“There you are!”
I looked up to find a very handsome Mason looking so excited to see me, it hurt my heart. He was dressed in a black suit and baby blue shirt that made the color of his eyes pop and sizzle like they were electrified. The most beautiful thing on him, though, was the smile that was spread from ear to ear. And I knew it was for me.
“Hey, Mason. How’re you doing?”
He pulled up a chair beside me. “Better now that I found you.”
I saw Josie stiffen out of the corner of my eye, but I ignored her for now.
“I was hoping I could get a dance out of you,” Mason said, his eyes widening in appreciation as they trailed along my body.
I sat up straighter and couldn’t help the smile that spread across my face. This was the attention I was so desperately seeking. This was how my husband should have been looking at me earlier.
“I suppose that could be arranged.”
He nodded toward my empty glass. “Need a refill?”
I smiled gratefully. “Dirty vodka martini, please.”
When he was out of earshot, Josie reached over and pinched my leg. “Ow! What the hell was that for?”
“That was for you being a dummy. Flirting with Mason is not going to fix the problems between you and Bryson.”
I rolled my eyes. “I was not flirting with Mason, I was talking to Mason. There’s a difference. And what does it matter?” I felt the word vomit rising in my throat and was powerless to stop it. Those glasses of wine and the multiple martinis were finally making themselves known. “It’s not like Bryson notices anything I do, anyway. Not like he cares how I look, or what I’m feeling, or who I’m talking to. He doesn’t care about anything, and I’m beginning to see the benefit of being like him.” I rose to my feet, albeit a little unsteady on my heels. “If he doesn’t care, why should I?”
Josie shook her head sadly. “Because if you stop caring too, there’ll be no one left to put this marriage back together.”
I gritted my teeth to stop the words from falling from my lips, but the alcohol had loosened them just enough. “Maybe I don’t want to put this marriage back together.”
I spun around and stalked off toward the bar, hoping to find Mason. The words that had slipped from my lips swirled around my head like a hurricane as I fought to make them mean less to me.
This was the first time I’d admitted out loud that I was close to giving up on my marriage, and it didn’t feel good.
The words were sharp and cutting as they spun out of control and obliterated everything in their path. I knew intellectually that the best way to slow down a hurricane was for it to move to dry land, but instead, I went in search of something that could drown out the noise. Whether that would calm the storm or not, I didn’t know, but I found I was past the point of caring.
Chapter 10
Present
I found Mason at the bar, and thankfully there was no sign of Bryson. When he saw me approaching, his smile widened, and his eyes traced down my body before meeting my gaze. His eyes were heated in a way I hadn’t seen before, and it sent a bolt of excitement laced with trepidation through my body.
Mason’s hungry eyes didn’t leave mine as he held up a fresh martini. I accepted it gratefully and took a fortifying sip. “Thanks for this,” I gestured with my glass.
Mason held out a hand. “Repay me by dancing with me.”
I smiled. “I believe I already agreed to that.”
“I’m just hedging my bets.” His eyes ran down my body again and I shivered slightly. “I wouldn’t want to miss the opportunity to dance with you in that dress.”
I took a step back and looked down at myself. “You like my dress?” I could feel the flirtatious smile tilt my red lips but couldn’t stop it from happening.
Mason leaned close, until his hot breath was in my ear, making me shiver again. “I love your dress.”
I took another sip of my martini. “I’m glad.”
“Did you wear it for me?”
Mason’s bold question made me pause.
Had I?
The hurricane winds in my mind blew stronger as I tried to dissect my own actions, investigate my motives. I knew I would see Mason at this party, and I knew I wanted to feel beautiful. Had I gotten dressed up hoping those two things would coincide? That I would see Mason and he’d give me what I was looking for?
Because it was obvious my husband wasn’t.
