“Cozily, but yes. Would you like to go out? We’ll stick to the inlet here so we can be back in plenty of time. You want to sail her?”
Stacey smiled. “I think I would. Maybe you can give me some pointers.”
Mason waited for her on the back deck. She was handling this so much better than he’d expected. Despite what had happened, despite the reaction of her parents, she was standing up to it and showing him an inner strength he hadn’t suspected. The strength was there, but the confidence wasn’t.
When she stepped outside, her hair in a ponytail stuck through the back of a cap and a smile on her face, he couldn’t help but smile back. God she was so beautiful like this–no make-up, his borrowed shirt, and shorts that left those long, tan legs bare for him to stare at.
When she reached him, he caught her wrist. “Come here,” he murmured and tugged her to him, overjoyed to see how willingly she came. Tilting his head sideways to avoid the brim of her cap, he covered her lips in a quick kiss. “You’re so sexy, just like this. I thought so the weekend you sailed with me, but even more so now with you wearing my shirt.”
She laughed. “You’re kidding, right? I have no make-up on…”
“I know. But you have no idea how mushy macho I go inside seeing my threads next to your skin. The only sexier sight was waking to you this morning and seeing the flush of sleep still on your face.”
Her lips parted slightly, and his cock twitched. She was turned on. That look he knew all too well. He touched his fingers to the open neckline of the shirt, careful to keep the contact light and teasing even when what he wanted to do was lick her from head to toe and show her how good they would still be together.
“We’d better go sailing before I have to take a cold shower. Somehow, I don’t think the brothers Barlow-Barrett would look kindly on me tenting my shorts for their sister.”
She set a hand against his chest and looked at him, eyes wide with wonder. “I didn’t think I would, but God, I want you. I’m just too tender right now.”
He kissed her again, then took her hand. “Let’s go. We’ll both get our minds off what’s still ahead and just enjoy the wind and the water.”
As he’d already seen on his own boat, she was a better helmsman than she believed herself to be. It amazed him how someone from her background could have so little confidence in herself in so many areas. He wondered if it was a trait of all the Barlow-Barrett women or just her. As she guided the boat out, tacking with a natural instinct that kept everything moving with smooth efficiency, he finally commented, “You’re a natural sailor, honey. Why do you have such a lack of confidence?”
She glanced at him. “I didn’t always lack confidence. I mean, I wasn’t as outgoing as the rest of the family when it came to sailing, but I was competent until Jace came along. He always criticized what I did and how I did it. There were plenty of times we ended up dead in the water, sails drooping, and I would be so embarrassed.”
Mason grinned. “Sounds to me like you had a substandard crew. Now I, on the other hand, have crewed for some serious sailors. It’s why I beat your brother when we race.”
“Brandon was on Harvard’s sailing team.”
“And? So was I. Well, after I learned to sail.”
Stacey shook her head as she looked at her sail. “I still can’t believe you didn’t learn how to do this as a kid. Lord, I feel like I’ve been sailing my entire life. The only one in the family who doesn’t is Anna.”
“Why didn’t she?”
Stacey giggled. “It made her seasick. Poor thing. Even though I was insanely jealous of her, I felt sorry for her. Here the rest of us were, tall, blond and as comfortable on a boat as on land, and Anna was short, dark-haired and started turning green as soon as she looked at a mast bobbing in the water.”
Mason studied her. “Doesn’t sound to me like there was much for you to be jealous of.”
She lowered her eyes as they both maneuvered through another tack. “She was short and curvy and incredibly determined to find her own way. I can’t remember a time when she wasn’t standing defiantly against Mother and Father. Good grief, she ran away from boarding school when she was a kid and hid out at Seth’s school until someone ratted them out.”
“Sounds like Seth didn’t toe the line either.”
Stacey laughed. “No. He stomped all over it, but he also had a sense of duty that wouldn’t let him take off the way Anna did.”
“And what about you?” Mason’s voice was quiet.
“I wanted everyone to be happy, especially my parents. I did my best to please them.”
