Something was stroking my face, leaving trails of tingles in its path as it grazed over my cheek before moving toward my jawline. I groaned, the sensation causing my skin to flush and break out into goose bumps. I stretched out lazily before remembering where I was.
My eyes opened quickly, terrified of what might be touching me, and I squeaked in shock when I found a pair of beautiful blue eyes staring back. I should’ve known it was Mason.
Cautiously propping myself up, expecting to find myself still in Jasmine’s room, the familiarity of my own greeted me, and I realized what must have happened. He found me and had carried me back to my own bed to continue sleeping. Reclining back again, I snuggled into his body to enjoy the contact.
I loved moments like this where we didn’t have to speak, but could find comfort and warmth from lying beside each other.
“Good afternoon, sleepy head.” His voice never ceased to give me goose bumps. He spoke in low tones that rumbled a little, and I loved how sexy it made him sound. Sometimes I wondered if he did it on purpose, just to make me smile.
“I guess the meeting is over and you found me, huh?” I smoothed down the front of his t-shirt, enjoying the way his muscles moved underneath.
“Yeah, I figured I knew where you were and you looked so peaceful so I just brought you back here instead of waking you. You’ve been out for a good hour or two so you needed it.” Resting on his back, Mason turned his head to kiss me on top of mine before staring at the ceiling. “What a day.”
I nodded and we lay there in silence, with him stroking the side of my arm and me tracing the contours of his stomach. We were lost in thought—not wanting to spoil how we were feeling with the ugliness of events.
Releasing a tired sigh, Mason spoke first. “It goes without saying you’re not to leave the house, right? No trips to town, not so much as a toe off pack property.” I knew he was trying to sound casual, but I could sense the importance hidden in his voice. This would be something I couldn’t argue about. He was on alert and the conditions of my safety were non-negotiable.
“I promise. Stay at home. Be a good girl. Don’t cause trouble.” I rattled off each sentence like I was reading a grocery list.
He laughed at my last comment. “I don’t think it’s feasible for you to keep out of mischief, but at least try to keep it within the estate. I can’t expect the impossible from you. Trouble is your middle name after all.”
I slapped him for that, the sound of my hand thudding against his chest echoed in the room, and was followed quickly by a flare of pain in my palm. Sometimes I forgot his chest was like a brick.
“You doing okay?” Instinctively, I knew he was asking if I was all right after sitting with Jasmine. I couldn’t help but smile at just how thoughtful he was. Even though we’d been together for a while, I still wasn’t accustomed to how in tune he was with me, how he noticed things and genuinely wanted to help. The jerks I dated in the past couldn’t have cared less. Their one focus was how soon they could get in my pants and get out.
I hugged Mason tightly, trying to convey how much I appreciated him before letting out a huge sigh. “I’m good. I just keep telling myself I can survive this, and even though it hurts, I still have you and she wouldn’t want me falling apart—especially not now with everything happening. It still feels like I have a lump in my throat all the time, like something’s missing, but I know she would want me to continue to live. It was just a shock seeing her—touching her. It made it real and my mind couldn’t refuse it.” I blew a strand of hair out of my eyes and smiled when Mason reached over to tuck it behind my ear. “I’m glad I was able to have those last moments with her. We talked. Well, I talked and she listened.”
“So it was like normal.” His fingers began to slowly run through my hair, twirling it in a soothing fashion. “I can’t tell you how many times I passed her door and heard you both in there laughing away, not knowing what you two were up to, but so glad you had each other. As a brother, it meant a lot that you both got on so well. It felt right.”
More silence followed as we both got lost in our thoughts. Sunshine blazed through the window, heating the air, and for that short period of time, everything felt perfect. It wouldn’t be difficult to convince myself this was just an ordinary afternoon and everything was right in the world. I lifted my hand into the ray of light that covered most of Mason’s upper body.
Turning it back and forth, rubbing my fingers together, it amazed me how easy it is to take for granted the simple things. I’d grown so accustomed to seeing things every day, always assuming they’d be there whenever I needed them. All it took was an instant to lose it and it would be gone forever. Staring at the dust particles dancing in the sunbeam, I vowed to never become so complacent again and learn to appreciate everything I had.
“Those are some heavy thoughts there, Darcy,” Mason’s voice jarred me from my musings.
“Reading my mind, are we?” I poked his ribs with my finger and was rewarded with a squirm. I loved how he was ticklish.
“No, but this huge frown wrinkle gave you away.” He traced my brow and I slapped him hard.
