Chapter 2
Mason sat on his backpatio, enjoying a drink, something he”d done almost every night. Generally, he started his nightcap much later, when the majority of the city had already turned in. But tonight, Mason worked a short shift to cover some of the previous hours for a coworker with a family emergency. Some nights, he would see the exchange of the night skies for morning rays, bringing in the rise of the new day. This evening, he enjoyed the noise and music from the late partying several blocks away. The roar of music mixed with the voices of party-goers brought him a thrill. He hadn”t been out partying in a long time. Of late, his unyielding schedule kept him busy at work. This weekend is time off he”d not enjoyed for a minute.
He”d indulged in a few drinks before hearing the guests” return next door. Their laughter and music bled through the paper-thin walls that separated the two residents. Again, working the second shift, he missed the exchange of renters most of the time because of the hours he worked. They were often out and about during the day, so he managed the slightest disturbance. He didn”t complain because the landlord gave him a significant break on the rent, knowing that she rented the other side of the house to rotating tenants with huge profits, he assumed.
Mason decided to move to the patio and enjoy the night air. He didn”t want to feel like he”d been imposing on their conversation, which again came through the walls loud and clear. Mason hadn”t expected the same woman to walk onto the patio. And when she appeared, he silently watched her, hoping she wouldn”t be startled by his presence. It was too late to slip back into the house, so he quickly apologized and moved to go inside. Something about her drew him quickly, and before he knew it, they stood inches apart, exchanging the most passionate kisses he”d had in a long while. Now, as she lay beneath him, Mason tried to slow things down, allowing Brook to pull away.
”Brook, now is your chance, darling,” he warned her again, dragging her fingers to his lips.
”Please, don”t stop, Mason,” she whispered into his cheek. Brook licked the side of his face.
Mason pulled away to look at her for confirmation. Seduced by her was not a part of his plan. The last thing he wanted or needed was trouble. Most of the guests were men, and a few times, several couples. Never had there been an entire house of women, and if he planned to stay a good tenant, he would forgo this escapade tonight. He”d not been with anyone in a few months because of his schedule, but damn, there were plenty of women on Bourbon Street to pick up.
Satisfied by the passion in her eyes, Mason proceeded with slow intention. He would enjoy this night and this beautiful woman. Brook lifted and turned into his busy hands and lips. The drugging curves of her full breasts and wayward hips had him ready, but again, he forced himself to slow down. The dress came away quickly, and the silk thongs, moist with her cream, made his job of slowing down hard. The scent alone made him leap with anticipation. Still, he paced himself, enjoying the plush, satin breast, the rolling hips, and the womanly scent of that space he eagerly sought. He rolled his tongue around the firm breast tips, causing more moaning and movement. Mason followed the lines down her flat stomach and didn”t stop until he reached the damp thong.
He pulled them down her slim hips and curvy legs, spreading them for his voyage. He eased his tongue across the tip and felt it throb. Brook”s hips rose in response, giving him access to the opening, and he willingly slipped his tongue through. He tasted her sweetness and just about lost his mind. She bucked beneath his exploration, lifting and rolling hips with no rhythm. ”Mason!” He felt her body quake, giving him a chance to move up again to provide a taste of her saccharinity.
Mason reached over to the nightstand and pulled out a condom, slipped it on, and then stuck the tip of his erection at the creamy, wet opening and paused. ”Look at me, darlin”,” he coached. And when Brook”s hazy eyes met him, he pushed. They both groaned; Brook”s finger dug into his flesh, adding excitement to the passion already out of control. He captured her lips in a firm kiss before whispering, ”Baby, you feel so good.” Brook met him at the top of every stroke, making him dive deeper each time until he lost the battle, hoping he hadn”t left Brook behind. He held her tight and pumped the last of his essences in the rubber. ”Oh, sweetness, you feel so damn good.”
Brook turned to meet his waiting lips. They necked for a few minutes before their interlude”s temperature rose again. This time, they exchanged positions, with Brook on top. He could tell she enjoyed the small measure of control, and Mason decided to let her have her way. She dropped her head back, the full and high breast bounced, and her hip gyrated to his liking. With his guiding hands, Brook moved above him with eager touches and kisses. She kindly repaid him for his exploration without interruption. He”d replaced the condom and quickly slipped right on top. When Brook reached her peak, Mason turned her over and entered from behind. His fingers busily kept her moist until he fell into a head-throbbing orgasm before collapsing and crushing Brook beneath.
After a few moments, he moved off and gingerly pulled Brook against him. ”Are you okay, darlin”?” He glanced down at her sweat-drenched head.
“Hmm, I feel wonderful.”
