by Piper Rayne
Shaking the thought out of my head, I stood up. It was his idea, wasn’t it? If he was put off by me taking him up on it, then it was his problem, not mine ... right?
“A swim sounds lovely,” I said, my hands already at my waist as I started toward the deck.
I didn’t look back to see what his reaction was, I simply kept going with a single-minded focus. Shucking clothes as I walked, so by the time I reached the edge of the deck, I sent up a whisper of thanks that I’d put on a pretty matching set of underwear for my first day of work and dove right in without a second thought.
It was colder than expected.
My breath caught as I was submerged, but by the time I resurfaced I’d already gotten used to the much colder temperature of the water.
I turned slowly, my legs kicking beneath me as I waded in the deep pond and made a one-eighty just in time to see a large expanse of tanned skin and a pair of dark-blue boxers before Mason was airborne.
I yelped as the spray hit me and he went under, then started laughing as I pushed off and began to swim farther into the pond.
Mason came up with a, “Whoo,” and started to swim after me.
We swam lazily across the pond before both stopping to turn onto our backs and float. I looked up at the pretty blue sky with fluffy white clouds and let out a sigh of contentment.
“This was a great idea,” I said, lifting my head to look at Mason beside me. “I can’t remember the last time I went swimming.”
“Not everyone would jump right into a pond without hesitation. I was impressed,” Mason said with an easy grin.
“Oh, I’ve jumped in worse,” I said with a light laugh. “Have you ever been down to the river by the train tracks? I don’t think anyone has been able to see the bottom of that thing for decades. We used to jump off a rope swing into it as kids. I can still remember the funky smell.”
Mason tipped his head back as he laughed, a great, deep, carefree sound.
“No, I can’t say I’ve had the pleasure.”
“I’d skip it if I were you,” I joked, and I couldn’t help but think how easy this was … being with Mason.
Our eyes caught and the smile left his face as something else took over. Something hot and pulsing, which made my skin prickle and my pulse quicken.
I knew immediately he wanted to kiss me. And, by God, I am going to let him.
Chapter Six
His lips were wet and slightly chilled when they covered mine.
The initial touch was like a jolt, running straight through my body and causing me to move closer.
Our legs kicked out as our arms wound around each other and I briefly wondered at how successful this was going to be. Would we stay afloat, or would we get so caught up in the moment we’d forget to tread water, and both go under?
Mason must have had the same concern, because after only the briefest of kisses, he took my hand in his and started swimming back toward the dock.
Steadying my hands on the wood planks, I pushed down and lifted myself out of the water with a laugh, slightly out of breath from the swim and the adrenaline from the kiss. Once back on the deck, I stood and allowed Mason to once again take my hand and lead me back toward the blanket.
From there things happened quickly. It was kind of like an out-of-body experience.
One second we were smiling at each other as I wrang water out of my hair, and the next our bodies were flush against each other, and his lips were once again brushing against mine.
Wind whipped around us, causing my still-wet skin to get goosebumps, even as the air seemed to sizzle.
We lowered down to the ground until we were lying on the blanket, his body half covering mine as his hands began their exploration. I shoved my hands in his hair and kissed him back with a fervor.
There was a small niggling in the back of my head, asking if this was the best course of action. If I wanted to rush into this with Mason, which was honestly my M.O., or if I wanted to act like a mature adult and slow things down.
All doubts left my mind when his hand lowered to the apex of my thighs and cupped me over my panties.
I lifted my hips in response and moaned into Mason’s mouth.
It had been so long since I’d been touched in such a way, and everything about Mason felt so good, the last thing I wanted to do was stop.
Instead, when I felt the hard length of him press against my thigh, I reached down and stroked him over his boxers. From there things escalated without hesitation. We both shoved our hands beneath fabric, needing to touch and fondle as our bodies strained toward each other.
His finger entered me as I tightened my grip on his cock and pumped.
We both groaned as we devoured each other’s mouths and brought about one another’s pleasure.
“Oh, Mason,” I cried, breaking free from his lips when he pushed another finger inside my wet pussy. “More…”
I lost purchase of his cock as he shifted about me, and I looked down to see him shucking off his boxers. Liking where this was going, I placed my fingers in the waistband of my panties and shimmied them over my hips before opening my legs wide in welcome and raising my hands toward him.
“You are so beautiful,” Mason said as he took me in and lowered himself between my legs.
He entered me swiftly and my back arched as I scratched my nails down his.
We came together quickly, bucking and panting as we coupled in the bright afternoon sun.
His eyes darkened as they roamed my face, never once breaking our connection as he moved within me.
I was surrounded by Mason. His smell, the sexy noises he made at the back of his throat, and the way his face appeared above me in an expression of awe and pure pleasure.
I came with his name on my lips and, a few minutes later, I felt Mason slide out of me and watched his body shudder as he came on the ground next to us. When he collapsed on top of me, I wrapped my arms and legs around him and hugged him tight.
Slowly, the sounds of birds chirping and water lapping against the dock intruded on our interlude and, as the haze of lust began to subside, I became aware of what had just happened.
