Double Coverage

  Ryker and Mason were acting out another scene from their shot glass soap opera when Piper came up and swiped the glasses away from them.

  “What the hell?” Ryker whined. “Things were just getting good between Scotchy and Vooodka.”

  Piper leaned over the bar and looked them both in the eyes. “You’re making every person in the bar uncomfortable with your shot glass sex-capades.”

  “Don’t you mean Herbert? We’re making Herbert uncomfortable,” Ryker said, while throwing a hand full of peanuts in his mouth.

  Piper cocked an eyebrow at them both and shook her head. She turned to grab some more liquor when Mason grabbed her hand and pulled her around the bar so she was standing between his legs. Piper struggled to release his grip, but he didn’t let her go.

  “Mason, let go,” she said with a stern voice. If Mason wasn’t drunk, he would have been taken back by her tone, but since he was, it only made him laugh.

  “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “I’m trying to work.”

  “Yeah, it seems like you have plenty of time to flirt with the old Herberts playing poker, but you can’t even say hi to me? What did I do Piper?”

  “Mason, I told you; we are only friends.”

  “Friends, yes, but right now you’re treating me like some piece of shit you got stuck under your Converse.”

  Piper looked at him and blew out a heavy breath. “Mason, I can’t do this alright? We’re better off just being cordial to each other. I don’t want to hurt my boyfriend and being around you is hurting him.”

  Mason released her. “I fucking knew it.” He slapped the bar counter and then went to grab the darts from the dart board. He needed to put harm into something and the only thing he could think of that wouldn’t get him in trouble was throwing darts at a dart board. Ryker followed him.

  Mason turned toward the board and spoke to Ryker at the same time. “That stupid lover boy of hers is ruining my fucking life.”

  “Dude, she’s not worth it. You could have any girl you want.”

  Maybe Ryker was right, maybe she wasn’t worth it. He was spending too much time trying to get the un-gettable get, he should be focusing on slamming as many woman as he could. He was in his prime and he shouldn’t waste his time trying to attract one woman who wanted nothing to do with him.

  “You’re right man. She’s not worth it.”

  “I’m glad you feel that way because you better get your dick ready. Look who just walked in.” Ryker nodded toward the door as he licked his lips. Mason turned and saw Brooke walking straight toward him and, God, did she look fucking good.

  She was wearing hot pink shorts that came just below her ass, a black tank top that dipped low, showing off her cleavage and high strappy black stilettos. Her hair was curled at the ends and she sported a light pink lipstick. Fuck him. She looked bend-her-over-a-table good.

  “Fuck…,” Mason said out loud.

  “My thoughts exactly, man. Damn, I think I have a boner.”

  “Down boy,” Mason said, while slapping Ryker’s crotch, making him buckle over.

  Brooke walked, well more like strutted, toward Mason, never taking her eyes off of him. She was on the prowl and he was her bait, her object of affection. Damn, if he wasn’t turned on. Mason stole a quick glance in Piper’s direction and saw her scowling at him and Brooke.

  Brooke came up to Mason and put her hand on his chest, slowly moving her fingers up to his neck. She smelled like heaven and he was just drunk enough not to be bothered by the fact that he couldn’t stand the woman; no, all he could see was how damn hot she looked.

  “Hey Mace.”

  “Hey Brooke. You’re looking fine tonight”

  She rubbed her body against him, sending a signal to his little man to stand at attention. “Yeah? I was hoping you’d think so.”

  “Is that right?” He wrapped his arms around her waist and brought her in closer.

  “Uh huh, I dressed for you and here’s a little secret, I’m not wearing any underwear.”

  He moved his hands down to her butt to inspect, just to make sure she wasn’t lying. He didn’t feel any sort of panty line, so she must be telling the truth. He looked at Piper again and this time it looked like she was trying to kill him with her eyes. Mason smiled to himself. Brooke hanging all over him was killing Piper and she was not good at hiding it. Mason found it very interesting that she would let her little jealous monster out to play, especially since two seconds ago she said she wanted nothing to do with him. Oh, he was going to play Piper’s little game and he was going to have a good time doing it.

