Chapter 14
Jess heard voices out in the living room, but couldn’t bring herself to get up to see who was there. She was still pissed at Mason, but couldn’t put her finger on exactly why. So, she had been silent the entire way back to the apartment, and as soon as he opened the door and let her in, she stomped to her room and slammed the door.
She thought he might try to talk to her, but he had kept to himself. She wanted to yell and scream at him, and tell him how unfair it was of him to tell her she couldn’t do something to prevent anymore deaths.
The problem was deeper than that, and she knew it. The pain of losing her friends, seeing her mother beaten and knowing she would probably die before they could find her, the idea that the only way out of all this was her death made her want to lash out at the world. At Mason. Because he was all she had. He was the closest person to her in the world. And she had known him barely a week.
Of course, in that time, she had come to know him better than she had known many of the men she had dated for months. He was strong, protective, loyal, and caring. When she had demanded that she be kept abreast of what was happening, he had backed her up and made sure she knew information when he did. And he had helped her through some of the worst times in her life. The fact that they had been a few days apart made her stomach twist in a knot.
So much had happened in a week.
There was a knock at her door.
“Come in,” she said, expecting to see Mason.
Riley stepped in and closed the door behind her.
“Did Mason call you to come talk me down?” Jess chuckled, a little disappointed that Mason had sent someone else to talk to her.
“No, Lance and I came by to invite you both out tonight. We figured after the meeting today, you might be in need of a distraction—and by that, I mean, a large alcoholic beverage or two.”
“That sounds great, except I don’t really have anything to wear out.”
Riley tossed a bag on the bed. “Gotcha covered. Nothing flashy, but also not yoga pants and a t-shirt.” She stood and walked to the door.
Jess grabbed the bag, followed Riley out of the room, and headed into the bathroom. Quickly pulling on jeans and a white, off-the-shoulder sweater, she brushed her hair and fixed her makeup.
She entered the living room and halted at the sight of Mason standing by the kitchen with his back to her. He had on black jeans and a light gray sweater. The man was mouthwatering.
Quickly glancing around the space, she realized they were alone. “Where did Riley go?”
“They said they’d meet us at the bar.” Mason’s gaze slowly slid up and down her body, an appreciative smile on his face. “You ready to go?”
She nodded. “I—uh—don’t have an ID.”
Mason pulled open the front door, and let her pass. “No worries, we know the owner.”
The Sand Trap was one of the oldest bars in the area, which was saying something. There was also no doubt that they catered to the military customers. Every inch of the bar was covered in various patches from different special operations units, flight squadrons from every branch, and a few law enforcement.
A loud cheer went up at the back of the bar. Mason grabbed Jess’s hand and pulled her through the crowd. She recognized Lance and Riley, and the other four men she had met at Mason’s office—Jake, Mick, Noah, and a young guy, Flaherty. Mick had his arm around the back of a woman’s chair.
“Okay, let’s see who you don’t know yet,” Mason said, and started pointing at some of the other men around the long table. “That’s Ben and Lucas. And over at the pool table is Dex, Sean, Gabe, and Colt. Gents, this is Jess.”
“Hey, Jess,” Ben said, while Lucas tipped his beer glass towards her before downing half of it.
Mason pulled a chair out next to Riley, who was sitting at the end of the table, and rounded the table to sit across from Jess. He grabbed a couple of empty glasses and a pitcher of beer. “Do you want a beer? Or I can get you something else from the bar.”
“Beer’s fine,” she answered. The ride from the apartment had been silent, but not uncomfortable. More like neither one felt the need to fill the space with needless chit-chat. For some reason, that endured Mason to Jess even more.
The men talked around her, and she tried to pay attention to what they were saying. But there was so much activity in the bar, so many bodies moving around, and she found herself checking over her shoulder every thirty seconds to see who was coming towards her. She glanced across the table and caught Mason staring at her.
Well, if he didn’t think you were a freak before, he definitely has confirmation now.
Instead, one of his eyebrows quirked up, and he tipped his head toward an open seat next to him. Warmth radiated through her chest. She grabbed her glass and plopped into the seat next to him.
He leaned close to her. “Figured you might be more comfortable being able to see things.”
All she could do was nod.
Ben approached and refilled his beer. “Mason, come help me kick the shit out of these assholes at the pool table.”
“Language, Ben,” Mason said, and nodded toward Jess. “Not in front of a lady.”