He chuckled; arms and legs circled her body. ”I swear, you”re lovely.” Mason kissed her forehead. ”I”m with you. Your friends won”t be frantic that you”re missing?”
“Those lushes are out like old lightbulbs. They won’t even notice that I’m gone.”
Mason pulled away and gazed at her. The thought that she could be missing and no one would care caused him concern. He couldn’t figure out why. He didn’t know this woman, only that she had the sexiest body and kisses that burnt his soul. Still, had he been anyone else, or her anywhere else in the city, tonight could have spelled trouble. “You and your friends should be very careful out here. New Orleans can be dangerous.” Again, he wasn’t sure why the sudden attachment.
Brook frowned. “But I’m here with you. Are you dangerous?”
”Nah, not the least bit.” He shook his head. ”But, still, there are a lot of men out here looking for...”
“What you just enjoyed!” she snapped.
Mason could tell she took offense to his comment and quickly spoke to diffuse the conversation that could potentially ruin an otherwise perfect night. ”No, please, don”t be upset. I”m not that guy, trust me. I just want you and your friends to be careful. Can you do that for me?” He tried to soften his reply to her outburst. Brook”s body had tensed, so he kissed her forehead, hoping to de-escalate the conversation. ”Please.”
Brook turned in his loose embrace and lifted up until their lips touched. “Yes, and thank you.”
Relieved that the situation had been de-escalated, he decided to get to know Brook and started asking questions about her life before arriving in New Orleans. ”So, please, tell me where you”re from, what you do, and what you like?” He pulled her close again.
“I’m from New Glarus...”
“New who, bae?”
Brook frowned at him. “Are you going to interrupt or listen?”
”Sorry.” Mason swept two fingers across his lips to imply they were zipped shut.
He felt comfortable listening and talking to Brook. He pulled her close again and listened.
”I”m from New Glarus, Wisconsin, sir. I have one brother. My family runs a craft brewery, and like New Orleans, we have a bunch of festivals too. Only we don”t have nearly as many as you do here, darlin”.” She tried to mock Mason but failed miserably. Still, he smiled at her attempt.
“Can I ask questions now, Darlin’?” He squeezed her.
“Of course.”
“Brewery? Exactly what do you brew?”
”Beer, of course. Wisconsin is known for its brewed beer. Do you drink beer?”
”I love beer, but whiskey is my brew of choice these days.”
“I promise, if you drank our beer, you would quickly change your mind.”
”Is that so? Well, you”ll have to make a believer out of me.”
Brook grinned from ear to ear. Her face lit up when she talked about her hometown. “So, what do you do? Are you in the brewing business with your family?”
”No way. I wouldn”t last two days working for my folks. It”s run by my parents and my dad”s brothers. I give them a lot of business, though. I help during Volkfest and Oktoberfest, but that”s the closest I am to the brewing business. I do marketing, and my family takes every opportunity to utilize my skills.”
”It”s notable in a way. They have an expert knowledgeable of the brand. Why not?”
“Because the company I work for sees it as a conflict of interest.”
”I”m sure you find creative ways to separate the two entities.”
”I do. Sometimes out of obligation, but sometimes because I am vested in the business”s success.”
”Still admirable.”
”So what do you do? The owner told us you work nights and that we wouldn”t really disturb you.”
”I do work nights and most weekends, but last night and this weekend are the exception.” He glanced at the clock, which now said 2:37. I work in the tech industry. At one time, this city was called Silicon Bayou.” He shifted a bit so that he could see her face. Our biggest clients are the petrochemical, biomedical, and hospitality industries.”
“But why do you work nights?”
”It”s the largest crew within our company. The staff that works the last two shifts creates much of the innovation. We have several projects managed by several teams.”
“Sounds pretty intense.”
“Sometimes it is.”
Mason and Brook talked until she no longer responded to his inquiries. He glanced down and noticed that Brook had fallen asleep, and not long afterward, he followed. But when Mason finally turned over, the empty space she once occupied felt cool. He had no idea when she”d slipped from his grasp. After a brief shower, Mason stepped through the screen door, welcomed by the warmth of the high-set sun. He covered his eyes to shield them from the intense light. The gate had been rehinged without a trace of what transpired late last night. The other half of the house remained quiet, which meant his temporary neighbors were still hung over.
Mason returned to the kitchen and made a pot of chicory coffee. He also dropped a couple of slices of bread in the toaster, buttered it when they were done, and poured a steaming cup of coffee. Mason walked to the patio with fare in hand and sat in the same chair as last night when Brook descended to the deck. He”d not planned to have an interlude with one of the tenants next door and pondered for a minute the consequences of his actions. He”d just finished his meal when one of the other ladies emerged onto the patio. She instantly noticed him and smiled.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning.” Mason stood.