  “You want a drink?” he asked Brooke. She nodded while pulling her bottom lip with her teeth. Oh yeah, Brooke wanted him and he was going to use that fact to his advantage to drive Piper crazy.

  He grabbed Brooke by the hand, entwined their fingers and pulled her toward the bar, where Piper was wiping some glasses.

  Brooke gave Piper a disgusted look which slightly surprised Mason, but he didn’t think much of it.

  “Can we get a scotch for me and a sex on the beach for this vixen here?”

  “Ooo, I love sex on the beach,” Brooke said, while rubbing his forearm.

  Mason looked up at Piper and said, “So does Piper, or more like tease on the beach. Isn’t that right?”

  Fury flashed in those silver eyes of hers right before she turned around to make their drinks. Bingo, he was pissing her off, just what he wanted. This night was starting to feel so much better.

  Once they had their drinks, Mason decided he would stay at the bar, just to drive his plan home. He sat on a stool while Brooke stood between his legs with her hands caressing his thighs. She whispered what she wanted to do to him in his ear once they left the bar. He wouldn’t lie, he was fucking turned on, but he wished it was Piper whispering in his ear, not Brooke.

  He made sure to touch Brooke in every way possible, but without completely crossing the line. He made sure to never kiss her and to avoid any kind of advancement with her lips. He wanted to piss Piper off, he didn’t want to drive her away.

  Piper came up to them and cleared her throat. Mason peeked over Brooke’s shoulder and asked, “Can I help you?”

  “We’re closing, so you can take your little free porn show somewhere else.”

  Brooke looked Piper up and down and then turned to Mason. “Let me go to the bathroom and then we can go to your place, alright?”

  “Sounds good, sexy.” Brooke sauntered away and Mason swore he saw steam come out of Piper’s ears.

  Mason laughed out loud at Piper’s obvious display of jealousy. She was way too easy to piss off and he loved it. He loved every shade of green she showed tonight; it felt great to know that she was all talk when it came to them, she so wanted him and she had made it known tonight.

  “Why the hell are you laughing?” she said, while punching his side.

  “You so fucking want me.”

  Outrage spread across her face. “You are so full of yourself.”

  Mason brought Piper into his grasp, brushed her hair to the side and whispered gently in her ear. “You wish you were the one I was touching tonight, the one I was talking to and the one I was planning on fucking.” Her breathing grew heavy as she leaned into him, but just as quickly she’d leaned into him, she pulled away.

  “I don’t care who you fuck tonight.”

  He tipped her chin up and smiled at her. “That’s where you’re wrong. I can read you like a book, babe. You want me to fuck you tonight. You want me to take you back to my place and finally have my way with you. You want me to make you scream so loud tonight that you lose your voice.”

  She didn’t say anything; she just stared at him. Her eyes sparkled at his insinuation, but her jaw was tight, as if saying she would never think such a thing, but he knew better because her eyes spoke a different story.

  “Get out of here and take your slut with you. I need to clean up.” With that, she turned on her heel and went into the bac
k.

  ***

  Piper pressed her back against the hallway in the back of the bar. She felt like she couldn’t breathe; she put her hands above her head, trying to catch her breath, but she was having a hard time grasping air for her lungs.

  She shouldn’t have this reaction to Mason being with another woman, but the minute she saw Mason grab Brooke around the waist, she felt like her body was falling into a black abyss. She couldn’t take the sight of the two of them together and when Mason started saying what he wanted to do to her or what she wanted him to do to her, she lost it. She lost her ability to breathe and had to get away.

  He was going to go home with her; he was going to make love to her and Piper would spend the rest of her night wondering what it was like. She slid down the wall until she sat on the sticky floor. She pulled her legs into her chest and rested her head on her knees. She couldn’t stand the thought of Brooke being with Mason; she didn’t want Mason to go back to Brooke, not because Piper had some freak obsession with Mason not being with anyone, but because Brooke hurt Mason and she didn’t want Brooke to hurt Mason again.

