CHAPTER 14
Cleaning up a jobsite wasn’t ever fun, but it had to be done if he didn’t want people walking off with his tools. With Clio helping, though, Mason had never enjoyed picking up at the end of the day so much.
Clio had been tasked with collecting and tying up all the extension cords while he was putting the power tools in the chain-link cage to be locked up for the night. As he bent over to retrieve a reciprocating saw, she passed by him, swatting his ass and laughing when he dropped the saw.
Two could play that game.
He kept his eye on her as she unplugged the last power strip. When she walked by the air compressor, he shot her with a blast of air. She squealed and smacked him playfully. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her into submission.
He caught her lower lip with his teeth, losing himself in her eyes. “Let’s get out of here.”
After he locked the cage, he hit the lights and took her hand. The simple gesture warmed him from the inside out. She loved him. He hadn’t realized the words would mean so much or feel so right.
Real. No more hiding.
Part of the thrill of falling was the risk—the knowledge that he’d let her in and the fear that she could hurt him. But the fear was now replaced with an acceptance that made him feel bulletproof. She was magic, pure and simple.
And he loved her, too. The words weren’t big enough for the emotions building inside him, but they were all he had.
He parked his truck at Clio and Trinity’s place and followed Clio inside. Knowing her roommate was out for the night, he didn’t wait to get her into her bedroom. He needed her now. All of her. She was his.
Mason grasped her hips, pulling her back to him, her ass against his groin. His lips brushed her ear. “Wash my back, and I’ll wash yours.”
She reached up to cup his cheek, wiggling her hips. “I’ve never showered with a buddy.”
He grinned, nipping at her earlobe. “I’ll be gentle.”
She looked back at him with a sexy gleam in her eyes. “Or don’t be.”
Damn. His erection went from hard to raging. He picked her up and jogged down the hall to the bathroom, enjoying her squeal of surprise. Everything about her fed his soul.
He set her down and pulled off his shirt. She bent over to turn on the water, treating him to an irresistible view. He ran his hands up the back of her thighs, gripping her ass in her tight blue jeans. Instead of laughing, she moaned, working her hips into him. He slid his hands around her waist to unbutton and unzip her jeans. He pushed them down her legs, feasting on the image of her in nothing but black satin panties with lace trim.
“You are so damned sexy,” he growled as he moved his hands along her bare legs to remove the last barrier between them.
With her panties on the floor, he caught her ankle, moving her leg into a wider stance. He stroked her inner thigh. “Arch your back for me.”
She did as he asked, and he traced his fingertip along her opening. Her hips worked into him. They weren’t going to make it into the shower. He needed her. Now.
He stripped off his pants, and suddenly, it hit him. They were at her place, not his. “I don’t have a condom.”
She looked back at him, her face flushed with color, her eyes hungry. “I don’t care.”
“Are you sure? What if…?” He stopped the exploration of his fingers and gripped her hips.
She straightened up, and he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. She rested the back of her head against his chest, his erection rock hard between them. “When Pamela tossed me into the ocean, my only regret was never telling you how I felt. And if Pamela comes for us again tomorrow, I’m not going to regret that I didn’t have condoms.”
He smiled against her shoulder. “And if she doesn’t come for us tomorrow…?”
“Then we’ll stop at the drugstore.”
He kissed her shoulder, his hand moving down her abdomen. “It could be too late by then.”
She caught his wrist, guiding his hand even lower, her voice husky with desire. “Do we need to stop?”
He fingered her core as he shook his head. “No.”
“Good.” She bent over into the steam from the water, her back arched, opening herself to him.
Mason rocked forward, sinking all the way inside the heat of her body. He gripped her hip with one hand, the other still stroking her sweet spot.
Clio moaned. “Yes. Right there.”
The desire in her voice had him more turned on than he’d ever been in his life. He drew his hips back until he was almost free of her before slamming his hips into her again, faster and faster, in time with his other hand on her core. She felt so damned good. It would be so easy to lose himself and explode inside her.
But he wanted to see her face, to look into her eyes.
He slid out of her, and before she could protest, he turned her around to face him, picked her up, and placed her on the edge of the bathroom counter. Standing between her open legs, he entered her again, enjoying the passion burning in her eyes.
She wrapped her legs around his waist as her hands explored his chest. He pounded into her and pulled off her top. After unhooking her bra, he bent forward, taking her breast into his mouth. Her fingers slid into the back of his hair, pulling at it. Damn, he was right on the edge.
He licked the tip of her taut nipple and lifted his head, staring into her eyes. He slipped his hand between them, teasing her again.
She gasped, her fingernails digging into his shoulders, a delicious ache. “Don’t stop.”