Jess choked on her beer.
“What the fuck?” Riley said. “You don’t give a shit if people cuss in front of me.”
Mason got up and stood next to Ben. “Well, you’re not really a lady, Riley.”
Ben nodded in agreement. “You string together expletives better than any of us.”
Riley waved her hand in the air. “Get your asses out of my sight before I kick the ever-loving shit out of both of you.”
The woman from the other end of the table slumped into the chair across from Jess, her round belly barely missing the edge of the table.
“Jess, this is Layla, Mick’s wife,” Riley said, and pointed at her belly. “And their bun.”
“More like bunny these days. I swear this kid is trying to crack a rib with the rabbit kicks to the ribs,” Layla said, her hand rubbing her belly.
“So, is anyone else married in the…group?” Jess asked.
“Lucas is,” Layla said. “Scarlett—she’s a doctor.”
“She’s doing some humanitarian aide work overseas,” Riley explained.
“They’re having some marital issues,” Layla said, her voice low. “Mick says Scarlett can’t accept what Lucas does for a living.”
“How could a doctor have a problem with saving lives?” Jess asked.
“Lucas is a sniper,” Riley said. “In her eyes, he takes lives, and she has an issue with that.”
“Was he not a sniper when they married?” Jess asked.
“Oh, yes—she just had a change of heart, I guess.” Layla shrugged.
“Then there’s the mythical Mia,” Riley said. “She’s Ben’s girlfriend, but I’m pretty sure Lance and Mason are co-presidents of her fan club.”
Layla rolled her eyes and grunted. “The magnificent Mia, and her band of merry SEALs. I swear if this woman doesn’t walk on water when we finally meet her, I will never speak to any of them again.”
“You haven’t met her?” Jess asked.
“No, she’s a key witness in the trial against Senator Will Hutton,” Riley said. “Until the trial is over, she’s in WITSEC.”
Jess raised an eyebrow in confusion.
“Witness protection,” Riley clarified.
“We have a love-hate relationship with Mia,” Layla said, and took a sip of her water. “We love that Ben has a girl, but hate that all we hear about is how fabulous this woman is. Even Mick, who hasn’t even met her yet, is practically in love with her.”
“All of them are,” Riley said.
“So, she’s a bitch, and we hate her—until she changes our minds,” Jess said.
“Exactly,” Layla agreed, and tapped her glass against Jess’s.
“Fuckin’ A right,” Riley said, knocking back the rest of her beer. She glanced over at the bar, and Jess followed her gaze. Lance was leaning against the bar, watching the others play pool. A woman sidled up to him, and Riley bristled. Lance smiled at the woman, but stepped away from her, and stood next to Mason.
“Layla, my lovely,” Mick leaned over and kissed his wife’s cheek. “I think I’m ready to go home and take you to bed.”
Layla choked and waved her hand in front of his face. “I think you need a breath mint before you get any closer to me.” She took hold of his outstretched hand, and pushed herself up and out of the chair. “Jess, it was really nice to meet you. I hope we see you around more. Riley, sorry to leave you to take care of the rest of the boys, but I’m Mick’s DD, and he definitely doesn’t need any more to drink tonight.”
“No worries, Jess and I will toss them all in the back of Mason’s truck and dump them on front lawns. If we’re lucky, we might get them on their own lawns.”
“As long as it’s not my lawn,” Layla said, “I’m okay with that plan.”
Jess watched Layla waddle out of the bar, Mick’s arm firmly around her waist, and wondered what it would be like to be in that kind of relationship. She had never really thought seriously about marriage because she had never met anyone she would ever consider marrying.
So, why did her gaze immediately go to Mason?
“He’s a good guy,” Riley said.
“Hmm?”
“Mason, he’s a good guy. And he seems totally smitten with you.” Riley refilled both of their beer glasses. “So, I’m guessing there was no one special in your life before all this happened?”
“No,” Jess chuckled. “And considering how people in my life are dropping like flies, it’s probably lucky for my last boyfriend that I broke up with him. What about you?”
Riley shrugged. “I’ve been seeing a guy, but it’s not something anyone knows about. The last thing I want is for this bunch to find out I’m in a relationship. I’d never hear the end of it.”
“I can understand that.”
Jess watched Mason. He was laughing at something one of the guys had said. Just watching him let loose and relax made her relax. Lance glanced over his shoulder, and she caught his gaze as it landed on Riley.