  Piper heard a door slam, which forced her to look up. Brooke was standing over her with her hand on her hip.

  “You want him, don’t you?” Wow, Brooke got strait to the point. No hey, how’ve you been, you look nice tonight.

  “No, I have a boyfriend.”

  “You can’t fool me with that bullshit line. I can see it all over your face. You want him. God, and I thought you were nice, but no, you have to step in and try to ruin my relationship with Mason.”

  Brooke must have lost her mind in the days since Lexi and Jake’s wedding because she seemed so normal back then.

  “What relationship?” Piper asked. She knew it was the wrong thing to say at the time, but she couldn’t help herself.

  “Listen bitch, you stay away from him or I’m going to make your life a living hell. My dad is a very rich man. I can make sure you’re flat on your ass out on the curb in no time. Stick to yourself and leave Mason the hell alone or you’ll regret it.”

  Brooke turned around and headed toward the main room. Piper saw Mason wrap his arm around her waist and escort her out the door, out of the bar. Piper buried her head in her hands and let out a sob. What was going on with her life? Why wasn’t one man good enough? Why couldn’t she just be happy with Jax or why couldn’t she just let Jax go and pursue someone else, someone like Mason? The thought of letting Jax go made her want to throw up, so that wasn’t an option.

  Piper got up and headed toward the main room, trying to hold back the bile that was threatening to make an appearance. Hannah left early to be with Todd, so Piper was on her own once again. If she wanted to leave the bar at a decent hour, she needed to get started on cleaning up.

  Piper struggled through clean up…thoughts of Brooke and Mason together flashed through her mind, making her want to bang her head against the wall. Brooke didn’t deserve Mason. She had her chance with him and she lost it because of her own stupidity.

  Piper was finishing up the floors when someone came through the front door. Crap, she forgot to lock the door. She gripped the broom tightly, ready to swing at whoever came after her. Her heart rate picked up as she turned around and found Mason staring at her, without Brooke attached at his hip.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked, while her heart pounded uncontrollably.

  “I realized I left with the wrong woman.”

  “Mason…”

  “Don’t Piper, please don’t. Just…just hang out with me.”

  How could she say no to that face? His big brown eyes pleaded with her. There was no denying him when he tore at her soul with those chocolate eyes.

  She nodded toward the pool table and said, “Rack them up, big man.”

  Mason’s face lit up with a smile, as he walked over to the pool table and started placing the pool balls in the triangle. She watched at how his back muscles rippled beneath his shirt and then there was that backside of his, sweet Lord, was it delightful. He was so damn sexy and he didn’t have to do much to look the way he did. Jeans and a button-up shirt and she was a goner.

  She grabbed a cue and started chalking it up. She watched him watch her intently, while still smiling as if he was a kid in a candy shop.

  “You know how to play?” he asked.

  “I’ve dabbled here and there.” She broke the balls to start off the game and followed up by sinking three more balls until she missed the fourth. She turned to Mason, who was rubbing his jaw, so he could have his turn. He looked at the ground and shook his head while laughing.

  “I think I’m being worked.”

  “You like it.”

  He looked her up and down and said, “I do like it.”

  When he walked past her to set up his shot, he rubbed against her making the hairs on her arm stand on end. Sending goose bumps down her leg, he bent over and took his turn at sinking some balls. The man affected her so easily. It wasn’t fair.

  They spent the next hour drinking beer, playing pool, and trying to mess the other one up. Mason would hit her cue right before she took her shot and she would put her cue between his legs before his shot, throwing him off completely. After her leg trick stopped working, she started using her feminine moves to distract him. She pulled off her button-up shirt, leaving her in short black shorts and a spaghetti strap shirt.

  Mason licked his lips while looking at her. He pulled on her red bra strap that she was wearing, making her giggle.