“You did not just tell me I have wrinkles, Mason O’Connor. These are not things women like to hear from the men who love them. You’re not supposed to see our imperfections!” I covered my forehead with my hand, trying to hide any visible flaws.
He gently pried my arm down, kissing my palm before placing it on his chest, over his heart. “I don’t see imperfections, sweetheart. All I’ve ever seen is you and you’ve always dazzled me.”
“Smooth answer. I think I’ll let you live for a few more hours.” I laughed and I tilted my head back to kiss his chin. Thinking better of it, I nipped the skin lightly with my teeth, letting my tongue flicker over the spot. Contented, I rested back into him. I could sense the moment when he became serious by the way his body tensed, and the feel of the air became a little thicker.
“I can’t promise this won’t get messy. I’m not sure who’s behind the message, or how it includes Gary and Jasmine, but something in my gut tells me this is going to get bad. If there’s one thing I’ve learned is to always trust my instincts, the edge I have as Alpha, and right now, it’s screaming danger. I need to know whatever happens you’re going to be safe. No matter what.” He slid his arm out from under me so he could prop himself up. As he peered down at me, I reached up to trace his brow.
“Now who has wrinkles?”
“I’m serious, Darcy. I can’t give my entire focus if I’m worried about you ignoring orders.”
“Are you ordering me?” I raised my eyebrow.
“In this? Yes. As Alpha and your future mate, I’m ordering you stay on the property.” He looked so solemn and I felt the weight of his command rest on me. Even if I wanted to disobey, I couldn’t.
“I love you.” I smiled up at him, those three words letting him know I’d heard and would follow. Last night scared me, and no amount of independence was worth a repeat. “Now can you finally kiss me?”
My insides quivered as I watched the slow progression of a heart-stopping grin cross his face and the way his eyes turned to instant smolder. I licked my lips in anticipation, slightly breathless as I waited for him to lower his head and press his lips against mine.
“What is it about you that I can’t resist?” he asked, inching painstakingly lower until he hovered just about my mouth, barely touching. His breath was hot, seductive, and it caused a ripple of excitement to course through me.
“Must be my sparkling personality,” I whispered back, struggling not to close the distance between us. Electricity charged the air, the chemistry of our connection wreaking havoc on my hormones.
He feathered his lips lightly over mine, just the ghost of a touch and I whimpered as he retreated without fully claiming my mouth. “Must be because I can barely remember my name when you look at me like that.” His fingers drew a soft line down the side of my cheek.
“And how is that?” I purred softly, a sultry tone to
my voice. My body felt as if it would explode from the way he seemed to drink me in.
“Like the world doesn’t exist, but for the two of us. How did I deserve you?” He kissed me again. This time a little slower, pressing harder, and I followed him involuntarily as he moved back. He was teasing me and driving me crazy with it.
“You talk too much, Mason.”
Done with being tormented with waiting, I grabbed hold of the back of his head and crushed his mouth down onto mine. I didn’t wait for an invitation, my tongue eagerly twining with his and I groaned as his taste filled me.
As quickly as passion ignited, I reined myself in, slowing the tempo of our kiss and turning it into the languid kind of touch we both reveled in. I loved it because it felt like it shattered me from the inside out, liquefying my bones and leaving me breathless all at the same time.
It was impossible not to move, the pull of the moment acting like a magnet as our bodies fell into perfect alignment. Hands gently teased, causing moans of pleasure, and when it was time to break apart, I tugged on his lower lip, reluctant to let go. I sucked it into my mouth, tracing it with my tongue before fully releasing him, a contented sigh bubbling out from me.
“Can we just stay like this forever?” I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day.
“You like kissing me, huh?”
I snorted. I couldn’t help it. Of all the crazy things I’d ever heard him say, this was too much. I followed my unladylike response with a roll of my eyes and a shrug of my shoulders. “It’s okay, I guess. It wasn’t completely horrible.”
I was rewarded for my blatant lie by a round of relentless tickling, Mason showing no mercy as I screamed and begged for him to stop. It drove me nuts he knew my weaknesses, the certain parts of my body that responded wildly to the right touch.
“Just as well I think your kisses are kind of okay too. Who knows what would become of us if we couldn’t tolerate each other.” He crossed his eyes and stuck his tongue out the side of his mouth; pulling a face before adding, “Complete torture if you ask me.”
“You liar! My kisses are divine. You live for every single one I give you, and I know they make your knees a little weak. Admit it!” I laughed out loud, scolding him.
“Baby, that’s something you girls do. Men don’t get weak kneed or whatever dramatic term you want to use. We’re manly. We kiss and dominate, leaving our prey defenseless to our advances.” He leaned in and kissed me. Not a deep, soulful one, but definitely enough that when he leaned back, I was wearing a goofy smile.
