I felt a pair of strong, familiar arms wrap around my waist and pull me back into his strong chest. “Hey.” Mason’s deep voice washed over me, made me shiver and smile.

I turned in his arms with a silly love-struck grin on my face. “Hey yourself. What are you doing in here?” He rarely came into the house until dinner. “Is everything okay?”

He nodded, a sultry smile curving his lips. “It will be.” He cradled my face in his big hands and slanted his mouth over mine in a slow, hungry kiss that had me clinging to him and using the counter to keep myself upright. Mason was all man, potent and intoxicating. He broke the kiss and his eyes smoldered. “That’s better.”

“I’ll say.” I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned in for another kiss. “Much better.” I closed my eyes when his strong arms tightened around me in a hug. I loved being in his arms. I felt safe and cared for and loved, which was silly because Mason didn’t love me. Unfortunately, that didn’t stop my own heart from leaping out of my chest and jumping for joy that we’d finally fallen in love.

“What smells so good?”

I told him all about the barbecue me, Lily and Tanner had planned as an official welcome home for Tammy. “Since she popped up so unexpectedly we figured tonight was the best night. Tanner’s got the grill going, Lily helped with the cookies and I’ve got all the sides covered.”

He nuzzled my neck and groaned. “I just want to nibble on you.”

“Yes please,” I moaned like the sex addict he was turning me into. Day or night I wanted him. Needed him. My body constantly hummed with arousal when he was near. I loved that it seemed he couldn’t get enough of me, especially when I never wanted another man other than him.

“Sage, you’re mine,” he growled, surprising me and him both.

My mind told me to pull back, that this was just heat-of-the-moment talk, but my heart told her to shut the hell up and take it. “Yours,” I moaned and nibbled his ear. “You plan to shower before dinner?”

“You going to join me?” I nodded because there was no way I would give up a moment with him. Not ever.

“I’ll set this stuff on the table out back and be right up.” He kissed me again, hot and sweet until my body shook with need. I watched him go, shaking my head at his long-legged gait. Damn the man filled out a pair of jeans perfectly.

“Don’t make me wait, Sage.”

His words spurred me into action, taking potato salad and baked beans, macaroni and cheese and cucumber salad out to the table in two trips. The cookies could wait and the fresh bread needed to cool first. I sat back and looked, feeling every bit like the woman of the house. That thought brought me up short. Was it a mistake for me to get so comfortable here when this was all temporary?

“No one should wear a scowl like that with all this food on display,” Tammy said as she approached.

I smiled over at her, hoping she couldn’t see my thoughts. “I was just thinking.”

“Overthinking is as bad as not thinking at all Sage.”

I looked over and her warm sympathetic gaze made me feel like an idiot. Of course it was clear to all that I’d forgotten this was all fake and had, once again given my heart to Mason. Only this time it wasn’t a young girl’s love, but a woman’s.

“Not overthinking, just making sure we have everything for dinner.”

“Don’t lie to me girl. I know you and Mason are pretending and that you’re both determined to pretend this is all just pretend. Dang, did you follow that?” She shook her head. “I’m not sure I did myself. But you get my drift.”

I wasn’t sure that I did, but I gave her a small smile anyway. “I’m going to go get a clean shirt on. I’ll be down in a jiff.”

“Try not to use up all the hot water this time.” Her laugh followed me into the house and I felt my skin heat with embarrassment.

By the time my feet hit the stairs all I could think about was Mason and his big body covered in suds and water. One of my favorite things to do was soap him up and watch all the suds disappear as water sluiced down deliciously sculpted muscles. Pushing open his bedroom door, I groaned at the sight of him in nothing but a navy-blue towel cinched at the waist.

“I’m too late?”

He flashed a heart stopping grin. “Right on time,” he assured me and let the towel fall to the floor.

I pushed the door closed and was on him in seconds, kissing and licking every inch of him while he quickly undressed me. “I need you Mase. Now,” I whispered in his hear because I knew he loved it.