“I hope we didn’t keep you up last night.”
Before he could reply, three more ladies appeared, all seeming surprised by his presence. None in the group had the eyes or body of the woman he”d enjoyed in the wee hours of the morning.
“Oh, we wondered who you were talking to.” The tallest of the crew replied.
”Good morning, ladies. I”m Mason. I hope you”re enjoying your time...” He didn”t finish his statement because Brook walked out to join the group, and he”d lost all sense of awareness. He captured her flawless face and bright, beautiful eyes as if he”d seen her for the first time again. Instead of finishing his conversation, he spoke directly to Brook. ”Good morning, beautiful.”
Not that he”d paid attention, but all eyes moved from him to Brook and back again. She licked her top lip before answering. The move stirred his blood, remembering how soft and sweet they were.
“Good morning, Mason. I see you’ve met the girls.”
“Wait a minute, you talk as if you know this man already.” The shortest of the five moved closer to Brook. She glanced at him before addressing her friend.
“Ladies, this is Mason LeBlanc; Mason, my friends Kimber, Saline, Jasmine, and Christa.” She pointed to each one introduced.
Kimber and Christa both moved forward and extended a hand. Jasmine smiled and waved while Saline turned up her nose. She”d been the one to ask if Brook knew him. He found her actions funny and tried to turn away to hide his smirk. When Brook drew closer, he moved to the ledge, opened his arms, and rewarded her with a hug and a light kiss.
”Oh, I see. Somebody has been busy already,” Jasmine replied with a wide smile.
Mason cleared his throat to try and take Brook out of the hot seat. ”So, what do you ladies have planned for today. If you”d like, I”m more than willing to be your tour guide for the day.”
Instantly, Saline responded, ”No, thank you. We don”t need extra help.”
“I beg to differ,” both Kimber and Jasmine chimed in.
Brook looked from each of the girls to him before replying. ”I know this is your weekend off; I would hate to think you”d give it up for us.”
”I don”t mind at all. Besides, I know all the best food and barrooms in the city. How about it?” He specifically looked at Saline, who”d been the only one to object. “Saline?”
Saline finally caved, and they planned what time they would leave and where they would go first. He”d already eaten but thought the first stop should be Café Du Monde because they offered delectable beignets. Once they settled on a time, Mason called one of his buddies who owned a tour trolley. He paced the front porch and waited for the girls to finish getting ready. The one thing he”d not missed with a house full of people was the waiting he and his father had endured when leaving to go someplace. Saline emerged first, and Brook came out the very last.
”Okay, I have secured a ride that will fit everyone. Are we ready?”
“Yes, I’m starved,” Jasmine offered.
“Then let’s do it.” He reached for Brook’s hand and led them down the short pathway.
“Ladies, this is my friend, Alex Thibodaux.” Mason extended his hand and introduced each lady as they entered the trolley.
He and Alex ensured they hit all the hot spots and some of New Orleans”s hidden gems. Mason stuck close to Brook and would wrap an arm around her often. When they returned to the house, they dragged but insisted that another night on Bourbon Street was necessary. Mason couldn”t remember the last time he”d roamed the French Quarters, even though it was two blocks away. He almost forwent the activity to let the girls enjoy their evening, but a strong hug from Brook convinced him otherwise. He had a few watering holes that he liked. So, they visited those first, and like the previous night, the girls came back loaded. They stumbled up the porch and retreated to music and dancing. However, Mason walked them to the door and retreated to his side of the house.
He hoped Brook would follow him, and he couldn”t fault her for hanging with friends because that was the plan before he entered the picture. He showered, dressed in shorts and a T-shirt, poured a fat tumbler of whiskey, and went to his spot on the patio. Mason listened to the music and the high-pitched voices of the women, enjoying themselves. After the second tumbler, he placed the glass in the sink and waddled towards his bed. Mason fell face down and slipped into a passionate dream about a repeat with Brook.
Before long, the dream felt real, the feel of Brook”s hands trailing down the front of his body, the hardened erections thumping for entry to the love-soaked valley that took him to ecstasy. He moaned, ”Brook, you”re so sweet, darling.”
“I’ve missed you,” she whispered.
Mason”s eyes flew open, and felt real hands stroking him. Brook straddled him in the flesh, her hands gliding to places that called for needed attention. His erection nestled in the folds of her inner thighs and lips, dripping with heat as they trailed up and down his neck. He grabbed Brook”s arms and sat straight up. His voice was thick with emotion; Mason swallowed hard several times to clear his throat. ”Sweetheart.”
“Hi, I’ve missed you.”
“I thought you were a dream.”
“I’m not a dream.”
“No, and I’m beyond myself right now.” He flipped Brook over onto her back. “Let me show you how much.”