Thoughts of Bryson now joined the heavy thoughts in my head and I realized I’d been silently staring at Mason this entire time. He smiled knowingly and took the glass from my hand and set it on the bar.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
I wasn’t sure if his assumption was correct, but I also wasn’t sure if it was false, so I stayed quiet. My silence seemed to solidify something for him, and he wrapped a firm arm around my waist before leading me onto the dance floor.
The DJ was playing a song that was on the slower side, and Mason took full advantage. He spun me to face him, and placed both hands on my hips, pulling me close until they were flush against his. One of his knees found their way between my legs as he wrapped his arms around me.
Warning bells sounded inside my head like a five-alarm fire. I knew this was far from a friendly dance between coworkers, but I wavered on what to do.
One part of me loved the feel of Mason’s arms around me. Of his hot gaze that hadn’t left my face, and the powerful attraction I could feel pulsing between us.
The other part screamed this was all wrong. These weren’t the right arms around me. The blue eyes should be hazel, and it shouldn’t feel bad. It should feel like coming home.
As these thoughts warred inside my head, Mason rocked us back and forth to the sensual beat.
“You look so beautiful tonight, Kenny.”
I met his gaze briefly before ducking my head as warmth spread across my face.
“I haven’t stopped thinking about you since the concert. I haven’t stopped regretting how it ended.”
I frowned and met his gaze again.
His eyes burrowed deep into mine as his full lips tilted up into a smirk. He leaned close until I could feel his hot breath on my neck. “I should have kissed you. Right here.” One of his hands left my hips to brush across my lips. They parted on a gasp and he used the pad of his thumb to gently pull on my bottom lip. He then took that hand and wrapped it around the back of my neck.
I was sure my eyes reflected the terror I was feeling. “Mason,” I whispered breathlessly, “I’m married.”
Mason’s eyes hardened slightly, the ocean blue icing over. “And where is your husband?”
My eyes darted from side to side but couldn’t find Bryson.
Mason chuckled humorlessly. “Exactly. He’s not here. You’re not in his arms, you’re in mine. The guy must be a fucking idiot, cause’ if you were my girl, I wouldn’t have let you leave my sight all night.”
“Mason.” My voice was both shaky and reproachful. I didn’t like him talking about Bryson that way, but he wasn’t wrong.
Bryson was nowhere to be found. We’d arrived together, but I hadn’t seen him since I’d gotten my first drink. He might have left me here for all I knew.
But, Mason was here. He had sought me out and practically begged for a dance. It was clear Mason wanted me, and I was unsure if I could say the same about my husband.
Just then, a firm hand wrapped around my upper arm and I was abruptly yanked backward. I barely caught my balance on my precarious heels before spinning around to find out who was manhandling me.
Bryson stood inches away, jaw taught and hazel eyes blazing as they glared at Mason.
“What the hell are you doing, Bryson?”
His eyes never left Mason. “We’re leaving,” he spat.
“What? Why?”
He glanced at me briefly before turning his angry gaze back to Mason. “Don’t argue with me. Just get your things. The Uber’s here.”
Mason stepped fo
rward and grasped my other arm, his grip only slightly looser than Bryson’s.
“You don’t have to leave if you’re not ready, Kenny. If he needs to go, I can give you a ride home later.”
Bryson took a menacing step forward, crowding me between the two men. “We are both leaving. Now.”
“Mason, it’s fine,” I said softly, desperate to not let this turn into a scene in the middle of the dance floor.
Mason’s eyes flitted to mine before meeting Bryson’s again. “I’m not letting you leave with him like this, Kenny.”
Bryson took the final step separating them, his chest bumping against Mason’s hard enough to rock him back on his heels. My eyes darted around the party at the small group of spectators we were attracting.
This was not good.
“My wife will be just fine. It’s you who should be worried.”
Mason needed to tilt his head back a bit to reach Bryson’s eyes, but he did it while jutting his chin out in defiance. “She doesn’t have to leave if she doesn’t want to.”
I rolled my eyes and pulled on Bryson’s arm. This pissing match was clearly not ending anytime soon if I didn’t step in and do something about it.
