Start Me Up by #2
“Shh. Don’t worry. I get it. You don’t need to explain it to me. We’ll try to be a little more proactive in the future, that’s all. Try to avoid situations that can backfire. It’s over. Don’t stress yourself out.”
She nodded, knowing he was right, but there were other things on her mind as well. She wished she could shut off her brain.
He tugged her hand. “Come here. Let me hold you. You seem tense.”
Liberty climbed off of her leather recliner and walked over to Mason.
She stood before him, filling the space between his knees.
He reached for her hand and pulled her to his lap, situating her limbs until she lay with her head on his chest, legs draped to the side and hip pressed into his abdomen.
His fingers went to her neck and toyed with the curls that had fallen loose from her clip.
His touch traced gentle circles over her skin and lightly massaged some of the tension out of her shoulders. Liberty let the stresses of the day wash away as her husband’s palms moved over her neck, shoulders, and back.
His hands coasted under her arms and found her breasts. Strong palms cupped them through her light blouse and toyed with the mounds until her nipples formed hard points under his gentle touch. She leaned into him, and soon her blouse was being pulled over her shoulders and tossed onto the floor.
“That’s it, baby, let me take care of you.” His gentle words were her undoing. Making a sound of distress, she cowered from his touch. “Lib? What’s wrong?”
God, it hurt. She never wanted to disappoint him, and now she’d done something irrevocable that might destroy his generous trust. Breathing rapidly, she glanced at her lap and confessed, “Something happened today.”
He tensed, his hand slowly moving to hers and turning over her palm. When he saw the slight discoloration, he sighed. “This is my fault—”
“No, Mason. It’s mine. I did something very stupid, and I hate—”
“I have to tell you something.”
“—knowing that my mother was right about me.”
He stilled. His brow creased as his tone turned serious. “Liberty, your mother was not right about you.”
Her vision blurred. “You don’t understand.”
“I don’t care what happened today. You are not to believe your mother’s accusations. We’ve been through this.”
A tear fell to her lap. In a small voice she rasped, “I think I have a crush on your friend.”
The room stilled in utter silence as neither of them seemed to breathe. “You…you have feelings for Sean?”
“No. I don’t know. I don’t want to feel the things I’m feeling but—”
“Shh…take a breath.”
She drew in a large gulp of air as he rubbed a hand in circles at her back.
“Start at the beginning. When did you start feeling these things?”
She exhaled roughly, the pressure in her chest constricting another degree. “Today. We were shopping and goofing off and just having fun, but then when we came home everything seemed different.”
“Different how?”
“Like…the energy changed.”
His brow remained tense, as he appeared to be picturing the two of them. Slowly, he said, “Sean can be a very captivating man. He has a way of making a person feel like they’re the center of the universe.”
“I don’t want to be the center of anyone’s world but yours.” She softly confessed, her voice laden with tears as he pulled her close. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“Hey. Look at me.” He gently turned her chin and wiped away a tear. “There is nothing wrong with you. Our bodies react to different people and circumstances in different ways.”
Her stomach clenched with unbearable guilt, and she moaned. “Please stop making excuses for me. Mason… I let him touch me.”
His muscles tensed as his Adam’s apple slowly shifted. In a gravely whisper, he echoed, “Sean touched you?”
“We were in the pool, playing Marco Polo. He was It and when he grabbed me—”
“An innocent game, Liberty.”
“It wasn’t innocent. We both knew we were doing something wrong and that we had to stop.”
“Did you?”
“Yes. He told me to get away from him, and I left.”
Some of his tension appeared to fade. “Did he kiss you?”
“No, he touched me.” She lifted his hand and held it to her breast. “Here, through my suit.”
Gazing away, he let his hand slide to a resting position.
“I’m so sorry, Mason—”
“Stop.” His commanding tone silenced her. “You do not have to apologize. Sometimes…sometimes a moment can get away from us. It’s clear you never intended for this to happen. We all make mistakes, Liberty.”
“It won’t happen again.”
He studied her for a long moment. “What if it did?”
“What? I won’t let it.”
“Take the guilt away for a moment, Lib. What do you feel about Sean?”
“I…like him. He’s your friend.”
“Are you attracted to him?”
Her mouth pursed as her brow tightened.
“No guilt. Just honesty.”
She bit her lip. “Yes.”
“I don’t want you punishing yourself for sincere feelings, feelings you have no control over.”
