London glanced around Harper’s home. The woman loved her white. London wouldn’t mind something like her friend’s two bedroom, two bath loft, but definitely a different color pallet. Unfortunately, London couldn’t afford something like this. Much of her money was tied up until she turned thirty-five and she didn’t want to be house poor.
“Are you sure, dear?” Cynthia pulled London back into the conversation. “I thought you’d want something like what you grew up in. Your parents’ home was—”
Emotion suddenly clogged London’s throat and tears pricked the back of her eyes. “Cyn-Cynthia, I don’t think this is going to work out. Thanks for your help.” London hung up before the woman could say anything more. She set her cell phone on the white, quartz kitchen counter and covered her mouth with her hand, trying to hold back a sob.
Tomorrow would be twenty-three years since her parents’ death. She knew returning to Atlanta at this time of the year was a bad idea, but she thought she could handle it. She thought she had dealt with her demons. She thought she had cried her last tear for what happened to them. Yet, just the mention of a single family house and her parents in the same conversation felt as if someone had punched her in the chest.
“No tears,” she mumbled and swiped at her eyes. “I’m done cr—”
She startled when the intercom buzzed. Anxiousness coursed through her veins and her mind went immediately to thoughts of Cory. There was no way he’d found her. As far as she knew, he still thought she lived in North Carolina.
Wiping her face with the back of her hand, London hurried to the intercom.
“Yes?”
“London, it’s me.” Mason’s deep, sensual voice sent a shiver through her body.
She stepped back wondering what he was doing there. Besides that, he and Cameron had access to the building and a key to the loft, so she was a little surprised that he didn’t use it. Then again, maybe it was good he called up first. Otherwise, she probably would have had a heart attack if he’d just walked in.
Without responding, she buzzed him in. Taking a quick glance in the mirror near the door, she cringed at the redness in her eyes and her lack of makeup. With no intentions of leaving the house, she hadn’t bothered with makeup and dressed in the first tank top and shorts her hands landed on.
“Oh well, there’s nothing I can do now.” She wiped her face again before finger combing her short hair. A quick glance at the clock and she saw that it was late afternoon and she wondered why he wasn’t at the club. Then again, he was one of the owners. He probably set his own schedule.
She jumped and her heart lurched at the two quick knocks against the door.
Geesh, she was jumpy. With the events of the last few weeks, her nerves were fried. And now she had to be in the presence of Mason which would no doubt send her pulse racing like an out of control train down a track.
“Relax,” she told herself, “it’s just Mase.”
Just Mase. Ha! For her that was like saying it was just President Barack Obama at the door. Even as children, there was something about Mason that had always sent her nerves into overdrive.
Blowing out a breath, she readied herself before swinging the door open. Warmth soared through her veins. As expected, every cell in her body went on high alert and her heart beat triple time at the sight of him. Leaning against the door jamb, looking sexier than any man had a right to, Mason acted as if he didn’t have a care in the world. Baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, a long sleeved, striped shirt with the two top buttons undone, and a pair of dark jeans that fit him perfectly, only added to his sexiness.
“You gon’ invite me in or just continue checking me out?”
Heat rose to London’s cheeks and she swallowed hard. “Oh, sorry.” She stepped back, opening the door wider. While practically drooling over him, she had totally missed the large pizza box he walked in with.
“What are you doing here, Mason?”
“I came to check on you.” Setting the box down on the counter, he gave her a once over. His appreciative gaze lingered a little longer on her bare legs, making her fidget under his inspection. “Have you eaten?”
She started to lie, but instead shook her head.
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you telling me that you haven’t eaten all day? It’s almost four o’clock.”
“Mase, if you came over here to give me a hard time, save it. I’m not in the mood.” London pushed away from the door, bumping his arm as she strolled past him and into the living room. She plopped down on the sofa, folding her legs beneath her. A little surprised that he didn’t follow her, she picked up the remote and pointed it at the television. She wasn’t used to being home in the middle of the day, but she was happy for the downtime before she started her new job in a few days. The plan was to stay with Harper for a while until she found a place to either lease or buy. But first she had to get herself together. She was an emotional wreck.
London clicked through the channels until she landed on a talk show. Setting the remote on the table, she glanced up just as Mason walked in carrying a tray in one hand and the pizza box in the other.
“Here.” He handed her the tray, which held two plates and napkins, while he set the box on the table in front of the sofa. “What do you want to drink?”
“Water is fine.”
Her stomach growled when she lifted the lid on the pizza box and her heart melted. First Thai food the other day and now another favorite, lasagna pizza.
Could Harper be right about Mason’s feelings for me? London shook the ridiculous thought out of her head. No way did feeding her mean that a man was in love with her. Or did it?
London shook her head again. Mason might’ve been the most thoughtful man she knew, but he’d made his feelings for her clear. They could never be more than friends.
She placed a slice of pizza on each plate, her mouth watering in anticipation. She couldn’t read too much into his gesture. Even though they were just friends, he had always watched out for her, making her feel special. She had missed him like crazy those first few years after he had enlisted in the Marine Corp. He had call her occasionally when he was stationed in Jacksonville, but she rarely heard from him once he left for Afghanistan.
