Lethal Temptation

by Kaylea Cross

  While the waitress poured more coffee into her cup, Shannon smiled at Ray. He definitely wanted to talk, and right now she had the time to listen. “Morning. Not having a great day so far, huh?”

  He eyed her, a thick layer of white stubble covering his face, his bright blue eyes sharp. “You heard that, huh?”

  “Yeah. I feel bad for you. I grew up on a cattle ranch outside Bozeman.” Not even close. She’d grown up in Billings. “My parents died in a car wreck when I was in my teens. The ranch was supposed to be split between me and my other relatives. I wanted to stay there but they insisted on selling. I couldn’t afford a lawyer to fight it.”

  He shook his head, his expression sympathetic. “So you were kicked off your land.”

  She nodded and pressed her lips together, as if the memory still hurt her. “Yep.”

  “You new in town?”

  “Yes. Just arrived, actually. Only staying for a couple days, but I don’t know anyone here.”

  Ray patted the stool next to him. “Sit down and join me. You remind me of my granddaughter.”

  She smiled at him. “I’d love to.”

  She listened as he bitched about his situation, focused on how this Mason guy fit into the picture. Ray hated him. Shannon hated Avery.

  Now she had a new plan to torment her enemy once Avery returned to Rifle Creek.

  Chapter Ten

  Light filtering into the room woke Avery. She tensed, keenly aware of the huge male body curled around the back of her.

  Mason.

  Her pulse skipped, her libido revving to life. He felt amazing, all warm and solid. He’d also been incredibly good to her this weekend, especially last night.

  Especially in that supply room.

  A heavy throb pulsed between her legs as she recalled that intoxicating mix of authority and control he’d used so effortlessly to weaken her defenses.

  This level of desire was foreign and scary. She’d never felt anything remotely this powerful. As great as parts of this weekend had been with him, she would be thankful when they got back home, pretend they’d never crossed that line, and finally put an end to this charade.

  He stirred behind her. She tensed a little, waiting to see what he’d do, but he only twitched once, still asleep. He probably needed it. They hadn’t gotten to bed until late, and he hadn’t slept well, waking a few times with violent jerks that she pretended to sleep through so she wouldn’t make him feel uncomfortable.

  Had the scene at the cabin triggered his subconscious and given him nightmares? She was so curious about him. Wanted to know what had happened to him to make him leave his beloved JTF2 and the military. A man didn’t put that much dedication and sacrifice in and then walk away easily. Whatever demons Mason faced, they were horrific.

  She lay still, not wanting to wake him, savoring these stolen moments of being held in his arms. Soon enough reality would intrude once more and they’d have to face the rest of the world. The cops would want to talk to them again, give them an update and see if they had anything else to add to the investigation. Her family would all want to see them too, make sure they were okay.

  She would do her own digging into what had transpired at the cabin. Right now, she was still unsure as to who could have done it. After that, it was time to say their goodbyes and hit the road back to Rifle Creek, where she and Mason would go back to the newly awkward relationship of tenant and landlord.

  Twenty minutes later, she was too restless to lie there any longer and gently eased away from him. He woke just as she was getting out of bed, going from sleep to total alertness in the blink of an eye. “Morning,” he mumbled, running a hand through his thick, dark hair, the shadow of a beard already showing on his face. “What time is it?”

  “Seven. Go back to sleep if you want. I’m just gonna shower and get ready so I can talk to security.”

  He shook his head. “I’ll come with you.”

  She hurried into the bathroom to shower, brush her teeth and get ready with the things her sister had given her. When she came out Mason was stretched out against the headboard, still dressed, phone in hand as he texted someone.

  “Just updating Tate, telling him we might be a while longer getting back today,” he said. “Apparently Ric’s been pouting through their entire trip, pining for me.”

  “Aww, poor sweetheart. We’ll get back as soon as we can.”

  Those blue, blue eyes swept over the length of her, taking in the snug navy sweater dress with frank male approval that made her pulse trip. Her sister wore a size smaller than her, so it was tighter than what Avery would normally wear. “Shower free?”

  “Yeah, all yours.” She gave him plenty of room as he got up and passed her, unsure if she was relieved or disappointed that he didn’t touch her or try to push her boundaries.

  This was their last chance at being alone together in a private room here. She’d expected him to try and press his advantage after last night, that he’d sense her wavering and unleash more of that innate carnality she didn’t have a hope in hell of resisting.

  But he didn’t. And when he stepped out of the steamy bathroom minutes later, dressed and raising his eyebrows at her with nothing but a “Ready?”, she decided she was disappointed after all.

  They went downstairs for a quick breakfast. Her parents and sister were there in the dining hall, all anxious about her and what had happened last night. “I’m okay, guys, really,” she told them, giving them all hugs. “We’re meeting with security this morning, and after I get home, I’ll still be in contact with the local cops to get to the bottom of it.”

  She and Mason ate, then went to talk to security. Mason stood back near the door of the private room like a sentry, imposing with his muscular arms folded across his chest as he watched and listened. Avery asked the security and manager about the staff and went over the list of who had been working last night, then reviewed the video footage.