“Mason, it’s fine. I’m fine. Just let it go.”
Mason glanced at me again, his blue eyes defiant and a little hurt, but he nodded once and stalked off. I breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short lived.
“Let’s go,” Bryson growled before pulling me after him toward the exit. I quickly retrieved my coat and barely had both arms through before Bryson was towing me through the doors and into the cold night.
A dark blue Honda CRV was waiting out on the street for us and Bryson ushered me inside before sliding onto the leather seat himself and confirming our address with the driver.
Now that we were finally at a standstill, I took a moment to examine Bryson.
I’d never seen him act like that before. In the nine years we’ve been together, he’s never acted so jealous, so dominant. And if I were being honest, it was a kind of a turn on.
But the parts of me that weren’t turned on, were pissed off.
“What the hell was that, Bryson?”
He just shook his head and kept his gaze pointed out the front windshield. His hands were clenched into fists on his lap and I watched them open and close over and over as he strove to control himself. His strong jaw was still tight and was even ticking with his quickened pulse.
“What you did back there was ridiculous. I’m humiliated,” I whisper-yelled, hoping to keep this conversation as private as possible in the tight confines of the car.
Bryson shook his head slowly, but still refused to meet my eye.
“You owe me and Mason an apology. What you did was completely uncalled for.”
At that, Bryson finally snapped. He slid across the seat and hunched over me, caging me in with his big body. One hand clamped on my thigh while the other slid under my hair and gripped the back of my neck. He leaned even closer until his whiskey-laced breath was right in my ear.
“You and Mason? I owe you and Mason an apology?”
I gulped and nodded slowly.
I’d never seen him act like this before, but I felt no fear. I knew from the depths of my soul that Bryson would never physically harm me. But, still. I had no idea where this was going. No roadmap to see where this night would lead. This was all uncharted.
He laughed harshly in my ear, his warm breath fanning over the side of my face. “What should I apologize for, hmm? For having to watch him eye-fucking my wife all night? Or for stepping in when he was putting his hands all over you?”
I shook my head with quick, jerky movements. “He wasn’t ey–eye-fucking me,” I spit out.
Bryson laughed again, but there’s no humor in it. “Of course, he was, wife.” His hand slid a few inches up my thigh. “I saw him searching the venue for you. Watched as he found you across the room and made a beeline for your table.” His thumb was rubbing small circles on my skin, making it harder for me to pay attention. “Your face lit up when you saw him.” He leaned closer until his lips skimmed across my cheek. “Were you waiting for him too?”
I shook my head rapidly.
“Hmm. But then you followed him to the bar.” I didn’t know if he was asking a question or stating a fact, so I stayed quiet and tried to calm my erratic breathing. Bryson was turning my insides molten, and I was painfully aware of the company we still had and trying my best to keep things as appropriate as possible in the backseat of a stranger’s car.
“And then you danced with him.” Bryson’s hand tightened on my thigh and his lips traveled back to my ear. “Why were you dancing with him, Kenzi?” His question was punctuated with a sharp nip on my earlobe and I barely stifled a gasp.
“It was just a dance, Brys. It didn’t mean anything.”
He shook his head slowly, his nose brushing against my ear with every pass. “That’s not true, Kenzi. That was much more than a dance–that was foreplay.”
I leaned away and met his wild gaze. “No, Bryson, it wasn’t.”
He pulled me back close and whispered hotly in my ear. “You accuse me of cheating and then I see you practically humping another man in the middle of an office party. What am I to think, Kenzi? What am I supposed to do when I see another man with his hands on my wife? On her lips.”
Maybe the dance had been inappropriate, but I hadn’t stepped out on my marriage, and I wouldn’t stand for being accused of it.
“I haven’t cheated on you, Bryson. I wouldn’t.”
He pulled both his hands off my body and slid back to his side of the backseat. His absence left me emotionally whiplashed. I wanted his hands on me, yet I wanted space to think through what was happening.
