Justice for Mackenzie by Susan Stoker Read Free Book Online

rear-view mirror of her car and at the charity benefit event and who knew way more about her than she knew about him. Crazy.
    Mackenzie rubbed her hands on her thighs, trying to calm herself down. She could do this. It was just a date. That’s all. Dinner. If she could keep from dropping or spilling anything on herself, or Daxton, she’d be fine. He’d see she wasn’t anything special and bring her home and she’d never see him again. No problem.
    Mackenzie was wearing a faded pair of jeans with a pair of black flip-flops with a small heel. She’d always loved them, even if her feet usually hurt by the end of the day. She wasn’t used to wearing heels at all, but she figured she’d need every inch of the two inches in height they gave her.
    Her shirt was a basic black short-sleeved pullover with a scoop neck. Nothing fancy, and she’d purposely chosen black so if she did drool on herself, which was likely with her track record, it wouldn’t show as easily. The shirt did show off her breasts though. Her chest was one of her best assets, and she hadn’t met a man yet who could resist checking it out.
    Mackenzie had pulled her hair back in a twist and secured it to the back of her head with a barrette. She knew by the end of the night it’d probably mostly be falling out, but for now she thought it looked okay.
    She continued to pace until her doorbell rang. Mackenzie looked at her watch. Dang, he was right on time. He was one of those people. Mackenzie couldn’t manage to be on time if her life depended on it…although today was apparently an exception. She’d been ready for half an hour, a record for her.
    Mackenzie walked over to the door and looked through the peephole. Damn. The man standing there was so good-looking, she felt a zing shoot through her body, ending between her legs. She’d gotten the same reaction the night of the charity event. He was looking directly at the peephole, as if he knew she was on the other side looking at him. Mackenzie took a deep breath and opened the door until the chain stopped it from opening any farther.
    “Daxton?”
    “Yup. That’s me.”
    Mackenzie shoved her hand through the small opening of the door and said, “ID please.”
    Dax chuckled, not offended in the least. “Good girl.” He reached behind him, took his wallet out from his pocket, pulled out his driver’s license and put it into Mackenzie’s outstretched hand. “There you go.”
    Mackenzie looked down at the plastic card in her hand. Daxton Chambers. Forty-six years old. Six feet one and two hundred thirty pounds. She gulped. Damn, almost a hundred pounds heavier than she was. She went to hand it back and dropped it.
    “Shit, sorry.”
    Dax just laughed quietly and kneeled down to pick up the license. “No problem.”
    Mackenzie held out her hand again. “Ranger ID now, please.”
    Dax smiled even more broadly. “Damn, woman.”
    Mackenzie faltered a bit, but bravely said, “IDs are easy to fake nowadays, I just want to make sure.”
    “Oh, I wasn’t complaining. No fucking way. I’m pleased as hell you don’t trust me. I’d be more worried if you did. Good thinking. Here you go.” Dax held out his Texas Ranger badge that he’d pulled from his other pocket. “I don’t go anywhere without it, just in case.” She took it from his hand and Dax could see her hands shaking.
    “If it’s okay…I’ll just—” Mackenzie gestured back inside her apartment.
    “Take your time, Mackenzie. I’ll be right here.”
    Mackenzie shut and locked her apartment door and quickly walked over to her phone. She snapped a picture of Daxton’s Ranger badge and texted it to Matthew, Mark, and Laine. Laine knew she was going out with Daxton, but she wanted to inform her brothers as well. She told them she was going to dinner with Daxton, who was a Texas Ranger, and she’d be back later. She trusted Daxton was who he said he was, but she wanted her brothers to know who it was she was going out with and what