He glanced at her as she adjusted course. “And let me guess, you never felt like you succeeded.”
There was the faintest quiver in her voice. “No.”
“Stacey…I’d like you to move in with me if you want it too. I’d like it to be as my lover…my partner, but it can be as friends if that’s what you need right now.”
She looked at him. “I need somewhere to stay. I refuse to intrude on any of my brothers, so I’ll accept your offer, Mason. As for whether it’s as a lover or a friend…can we play it by ear for now?”
“Yeah. I just wanted us to have something settled before I’m surrounded by Barlow-Barrett testosterone. Between their bullheadedness and my years on the street, it could get ugly over the next few hours. I have to admit, though, they seem like a pretty devoted fan club. You’re lucky to have siblings like them.”
“I know. Bran and I have always been good friends. He wasn’t very pleased when I announced my engagement. In fact, he took me aside to ask if it was what I truly wanted. I guess I should have paid attention.” She shook her head. “Let’s not discuss it right now. Give me some tips, coach. How am I doing?”
He sat next to her, where she manned the tiller. “You’re doing great. You have a great foundation. You need to be a bit more adventurous. Steer for the area off the point there. There’s a good spot to drop anchor and swim.”
“I don’t have a suit on.”
He grinned. “Swim in your underwear. There’s no one around.”
He held his breath, wondering if she’d blast him or freeze him, but neither one happened. After staring at him for several seconds, she laughed. “I will if you will.”
“You’re on.”
Mason furled the sails, and Stacey dropped anchor. When she turned away, he stripped off his shirt and started shucking his shorts. Something made him pause. He caught her staring. The heat of her gaze scorched him, and his body responded. “God, Stacey, don’t look at me like that.”
“I’d nearly forgotten how beautiful you are,” she whispered. “Always so suave and urbane around the gallery, but underneath as sleek and muscular as a jungle cat.”
He kicked off his shoes and closed the distance between them. “Swim with me. I won’t do anything else. I want your trust.”
“You have it already.” She turned her back to him and removed her shorts. As he watched them slide down her legs, his breathing quickened. Then she unbuttoned the shirt she’d borrowed and let it slide off her shoulders. Mason sucked in air on a hiss. The only line disrupting the smooth, bare skin of her backside was her panties. Before he could wrap his mind around the idea she was topless, Stacey stepped on the gunwale and dove in. He turned his back for a moment and adjusted his hardening cock.
For fuck’s sake, Hatch! The woman had just been sexually assaulted by her husband. She needed time to recover, not someone breathing down her neck wanting sex. Stepping up where she had, he followed her in. She stroked lazily in the water not too far from him, her ponytail floating like molten silk behind her. He floated, watching her. When she unselfconsciously flipped onto her back to drift along, her breasts barely concealed by the water, Mason cleared his throat.
She opened her eyes. “What? I thought you said it was deserted out here.” She straightened and glanced around, her brow furrowed.
“It is.”
“So why the harrumph?”
“
I’m staring.”
Stacey blinked at him a couple of times as if trying to absorb what he said, then laughed. “Okay. So punch yourself in the nose if it pisses you off.”
He laughed. “Float in peace. I’ll avert my innocent eyes from your feminine beauty.”
“Stuff it, Hatch.”
He let her float, swim and relax, but Mason kept a close eye on his watch. He wanted to get back in time so they could both clean off the bay water smell before her family began to arrive. In the end, it wasn’t necessary. She eased over near him after a quarter hour. In her eyes he saw an edge of weariness.
“You hurting?”
“A bit. My ribs.”
“Come on. We’ll head back. I’ll give you a hand getting back on board.”
He tried not to look. Really. But Lord was she perfect, or what? Winchester was a fool. Stacey should never have been his. She pulled Mason’s shirt back on, but left her shorts off. He didn’t want to pull his shorts on over his wet boxers, so when she started hauling in the anchor, he ditched the boxers and yanked his shorts on, going commando.
“Nice ass, Hatch.”