Shit.
Thank God he’d been thinking at the end, since we hadn’t used protection … Lord knows I haven’t been.
Suddenly hot with embarrassment, I said, “I’m, uh, on the pill, and I haven’t been with anyone in over a year. I’ve been, uh, too busy with school and work.”
My cheeks felt tight, and my throat hurt as I waited for his response.
“It’s been longer than that for me,” he said lightly, and I ventured a look at his face.
Mason was watching me intently. Unable to stand the scrutiny, I pushed on his shoulders and shifted beneath him, urging him to get up.
Once I was free, I sprang to life, pulling on my discarded underwear and clothes, my words coming out in a jumble.
“I’m so sorry … I didn’t mean for things to go that far … Stupid, Becs … I’m supposed to be acting like an adult now. I’ve got the job, the apartment, the car … I’m trying to be less impulsive and more serious about the decisions I make.”
Once I was dressed I paused and looked around, my hands thrown up as I tried to figure out what I was even looking for.
“Please, don’t apologize,” Mason said as I spun around like an idiot. “I’d hate to think you regret what just happened … I don’t.”
I felt tears prick my eyes as I sighed and glanced at him.
The look on his face made me feel terrible, but not as terrible as the fact that I hadn’t seemed to have grown at all.
I was still doing the same crap I’d always done, which is why I was twenty-eight and had never had a serious relationship. Why would a guy need to put in time and effort to get to know me when I rolled around beneath them at the first sign of interest?
“Can we just go back?” I asked, not wanting to break down in front of him. “I need to get to work.”
“Of course,” he said softly, makin
g me feel even worse.
Chapter Seven
The ride back was awkward, and I knew it was my fault.
I felt bad for freaking out on Mason back by the pond, but the level of disappointment I was feeling in myself was all too real.
It wasn’t really even because of him. He’d been absolutely lovely and our time together magical, but the fact that I allowed it to happen, that I so easily fell back into old habits, had me mentally kicking myself the whole way back.
He’d barely even put the Gator in park before I was hopping out of the passenger side and speed walking to the barn.
When I saw Dr. Garcia’s car parked back next to mine, I felt my face heat with embarrassment, and I began mentally berating myself some more.
Oh. My. God. Becs! Your first day on the job and you slept with one of your patients. Well, not your patients … Gross! ... but one of the clients who hire you to take care of the patients. Talk about crossing a line. You’ll be lucky if Doc doesn’t send you away and never let you do anything other than deworming’s and nail trimming.
“Becs … Rebecca,” Mason called from behind me, but I just looked over my shoulder, shook my head, and kept marching inside.
“There you are,” Dr. Garcia said as she looked up from her examination of Charming, who’d been moved to the calving box for privacy and much-needed seclusion. “How was lunch?”
I narrowed my eyes and looked at her with suspicion.
Had she been a part of this whole setup?
“Um, it was good. Mrs. McClintock is an amazing and generous cook,” I replied lamely as I joined her. “How’s Charming?”
She glanced over my shoulder before bringing her gaze back to me.
“She’s doing great. We should be calving in no time.”
“I need to go check on something, but I’ll be back,” I heard Mason say from the entrance to the barn.
Dr. Garcia nodded and then looked curiously at me.
“What happened?” she asked softly.
“I don’t know what you mean,” I said, hoping to deflect this conversation. “Mason took me out and showed me around the farm, we had a nice lunch, and now we are back and ready to work.”
“Did things not go well?” she prodded.
“How do you mean?” I asked, really not wanting to talk to my boss about what happened with Mason.
The doc patted Charming absently as she chewed on her lower lip.
“Look, I know it was probably not professional of me … I shouldn’t have gotten involved … but when Mason expressed a romantic interest in you and asked me to give him some time to get to know you, I thought it was terribly sweet.” She gave me a worried look and added, “I know it wasn’t my place, but you’re both such great people, and when he told me about his plans for a picnic, well, I’m afraid the woman in me outweighed the doctor. I thought about how nice it would be to have a man like Mason going to such lengths to get to know me. I hope you aren’t mad.”
Dang it, when she laid it all out like that it did sound horribly romantic. Had I ruined everything with my reaction to what happened between us?
“He spoke with you about it?”
“Yes, when I called and told him you’d be coming with me. He was surprised and then excited and it was so sweet I guess I got swept up in his plans. I’m sorry I overstepped.”
“No, please, don’t apologize,” I said, holding up my hand. “It was a lovely gesture, and we had a nice time. I think maybe I just got overwhelmed by everything. I mean, I wasn’t expecting any of it. I didn’t know who Mason was before today and had no idea he had feelings for me. It was probably all a bit sudden, that’s all.”
Even though she had a hand in planning what was ultimately my seduction, I didn’t see any need to tell her what had happened between Mason and me. Not only because I didn’t want her to think less of me, but I really felt something so private should be kept between the two of us.
I really hoped he felt the same.
“Is there anything you need me to do to prepare?”
