Uprising (Alternate Earth Series, Book 2)

by S. J. West

  “And it’s safe for you?”

  “I have angels watching my back,” Rafe reminds me. “I feel safe enough there, but I wouldn’t want to raise a child in that part of the world. I wouldn’t be able to concentrate on my work, because I would be worrying about my children all the time.”

  “So you want to have more than one child?”

  “I love kids,” Rafe confides.

  “How many do you want?”

  “At least two, so they’ll always have someone they can count on in their lives.”

  “What kind of woman do you see yourself marrying?”

  Rafe stares into my eyes and says, “I imagine she’ll be headstrong and independent. She’ll know her own mind, and won’t be afraid to tell me if I ever make a boneheaded decision. She’ll love our children with all her heart and protect them from harm. She’ll be the kind of woman who lights up a room when she walks into it and makes me proud to be her husband.”

  “Do you really think such a woman exists?” I joke. “She sounds a little too perfect.”

  “I know she exists,” Rafe says, continuing to stare at me, as if he’s making a point.

  I have to lower my gaze, because the way Rafe is looking at me is making my heart do flip-flops inside my chest.

  “And what if this perfect woman of yours can’t have children?” I whisper. “Would she be less of a woman in your eyes?”

  “Never,” Rafe assures me. “As long as she wanted kids, we could always adopt. There are a lot of children in the world who need loving parents.”

  “You know, you’re a little too good to be true,” I say, impulsively giving voice to the words in my head.

  “I’m just like anyone else,” Rafe says, showing his modesty.

  I look back at him and shake my head. “See? You don’t even realize how perfect you are.”

  “No one’s perfect,” Rafe says sincerely, “least of all me.”

  “No, you most of all.”

  “Nina…” Rafe says in the voice he uses when he wants to ask me a question. “What were you going to tell me earlier?”

  I take a deep breath and stand, holding a hand out to Rafe to help him stand as well.

  “Take a walk with me,” I say.

  Rafe doesn’t question my motivations. He simply takes hold of my hand and stands up, never letting it go.

  As we walk along the hard-packed sand near the shoreline, I attempt to work up the nerve to say those three little words I’ve wanted to say all night. Finally, I decide I should just do it and see what happens.

  “I love you,” I say, finding the words easier to say than I thought, even though my heart is pounding so hard I feel like I might pass out at any moment from the rush of blood.

  Rafe stops walking, but keeps a tight hold on my hand with a strength I didn’t think he possessed. I’m forced to stop walking, and turn to face him.

  He stares at me for a moment before saying, “What did you just say?”

  “I love you,” I say a second time. “I’ve loved you for a while now, but I just didn’t want to admit it.”

  “But when I told you how I felt about you…”

  “Yeah,” I interrupt him, “about that. Jess said you took what I said as a brush-off.”

  “How else was I supposed to take it?”

  “Well, I thought you would take it just the way I meant it. I do respect you, Rafe. I also happen to love you. I just couldn’t admit it at the time.”

  “Why?”

  It was such a simple question with such a complicated answer.

  “Because I wasn’t sure if I wanted you to have that much power over me. I was afraid that, if I said it, I would lose a part of myself.”

  “I would never use your love for me to make you do anything that you didn’t want to do, Nina. Love doesn’t work like that. I told you I loved you because I wanted to be completely honest about my feelings for you. There’s nothing in the world I wouldn’t do for you. Nothing at all.”

  “Then kiss me and prove it,” I dare him.

  Rafe doesn’t need any more prodding than that. He pulls me up against him and lowers his mouth to mine in a mind-numbing kiss. I feel his hands cradle my back as his lips and tongue tease my own to play. Eventually, I have to pull away just to take a full breath of air into my lungs, but I do know one thing for certain.

  “Make love to me,” I tell Rafe, not ashamed to ask for what I want.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for that?” he asks, looking more than willing to comply with my request, but also uncertain if he should.