  It showed someone in a dark hoodie angling up alongside the Ponderosa from the direction of the lake and coming up the porch. Whoever it was kept their face angled in a way that no features were visible in the shot, lost in shadow as they entered the cabin. Slender build, probably female. Height, maybe five-five to five-eight or so.

  “Eleven-forty-nine p.m.,” the head of security noted. “Were you both at the reception then?” he asked Avery and Mason.

  No, they’d been in the supply room with the top of Avery’s dress peeled down and Mason’s hand between her legs as he’d made her come harder than she had in maybe ever. “Yes.”

  The vandal left the cabin eleven minutes later, walking down the porch and around the side of it back toward the lake. Avery and Mason showed up six minutes after that. The sight of them together made something hitch in her chest. They looked good together, and seeing Mason’s arm around her made her tummy flip.

  “We’ve already sent this to the cops,” the head of security said.

  “Can you send me a copy too?” Rifle Creek had limited resources but she had contacts in Missoula or Billings who would do her a favor and see if they could get an enhanced image of the vandal’s face. A long shot, but better than nothing to start.

  “Of course. We’ll keep questioning the staff, see if they noticed anything. Again, we’re really sorry about this. Of course, there will be no charge for your stay, and we’d like to offer you some compensation for your belongings.”

  “Thank you.” She looked at Mason. There was nothing more to be done here. “Shall we?”

  He nodded and opened the door for her, curled a hand around her waist as they walked back to the breakfast room. Her family was still there. She filled them in on the investigation, then glanced around at the other guests. Would someone here have trashed her room and burned her stuff? Doug and Keely were notably absent. A tiny part of her wondered if they’d had something to do with this. If not first hand, then maybe paying someone to do it for them.

  At any rate, it had been an eventful weekend, and now it was time t
o go. She said goodbye to her family, dishing out more hugs. Her mom and sister hugged Mason, too. “Mason, I hope we’ll be seeing a lot more of you from now on,” her mom told him, gazing up into his eyes. “We love you already.”

  “Mom,” Avery groaned, but he was grinning down at her mother.

  “I hope so too,” he said.

  Her dad shook Mason’s hand. “Hit me up for fishing or hunting anytime. And you take care of my little girl, all right?”

  “I will, sir.”

  Sir? Avery’s eyebrows went up, a little pang hitting her. Her family was seriously in love with him after only two days. It wasn’t going to be any fun telling them later that she and Mason were no longer together.

  He slung his duffel—now containing his clothes and her few unburned items too—over one muscled shoulder and caught her hand in his as they walked out to the parking lot. It was a bittersweet moment, with her anxious to get this fake relationship over with, while at the same time wishing it could have lasted a bit longer.

  Which was nuts. Mason was way too complicated a man for her to get involved with in any kind of a relationship, no matter if he’d managed to slip under her skin this weekend.

  At his Jeep he stopped to put his duffel in the trunk, then went around to open her door for her. She murmured a thanks and started to slide past him, but he set both hands on her waist to stop her.

  Avery tensed and met his eyes, her heart drumming. Lord, the man was gorgeous. And when he looked at her like this, like she was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen and couldn’t drag his eyes from her, it felt real. “I don’t think anyone’s watching us now,” she murmured, only part of her wanting to stop this.

  “I don’t care if they are or not,” he said, then cupped her jaw with one hand and kissed her.

  Avery dug her fingers into his shoulders, pure need slamming into her as he angled his head and deepened the kiss. Arousal blasted through her, the tender, seductive stroke of his tongue against hers making her insides clench. When he finally lifted his head moments later, she inhaled an unsteady breath, dazed.

  His stare burned her. With a low sound he dipped back down for one more swift kiss, then released her, leaving her wobbly and aching for more.

  “In you go,” he said, his voice gruff as he handed her into her seat.

  Avery scrambled into it, expelling a deep breath as he shut her door and went around to the driver’s side. Jesus. The man could turn her inside out with only a kiss, and make her forget everything around her.

  They’d definitely blurred too many boundaries this weekend. Where did they go from here? Where did she want to go from here?

  She couldn’t stop thinking about it as he drove them to the highway and started back to Rifle Creek. If she was smart, she would pull back and get them on the same footing they’d been on as of Friday morning. But she wasn’t sure how the hell to do that when all she could think about was what he’d made her feel and how much she still wanted him.

  Which begged the question, why had he done that last night? Her mind chewed away on that one as the miles ticked past.

  “Your family’s awesome,” he said. “Mind if I take your dad up on his offer and go fishing or whatever sometime?”

  “Sure, if you want. But let me tell him first that we’re not together anymore.”

  Mason glanced over at her, and the possessive light in his eyes simultaneously thrilled and shook her.

  She frowned, caught off guard and unsure what to make of that look, or her own jumbled feelings. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Why did you do that last night?”

  “Do what?”

  “You know what.” Make me give in and then make me come. She wasn’t going to freaking say it. If it had been an ego thing for him, she didn’t need to give him any more reason to gloat.

  “Because I wanted to.”

  “And why was that?”

  His jaw tensed, his hand shifting on the steering wheel. “Because I hated seeing that asshole make you second-guess yourself.” He said it without looking at her, his attention on the road. “And because I wanted to hear what you sound like when you come.”

