Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Emma
I wanted to talk to Mason about the conversation I’d had with Lily and Dara, but I didn’t know how to go about it. And honestly, I could feel the tension in the air at the ranch and in the strained voices behind the office door. I wasn’t the kind to go poking my nose into other people’s problems, and wasn’t sure if it was my place to voice my concerns about the developers putting pressure on Lucas… Besides, it was probably just old news, anyway. It didn’t seem to be some sort of secret.
“You look nice tonight,” Mason greeted me with a smile as I slid out of my SUV. “I like the jeans,” he gestured to my pants. “Not too often you’re in those.”
Heat flooded my cheeks. “Thanks. I didn’t want to ride in a dress. I prefer them though.”
“Nothing wrong with that. You got a hippy thing about you,” he chuckled, his tone much lighter than it had been at the ranch. Whatever it was that was causing tension must’ve had to do with Lucas, not Mason .
“Thank you, I think,” I said, laughing as I climbed the steps to the porch behind him. “Where’s Jess tonight?”
“She’s with her friends,” he said, his smile fading for a split second. “I never know what she’s up to anymore, feels like.”
“Teenagers,” I said with a shrug, my mind wandering back to the conversation about Cody. Did he know about him? Because I was pretty sure Jess was with him tonight. Dara was at home having a movie night with her mom.
I followed him inside the cabin, shutting the door behind us. The place smelled the same as it had before, and the homey feel that came with it instantly brought a wave of relief. It was cozy, and made me want to wrap up in a blanket on the couch…
Or head to Mason’s bedroom.
I pushed the thought away and followed him into the kitchen. “What can I do to help?” I asked as he pulled out a couple of steaks from the fridge.
He shook his head, giving me a grin. “Not a thing. Dinner is on me tonight. You spend your whole day in the kitchen. This time, let me take care of it.”
The thought was touching, and I pulled out a bar stool, sliding onto a chair. “Well, if you won’t let me help you, I guess I’ll at least keep you company.”
“Just what I was hoping for.” He winked at me and then got busy in the kitchen, prepping the cast iron skillet as well as chopping veggies and preheating the oven for the baked potatoes. “Hope you’re hungry because I sure as hell am,” he said as he popped the potatoes wrapped in foil into the oven.
“I definitely am,” I said, and then hesitated, tempted to ask the burning questions about the ranch.
He gave me a funny look, picking up on my hesitation. “ You know, I think we should talk about the elephant in the room,” Mason said suddenly, letting out a sharp breath. The steaks sizzled as he plopped them in the heated pan, and I inwardly cringed at the conversation I knew we were about to have.
“We don’t have to talk about it…” my voice trailed off as Brittany’s face flashed in my mind. “Lily told me about it.”
He nodded, his eyes dropping to the pan for a second before flickering back to mine. “I don’t know what she told you, but you should know that it was never serious with Brittany—and it was also never a real relationship.”
Oh, so just like us.
My stomach tightened, but I forced a nod and a pleasant look. “Okay, well thanks for letting me know.”
He hesitated. “No, I don’t think you understand. I took her out on a couple of dates, and then she just… wouldn’t go away. I can be a bit of a pushover when it comes to keeping the peace, and she was always threatening to start rumors—which would’ve ruined the upcoming election for sheriff. I didn’t want to lose my job.”
“That’s awful,” I commented, understanding the gravity of what he was saying—and now understanding what Lily meant when she said Brittany was bad news. “I’m sorry that happened.”
“Oh, it’s fine,” he chuckled. “I just hate that she’s back in town. She’s always stirring things up around here, and not in a good way.”
“I’ve heard.” I gave him a weak smile as he flipped the steaks.
We spent the next half hour discussing lighter topics like the café and the town, and I was thankful for it as my appetite returned. I helped him make our plates and grabbed us a couple beers as we headed for the table in the dining room. The food made my mouth salivate, and I took a seat across from Mason, who eagerly dug in.