  “I’ve been ready since the moment we met,” I admit. “I don’t want to wait any longer.”

  These words seem to propel Rafe even further along the path I want him to go down as he brings me back into his arms and kisses me even more deeply than before. Without having to ask, I phase us to my room in the castle, knowing that JoJo was right. My dress will be ripped off me that night, and I will forever be thankful for its sacrifice.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  (BACK TO JESS’ POINT OF VIEW)

  Mason phases us to the roof of the tall, medieval-looking tower on the island. I had spied it from the house when we first arrived at Boldt Castle, but this was my first chance to see it up close.

  “Do you know much about this island?” Mason asks me as he sets down the picnic basket.

  “No, I can’t say that I do,” I admit. “I’d never even heard of it before Xavier said we were going to be using it as our new headquarters.”

  “George Boldt built it as a tribute to his wife,” Mason tells me. “In our reality, she died before it was completed, and George halted construction. I think he just didn’t see any reason to finish it, since she wasn’t there to enjoy it with him.”

  “That’s so sad,” I say as I watch Mason spread the thick blanket out over the stone roof. “Mason, if I asked, would you make me a promise?”

  Mason stands up straight, looking at me.

  “And what promise would that be?” he asks cautiously.

  “I want you to promise me that you won’t die before I do,” I say in all seriousness. “I know that sounds selfish on my part, but I can’t imagine living a single day without you in it.”

  “You know that’s a promise that’s almost impossible for me to keep,” Mason says, walking over to me and taking me into his arms. “But I will promise to do my best to stay alive until the time comes for you to leave this world. I also promise that you won’t be in Heaven without me for very long. You’re not the only one who can’t imagine living a day without the person who holds my heart in it. In fact, I’m not even sure it can keep beating without you near.”

  “Kiss me, Mason,” I beg, leaning further into him until my breasts are pressed against his chest. “Kiss me like it might be the last time you ever do.”

  As Mason lowers his lips to mine, I can’t help but be haunted by the notion that this could very well be the last kiss we ever share. There are no guarantees in this world. Even though Gabe had a vison of us having a son in the future, our fate could easily be altered by a single, unseen event. Gabe’s visions were ‘possible’ futures, not particularly ones that were set in stone.

  Mason tightens his arms around my waist and teases my lips apart with his. I close my eyes as I feel him gently bite down on my lower lip, making me gasp in pleasure. When he finally covers my mouth with his, I feel the smooth, silky texture of his tongue coax mine into a familiar dance. I wrap my arms around his neck and run my fingers through his hair, gripping it tightly.

  My heart begins to hammer against the walls of my chest as Mason’s kiss becomes more demanding. I feel his hands slide underneath my shirt, caressing the small of my back and slowly rising up to the clasp of my bra. With deft fingers, he releases the clasp, pushing the material of my bra out of his way to cup my breasts in the warmth of his palms.

  I pull my mouth away from his just far enough to breathlessly say, “I think I have way too many clothes on for what I w
ant you to do to me next.”

  Mason smiles. “Do you mind me ruining your t-shirt?”

  “No,” I answer without hesitation.

  Mason drops his hands to the bottom of my thin shirt, grabbing it in the middle with both hands. With one quick jerk, he rips my black cotton t-shirt completely up the center, splitting it in two. Without having to be asked, my husband slides his hands across the smooth planes of my belly, and quickly slips the front of my bra up to expose my breasts to his eyes and touch.

  “Your breasts are perfection,” he tells me before dipping his head to tease one nipple with his teeth, rolling his tongue over its sensitive core.

  I whimper from the pleasurable wetness of his warm mouth sucking on my sensitive flesh. My knees begin to buckle from the electrifying pleasure lighting my body on fire. Mason notices, and wraps an arm around my lower back to help me remain upright. He phases us to one of the larger cutouts of the tower’s battlement. When he kisses his way across the valley of my breasts to lavish my other nipple with the same attentive care, I feel the first warm drops of rain land on my skin.