He looked over his shoulder. “I can give you another look if you like it so much.”
Stacey smiled. “Maybe later.”
“I’ll hold you to that. Why don’t we set the spinnaker on the way back.”
Stacey looked at him. “Okay, but I crew. You take the helm.”
Mason chuckled. “This time, but I’ll have you challenging Brandon in no time. Wait and see.”
As it turned out, Brandon was already there when they arrived back. He stood on the dock, hands on his hips and his short blond hair lifting slightly in the wind. Stacey had already put her shorts back on, but she still looked disheveled, and Mason could see Brandon’s gaze didn’t miss the man’s shirt she wore. His eyes, more green than Stacey’s golden gaze, narrowed on Mason before going back to his sister.
She tossed him a line, which he slipped over the post on the dock while she and Mason finished securing the sails and setting everything in order. When Brandon helped her from the boat, she grimaced a bit in pain, and her brother’s gaze once again darted to Mason. He’d been on the receiving end of those fuck-you looks before, but the last go around had been because of Lucy.
“What the fuck were you thinking, Hatch? Taking her sailing. Can’t you see she’s in pain?”
Stacey put her own hands on her hips and planted herself right in front of her brother. “He didn’t take me anywhere. I wanted to go. In fact, I was the one who suggested it.”
Mason put his arm around her shoulders. “You are tired, though. Come inside and get some of your meds before you shower.”
Mason could feel the hostility boring into his back from the first of the Barlow-Barretts as they returned to the house. For a moment, he allowed his resentment to take hold. What the hell gave Brandon the right to have an attitude? Mason had been the only one around to help her. Where were they? One glance at the weariness on Stacey’s face, though, and he decided maybe some of their hostility had been justified. She looked wiped out. Even if the sailing had been her idea, he should have kept better tabs on her energy level. Shit.
“Come on, honey,” he told her. “Let’s get you inside.”
Brandon stalked along behind them, and Mason felt the anger radiating off him in waves but chose to ignore it, at least until Stacey was out of earshot. Brandon surprised him. He didn’t open fire over the sailing. As soon as his sister had shut the bedroom door, he spun. “Why the hell didn’t you call the police?”
Mason held up his hands. “Whoa! Not my decision. Stacey didn’t want any kind of scene. It was all I could do initially to get her agree to go to the hospital.”
Brandon scraped his fingers through his hair. “What the fuck’s been going on, Hatch?”
“Exactly what I’d like to know too.” Both men turned toward the door.
Chapter 9
Great. Now there were two of them. Seth stood in the doorway, making even Brandon look small.
“Where’s Stacey?”
“In the shower, bro. Mason took her sailing.”
“What?” Golden eyes so similar to hers zeroed in on Mason. “What were you thinking?”
Mason sighed. “She suggested it to get her mind off things.”
Seth’s stiff stance relaxed some. “All right. Is there anything you want to tell us while she’s out of the room?”
“Winchester’s made your parents believe she’s developed a drinking problem and is close to a nervous breakdown because he wants to start a family and she doesn’t. When Stacey called them earlier, your mother kept trying to find out where she is so they could come get her and check her into some posh rehab place.”
Brandon’s brows snapped together with fury, but Seth rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “All right then. Winchester’s shown his strategy. Once Phillip gets here we can work on how to counteract it.”
Mason looked at the two men. “Look, I know she’ll get into it, but you need to know so you don’t scare the shit out of her when you find out. Winchester’s not the only one who assaulted her.”
“What?” Seth snapped, eyes narrowing like a lion ready to attack.
“It’s his friend, Worthington, isn’t it?” Brandon snarled.
“Yeah. This is so much worse than what you’ve already seen on the surface. I hired a detective…”
“But you didn’t file a police report?” Bran questioned.
“Two weeks ago,” Mason clarified. “Stacey came into the gallery with a severe bruise on her wrist. She was upset, wouldn’t tell me what had happened. Said she’d fallen on her boat. I didn’t believe her, plus I already had some suspicions something was going on. Winchester had moved Worthington into their home. So I hired a guy to start checking into them both.”