His hand grabbed hold of my leg, fondling it, and a look of triumph blazed from his face. “See, just as I expected. Your knees are weak.”
“You’re such a dork, Mason. But you’re mine, so that’s okay.” I fingered the locks of hair that curled behind his ears. “You need a haircut.” I started to brush the strands out, moving across the rest of his head, measuring in my mind how much would need to go.
“We’re lying here together, talking about kissing, and you’re focused on my hair? There’s something wrong with this picture, babe. Drastically wrong.”
“Well, do something about it then . . .” I lowered my voice to a gentle hush. “Mr. Big, Bad Wolf.” I grinned back at him and winked.
His eyes flared, the wolf surfacing briefly to answer the call before he offered a wicked smile that threatened to scorch my insides. “That sounded very much like a dare. Sure you want to go there?”
“Oh, I very much want to go there. If you think you have what it takes, then step up to the plate and show me what you’ve got.” I winked before adding, “That’s unless you think you’re not capable.”
Brat, was the only word I heard before he seized my mouth completely, setting me on fire with the mastery of his touch. Heat built up, whipping around us as his tongue repeatedly swirled and plunged in my mouth. Mason answered my taunts with a kiss so spectacular, I thought my body would lift off the bed and float away.
He was relentless, methodical in his ministrations, easing up to let me catch my breath before sinking me back under and stealing it again. My entire being focused solely on him and the exquisite feeling pulsating through me.
I didn’t flinch as his hand tugged on my shirt, pulling it free from my jeans. Neither did I pause when I felt his warm fingers rest on my rib cage. His touch excited me, the way it caused me to tingle, and he absolutely turned my world upside down.
Arching my back, I pressed my skin into his palm so wherever he had contact branded me. I didn’t know where to focus—my mouth or my body. Everything about him was unraveling me, one blinding stroke at a time.
I felt myself being lifted, so unaware of my surroundings, and I almost toppled when I found myself placed on my feet. Saving me from face planting onto my bed, Mason chuckled, scooping me up in his arms.
“Just as I expected, you can’t even stand. I win the challenge.”
I tried to tell him not to gloat, that it wasn’t becoming, but all I could do was laugh, completely dazed and bewitched. He had literally kissed me senseless.
Watching Mason pause, he tilted his head to the side as if listening, and I knew something was happening. To some it may seem strange, but I’d seen him receive messages through the pack connection enough to know someone needed the Alpha.
“Duty calls?” I asked, finally able to find my voice. Slowly, I was beginning to focus on my surroundings, the effect of his kiss fading. All but the burn, which I knew would take a little longer to extinguish.
“Yeah. I need to go check something out, but before I do.” He stopped talking and left the room, entering the adjoining bathroom. I heard things being moved around, bottles being picked up and placed back before the sound of water filling in the bathtub reached me. A few moments later he returned, a man on a mission, and lifted me into his arms.
“A new command from your Alpha.” He winked at me as he set me on my feet in the bathroom. Without waiting, he began to undress me before placing me in the soothing hot water. A quick smell told me he added bath salts—lavender and eucalyptus—my favorite.
“Try to relax from now until I come and get you for Jasmine’s farewell. Just lie here and soak in the tub. Dream about all the kisses I’ve yet to give you and nothing else. I’ll be back in about an hour or so.”
“But I just had a shower!” I laughed, staring up at him.
“That was for cleaning, this is for relaxing so quit complaining.” He glanced around, looking as though he’d forgotten something. He hurried out of the room before returning with the paperback novel I’d left resting on the bedside table. “In case, you feel like reading.” He winked.
I went to say something, but he leaned forward, not caring about the water that sloshed up and wet him as he kissed me quickly on the lips. “I love you.”
Smiling, I closed my eyes, moaning about how good my muscles were beginning to feel. This wasn’t about me getting clean, my shower earlier having taken care of it. I let my body relax, and softly hummed a random tune to myself.
This kind of pampering could be easy to get used to. I lifted my hand out of the water, watching the way it trickled down and the noise it made as it splashed.
“Go be the Alpha, Mason. I’ll be here when you get back.” I waved lazily, the effects of the lavender already lulling me into a contented state. “If you get back in time and the water is still warm enough, maybe you can join me.”
It was hard to miss the flare of desire as he contemplated the idea. “Count on it.” Leaving the room, hearing the door close behind him, I slid down in the tub, fully immersing myself.
This felt like heaven.
Chapter Fourteen