“I think it’s about time to make Charming more comfortable. Would you mind grabbing Mason and Henry?” she asked,
“Sure, I’ll be right back,” I told her and started toward the exit.
Once outside, I glanced around. Mason wasn’t over by the Gator, or the goats, or anywhere I could see him. As I rounded the corner I wondered if he’d gone farther out onto the farm for something else, then I saw him standing on the wraparound porch of the house, talking to a lady who was almost as tall as him, her gray hair swept up in a bun.
I stopped and was about to run back around the corner to hide before they saw me, but I was too late.
The gravel had crunched beneath my feet, causing both of their heads to swing toward me at the sound.
The woman, who had to be his mother, raised her hand in greeting before turning it and waving me over.
Oh boy.
Chapter Eight
It felt like I was walking through cement as I headed through the white picket fence and up the sidewalk toward Mason and his mother, who were watching me with matching smiles.
I knew it was all in my head, but his mom’s gaze seemed to hold a fondness that I hadn’t yet earned.
“Ma, this is Becs,” Mason said, his voice hinting at something I couldn’t quite name. “Becs, this is my ma.”
“Hello, Mrs. McClintock,” I managed as I made it to the top step. “It’s lovely to meet you. Thank you so much for the lunch. It was delicious.”
“Please, call me, Mary,” she said, easily. “And you’re most welcome. I was so pleased when Mason told me you were coming.”
I blinked and wondered, really, but simply smiled in response.
“Mason told me you recently became a vet tech. I can tell you it’s a very important job, especially to our community. Not only for our farm and many local businesses, but pets are family and it’s important to have people who will love and care for them.”
She glanced down, and for the first time I noticed a large older yellow lab sleeping in a bed next to the porch swing. A few feet away there was a water bowl with Sparky stenciled on the side.
“Thank you. I’ve always loved animals and hoped I could do something in this field. It took a little bit longer for me to get here, but I’m really excited to get to do what I’m doing. And getting the opportunity to work with Dr. Garcia is a dream come true,” I replied, then added, “How old is Sparky? He’s adorable.”
Sparky opened one eye at the sound of his name, then closed it again and went back to dozing.
“He’s what, sixteen this year?” Mason asked his mom.
She nodded and replied, “Last month.”
“We got him when I was in high school.”
“Would you like to come in for some lemonade?” Mary asked, causing me to remember why I’d been looking for Mason in the first place.
“Actually, the doctor sent me to find Mason and Henry. It’s time to for Charming to have her calf. Can I get a raincheck?” I asked, as Mason lifted his radio and put a call out to Henry to meet us in the barn.
“Of course. Life on a farm is all about flexibility.”
“It was nice to meet you, and thanks again,” I said as I turned to walk back down the steps.
“Anytime, Becs. Don’t forget that lemonade,” she called out and I gave her a little wave in response.
“You okay?” Mason asked, falling into step with me.
I shifted my head to look at his face. Dang, he sure is handsome.
“Yeah, I’m good. How about you?” I asked, even though I was afraid of the answer.
“I’m nervous about Charming but optimistic that everything will be fine,” he said softly. “I’m thrilled about our picnic, but worried about you and wondering what you’re thinking. And I’m hopeful that we can talk things out and see what happens next.”
That was a lot.
“Okay, so … honesty. Right.” Mason was nothing if not surprising. I’d onl
y known the man a few short hours and he seemed to keep me constantly on my toes. “Well, then … I’m excited about seeing Charming give birth, if not a little nervous about what actually seeing it will be like. I’m confused over everything that’s happened today, and agree that we should talk, but can it wait until tonight, once Charming and her baby are safe?”
“Yes, of course,” Mason said, a relieved grin taking over his face, making him somehow even more appealing.
“Her water bag broke!” Dr. Garcia shouted as we entered the barn. “Make sure there’s enough fresh straw laid out.”
“Boss, it looks like Dottie and Bea will be calving tonight as well,” Henry said as he spread the hay.
“We’ve got a long night ahead, how are you feeling?” Dr. Garcia asked me.
“I’m ready to help however you need me to,” I assured her, my adrenaline starting to spike.
Charming made a sound of distress and her tail flicked up as she struggled to move.
“She wants to lay on her side,” the doctor said. “Give her some room.”
Once Charming was in a prone position, Dr. Garcia had me move up to stroke her neck gently while she monitored Charming’s progress.
“The front feet are visible,” she said, and I hurried around to take a look before going back to try and soothe Charming.
It was a long process, and I felt sorry for Charming, who seemed incredibly uncomfortable, but less than two hours later, Charming’s baby was born.
“Next she’ll expel the afterbirth,” Dr. Garcia told me as I gushed over the baby calf. “And we’ll want this little guy to nurse within the first four hours. Henry, can you make sure everything’s set up for Dottie and Bea? I’ll be there in a moment to check their progress.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Henry replied.
“What’ll you name him?” I asked Mason as Charming began to clean her calf.
“I was thinking maybe you’d like to choose,” he said, causing me to look up at him in surprise. “It’s kind of a tradition around here for first timers to pick the name.”