“You know,” Riley said. “No one would think any less of you for not wanting to put yourself in the line of fire.” She pointed at all the men around the pool table. “They’re all trained to put themselves in dangerous situations, and know how to get themselves out of some pretty harrowing shit.”
“Thanks,” Jess said. “I appreciate that, but how could I possibly ask them to put their lives on the line for me?”
“Well, there’s your problem,” Riley said. “You haven’t asked, and they aren’t asking for your permission. It’s just what they do. It’s what they believe they were born to do, and they will do it whether you want them to or not.”
Mason and Lance sauntered over to the table. “Ready to go home?” Mason asked Jess.
Home…
How she wished that were true. Not that she wanted to return to her own home. There was nothing there but solitude and loneliness, especially now that her two best friends were gone. What she wanted was to think of Mason’s home as hers. How was that possible? Was it simply because she felt safe there? Because she was Mason’s number one priority?
The idea that Mason existed only for her made her giddy…and a little selfish. He had a job to do. She was his job—not his girlfriend. But that kiss the other morning…she was pretty sure that was not in his job requirements. Which meant he might be feeling something for her, too.
“Jess?”
She pulled her head out of the fog of an unrealistic relationship and focused on the man in front of her. “Sorry, yes, I’m ready to go if you are.”
* * *
Mason flipped the light on in the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge. Jess leaned against the doorframe. He handed her one of the bottles, and took a long drink of his.
“So, Lance and Riley,” she said, a smile on her beautiful face.
“She told you?” Mason was shocked Riley would open up to Jess after giving him so much shit about keeping the relationship with Lance a secret.
“No, I figured it out,” she said, and took a drink. “But you just confirmed my suspicions.”
“How did you figure it out?”
“She was quizzing me about my love life,” she said.
Love life? Was Jess in a relationship with another guy? Mason’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest. She wasn’t married, he knew that much, but did she have a boyfriend? She hadn’t mentioned anyone. Surely, if there had been someone important in her life, she would’ve insisted they be protected once her friends’ lives were taken.
“—and mentioned she was seeing a guy, but was trying to keep it all hush-hush. But she paid a great deal of attention to Lance. And when she wasn’t watching him, he was watching her.”
Mason shook his head, and refocused on the conversation. “Damn, I didn’t even notice. Think anyone else picked up on it?”
“I doubt it…they were pretty subtle. How do you know their secret?” She asked.
“I walked in on them the other morning when I went to pick up Lance at his house.”
“Eww.”
Mason chuckled. “Not like that. It was early in the morning. She was there, wrapped in a towel…it was kind of obvious they were more than close colleagues.” Mason took a breath and forced the next question. Not that he wasn’t curious as all hell—but he was also not sure he wanted to know the answer. “So, is there anyone?”
Jess furrowed her brows and tipped her head to the side. “Anyone?”
“That you’re seeing?”
Jesus, he sounded like an idiot. A ridiculous, green-eyed teenager. What the hell did it matter to him if she was in a relationship? He was protecting her…nothing more. Sure, she was hot as fuck, damn near everything he wanted in a woman, and could kiss like a porn star. But she was off-limits.
He wanted her in ways he had never wanted another woman. Not just for a night. Not just to fuck and leave. The desire to make love to her—wake up next to her in the morning—was overpowering. Jess was beautiful, sexy, strong, brave, yet delicate and vulnerable, and he wanted to keep her safe.
“No,” she said, and looked away. “There hasn’t been anyone even remotely serious in a long time.”
The pressure in Mason’s chest subsided and warmth radiated like the heat of a fine scotch through his lungs.
“So, are you still upset at me?” Jess asked.
“I was never upset at you, I’m just not willing to put you in the line of fire.”
“Why are you so against this? It’s for the greater good—destroy terrorism and all that.”
“When it comes to you, I don’t give a shit about the greater good,” he said. “Why are you so hell bent on doing this?”
She inhaled and gazed at him for a long moment. “Because it’s the only thing that makes sense, Mason. I have no one. I can’t go back to my life—my jobs. My friends are dead. My mother probably is, too—not that we were all that close. If something goes horribly wrong and I die, it will not be a huge loss. There is no one left that cares about me—”
“I care about you. I care about keeping you alive—keeping you safe. Keeping you—”
“Keeping me what?” Jess asked.