  A secret thrill ran through her, and she immediately scolded herself. The man’s sensuality was lethal. She needed to start putting the boundaries firmly back in place. “Well, obviously that was a one-off. Because it can’t happen again.”

  “It can’t?”

  “No. When we get back, it’ll be just like it was before. We’re acquaintances, and you’re also my tenant.”

  “Think we’re more than acquaintances at this point, Avery,” he said quietly.

  She flushed and flailed around for a witty comeback. All she could come up with was a list of rules she blurted at him.

  No more touching. No flirting. No funny business. No hanging out alone.

  “Mason?” she pressed when he didn’t respond to any of it.

  “I heard you,” he answered, jaw tight.

  “And?”

  He glanced at her, gave her a sexy look that had her toes curling in her high heels, and kept driving. “I heard you. But I’m hoping you’ll change your mind.”

  Of all the things he could have said, that was the last one she’d expected. “I won’t.” She couldn’t.

  Flustered, she abruptly changed the subject. “By the way, you didn’t seem to sleep that well last night. Did you have nightmares?” She winced inside. That hadn’t come out with a lot of tact.

  His hand tightened on the steering wheel. “Sort of.”

  “What were they—”

  “You want to go back to being acquaintances, so how about we drop this.”

  Okay, she deserved that. And hell, he’d gone out of his way to help her out this weekend. “All right. You’re right, I’m sorry. But it’s not because I don’t care.”

  He nodded once. “I’ll tell you about it eventually. Just not today.”

  “All right, fair enough.”

  The rest of the drive was a little strained, making it seem even longer. By the time they got to her house, she was anxious to escape and get space from him. Things were already complicated. She didn’t like complicated. She’d had her fill of it already for one lifetime.

  “Well,” she said as she climbed out. “Thanks again. I owe you.”

  “Avery.”

  She stopped and made herself face him. “What?”

  His eyes were cool. “You don’t owe me anything. Remember that.”

  Something in his tone, his expression, sent a shiver through her. It felt like he was telling her that if she wanted more, she would have to come to him.

  While he went around back to the suite entrance, she approached her front door with some apprehension, wondering if it had been trashed as well. But when she stepped inside, she let out a sigh of relief to find everything as she’d left it.

  Except for her and Mason, that is. And the unsettling feeling that they had already slipped past the point of no return.

  ****

  They’d only been home for four hours, and yet it seemed like an eternity since he’d seen Avery.

  Mason was waiting out in the driveway when Tate’s truck pulled up. He grinned and bent at the waist when the rear cab window opened and Ric flew out of it, a black-and-white, furry missile as he darted at Mason. “Hey, buddy!”

  Ric got within seven feet of him and launched his body in the air. Mason caught him with a laugh and ruffled his fur, kissing the top of his head. “You missed me, huh? But I missed you more.” Sleeping with Avery had been no hardship, but Ric would have woken him before his dreams turned into nightmares. He was embarrassed that she’d known he’d had any.

  But if he wanted her to let her walls down, then he was going to have to let his down too. It wouldn’t be easy, but Avery was worth it.

  “I’ve never seen such a sad animal in my life,” Nina announced as she got out of the front passenger seat. “I seriously could barely get him to eat the who
le time. I had to lie on the floor with him and feed him by hand.”

  “And she fell for it,” Tate said, getting out his side.

  “Well, he doesn’t look any worse for wear. Do you, buddy?” Mason grinned and angled his head to avoid the frantic, ecstatic licking, Ric’s whole body practically vibrating as his tail thumped against Mason’s hip.

  “Everything go okay?” Tate asked.

  “Yeah.” Great in certain areas. “Well, mostly.” He set Ric down and the dog immediately plastered his side against the front of Mason’s legs, staring up at him.

  Tate frowned. “Why, something happen?”

  Mason hadn’t told him the reason he and Avery would be coming home later than originally planned. “Tell you inside.” He’d been hoping for more alone time with Avery tonight, but of course she was intent on avoiding him now.

  She couldn’t avoid him forever, he lived freaking downstairs, and there’s no way she could pretend that last night didn’t happen. It was all he could think about, the way she’d felt, the shocked little inhalation when he’d first slid his fingers into her slick folds. The way she’d trembled and softened, clinging to him as he muffled her little gasps and cries with his kiss.

  There was something between them whether she wanted to admit it or not, and he wanted to see just how deep it ran. And if he wanted more from her, then he had to give her more of him in return.

  The front door opened. Avery’s gaze collided with his, held for a second before she looked past him to smile at Tate and Nina. “How was Coeur D’Alene?”

  “Awesome.” Tate slung an arm around Nina’s shoulders and tugged her into his side as they came up the front walkway.

  “Glad to hear it. Where’s Rylee?”

  “We dropped her off at her dorm on the way home. She had a good time, but she’s got a lot of homework to do tonight. Something about a sadistic astronomy professor,” Tate said.

  Nina playfully elbowed him in the stomach. “I’m not sadistic. And I already went over the math with her again to make sure she had it down. She’s gonna ace this assignment.”