  I open my eyes and look up to see that the clouds have definitely darkened since we first got here. But I don’t care if they bring a flood; I’m not about to tell Mason to stop what he’s doing. Hell itself would have to burst open for me to do something that stupid. My husband seems to be of the same mind.

  Mason lifts his head to crush his lips against mine while tugging on my pants to quickly unbutton them and let the zipper down. The light drizzle turns into a full-fledged rainstorm, but neither Mason nor I care about a little water interrupting our play. It’s a bit like taking a shower outside, and that’s one of our favorite places in the house to make love.

  Mason continues to ravish my mouth with his as he slips a hand down the front of my pants, causing me to pull my mouth away from his just to take in a sharp breath. I lower my head, simply trying to breathe as Mason works his particular form of magic on my body.

  “Are you wet from the rain or me?” Mason asks, resting his forehead against mine, breathing heavily as he gives me pleasure.

  “You,” I moan. “Most definitely you.”

  “Good,” Mason says, quickening the rhythm of his fingers against the most sensitive part of my body.

  I reach up behind me and grab the top of the smooth battlement wall at my back for added support. As Mason continues to arouse my body with the play of his fingers, and the warm rain slides against my flesh, a surge of ecstasy washes over me, building to monstrous heights before I cry out, feeling as though my body has just crashed to shore on a wave of pure bliss.

  I open my eyes to look at Mason.

  “I need more,” I tell him, finding it difficult to breathe. “I want to feel you inside me.”

  Mason yanks my pants down far enough to give him free access to my body before unzipping his own pants to free himself. Knowing that I’m prepared to accept him, Mason pushes himself into me in one swift motion, filling my aching void.

  “I want all of you,” I beg, knowing that Mason hasn’t plunged his whole length inside me yet. “And I want it hard and fast.”

  Mason groans after hearing my request, and gives me exactly what I demanded. The wave of pleasure returns in full force, feeling more like a tsunami. The faster Mason moves inside me, the higher the crest of my pleasure rises. Finally, I feel my body explode, and see tiny stars against the back of my eyelids. Breathless and trembling, I realize all Mason has done is make me want him even more.

  When I open my eyes, I catch him watching me.

  “I love being able to make you do that,” he tells me. “I love how beautiful you look when you lose control and find pleasure because of me.”

  Mason starts to move inside me again, letting me know that he hasn’t allowed himself to find his own release just yet. I’m not surprised one little bit. He’s always made sure I was fully satisfied before allowing himself to enjoy the fruits of his hard labor.

  “Then do it again and again,” I tell him as my body welcomes him completely, “because you’re the one thing in this world that I can’t get enough of.”

  “As you wish,” Mason says, kissing me as he continues to thrust inside me.

  I grip the wall at my back again, holding on for dear life. I know I’ll need its support just to remain standing while Mason propels me off the edge of bliss and into ecstasy once…twice…a third time….

  Once we are both satiated from our play, Mason gathers up our abandoned picnic basket and blanket. He phases us into our bedroom where we decide to take a long, hot shower together. Afterwards, Mason spreads the thick comforter of our bed on the floor, and starts a fire in the fireplace to help keep us warm. He pulls out the food he packed in the basket and lays it out for an impromptu picnic on our bedroom floor.

  Completely satiated, both physically and emotionally, I lay back on the comforter after I finish my meal, and find myself smiling for one of the few times since we returned to alternate Earth.

  Mason lies down beside me, trailing his fingers from my chest over the thin material of his t-shirt that I’m wearing, until he reaches the hem of the shirt lying across my thighs.

  “I hope I’m partially responsible for that smile on your face,” he murmurs to me before lowering his head to nibble on my ear. His warm breath tickles the inside of my ear, making me giggle. “That’s a sound I haven’t heard in quite some time.”