“You got me sweetheart.” He lifted me up and laid me on the bed, spearing me with his cock over and over, it was so hot and fast that all I could do was hold on and enjoy the ride. My body was so ready for him, so greedy to have him that I took him easily.

“Mason,” I panted because I couldn’t remember any words other than his name. Over and over I moaned his name while he plunged deep, quickly sending me up and over the edge, with him quickly following. He growled my name and took me in a rough, intense kiss as his body vibrated and surged into mine. “Goodness I love that! I love you, Mason.”

He froze and instantly I felt like a fool. “You do?” His question didn’t seem all that happy and all I wanted him to smile and say the words back and mean them.

“I do,” I told him and looked away, completely oblivious to the heavy footsteps in the hall until it was too late.

“Sage”

“No, don’t say it Mason. Please, don’t.”

The door flew open and we both looked up, and into the angry blue eyes of my brother Jack. “Just what in the hell is going on here?”

Sick of overbearing, bossy men I sighed. “Just what does it look like Jack?”

“It looks like I’m about to kick Mason’s ass.”

I pushed at his chest, unable to look at him as I sat up. “Do you mind, Jack or do you want to see exactly how I like it?” I gave a satisfied smile at his angry grunt. But at the sound of his retreating footsteps, reality set in. I’d just told Mason I loved him and he’d looked horrified. “I’ll see you down there,” I told him and shimmied into my pants, not bothering to button them since I needed to change anyway.

“Sage, wait.”

This time I wasn’t the obedient lover I’d always been, I kept walking the short distance to my room and closed the door behind me. I couldn’t cry now, not with Jack downstairs along with Lily who would worry, Tanner, Tammy and Sierra. I’d chosen the worst night ever to make my unwanted declaration.

Story of my life.

“So what happened?” Sierra grabbed me as soon as I stepped outside and pulled me along until I could hardly even smell the scent of grilled meat and barbecue sauce.

“What do you mean?”

Sierra rolled her eyes. “I mean that your fine-ass brother came storming back down here like a bat out of hell, so I can only assume he found you and Mason in a position he’d rather not have.”

I sighed and nodded my confirmation. “We’d just finished when he pretty much kicked the door down. But that’s not the worst part Sierra.” I told her about my ill-timed outburst and the look of horror that crossed his face.

“No. Way.” Big green eyes held so much shock that tears instantly came to my eyes.

“Way, Sierra. All the way.”

She rubbed my back and we kept our backs to the table. “Did you mean it, like for real? Or was this a heat of the moment thing?”

“I wish I could chalk it up to the sex, which was very hot by the way. But that just intensified what I was already feeling.” And now I still had at least a month left before the TPBA made their decision which meant I was well and truly stuck.

“Maybe you just surprised him.”

I cut her a look that told her exactly what I thought of that suggestion. “It’s fine Sierra. I appreciate it but I don’t need you to make me feel better about this. I knew I it was a possibility since I’ve loved him pretty much my entire life. But I thought I was sooo mature that I could have everything, just for a little while, and walk away unscathed.” The hubris of thinking that was laughable now.

“It’s always hard when you like the guy you’re sleeping with.”

I looked at my best friend, shocked. “You sleep with guys you don’t like?”

She nodded. “Most of the time. It’s easier,” she shrugged like it was no big deal. “I get what I want without any risk to my heart.”

I smacked her arm. “That advice would have been helpful when you were encouraging me to do this!”

Sierra laughed and wrapped her arms around me. “It wouldn’t have done any good honey. You were half in love with him before you slept with him.”

My shoulders slumped at her words because I knew they were true. I had no one to blame but myself. “Oh well, let’s go get this dinner over with. I have plans later to get very drunk and crash at your place.”

“Anything you need Sage, I’m here.”

“Thanks Sierra. You’re the best friend a girl could have.”

“Corny. But don’t you forget it,” she chuckled. “Hey, your brother is looking good enough to eat. The Army looks good on him. Real good.”

I pretended to gag at her open ogling. “Yeah well, good luck.”