”
    â€œI’m sorry, Grady, but …”
    He sat up and put two fingers against her lips. He brushed her hair out of her eyes and stroked her head. “No, it’s okay. I love you, Mackenz, I do. You’re just so tempting.”
    He stood up and started gathering their things. “I’ll take care of things when I get home.”
    Mackenzie shoved his shoulder and said, “Ew. Do not even go there!”
    â€œHey. A guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do.”
    Mac hung her jacket on the hook next to the front door and went through the unlit hall toward her room.
    â€œMackenzie?” Her father called from the den. His voice echoed in the quiet house.
    â€œYeah?” She paused.
    â€œPlease come here, sweetheart.”
    She went and leaned against the door. The den had always been his domain, and was decorated as though he were the only one who lived in the house. Even during the daytime it was dark, filled with leather furniture and brass lamps with green glass shades. There was one window, but he’d put his chair between it and the desk, so he always faced the door. Like a guard dog, he never missed anyone walking by. Bookshelves lined the walls on either side of the room, and on them were dozens of photos of him and Mac when she was little, before he married Barb. There were pictures of him with Barb and Lily too, but Mac never seemed to be around when they took those. It was like his before family and his after family.
    Once, when Frankie came over, she had joked about how lucky Mac was that there were no embarrassing pictures of her, documenting the worst of the awkward years, post-cuteness.
    The next time she went over,