  “There hasn’t been much here to find joy in,” I tell him honestly. “We’ve had one disappointment after another. I tried so hard to find a way back here and help these people, but I don’t feel like I’ve helped at all. Every time we take one step forward, something happens that forces us to take two steps back.”

  “I think we’re on the homestretch now, though, Jess,” Mason says soothingly, gliding his hand up and down one of my thighs. “There are only two seals left to open. We’ll try to stop them, and maybe we will, since Xavier is closer to Lucian now, but even if we don’t, we have the trumpets in our possession. We’ve stopped their plans for them. We can go back home.”

  “We will get back home, won’t we?” I ask, needing Mason to ease my fears that something bad will happen to prevent that from happening.

  “We will go back home,” Mason promises me. “You have my word on that.”

  I feel Mason’s hand slide up my thigh and go underneath my shirt to seek out the sweet spot between my legs.

  “You know doing that will get you in all kinds of trouble,” I tell him, unable to keep my body still as his fingers slip inside to find my warmth.

  “I love trouble,” Mason says, positioning his body over me, on his hands and knees, with his head directly over my belly. “Besides, I have a penchant for sweet, warm marshmallows for dessert.”

  Mason scoots down a little bit as his hands move the bottom of my shirt out of his way so he can enjoy something sweet against his tongue, and make me moan for him to eat his fill.

  Afterwards, Mason and I lie in our bed and fall asleep in each other’s arms. I have a dream that night about us being back home, with Max and Brynlee sitting beside me as I cradle their new baby brother in my arms. As I look into his vibrant blue eyes, I instantly know what his name should be.

  Early the next morning, I wake up smiling, and then laughing when Mason rolls over on top of me to take total advantage of my body, though I have to admit that I give as good as I get. I love showing my husband just how special he is to me, and sometimes actions speak louder than words.

  After our morning play, I quickly slip on a pair of pants and a shirt.

  “Where are you going in such a hurry?” Mason asks me as he lays naked on his side, with the sheet covering him from the waist down. His head is propped up against a fisted hand as he watches me with an amused look on his face.

  “I’m going to go down to the kitchen to grab us something to eat and drink. Don’t you dare move out of that bed until I get back. I want at least a little more time with you before w
e have to start another day.”

  “I’ll stay right here, if you promise me that you’ll shed those clothes the moment you return.”

  I hold up my right hand and pledge, “I promise to serve you breakfast in bed, completely naked. And if you feel the need for something sweet afterwards, I will provide you with the sustenance that you desire.”

  “Hurry,” Mason practically orders.

  I walk out of our room and into the hallway. While I’m closing the door, I notice someone down the corridor also slipping out of a bedroom on this floor. However, this person seems to be taking special care to close the door quietly.

  When Rafe begins to walk down the hallway in my direction, he looks up and sees me. Even from this distance, I can see him blush. I walk to meet him in the middle.

  “What is this?” I ask him, eyeing the open white shirt and slightly wrinkled black trousers he’s wearing. “A walk of shame?”

  “No,” Rafe says smiling shyly. “I’m far from ashamed about what happened last night.”

  “Then why are you sneaking out of Nina’s room like you don’t want anyone to know you were in there?”

  “I didn’t want to wake her up,” he confides. “We had a late night, and she needs her rest.”

  “I’m sure she would rather wake up and find you in there with her,” I tell him.

  “I plan to go back,” Rafe assures me. “I just thought she might be hungry when she wakes up. I’m heading down to grab something from the kitchen.”

  “Well, come on then,” I say, looping my arm around one of his. “I need to feed my honeybun, too.”

  “Late night for you as well?” Rafe asks knowingly.

  “You betcha,” I say, a content smile on my face, feeling happy for once.

  “Good,” Rafe says, leaning over and kissing me on the cheek. “I like seeing you happy. You’ve been too sad since we got here.”

  “I’m trying to remain optimistic that everything will work out, and we’ll all be able to go home soon,” I tell him as we make our way downstairs towards the kitchen.