“You know Harper would have a fit if she knew we were eating in the living room, right?” Mason set their drinks on the coasters.
“I know. I’m trusting you to do what you do so well.”
“And what’s that?”
“Keep your mouth shut.”
Chuckling, he sat next to her with his own tray. “I won’t tell if you don’t.”
“So why are you here?” she asked, biting into a slice of pizza. Her eyes drifted closed as she savored the combination of spicy, well-seasoned meat mixed with a remarkable sauce and ricotta and Romano cheese. All of that on top of the hand-tossed crust that delighted her taste buds. She hadn’t had pizza in months and having a slice from her favorite pizza joint was like winning the lottery. She brought the slice to her mouth again.
“You were on my mind.”
Her hand stalled, the pizza only an inch from her lips. London set the slice on the plate and placed it on the table.
“Why was I on your mind?”
He shrugged as he finished chewing. “I keep thinking about the other day at the club. Something wasn’t right. I don’t know what spooked you, but fear was written on your face when you rushed into the club. Tell me what’s going on.”
London sat mute. She appreciated his concern, but …
“London, talk to me.” Mason set his empty plate on the table.
She wiped her mouth with one of the napkins and stood, but Mason stopped her with a hand on her arm.
London shivered at his touch. The other day hadn’t been a fluke. Everything within her still came alive when Mason looked at her or touched her.
She stared into his sexy eyes and sighed, dropping back down on the sofa. Suddenly she wasn’t hungry.
“I told you, I don’t want to t
alk.”
“Why not?”
“Mason, please.” Sitting back against the sofa, she shut her eyes and realized how tired she was. “Normally you’re the one who sits around brooding in silence. So why are you trying to get me to talk?”
“’Cause normally I can’t get you to shut up. So forgive me if your silence is putting me on edge.” She felt him move closer and rest his arm behind her on the back of the sofa. “Talk to me, Tiny.”
Her eyes popped opened and she lifted her head. London had spent a lot of time with all of the Bennetts, but Mason held her heart. He was her protector, always watching over her. And as kids, he was the only person who called her Tiny. He hadn’t used the nickname since high school.
Mason massaged the back of her neck and London moaned, unable to help herself. His strong but soothing hands offered just enough pressure. If he knew how turned on he was making her, he would stop. Then again, maybe he wouldn’t.
Minutes passed without either of them speaking. There was so much clogging her mind these days, if she was going to talk, she wouldn’t know where to start.
“Tomorrow is the anniversary of my parents’ murder,” she blurted. “When those assholes stormed into our house and shot them point blank.”
Mason’s hand stilled and he cursed under his breath. “Ah, baby, I’m sorry. I forgot.”
She didn’t expect him or anyone else to remember. Heck, she’d tried for years to forget the night two armed men burst into her parents’ home. The night when gunfire exploded on the first floor while she was in the basement’s rec room. The night that she hid on the side of the dryer fearing that they were going to come after her next.
“For some reason, lately, I’ve been wondering if there was more I could have done. I should have done more, but I just hid. I didn’t call 911. I didn’t go up to see if I could scare those men away. I did nothing but hide.”
“Tiny, you were a child. Your parents would have wanted you to do exactly what you did. Your grandfather told you that all the time. Why are you questioning this now?”
London shook her head. This time of year, she always thought about the what ifs of that night. Deep in her heart she knew that there wasn’t much she could have done. Sometimes in her dreams she could hear her mother say, “Stay downstairs.”
“Come here.” Mason pulled London against the side of his body and held her close. “What can I do?”
There was nothing he could do. There was nothing anyone could do.
Feeling a tightness in her throat and tears pricking the back of her eyes, London buried her head against Mason’s chest. She didn’t want to cry. She didn’t want to feel anymore. But …
Unable to stop the pain in her heart, tears streamed down her face. Her world as she knew it had changed that night.
Chapter Three
Unsure of how else to comfort London, Mason held her close. No one deserved to endure the type of pain she had lived through. And some asshole harassing her was probably making life even harder to deal with. Mason still needed her to tell him what was going on with her ex-boyfriend.
She felt perfect in his arms. He didn’t want to let her go. He was glad he could be there for her, but on the other hand, she felt too good, her soft body molded …
“I’m sorry.” London sat up and wiped her eyes, trying to pull away, but he held on.
“You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“It’s been a tough couple of weeks. I’m probably just tired.” She rested her head back against his chest.
Mason grabbed one of Harper’s sofa pillows, not caring that she’d have a fit if she knew what he was about to do with it. Placing the pillow on his lap, he patted it.
“Why don’t you stretch out and try to get a little sleep.”
London straightened, her gaze meeting his. “Don’t you have to go to work?”
He shook his head. “Nope. Besides, even if I did, I think you need me more.”
Her shoulders drooped and her eyes filled with more tears.
“What? What did I say?”