“But my actions—”
“Sometimes our actions aren’t as bad as they seem. I trust you, and I’m actually…okay with what happened.”
Her eyes widened with shock. “You are?”
He drew in a long breath. “Yes. With any other man I’d be livid, but… I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t feel angry or betrayed. Everything will work out, but first I have to tell you something, something that might change—”
“Oh, Mason.” Her relief was so acute, so all-encompassing, she couldn’t think of anything else at the moment. Her hands cupped his face as she pressed her lips to his, cutting off any more talk. “I love you. I’m so lucky to have such an accepting husband.”
He hesitated only a second and then kissed her back, his hands hauling her tight to his body. But as he pulled away, she saw hesitation in his gaze.
His gaze drifted to the floor. “Liberty, we need to talk about something.”
Her fingers rode over his shoulders as she pressed her lips to his throat. “Can it wait until tomorrow? Please? I want you so much right now. I need you, Mason.” Her lips closed around his ear as she whispered, “I need my husband.”
His face turned as he abruptly cut off her begging with a penetrating kiss.
His hands rolled down her spine as he tugged at her clothes and she crawled over his lap.
His lips caressed her shoulders, and his tongue found that sensitive spot at the curve of her neck.
Her head rested on his arm as his fingers fondled her breasts through the slight material of her lace bra.
His hand drifted over her belly and stopped just between her legs.
Their mouths explored each other. Licking and nipping, tasting and loving one another. Her skin began to heat, and she found herself tugging at Mason’s clothing. His fingers wrapped around her wrist, a gentle but unbreakable hold as he pulled her hand away. “No. Let me pleasure you.”
She was frustrated for only a moment and then surrendered to his command. He plucked at the ties of her linen pants until they came undone. With a soft nudge, he helped her stand and step out of them. She stood before him in nothing but her bra and panties, quivering, awaiting his next move.
Mason leaned forward and kissed her soft tummy. His tongue licked slowly over her hip as his thumbs fit under the elastic and drew the fabric of her panties downward. Her sex was hot and swollen, the cool air of the room soothing.
“Step out,” he whispered as her panties fell to her ankles.
He sat back a moment to study her, and her fingers began to twitch at her sides.
Leaning forward, Mason gently licked the tip of her clit budding out from the hood of her sex.
Her lashes lowered as she sighed. His lips, rather than kissing her sex, dragged over her smooth mound and back to her sensitized belly. His teeth nipped at her hips.
His large hands slid to her sides and with slow, controlled ease, glided up to her rib cage until her breasts rested in the V of his thumbs and index fingers.
He paused there for a moment, looking at her hard nipples pressing through the silk of her bra, then moved on, coasting over the sensitive tips of her breasts.
Slowly pulling the straps down her arms, his hot mouth closed over one turgid nipple, sucking gently at first and then hard. With every pull of his mouth, he stole a piece of her soul.
“What do you need, Liberty?”
Unable to form an answer, she moaned.
His hand went to the apex of her thighs, and she jolted, her spine stiffening, as he surprised her by plunging one finger deep inside her wet folds.
She could barely register the invasion before he removed his digit and sat back, resting his jaw in the curve between his thumb and forefinger.
He watched her, completely at ease and in complete command.
“Do you want to get fucked, Liberty?”
She tried not to wince at his crude words. They were wrong, but excited her on some level. Yes, she wanted Mason inside of her. Her skin prickled with need.
“Answer me.”
She looked into his eyes. He was serious, and she reminded herself of all she’d promised the night before. He was in charge. “Yes, Mason.”
“Yes, Mason, what?”
“Yes, Mason, I want you to fuck me.”
The corner of his lip turned up, and she knew he was pleased. “How would you like to be fucked, Liberty?”
“Hard.”
His eyes burned with lust, pupils dilating, followed by the brief flare of his nostrils, and his expression sobered. “Go up to our room, and I’ll be there in a minute.”
She leaned down to gather her clothes.
“Leave them.”
“But Sean—”
“Sean’s asleep. Do as I say.” He stood and turned off the entertainment system. She paused for a moment, slightly unsure. “Liberty.”
At the commanding tone of his voice, her body sprang into action.
She turned the knob and blinked as the soft hall lighting disturbed her eyes.
Looking left then right, she relaxed once she saw the hallway was empty and Sean’s bedroom door was still closed.
Her bare feet stepped into the hall and moved toward their bedroom.