Chapter 22
22
MASON
“Can I come in?”
Tearing myself away from Pia early this morning had been hard. Seeing her now behind that desk and keeping my hands off her was going to be even harder.
“Of course.”
She didn’t look at all as if we’d been up half the night, me making good on my promise to learn every curve of her body. My blue-eyed manager was as passionate in the bedroom as she was competent at her job.
I closed the door.
“We should probably talk.”
I’d left in the wee hours of the morning, Pia half-asleep, saying we’d talk later. Thankfully we didn’t have any guests at the moment, and while I had to get downstairs to finish the wall with Beck before tomorrow, that could wait.
“What’s this?” she asked as I put a plate in front of her.
“Courtesy of Esther. She’s trying out a new scrambled egg casserole recipe.”
When we didn’t have guests, Esther cooked breakfast for my father anyway, and now me, since it gave her something to do. A retired schoolteacher, Esther hated being idle.
Another reason to keep Heritage Hill. She was like family and likely would be out of a job if I sold.
“Thanks,” Pia said, scooting her chair closer to the desk. “I almost never eat breakfast.”
“No? It’s my favorite meal of the day.”
“I like it,” she said, popping a forkful of egg casserole into her mouth. “Just don’t usually make time for it. Sometimes I take a granola bar or something with me, but that’s not as good as this. What’s in it?”
“Esther never reveals her secrets in the kitchen, so…” I shrugged. Watching her lips part, the pink gloss slowly disappearing, it hit me like a ton of bricks.
Things would never be the same. Not here, at Heritage Hill. Or between Pia and me. Whether that was a good or bad thing was yet to be determined.
“Speaking of secrets,” Pia said between bites. “Do the guys know?”
“Not yet. Do you not want me to tell them?”
“Doesn’t bother me, I’m just preparing for some major ribbing from Beck.”
“You know him well.” Beck would be incorrigible when he found out, especially to me. Hopefully he’d go easy on Pia. “So…” she said, clearly wanting to tell me something.
“Say it. Don’t be shy around me ever, Pia. Unlike Esther”—I smiled—“you can give up all your secrets, and they’ll be safe with me.”
She nearly choked. Pia reaching for her coffee to wash down a bite of eggs was charming for some reason.
“You’ll be the death of me, Mason.”
“How so?” I leaned back in my chair.
“You know exactly how so. And speaking of secrets, I’m not the one who keeps them.”
“Are you insinuating I keep secrets?”
She laughed. “You are the most secretive person I know.”
“Ask me anything,” I said, knowing we both had to get to work but not wanting to leave her yet.
Pia took a bite of toast and watched me, skeptical. While it was true I didn’t readily volunteer information, there wasn’t much to hide. I was a pretty simple guy.
“Favorite color?”
“Green.”
“Food?”
“Burger and fries.”
“Best memory?”
That was a bit harder. “My father, teaching me to fish,” I said.
“Worst memory?”
Pia wasn’t messing around. “You went from favorite color to that awfully quick.”
She finished the eggs but said nothing, waiting.
“Fine. Holding my mother’s hand in the hospital, knowing she wasn’t coming home with us this time.”
Immediately, Pia’s eyes welled up. She had enough emotion for both of us.
“It’s okay. It was a long time ago.”
But my dad, not so much. And that still stung. At least being in his office was getting easier and easier every day.
“I’m surprised you answered, honestly.”
“Told you. I’m an open book.”
“Haha, sure you are. Only if I pry answers from you.”
I leaned forward. “Here’s one you don’t have to pry from me. I like you, a lot. Last night was incredible, and I’ve thought of tossing every single item on this desk onto the floor to fuck you on top of it nearly every second since I walked in the door.”
Pia finished eating, picked up her plate and swiveled in her chair. She placed it on the bookshelf counter behind her, spun around and then did the same with her laptop, tossing the charging cable to the floor.
“What’s stopping you?”
Fuck me. This woman.
I stood up and swiped every paper, journal and other item on the desk to the floor in one clean sweep. Then, stalking around the desk to her, I grabbed Pia and kissed her.
Hard.
Her head bent sideways to give me better access as my tongue tangled with hers. Unlike the last time, I had no desire to go slow. To make love to her. I wanted to be inside Pia as badly as I ever wanted anything in my life.
Picking her up and putting her on the edge of the desk, I bent down. Without saying a word, Pia watched as I removed each of her flats, one shoe at a time. Picking her back up, I made quick work of her pants. This time Pia didn’t wait for me and instead hopped up onto the desk.
I had my own jeans and underwear down in no time flat just as Pia provocatively spread her legs, giving me a perfect view. “You show me that pussy,” I said, closing the distance between us, “and I’m going to absolutely take advantage. I hope you know that.”
“Promise?”
Groaning, I bent down in front of her, smiling at Pia’s look of surprise, as if I’d take her without making sure she was ready for me. Holding her legs open with each of my hands, I tasted her for the first time. Somehow we’d never got to this last night, but as I licked and listened to her soft moans, I wished we had.
As she was clearly enjoying the attention, I gave her more. I gave her everything. My lips, my tongue, my fingers. It was only when her legs began to quiver, Pia calling my name just like I’d asked her to, that I stood up.
Licking my lips, making sure Pia knew how good she tasted, I guided myself into her.
“You’re unbelievable,” she said, holding on to my shoulders.
“We’re just getting started, sweet Pia.” Fully inside her, the angle perfect, I buried myself even deeper.
“I want to kiss you,” I said, knowing she liked when I talked during sex. “But I want to watch those incredible blue eyes as I fuck you even more.”
“Mason, we… I…”
I circled her clit with my thumb, thrusting in and out with increasing intensity. I didn’t hold back, and Pia didn’t seem to mind a bit.
The opposite, actually.
“Come for me, sweet Pia. Call my name as you come all over me, sweetheart.”
That did it. As she tensed, I pulled my hand away and thrust balls deep. I came with her, my eyes never leaving Pia’s. It was as if more than just our bodies were connected as I came as hard as I’d asked Pia to. My legs shook as Pia’s arms wrapped around my shoulders, the two of us breaking eye contact for the first time.
I held her there, not wanting to let go.
Not now. Maybe not ever.
If that scary fucking thought didn’t have me pulling away, a knock at the door would anyway. “Mason, you in there? Someone’s here to see you.”
Someone? That was specific.
“Give me a second,” I called back, reluctantly pulling out of Pia. “I guess his timing could have been worse.”
She smiled. “So much for our talk,” Pia said as we both hurried back into our clothes.
“Let’s talk tonight. Stay late and have dinner. I’ll wrap up with Beck early and cook for you.”
“You cook?”
“Esther taught me a thing or two. But don’t expect anything gourmet.”
“Alright. Tell me what to get at the store. I’d planned to take a lunch break in town anyway since I’m out of wine. Figured I would say hello to Emilio.”
“I’ll text a list. Any allergies? Foods you don’t like?”
“I’m not a huge fish eater and hate mushrooms. Pretty much everything else is fair game.”
“Got it.” I leaned forward and kissed her as Beck knocked again.
I strode toward the door and opened it, giving my friend a peek inside at the wreckage. It probably didn’t help that I was also tucking in my shirt.
He whistled. “This is an interesting development.”
“Fuck off,” I said, passing him. “Who’s here, anyway?”
“That’s for me to know,” Beck said in a conspiratorial tone. “And for you to find out.”