Tattered Love (Needle's Kiss)

understand just how much he felt, left me almost speechless. “I–I think that maybe I’ve loved you for a while now.” His face moved to my neck, raining small kisses across my skin. From there, he proceeded to make love to me, slow and sweet. It was like nothing I had ever felt before. My heart was at bursting point. Afterward, he laid beside me, holding me, kissing me like he was about to lose me. I was so overwhelmed, I might have thought to be concerned. Looking back, I probably should have been.
     

     
    Mace had been gone two days. Two damn days and I hadn’t heard from him, not one measly text message. I hadn’t realized how lonely I was before he came along. I’d officially turned into some kind of pining cock-whipped bimbo. I missed him and not just the great naked sexy time, but waking up with him, spending a lazy Sunday cooking, and making out on every possible surface—some that weren’t so possible.
    I’d kept myself as busy as possible in the shop and spent some quality time with Teen; she still hadn’t told me much, although she assured me she was perfectly fine. She looked better and seemed a little perkier, though not quite her normal self. But I knew Teen like I knew myself; she would tell me when she was ready and there would be no dragging it from her until then. I’d just finished up with a client and had the rest of the afternoon free when my cell vibrated with a message from Teen.
     
    Goin’ to Comida’s, wanna come?
     
    Comida Del Cielo was a little Spanish cafe about an hour’s drive away. It was a once in a while place because it was such a long way to go for their out-of-this-world strawberry rhubarb empanadas, filled pastry turnover, deep fried and served with the yummiest chocolate sauce; it was worth the effort to go there. I figured why not and told her to pick me up at the shop.
    “Remy, I’m heading out with Teeny. You good here without me?” I yelled toward the front of the shop.
    “Sure, Trip’s in real soon anyways. Take your sulking ass out and stop buggin’ me,” he smiled. Poor bastard. He’d had to put up with me and my sulky mood that was only made worse when Mace hadn’t contacted me since he’d left. Standing in the doorway waiting, I was about to throw a smart-ass retort back when Teeny pulled up and beeped her car horn, yelling out the window, “Let’s go, bitch.”
    What felt like hours later, we were walking into the Cafe laughing and joking. When I looked up, my stomach dropped. The laugh on my lips instantly died and I gripped Teeny’s arm.
    Sitting at a secluded table in the back corner was Mace, with a stunning blonde. What the hell? He was supposed to be away for a few days, hadn’t contacted me and I found him an hour away with some broad draped all over him. She was leaning down with a barely-there shirt gaping open at the front exposing way too much boob, whispering close to his ear as she ran her hand down his arm seductively. They were sitting far too close for it to be an acquaintance, and I knew full well the skank wasn’t family.
    I don’t fucking think so.
    “Scar. Hey, what’s wrong?” Teeny asked. Adrenaline was pumping through my veins, anger started to bubble up within me realizing Mace had lied to me and I’d just caught him red handed. Teeny followed my gaze to where they sat and gasped. “Wait, sweetie, it could be anything. Maybe an old friend, family, anything. Don’t go in there guns blazing, calm down.”
    Teeny was right I needed to take a breath before I went over there and kicked his ass; she wasn’t even convincing herself. “Teen, I’m going over there,” I warned. She picked up my hand, gave it a squeeze, and in true best-friend style, took up the rear, following me to the offending table and most likely my doom. I might have been a little dramatic.
    As I approached with dread and an equal amount of fury swirling within me, Mace looked up. The color drained from his face and he opened his mouth to speak. Before he could get a word out, I asked, “How was your little trip? I see you made it back fine.” Guilt flashed across his face.
    Blondie took that moment to pipe up. “Excuse me can’t you see you’re invading on our private conversation?”
    Teeny clearly couldn’t hold her tongue and said just what I was thinking. “Who the hell do you think you are? You have no idea who you’re talking to, this is his girlfriend,” she spat, pointing to me.
    “Oh, I know exactly who she is. Macey