“Here. With me. And I know that sounds insane, but I can’t remember what it was like not to have you here. What’s even more crazy is, I don’t want to be here without you.”
Her face relaxed, and a small smile played across her lips. Her eyes got that dreamy, lusty look that nearly brought Mason to his knees. She traced the curve of his jaw with her fingertips. Then pressed her lips against his.
Grasping her upper arms, he tried to push her away. This couldn’t happen. But the more he tried to deny himself, the more the pleasure consumed him. He walked her backwards until she hit the wall. Her eyes sparked with desire.
Lifting her sweater over her head, he dropped it on the floor, along with her bra. He dipped his head and took her nipple in his mouth. Snatching the other nipple between his thumb and forefinger, he pinched and rolled it.
Jess moaned. Her hand grasped the back of his head. He sucked her nipple hard, relishing how her body shifted in pleasurable pain. Releasing her nipple, he serviced the other in the same manner.
“God, that feels so good,” Jess murmured. The roughness of her voice sent a jolt of hot lust to his cock. As much as he wanted to take his time with Jess—tease ever part of her body and make her squirm in lust and frustration—he knew he would never last that long. He had been dreaming of having her. And there was no way he was going to slow down until he slid inside her warm body and made her come.
He moved her toward the hallway.
“Wait,” she said.
His heart sank. She had changed her mind about taking things too far.
Her fingers grasped the hem of his sweater. She lifted it as far as she could. He yanked it over his head and tossed it to the side.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pressed her breast against his chest, her hard nubs poking him in the most sensual way. “I wanted to feel your skin against mine,” she said.
A growl slid from the center of Mason’s chest. This woman was going to be the death of him—but what a way to go. He lifted her off the floor. Her legs wrapped around his waist. His hard length pressed against her hot center.
“Oh, god, baby,” she whispered in his ear. “I want you inside me. I want to feel every inch of you.”
“Christ, sweetheart, you going to make me blow my wad before we get fully naked.”
She teased the shell of his ear with her teeth. “Then I suggest you get between my legs as soon as possible. Just feeling you against me is about to make me orgasm.”
Holy fuck!
Mason charged into the bedroom and dumped Jess in the center of his bed. He toed off his shoes, and had his pants and boxers off in world-record time. When he looked at Jess again, she was completely naked, her arms over her head, her hair fanned out across the pillow. God, what he wouldn’t give to be able to take a picture of her right now.
Instead, he lifted her foot and licked along the instep, up her leg, and to wet center. He inhaled her scent, eager to taste her. That would have to wait. His cock throbbed, demanding to be inside her sweet core.
He reached into the drawer of the bedside table, pulled out a condom, and slid it over his erection. Positioning his head at her opening, he gazed into those beautiful chocolate eyes.
“Are you sure this is what you want, sweetheart?” he asked.
“Yes, please, Mason.” She gripped his arms, her nails dug into his flesh. “I want this. I want you.”
Mason pushed inside her. Warmth enveloped him. She was tight around him. So tight, he briefly wondered if she was a virgin. She grasped his ass, and pulled him farther into her until he was in up to the hilt. He slowly pulled out and stalled.
He smiled at her. Her eyes danced with excitement. He waited for her to squirm under him in frustration, then he thrust into her.
Her head dropped back, her mouth opened, and her core convulsed around him. “Yes, just like that,” she cried. “More, please. Harder.”
Mason pumped into her with wild abandon. The pleasure he had seen on her face, knowing he put it there, was the most seductive aphrodisiac. This woman was the whole package. Made just for him—he was convinced of it. Beautiful, smart, strong. And was making him feel things he had never felt before. Feelings he never wanted to be without.
She was everything he wanted. Everything he needed. And he would move mountains to ensure he never had to live without her.
Her hips moved with his. Her pants were now cries. Her back arched, and the muscles in her core wrapped tightly around Mason’s cock. She screamed his name, her body convulsing as her orgasm took over.
She was beautiful. And perfect.
The magnitude of his orgasm surprised him. Every part of his body was strung out. Never—not even when he was in BUDs—had he felt as bone tired as he did then. He welcomed the pleasurable exhaustion.
Nestling into Jess, he kissed along her jaw. “Best. Sex. Ever.”
“Agreed,” she breathed out. Her chest rose and fell at an accelerated rate. “Please tell me that was not a one-of.”
Mason chuckled. “Sweetheart, that’s not even the last time we are doing that tonight.”