Chapter Seven
Megan handed Alyssa her glass of wine as they both slipped down into the luscious, warm, lapping water of the hot tub. The steam rising from it was making a magical mist around them, and the stars were bright overhead. The twinkling, along with the dancing flames of the candles, made the night seem even more unique.
The view from the terrace was exceptional, Megan could see all the way down to the town square in the center of the resort and she could tell from the noise that it was another wild night. People were in the streets playing with snow, chinking big glasses of beer, and singing and dancing to the music that filtered through the entire town. It was only eight pm and Megan suddenly felt like they were missing out.
“Maybe we should be down there,” she said. “It looks like fun.”
“Mmmm,” Alyssa moaned, as she pulled a damp hand towel over her eyes. “I’m exhausted tonight, all the skiing and fresh air…. I don’t feel like I can move. Plus, tomorrow is Christmas Eve… we have big day ahead.”
“So much for you being the wild one!” Megan smirked as she sipped her wine, desperate to banish the feeling of dread that was rising in her.
She was determined to put Cody to the back of her mind and not give him any of her attention or thoughts. But it was difficult. Knowing that he was free was making her whole head spin.
“What about that guy from last night?” Megan dangled the statement as she tried to hook Alyssa’s attention. “He may be back working in the bar. You could go and see him for round two? I promise to be the perfect wing woman this time,” she grinned, just wishing that Alyssa would take the bait.
“Urgh, I’m not even that bothered about him,” Alyssa groaned as she pulled the towel away from her eyes. “I was just drunk…”
“Well I can’t sit here all night,” Megan rose to her feet and wrapped her big fluffy towel around her, “I want to socialize, that’s what we’re here for isn’t it?”
“You want to find hot Mason,” Alyssa pouted. “And I don’t blame you…”
Megan felt her cheeks flame with embarrassment. Even though she was chatting with her girlfriend, just thinking about seeing Mason again was sending her into a frenzy. He was all she could think about, and she felt constantly distracted by the idea that she had to see him. She had to find him in that town before it was too late.
She chewed her lip and reached down into the water and splashed some up at Alyssa playfully.
“You just love teasing me,” she said. “You call yourself a friend, but really…”
She was about to launch into a joking tirade about how selfish Alyssa could be when she wanted to be, but she stopped suddenly as her eyes caught a silhouette on the path just down from their cabin. She squinted to make out the more defined outline and knew instantly it was a man.
And not just any man.
A big, muscly man with shaggy hair.
A man she recognized.
The silhouette lifted their hand and waved, and Megan’s heart did a little dance in her chest. She knew it was him, as if she and Alyssa had summoned him by magic, Mason was on the path staring up at her.
“Hello?” Megan called down, as she lifted her hand up to her eyes to shield the light so that she could get a better look.
“I told you I’d find you,” Mason called up.
Megan’s heart began to thump wildly in her chest as the memories of the previous evening came rushing back to her. The way he had held her, the sensation of his hands on her, and his lips when they had kissed.
The way that it had changed her, as if he had left a part of him with her and had been nestled deep within her ever since.
She swallowed and tried to find her voice, but no words would form.
“I hope you don’t mind?” he took a step forward, closer to the cabin and he fell into the shine of the security light.
“Hi,” Megan managed to reply breathlessly.
Of course she didn’t mind, but she was still having trouble finding her voice.
She sat up fully and climbed over the rim of the hot tub, grabbing a towel before she walked to the terrace edge, where she leaned over the railing. She smiled down at him, and she saw the familiar glint in his eyes.
“How did you find me?” she whispered.
“I told you, I’m a pro…” he smiled as he took another step closer.
“Want to come up?” she asked, throwing caution to the wind.
She knew she should really get dressed and go down to the square with him, but she was half naked, loaded with wine, and now she was seeing him again she wanted to feel his skin up against hers.
She bit her lip and pointed to the gate that led up to the log cabin.
“I was going to ask you to accompany me for dinner…” he appeared unsure, like he didn’t want to look presumptuous.
“Come up!” Alyssa called drunkenly. “We’ve already eaten!”
Megan turned around to look at Alyssa, knowing this was a huge lie, but Alyssa winked and whispered, “You can thank me later… I’m going to go to bed.”
Alyssa climbed up and out of the hot tub as she wrapped herself in a bit towel.
“Get him in there, I’m only going to be inside, call me if you need anything.” she grinned as she patted Megan on the shoulder.
Megan watched with her mouth half gaping open as she disappeared, inside leaving Megan alone on the terrace with only the ridiculously romantic setting and the most amazing man she had ever seen climbing up the steps to meet her.
“So, do you stalk all the girls that come up here on the mountain? I bet you have maps to all the lodges,” Megan joked as she swayed on the spot, trying to look cute as Mason came closer to her.
