by T. M. Cromer
Once again, she glanced around. There he stood, one arm braced against the frame of his open door and the other on the roof of his car as he frowned in her direction. Their eyes met across the expanse of parking lot. Her breath caught in her throat at the heat in his gaze. For someone who had been so insistent about ending things before they left St. Thomas, he sure was giving her a come-hither stare. And boy, did she want to come hither.
The grin started as a small quirk of his lips, morphed into an amused side smile, and then an all-out melt-your-panties type of grin. Dammit! The man was irresistible, and he knew it. Shonda turned away to gird her loins and take back control of her body’s wayward functions. A vehicle door slammed. She knew it was Mason, but what she didn’t know was if he was leaving or coming to where she struggled getting her forty-nine-pound bag in the trunk.
His body heat against her back gave answer to her unspoken questions. His nose buried itself in her hair and his lips were feather light on her ear. “I’ve changed my mind.”
Her heart started to tap-dance in her chest. Joy spread through her at his words.
“I’m not ready to end it… yet. I want a few more days.”
And just like that, her heart ceased its celebration. The happiness she’d felt blooming to life was snuffed out. Shonda had a choice to make. She could either tell him to go pound salt, or she could use a few more days to create memories to look back on. The only thing in opposition to the second alternative was her brain. Her heart and body had already voted for more sex.
Still, she needed to put up a token protest. “I don’t know if it’s a good idea…”
He gently turned her to face him and traced her lips with the pad of his thumb. He spent an inordinately long time regarding the action. When he raised his gaze to hers, the earnest look in those blue eyes nearly overwhelmed her.
“I want you, Shonda. On a level I’ve never wanted another woman. For longer than I’ve ever wanted another woman. Can’t we just leave it at that and enjoy a few more days?”
“Yes.” Her heart and lady parts sighed in unison while her brain shouted she was seriously going to regret agreeing to this foolishness.
He pressed his forehead to hers with an audible sigh of relief. What did that mean? She refused to analyze it at this juncture.
“I’ll follow you to your place,” he said, dropping a light, lingering kiss on her mouth. “Drive carefully. The roads might be icy from the last snowfall.”
During the car ride back to her apartment, she lectured herself to grow a backbone. How in the world could she give in so easily? What manner of sorcery did he possess to bend her to his will so fast? No protest had been anywhere near to coming out of her mouth at any time. She wanted to beat her head on the steering wheel.
Upon entering her living room, Shonda greeted her cat and read the note left by her neighbor, Jannaya. “Says here you were a good boy and no trouble at all,” she said to her purring fur baby. “That’s my baby.”
Mason couldn’t believe he was irritated by the affection she lavished on a stupid cat. In all fairness, the little beast had a smug look on its face as it peered in his direction.
“Dinner at Luigi’s sound good to you tonight?” he asked to grab a bit of her attention.
“Luigi’s? Over in Springdale? How do you plan to get a reservation this late?”
He hadn’t thought past taking her somewhere nice for a meal. But her question was valid. Looked like he should bring spare cash to slip to the host or hostess. He figured a smile and a fifty should move him to the front of the line.
“I have my ways. How about a quick shower and then we head out?”
She snorted and grinned. “Since when have any of our showers been short?”
He laughed. Once again, she was correct. They’d only ever gotten out of the shower because they were forced to by lack of hot water. “We’ll set a timer.”
When he shifted to remove the cat from her arms, the rotten feline hissed and swatted his hand. Not to be outdone by an animal, he reached for the scruff of its neck.
“No!” Shonda shouted. “Don’t even think about picking Loki up like that! What’s wrong with you?”
While he could admit to knowing next to nothing about cats, he was pretty sure he’d seen a mother cat pick up her kittens in that fashion. Still, he kept silent as she soothed Loki’s hurt pride. With a roll of his eyes, he took their suitcases to the larger of the two bedrooms with the assumption it was the master. He didn’t see himself making fast friends with her pet.
Make that pets. On the center of the queen-sized bed was another feline, bigger and looking more pissed than the first. If looks could kill, Mason was sure the beast would smite him on the spot. What the heck was Shonda feeding these animals? The thing was enormous. He worried for his safety if it decided to attack.
Setting his garment bag on the chest by the end of the bed, he unzipped it and pulled out a pair of black trousers and a white button down. He toyed with the idea of setting his items on the bed, but he wasn’t convinced that the fat fur-ball wouldn’t take up residence on his clothing. The little monster had an air of ownership about its surroundings. Instead, he took the time to hang them on a hook in the bathroom. The steam from the shower could only help remove some of the lesser wrinkles.
He started the shower and adjusted it to temp before jumping in. The assumption being Shonda would take the time to greet her other cat before joining him. As the water flowed over his scalp and ran down his back, he wondered what motivated him to continue this affair. Not being a complete and clueless tool, he knew she’d developed feelings for him. He just didn’t know how to deal with that aspect of this relationship. He’d been prepared to walk away. Had spent the flight staring at the back of her glossy blonde head two rows up and to the left of where he’d sat, telling himself it was better to end it when he did. Yet, upon seeing her start her car and prepare to go, panic had flooded him, and he hadn’t been able to let her leave. Taking a closer look at his own feelings on the subject wasn’t going to happen.