“You always say the right thing … or do the right thing. I just—”
“Come on. Lie down. You’re just tired. Once you get some sleep, you’ll remember all the ways I used to get on your nerves.”
“You’re probably right.” She wiped her face and stretched her legs out on the sofa. Laying on the pillow, she said, “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Yeah, me too. Now go to sleep.”
Mason grabbed the television remote and turned to Sports Center, glad he didn’t have to go to the club. Even on some of his nights off, he dropped by to see how things were going. But right now there was no other place he’d rather be.
He glanced down when London’s soft snores penetrated his thoughts. She hadn’t been lying down for five minutes and already she seemed to be in a deep sleep. Watching her brought back memories of them as kids, when she’d spend the night over their house. Despite the twin beds in Harper’s room, sometimes in the middle of the night, she would sneak across the hall and climb into his bed.
Back then they were so young, it wasn’t a big deal. He would just scoot over and they both would fall back to sleep. It wasn’t until he was around thirteen or fourteen that his body started changing, making it weird to share a bed. Still, that didn’t stop her from coming into his room claiming she couldn’t sleep. During those times, he would wait until she fell asleep and then he would make a pallet on the floor next to bed for himself.
But now? Now she was a beautiful, grown woman who he couldn’t stop staring at. Baby smooth skin, naturally long lashes which brushed the top of high cheekbones. And that mouth. Lips that had shown up in his dreams on more than one occasion since the Thanksgiving night they had shared their first and only kiss.
His gaze went lower. He took in her slim but shapely body and remembered how good she had felt in his arms moments ago, as well as the other day at the club. She fit so perfectly—as if she’d been made for him.
Blowing out a breath, Mason shook his head. He had to stop seeing her as a woman and remember that she was family. London didn’t have her parents or her grandparents any longer, but he would make sure that she always had him.
He slouched down and rested his head against the back of the sofa, placing his arm around her narrow waist. The need to hold her was almost overwhelming. Hopefully, though sleep, she could feel how much he cared for her. Being there with her seemed normal. Eating their favorite meal, snuggled on the sofa and watching highlights of last night’s NBA game. Yep, this felt right to him. Too bad there could never be anything more between them.
Hours later, London whimpered in her sleep, and then shifted onto her side facing him. Her eyes were still closed, but she moved again, snuggling closer. She’d been asleep for the past four hours and hadn’t even awakened when he slid from beneath her to clean up before his sister arrived home. Nor did she wake up when Harper ran in to change clothes before heading right back out.
London shifted again, turning onto her back. Her tank top twisted just under her breasts, revealing flat abs and smooth, caramel skin. Unable to resist, Mason ran his hand over her stomach. The moment he touched her soft skin, he knew he’d made a mistake. This woman was like his kryptonite, weakening his defenses. For years he’d been able to remember that she was like a sister to him, but not lately. His feelings for her were definitely not brotherly and he had no clue of what to do about that.
London’s mouth slid open and she released a noisy yawn as she stretched her arms up and out. When her right hand bumped his chest, she gasped and leapt up.
“Aargh!” she screamed when she turned suddenly, almost falling off the sofa.
“Whoa. I got you.” He gripped her tighter, keeping her from falling.
She scurried into a sitting position. “Wha…what are you doing here?”
Mason narrowed his eyes. “You don’t remember letting me in?” He studied her, now even more concerned. Though she appeared to be
wide awake, the dark circles under her eyes made it look as if she was still tired.
She shook her head and sat back. “Yeah. Yeah, I remember. I don’t know why I … What time is it?”
“Almost nine o’clock.”
“Wow, I must have been more tired than I thought.” Yawning, she rubbed the back of her neck. “Is Harper here?”
“Nah. She left about an hour ago. She had a date.”
“Oh.”
Sadness covered her features and Mason tugged on the hem of her tank top.
“What else is bothering you? Clearly you haven’t been eating and you haven’t been sleeping. I have a feeling this is not just about your parents.”
“The last few weeks have been a little stressful. I guess everything is starting to catch up with me.”
“Everything like what?”
She twisted her lip between her teeth, something she used to do often when deep in thought or nervous.
“You know you can talk to me, right?”
Lifting her gaze to him, London slowly nodded. “I’ve been trying to find a place to stay but made the mistake and picked a realtor who was a friend of my parents. She’s been trying to show me everything I don’t want, like single family homes and town homes.”
Since the home invasion, London had been afraid of staying in single family homes alone. When she lived with her grandparents, she never stayed by herself. If they weren’t going to be there, she was next door at their house hanging out. That went on through high school, and as an adult she still was afraid.
“The pressure of starting a new job in a few days isn’t helping. I’m excited about being a news anchor, but I’m nervous, too. It’s a lot different than being a field reporter.”
“I have no doubt that you’re going to be great.” Mason rubbed her arm, but moved his hand away. He wanted to be there for her, at least until she got settled, but it was going to be hell on his self-control.
London leaned forward and wrung her hands, as if debating on whether or not to tell him what was really on her mind.
A Passionate Kiss Page 3