He smiled wryly and stopped right in front of her as he rested his huge hands on her hips, making her feel tiny. The feeling of having him so close to her again was a wave of relief. As if her heart, and her body, had stopped aching. She had felt thirsty and deprived, but having Mason next to her again took all those feelings away. He dipped his head down so that his lips were only centimeters from hers.
“Only you,” he whispered. “Because I’ve not stopped thinking about you…”
Megan gasped and felt her knees go weak. There was something between them that she had never felt with anyone before. There had been a part of her that had wanted to deny it because of all the past hurt she had experienced. She had wanted to keep it so that she could walk away without having her heart broken, or getting in too deep with someone again. After all that had happened with Cody, she was terrified of ending up in a similar situation. But as she looked deep into Mason’s eyes, she could see that he was different.
There was an energy around him that was other worldly, and charged, she just couldn’t put her finger on it. She ran her hands up the coarse hair on his arms as he moved even closer and kissed her deeply. His lips joining with hers created a heat so intense, she felt like she had been lit on fire. Her pussy pulsed in her bikini bottoms, and his touch made her feel alive again. It had been so long since she had had a man’s hands on her, she felt like she unravel right then and there.
Mason’s tongue slipped into her mouth, and his kiss was so deep and intense that it took her breath away. It had to be the most perfect kiss she had ever experienced, one that she would never, ever forget. He wrapped his arms around her, and engulfed her in them, the sheer size of him overpowering her. And then he lifted her like a doll and placed her on the edge of the hot tub.
“I’m sorry, I really did intend on taking you for dinner,” he whispered with ragged breath. “I didn’t mean to come up here and intrude.”
“You’re definitely not intruding,” Megan smiled as she looked into his eyes.
She knew she was moving fast, but she couldn’t stop herself. Being there with him was inspiring so many emotions, she just had to let herself follow her heart and do what she desired.
She nervously let the towel fall to the floor, and she swung her legs over the side of the hot tub, slipping into the hot bubbling water.
“Come in?” she asked in a whisper as she spread her arms out and let the warmth wash over her.
Mason couldn’t take his eyes off her. And he held her gaze as he undid his shirt and pulled it off over his head. Megan gasped as he revealed his huge, tanned, muscly and tattooed body beneath. And she tried not to show how impressed she was, but it was becoming harder with each item of clothing he took off.
When he was down to his boxer shorts her eyes fell to his package and she felt her pussy ache just looking at it, he had the most satisfying bulge she had ever seen.
She bit her lip and tried not to blush.
He’s too good to be true, she thought as she watched his big frame climb over the side of the tub, and he slid into the water.
When he was sat firmly next to her, she finally felt his skin brush against hers, and the heat from him raged against her.
“You’re a bad influence,” she grinned. “I tend not to climb into hot tubs with strangers on a first date.”
Mason smiled and wrapped his arm around her. He pulled her close to him and she fit perfectly into the crook of his arm.
“I’m not a stranger anymore,” he said as he looked up at the stars. “And if we’re being honest here, then I think you’re certainly the bad influence,” he smirked.
“Well I’ve never been called that before,” she laughed. “But if that’s what it takes to get you here, practically naked, then I think I like being a bad influence,” she rested the tip of her nail in the corner of her mouth and bit it seductively.
She was playing, and she felt so incredibly sexy around him she didn’t know where this confidence had come from, it was bouncing out of her like light.
He looked deeply into her eyes, and she was sure that she saw something inside of him again, something different and unique, something that frightened her, but also intrigued her. But as quickly as it came, then it was gone.
“I meant it when I said I haven’t stopped thinking about you,” Mason whispered. “I’ve never met anyone like you before and I’m sorry I had to leave last night. I didn’t want to… Believe me.”
“You should have stayed,” Megan turned to face him.
She suddenly felt sad, as if him bringing this up was breaking her heart. As if he was already about to tell her they couldn’t be together, even though their chemistry and connection was strong. There was a sadness behind his eyes that frightened her… And it made her defenses rush out and up instinctively.
“I wanted to,” Mason sighed as he looked down, avoiding her gaze. “But it’s complicated… I’m complicated…”
Oh great, Megan thought. He’s married… Here we go…
She pulled out of his safe, warm arm and moved to the other side of the tub. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave him the sternest face she could muster.
“Explain what you mean,” she said defensively.
“Nothing like what you’ll be thinking, I’m sure,” he said, half laughing. “I’m not married or anything like that.”
Megan’s heart rate slowed, and she instantly felt less angry. She had been ready for war.
“I trust you Megan, there’s an innocence about you that I’ve never come across before, and I want to be straight with you from the beginning, but…” he trailed off and his gaze seemed to settle in the woods that were looming up in the night behind them.
He shook his head slightly and then he turned back to face her and traced his finger tip down the side of her face before his thumb settled on her bottom lip.
She gasped, desperate for more of his touch, craving him in ways she had never known possible.
“But?” she whispered.
Mason gave her a sad smile and then he pulled away slightly.