“And what did you find out?”
“Enough to assume Worthington and Winchester were lovers and were somehow trying to get Stacey involved in a ménage with them.”
“Oh Jesus,” Brandon muttered, a grimace of distaste twisting his features. “That’s just way more than I want to know.”
Mason spun on him, his anger finally releasing. “If that’s all you can handle, asshole, then you need to leave now because it goes downhill from there. But don’t worry, I’ll still be here. I’m not deserting the woman I love.”
“Easy,” Seth said, stepping between him and Brandon. “We need to work together. It would be easy to start pointing fingers about how this happened, and I suspect we all can take some of the blame, but we need to keep in mind the fault lies squarely at Jason Winchester’s door.”
His gaze suddenly went across the room. Brandon’s and Mason’s followed. Stacey stood in the doorway, her eyes wide, but her gaze strong and steady. Brandon strode over and pulled Stacey into his arms. “I should have done this earlier. God, Stacey, I love you. Whatever you need, we’re here for you.”
She hugged him back before pulling away to accept a bear hug from Seth. The elder brother held her a little longer, stroked her hair and whispered in her ear. Mason saw tears well for a second before she blinked them away. She hugged Seth again.
“Honey, you need some of your pain medication?” Mason inquired.
She nodded. “I think I tried to do too much. It’s the bruising on my ribs.” At the looks of fury on her brothers’ faces, she explained. “I fell trying to get away.”
A knock sounded on the door. Mason went to answer it and saw a younger version of Brandon at the door, but with Seth’s additional size. Jesus, around these three he felt short. He held out his hand. “I’m Mason Hatch. I spoke with you yesterday.”
“Phillip.” The tone was clipped. This Barlow-Barrett might be dressed in jeans and a baggy shirt, but he carried a briefcase and obviously meant business. “I brought along some research and everything I need to go ahead and get information recorded.” He glanced beyond Mason’s shoulder for a second then returned his greenish gaze to him. “I can lea
ve the briefcase in the car unless you think she’s pretty positive she needs my help.”
Mason stepped back. “Bring it. She’s ready to nail him by the short hairs.”
Phillip grinned. “Excellent. I never did like him. He’s a prick.”
“On that, my man, we are in total agreement.”
“I see the elder statesmen are already here,” Phillip remarked easily. “Have they frozen you with brotherly displeasure or prepared the skewer for your testicles?”
Mason chuckled. “Neither at the moment. I think I’m still in no man’s land.”
“Wow, they must like you. You know Seth bloodied the nose of Anna’s husband the first time they met.”
Mason arched a brow. “I think I can handle myself should the need arise.”
“Did any of the wives come along, or are we going to overwhelm Stacey with testosterone?”
“The latter I’m afraid, but I think she can handle it. As a matter of fact, I think she will surprise all of you.”
* * * *
She saw the worry in Phillip’s eyes as soon as he entered the room, his gaze searching out hers. He was the only one of her brothers younger than her, but she would trust him to help her. Quieter than either Seth or Brandon, Phillip had doggedly gone his own way, letting their father know early on he would not be going into the newspaper business. Instead, he pursued a career in law. She knew he had another ambition as well, and that was politics. As she crossed the room to hug him, she whispered in his ear. “I don’t expect you to help me if it will jeopardize your desire to enter politics.”
“Screw that,” he told her. “You want my help, you got it. I’ll nail the bastard to the wall.”
Stacey kissed him on the cheek, looked around the room and smiled. “You guys are the best. I need to take some meds. Can I get any of you something to drink?”
Everyone opted for sparkling water.
“I’ll do that,” Mason told her. “Just get your medication and get comfortable.” He followed her into the kitchen, taking the opportunity to hold her for a second. “You okay?”
What a world of difference there was in the way he looked at her, spoke to her. “As long as you’re here, Mason, I feel like I can do anything.”
Broken Heart Page 13