“Not a chance.” He rubbed her faster, his hips thrusting into her until her entire body tightened around him. She cried out his name, and he slammed into her one last time, trembling all over as he exploded deep inside her.
He enfolded her into his arms, cradling the back of her head as he kissed her hair. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She tipped her head back, her cheeks flushed with color and perspiration on her forehead as her gaze locked on his. “I really need a shower now.”
He laughed, embracing her tightly. “You and me both.”
Clio had never had such an intense orgasm in her life. Maybe it was the extra emotions churning, or the thrill of her first time bent over a bathtub, or just because Mason wanted to please her. The reason didn’t matter. Even though a crazed immortal wanted her dead, she was still the luckiest woman on the planet.
Maybe that was the afterglow talking…
He helped her into the warm water of the shower and treated her to the best head massage ever. “Oh gods, I’m never showering alone again,” she groaned.
“I’m game for that plan as long as I get to be your shower buddy.” He chuckled.
“Only you.” She finished rinsing her hair, and they swapped places so he could wash his. The water sluiced down his torso, drawing her in to touch his chiseled abs. She succumbed to the temptation, sliding her splayed fingers up his chest. “You are way too sexy for your own good.”
“Glad you think so.” He opened his eyes and gave her a smile that melted her heart. “I’ve never worked shirtless so much in my life.”
“I thought that was your standard construction uniform.”
He shook his head. “Nah, I usually wear at least a tank, but I was hoping to get your attention.”
She grinned. “Oh, I’ve appreciated it.”
“I wasn’t sure you even noticed.”
She stretched up on her tiptoes to shampoo his hair. “Well I didn’t want you to see me ogling you.”
“Why not?”
She ran her soapy hands along his shoulders and down his arms. “Because I didn’t want to find out you had a girlfriend or that you wanted me to introduce you to Tera or something.”
“Tera’s not my type.” He bent to kiss her cheek. “After a while, I figured you weren’t interested, but it didn’t stop me from hoping you might be eventually.”
They finished showering and each threw on some sweats. Clio poked around the kitchen and sighed. “We still haven’t gone to the grocery store. There’s not much here.”
“I could order a pizza.”
She grinned. “I like the way you think.”
He went to grab his phone and frowned.
Clio sobered. “What’s wrong?”
He looked up at her, some of the color gone from his face. “Pamela has Nate and Mel’s daughter, Maggie.”
Ted parked in front of Mikolas’s house and jogged up to the door. Mikolas opened it before Ted could knock. He waved him inside and shut the door behind him. “Did you find Rhea?”
“I think so.” Ted stopped in the living room. “But I also learned something else.”
Mikolas crossed his arms. “What’s that?”
“Rhea has no clue how to stop Philyra.”
Mikolas frowned. “And you believe her?”
“Yeah. The guiders of destiny were with her, and they were just as shocked as Rhea when I mentioned she was the only one who could stop Pamela.”
Mikolas cursed under his breath. “Kevin lied to us.”
“I think he just wanted us to do the legwork to find Rhea.” Ted sat on the black leather sofa. “The Muse of Comedy was there, too. She claims that the Oceanus explosion opened the door to Tartarus.”
“Fuck.” Mikolas sat down beside him. “Kevin is really a Titan?”
“Oh, I think it’s worse than that,” Ted admitted. “I think he’s the King of the Titans, and he’s been playing me all along.”
Mikolas pondered for a moment before meeting Ted’s eyes. “If Kevin is Kronos, what is he waiting for? He has infinite power. Why have dinner and pretend to want to be a part of the Order?”
“I’ve been thinking about that. The world has changed so much since the last time he was here. It must be like he woke up on another planet. Maybe he’s trying to learn how everything works.”
“If you’re right, then he has no intention of helping us destroy his mistress.”
“Probably not.” Ted looked down at his hands. “And he might have a score to settle with his wife since she helped their son, Zeus, trap him and his brothers in Tartarus in the first place.”
“I thought I was smarter than this.” Mikolas paced the living room. “But all along, they’ve just been toying with us. We’re nothing to them.”
Ted nodded. “We’re mortals. There’s no way we can beat them at this game.”
“Not without some immortals on our side.” Mikolas stopped and turned to look at Ted. “We need to compare notes with the muses. If Rhea can contact Zeus, we could have a chance.”
“Why would the muses trust us?” Ted leaned back on the couch. “When the Muse of Comedy saw me, she tried to beat the shit out of me. I doubt they’re going to invite us over to brainstorm.”
“We’ll have to earn their trust.” Mikolas went to the bar and poured a drink.
“And how do you suggest we do that?”
Mikolas raised his glass and knocked back a shot of whiskey. “We start by telling them everything we know about Kevin.”