She’d agreed to a few more days, and he’d enjoy them to the fullest before heading back to the real world. He needed to keep reminding himself she knew the score. The unguarded times when he caught her looking at him with a speculative look, the one that said he could be worth trying to convert to boyfriend material, always made him cringe inside and make haste to depart the room. She’d been smart enough to see his withdrawal for what it was. He liked the fact she didn’t push for more. Perhaps that was what allowed him to remain and draw this, whatever this was, out a little longer.
He was so deep in thought that he jumped when a hand touched his back.
“Sorry. You looked so serious just now,” she laughed.
“Yeah, I have a lot on my mind,” he said as he shifted to allow room.
“Anything you want to talk about?”
He noted her slight frown. How sweet and giving she was, always worrying about his comfort first! A strong desire to run struck. “No.”
Luckily, she took him at his word and didn’t press. Had she done so, he’d have hightailed it out of there faster than she could blink. He didn’t exactly fear opening up, but getting all touchy-feely about the thoughts rolling about in his head right now was a big nope.
“In that case, let’s get this show on the road.” Her suggestive tone and her take-control attitude triggered his Johnson’s immediate response. She laughed softly at the effect on his body. The deep, throaty sound made him harder still.
Because he needed distance and looking into her beautiful face wouldn’t provide that, he ordered her to face the tile and spread her legs. She complied with a seductive toss of her head. The liquid soap provided the perfect glide to massage her body and caress her most intimate areas. Her husky moans turned him on like nothing to date.
Mason lifted one of her legs to rest on the shower bench and stepped in behind her. He bent his knees and rubbed the head of his cock against her opening, coaxin
g another low moan of want from her. Her head fell back to rest against his shoulder, and he took advantage of the action to nip the column of her throat. He gave a slight suck of the skin there and shifted to run his tongue along her collarbone. All the while he massaged her breasts and teased her nipples into tight buds.
“Please. Now,” she panted.
Her responsiveness delighted him. Yet, the devil in him refused to give in to her plea. He bent her forward and ran his hands over her ass, finding her crack and separating her folds. He used his dick for friction against her as he circled her clit with one index finger and the opening of her ass with the other.
Her indrawn hiss had him grinning. Not many women would admit to liking anal touching or teasing, but in his experience it usually sent them over the edge to orgasm. With Shonda it was no different, and he chuckled softly along with her cries of release. With no warning, he plunged into her to seek his own pleasure.
The slow, deep thrust and her whimper of delight made his cock dance inside her. He withdrew to repeat the action, gradually increasing the tempo until her gasp and chant of “yes” echoed off the travertine around them. Her scream sent him over the edge to join her in release.
They quickly washed and rinsed. As they stepped out of the shower, she asked, “Still interested in dinner or would you prefer to order in? There’s a great little Chinese place not far from here that delivers.”
“Go ahead and get dressed. If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to take you out.”
She shot him a fleeting smile, and he wondered at her lack of enthusiasm for Luigi’s. Most women of his acquaintance would kill for the chance to eat at such a high-scale place. He put it down to her tiredness. The part of him which had been raised to have consideration for another almost swayed him offer to order in. The part of him hoping to avoid further commitment insisted on rejecting the intimacy of a meal in her home.
Chapter Eight
They arrived at the restaurant and pulled up to the valet parking area at the front entrance. Mason strolled around the front of his Lexus and tossed the keys to the attendant, then opened the passenger door to assist Shonda. When the employee nodded to her, it struck him she must be a regular here.
Inside the grandiose restaurant, they shuffled their way to the front of the line through the throng of would-be diners to give their name to the host. The man studied them both for a long moment as if weighing their worth. “I’m sorry, sir. There’s a two hour wait.”
Mason slid him fifty dollars and asked him to be sure.
“I may have been mistaken. The wait is only an hour and a half.”
Irritation flooded him at the extortion happening. A quick glance showed Shonda studiously looking about and biting her lower lip to keep the laughter at bay. He slid another fifty across the stand. “And now?” he bit off.
“Yes, I see here I can seat you in about one hour.”
He was on the verge of reaching across the podium when a distinguished older gentleman approached. The other man had all his attention focused on Shonda. A welcoming smile graced his face. “Hello, Bella. When did you get back in town?”
“Hello, Papa.” As she was wrapped in a bear hug by her father, Mason stood stunned. “I arrived this afternoon.”
“Why didn’t you call ahead? I would have had a table ready,” he chided.
“I thought it would be more fun for Nico to play with my date,” she laughed.
Mason met the unrepentant eyes of Nico, the host, who shrugged and smirked.
“You’ll never find a husband if you torment the men you date. Come, I’ll take you to the private dining area.”
A flush blossomed on Shonda’s face. “I’m not looking for a husband, Papa.”
Based on her color and her father’s skeptical expression, Mason wasn’t so sure she wasn’t lying. Sweat beaded on his brow and he experienced an inexplicable urge to run a finger around his collar, which he curbed.