“I can’t,” he said, and then he let his hand fall from her face.
Her heart began to sink to the bottom of her stomach and she started to feel dizzy. She had built up her hopes over the past twenty-four hours, and then he had come to find her and was denying her.
She felt humiliated and confused and she stood up quickly, grabbing at her towel on the side of the tub.
“No,” he said as he reached out and took hold of her. “No, don’t go.”
He looked into her eyes and she could tell that his pleas were genuine, but she was so confused, she didn’t know which way to turn.
“There are things about me that you may not like,” he said as he moved closer to her, but she instinctively backed away. “I want to tell you, but I don’t even know how to begin to explain…”
He was being genuine, she could tell. She wanted to let him continue, but part of her also wanted to just bury her head and not have to listen.
Couldn’t this have just been a normal impromptu date night?
How were they suddenly in conversations this deep?
She felt connected to him and she felt like she had known him forever, so much so that the fact that they were talking this way seemed completely natural, but she was still so scared to open up and let someone in, she didn’t know whether she could go through with it.
“Do you remember last night when I first spoke to you in the bar?” he reached out for her hand and they dipped back into the water, letting it submerge them to their shoulders. “When you were talking to the bartender about the dangerous bears up here on the mountain?”
“Yes,” she said curiously. “I do.”
“He wasn’t lying,” Mason squeezed her hand. “There are dangerous, wild bears up there, and sometimes they do wander down here into the center of the resort.”
He looked so serious and troubled that Megan honestly had no idea where he was going with this.
“Okay…” Megan said, thinking this was the start of some elaborate silly story. “And what exactly does this have to do with you?”
“Everything,” Mason said with a frown, as he looked down and away from her eyes.
From inside the house Megan heard the slam of a door, and she knew that Alyssa had taken herself to bed. And she was starting to wonder whether she should do the same.
“Everything?” she asked, unable to stop herself.
Mason suddenly looked hurt and shy, which didn’t suit his demeanor. He had been so strong and explosive when he had stepped into her life, and even though she could still see that side of him lurking somewhere, it was as if he were trying to subdue it.
“I can’t say anymore,” he said as he hunched in his shoulders.
Megan looked into his eyes and she smiled. Even though she had no idea what he was talking about, or what he was trying to secretly tell her, she couldn’t help but still be drawn to him.
Mason reached up and cupped her face in his hands. Being in the water with him, there under the stars, in such a magical setting, with the music from the town drifting up to meet them, it was near impossible not to fall in love.
Mason moved closer and his lips skimmed against hers before he kissed her so tenderly and deeply that it made her go weak at the knees all over again. Above them clouds moved from around the moon and its silvery light beat down on them and illuminated the world around them even more. The snow on the trees glistened, and the paths down to the town sparkled as the moonlight caught the frost.
When their lips broke apart and they looked into each other’s eyes, Megan already knew something big was happening. Whoever this man was, he was going to be important to her.
He was already stirring things inside of her that she had never even dared to dream.
“I better go,” he said with his gruff, deep, sexy voice.
Before he rose to his feet and swept up his clothes.
Megan watched as the heat and steam from the water rolled off his impeccable body, off his sculpted and perfect muscles, and at how he didn’t even flinch in the cold.
He smiled at her as he pulled on his shirt and his jeans. And as he buckled up his pants he reached out and stroked her face again.
“It’s Christmas Eve tomorrow,” she said. “Where are you spending it?”
“With my brothers,” Mason smiled. “We get together every year at our family house, deep within the mountains.”
Megan smiled and wrapped her towel around herself as she too began to climb out of the water.
“I’ll be stopping by though,” he smiled with a raised brow. “Christmas Eve is always a pretty big deal around here.”
She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, unable to tear herself away from him. She didn’t want him to leave her, but she knew she couldn’t ask him to stay.
“Goodnight Mason,” she smiled before he kissed her strongly on the lips and pushed himself up against her.
She felt so tiny in his arms, she never wanted the moment to end.
She knew that he was a natural born protector.
An alpha male.
He was someone who would travel to the ends of the earth to protect the woman he loved.
And it made her go warm and fuzzy inside.
As he began to walk away she could feel his heat inside of her. They had been so wrapped up in each other that neither Megan nor Mason had noticed the silhouette and the pair of eyes fixed on them from the trees.
Someone had stood watching them the entire time, from the second Mason had set foot on the terrace. The stranger had seen them and their intensity, the way they had looked into each other’s eyes, the way they had held each other. They had watched as they kissed and frolicked in the water, and they had no doubt heard their entire conversation.
They had even watched as Mason had left, and as Megan had blown out all the candles and turned out the lights before she had slinked back into the lodge to take her weary self to bed.
As all the lights slowly went off inside the cabin, the silhouette kicked the ground before they turned and disappeared into the snow-capped forest.
Their eyes full of rage, and their need for revenge growing stronger.