Where was the distant Bryson I’d come to know? Where was the man who barely looked at me, let alone touched me? Where was the cold front that had swept through my marriage? And, most importantly, how long would this last?
The Uber pulled up in front of our house and Bryson thanked him as we both quickly exited the car. Bryson was hot on my heels as I made my way to our front door as quickly as I could. My shaking hands made it difficult to put the right key in the lock, but I finally got it opened.
As soon as the door closed, Bryson was on me.
His big body caged me against the door, hips pressing into mine until I could feel his hard length through our clothes. He leaned away long enough to divest me of my coat before his chest was against mine again.
Our heavy breaths were the only sound in our silent house as I waited to see what he would do. His hazel eyes were almost completely brown in the dim light of our foyer as they scanned my face searchingly. I tipped my chin up and met his gaze defiantly. I had nothing to hide from him.
I hadn’t done anything with Mason, and I wouldn’t back down from Bryson’s appraisal.
When it seemed he found what he was looking for, he finally began moving. First his hands found their familiar places on my body, one on my hip gripping me tight, while the other grabbed the back of my neck. His lips crashed against mine, and it felt like months of pent up passion were unleashed in that moment.
Our mouths kissed and sucked and bit as our tongues dueled and our breaths came in desperate pants. My hands gripped his face to mine before they moved down to pull the jacket from his shoulders. Shaking fingers fumbled with the buttons of his shirt, but I finally opened enough of them to feel his warm skin beneath my hands.
He growled low in the back of his throat and reached a hand under my dress to cup me firmly. He bit down hard on my bottom lip before pulling away and meeting my gaze.
His chest rose and fell with his ragged breathing. “This, is mine, Kenzi.” His hand squeezed, and I gasped loudly, my knees going weak. “This will always be mine, you got that?”
I nodded quickly. “Yes, yes. I got it. It’s yours.”
His wicked lips turned up into a smug smile and he nodded. “That’s right, baby. It’s mine, and now I want
a taste.” He fell to his knees and spread my legs wide before shoving his face against my heated center. “Fuck, you smell good.”
I gasped again as he pulled my panties aside and buried his tongue inside me.
The next few minutes were a lesson in control as I clung to the doorknob, praying it would hold me up as my legs threatened to fail me.
When Bryson finally had his fill, he rose to his feet and scooped me up into his arms. We reached our room, and he tossed me onto the middle of the bed, watching me with heated eyes as he pulled the rest of his clothes off.
I rose to my knees and slid out of my dress before shimmying out of my panties. When he’d kicked off his boxers, he finally stalked toward the bed. My insides were rioting, celebrating the return of my passionate husband, and fervently anticipating what he’d do next.
“Turn around,” he commanded.
I didn’t hesitate to comply.
He climbed onto the bed behind me and pressed on the space between my shoulder blades until I was bent in half, with my hands and knees on the bed and my ass in the air. My breaths came harsher as I lay there, completely exposed and so aroused, I thought I’d combust if I didn’t get relief soon.
I felt the smooth skin of his erection slide through my folds and moaned loudly. “Is this what you want, Kenzi?”
I nodded. “Yes. Please.”
“Tell me who this belongs to.” He dipped inside me just an inch before pulling back out and spreading the moisture around.
“You. It belongs to you,” I whispered.
He pushed inside a little more this time, but not even halfway yet. “Louder, Kenzi. Tell me who the fuck owns this.”
“You! It belongs to you, Bryson. Always you.”
“You’re goddamn right.” He surged forward, plunging into me in one smooth movement that had him bottoming out and stealing my breath.
“Oh, Bryson,” I panted.
He pulled out and then pumped back in, harder this time. “That’s right, baby. Tell me who’s fucking you. Tell me who you want.”
“You, Bryson. Just you.”
His hips were rocking back and forth, faster and faster as the coil deep in my belly tightened almost painfully.
Trying Page 8