“Nico, give the man his money back,” ordered Shonda.
“No.” Mason held up a hand. “He earned it.”
The sparkle of delight in Shonda’s eyes was worth the hundred bucks. He placed a hand on her lower back and guided her to trail Luigi.
Their meal was splendid. One incredible dish after another was placed in front of them. Mason thought he’d died and gone to heaven. He’d always been a foodie, and Italian cuisine happened to be a favorite. The food creations here caused his taste buds to weep with pure joy.
The dessert sampler appeared to be Shonda’s top pick. The sounds coming from her rivaled their earlier shower sport. He sat back with his glass of wine, watching her spoon in a small bite of tiramisu and close her eyes in ecstasy. Next she reached for a scoop of dark chocolate gelato. He found himself aroused by her every reaction. Absently, he wondered if there was anything about her that didn’t turn him on. He’d been so engrossed in observing her, he failed to register Luigi walking up.
A large hand clamped on his shoulder, and Mason shifted to drop the napkin in his lap. The booming laugh of the older man told him the action didn’t go unnoticed.
“What are your intentions toward my daughter?”
The question sent his wine sputtering from his lips.
“Papa!” Shonda leaped to fill the awkward gap. “We’ve only known each other for a week. Please, don’t.”
Luigi was quick to pick up on her mistake. “A week? You only returned today.”
“We met on the plane.” She stated the truth, but Mason knew her intent had been to make it seem as if they’d only decided to date on the return trip.
The perverted part of his brain, the one ignoring the logical part trying to shout its warning, piped up to cut her off. “We were seated next to each other on the flight to St. Thomas. We went to dinner that first night, then spent most of the week enjoying… the island.” Why it was important their week be acknowledged left him clueless.
Her green eyes showed horror and promised retribution.
“I suppose your mother is all right with this… this…” Words failed her indignant father, and his hands gestured wildly as his face took on an alarming color.
“Mason, will you excuse us?” Shonda stood and dragged her father toward the rear of the restaurant. When she returned a short while later, her distress was apparent. “We should go.”
“Shonda,” he started, worried at how she worked to keep it together. “If I—”
“We should go,” she stated more firmly and gathered her belongings.
Mason stood and threw money on the table. She picked the bills back up and shoved them in his hands. “He’ll be offended.”
On the ride home, he couldn’t help but try to draw her out again. “Want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
“I don’t know why you said what you did, Mason, but it was a dick move.”
“I know.” He attempted another tactic to get her to open up. “How is it that you are the daughter of Luigi De Vitis and your last name is Grant?”
“My mother left him and remarried Nolan Andrews when I was still a small child. She wanted Nolan to adopt me, but Papa objected. He wanted me to have his last name. If it was good enough for generations of De Vitises then it was good enough for me. Mama thwarted him and used her maiden name on all my school forms.”
“That’s right! I remember! Luigi was married to…” He shot her a disbelieving look. “Your mother was Eva Grant, the famous model?”
“The one and only.”
She didn’t look too happy about it.
“I can see the resemblance. Her hair was slightly redder than yours, but the features are the same. And the body…” He trailed off, embarrassed now that he remembered doing things all teenage boys did in the privacy of their own room while gawking over a swimsuit spread of a swimsuit model. Awkward didn’t begin to describe it. The knowing look she graced him with caused him to shift in his seat.
They dr
ove in silence on the way back to her apartment. After pulling into the parking lot, Mason placed a restraining hand on Shonda’s arm when she would’ve reached for the door handle.
“You’re far more beautiful than your mother,” he told her, willing her to believe he meant it.
Their eyes locked, and whatever she’d been torturing herself with on the long ride home, disappeared from her eyes.
“Thank you,” she choked out. “Now take me upstairs and do what you do best.”
Mason didn’t need to be told twice.
“We have to go back to the real world, love.”
Shonda knew it was true, but their last three days had surpassed their time in St. Thomas. The passion burned brighter, and the sex was absolutely mind blowing. How Mason could dismiss this connection was beyond her ability to comprehend.
“Same rules apply?” she asked quietly. Pushing him would only lead to an ugly blow up.
For the longest while he remained silent. His voice was firm and void of emotion when he said, “Yes. Nothing’s changed.”
No, not for him in any case. However for her, everything had. Without a doubt, she loved him. Based on the heart-wrenching flight home, she’d thought she had an idea of how bad his abandonment would hurt. Had actually braced herself against the pain of his walking away. That had been nothing compared to today. She’d fallen back to her old pattern of equating sex with love. She shook her head at her stupidity.
“Want a cup of coffee before you go?” Being casual took every ounce of self-control she possessed.
“Actually, I’m running late. I’ll pick something up.”
Was it possible for the situation to be more awkward? How did it come to this between last night and this morning?
“Thank you.”
His softly spoken words halted her action in doctoring up her morning caffeine fix.
“For what?”
“I knew from the beginning a casual affair wasn’t your thing. It made me hesitate to take it further than our first dinner date, yet you haven’t made it weird or awkward. You haven’t gotten clingy. I thought I should let you know, I appreciate it.”