  “I didn’t know we were playing strip pool.”

  “We’re not. I just want to make sure I distract you. I don’t need to lose my undefeated status now.”

  “That outfit is not going to distract me enough. I’m two balls away from winning.”

  Piper walked over to him and pressed her chest against his. “So you don’t think I can distract you?” Mason shook his head no, seeming like he couldn’t answer her. “Game on, Dash.”

  He chuckled and set up for his shot. Right before he was about to make his move, Piper removed her tank top, revealing her red lace bra. She sat on the edge of the table right in front of the ball Mason was aiming for. Mason snuck a glance at her and then stood straight up when he saw what she was wearing.

  “What are you doing?” he asked in a strained voice. He was so adorable.

  “Distracting you.”

  “You’re playing with fire,” he said, while moving closer to her. “I’ve had a few too many drinks tonight and I can’t promise you I’ll hold to my promise of not making a move on you.”

  She shrugged. “What if I like playing with fire?”

  He stood directly in front of her now. His hands gripped her thighs and he leaned forward so their noses were almost touching. He must have put his pool cue down on the table because it was nowhere in sight.

  He rubbed his nose against hers and she felt his breath on her lips. Her mouth went dry as he ran his hands up her thighs so they sat at the edge of her shorts, his thumbs drawing small circles, driving her crazy.

  “What do you want Piper?”

  What did she want? She couldn’t even think, let alone breathe, with him so close to her. How the hell was she supposed to know what she wanted? The man was driving her crazy being so close; she wasn’t thinking rationally and she knew she wasn’t because when he asked her his question again, she licked her lips and said, “You. I want you Mason.”

  Mason didn’t give her time to take back what she said because he had his lips on hers before she could stop him. He glided his hands up her sides and gripped her waist as if she was going to float away if he didn’t hold onto her tight enough.

  His lips caressed hers, sending bolts of sensual electricity down to her core. Every last part of her body throbbed with need and she felt like she couldn’t get close enough to Mason. She gripped his head and brought his lips close, so he was practically bruising her with his mouth. She didn’t care; she wanted more. She needed this man, as if he was her drug
of choice. She didn’t care about consequences; she needed him and she needed him now.

  She opened her mouth and invited him in. Each stroke of his tongue against hers made her throb even harder. She knew she was wet and ready for him. She wanted him to touch her all over, she wanted to explore his body and take what she’d wanted so desperately that night on the beach.

  She moved her hands to his shirt and tugged it over his head, undershirt and all, revealing his perfectly sculpted Adonis body and his body art. He was beautiful and so perfect. She sighed as she took him in, making him chuckle.

  “You are so damn hot,” she said, while moving her hands from his pecs to his shoulders.

  “Same to you, babe.” He moved his hands to her back and popped her bra open, letting her breasts bounce free. He took her bra off and marveled at the sight of her bare breasts. “Fuck me, you are gorgeous.”

  “I plan to,” she said with a saucy grin.

  Mason ran his hand over his face, gathering his composure, then attacked her. He laid her down on the pool table and unbuckled her shorts. He slowly slipped his hands under her waistband and played with the fabric of her thong, while he drove her crazy with kisses across her body. When he sucked her nipple in his mouth, she cried out in pleasure. If he kept that up, she was going to cream herself before she even got a chance to get a good look at Mason in all his glory.

  Gathering strength, she sat up and worked on pulling down his jeans. Once he was out of his jeans, she took a good look at him. The thin fabric of his briefs didn’t leave much to the imagination. She tore them down and released him. Piper’s eyes widened as she took him in.

  “Oh my…”

  Mason grinned at her while reaching down and grabbing his wallet. He set it next to them on the pool table. She watched his muscles ripple with each movement and thanked the strength team at the Stallions training center for producing such a beautifully sculpted man. She ran her fingers over his new tattoo, marveling at the contrast of the white ink against the black.

  “It looks so good.”

  He trailed the same tattoo on her collarbone and said, “Yours looks better. It’s sexier.”