“So, what kinds of things does Jess like to do?” I asked, cutting into my medium cooked steak. I took a bite, the meat melting in my mouth. “Oh my gosh,” I groaned. “This is so good.”
Mason chuckled, his blue eyes twinkling under the dining room lights. “Thanks. I’ve always been told I can cook a mean steak. But as far as Jess, I don’t have a straight answer for ya. She spent a long time playing sports in her younger years—and she’s a real good piano player. But right now… She just wants to focus on her social life. I’m not sure how I feel about it.”
I nodded, sensing his concern. “Teenagers are so difficult. I remember being that age. You’re so focused on figuring out who you are that it’s easy to get a little lost.”
“Yeah, I was so caught up in football and baseball, I didn’t have much of a social life. When I wasn’t doing that, I was working out on the Lowe Creek Ranch.” He smiled as he said it, and I could see the nostalgia in his eyes.
“That’s such a rich experience to have growing up,” I commented, continuing to shove my face with steak. “Kind of like this food.”
He burst into laughter. “Okay, now you’re just trying to flatter me.”
“Maybe so,” I giggled, meeting the heat in his gaze. My thighs clenched under the table, and suddenly, I couldn’t wait to be done with dinner.
“You mind if I take a quick shower?” Mason asked me an hour later as he put up the ceramic plate back in the cabinet after washing up. “I’m all for hard work, but I’m ready to smell something other than cattle and horse manure. ”
I laughed, loving the way he had loosened up this evening. “I don’t blame you, though I have to admit that I didn’t pick up on the stench. Maybe I’m just getting used to it.”
“Maybe so,” he smirked, before turning and heading toward his master bedroom. “Why don’t you find us a movie to watch?” Mason called over his shoulder.
“I can do that,” I said, heading into the living room and picking up the remote. There was something about the easy-going evening that felt right with Mason, and for a time, I had forgotten about the impending news that I really needed to share with him.
I’m having your baby.
I chewed the inside of my cheek as I thought about his reaction to that. There was no way that it would go over the way I wanted it to. I mean, this was the first real date between us—unless the horseback riding one counted. But even then, that made date number two. Things had been rocky at best between us, and I wasn’t going to share until they settled down. Not to mention, I had no desire to trap Mason with the pregnancy…
No, not right now. I’d tell him once I was a little further along.
I picked out a thriller, hoping that it was a genre he was okay with watching. It was hard to tell exactly what kind of movies he would be into—other than westerns or something. I could definitely see Mason enjoying those old school films encompassing the wild west.
The sound of the shower turning off caught my attention, and my body buzzed at the thought of a dripping wet Mason stepping out of the shower. The thought was straight out of a wet dream—no pun intended. I found myself standing to my feet, lust getting the best of me .
I’ll just tell him I found a movie…
Excitement continued to build as I made my way to his room, hoping that I wouldn’t catch him too off guard. However, as I made it just outside his door, he poked his head out, his hair still damp under the hall light.
“I was hoping it was you,” he smirked, his blue eyes darkening with a familiar hunger. “I would’ve invited you to conserve water, but you know… I try to be a gentleman.” There was a glimmer of amusement in his voice as I took in his bare chest, sculpted from physical labor and probably a gym…
It should be a crime for a man to look so damn good.
I was too lost in the view, and it wasn’t until he grabbed my hand that I broke away from the awe. He pulled me to his chest, and his hard shaft pressed against me through the towel. I tilted my head back, taking a moment to get lost in his eyes as he leaned down, brushing his nose to mine as his lips pressed against my mouth.
Readily, I let his tongue slip through, and a light moan rattled my throat as he tasted every inch of me. His hands matched the greed of his kiss, and he stopped to take a breath—and pull my blouse over my head.
“God, you’re beautiful,” he murmured into the nape of my neck as his fingertips brushed my still-flat stomach, traveling upward to my white strapless bra. He ran his hands over the silky material covering the padding, giving them a squeeze before slipping behind and unhooking it. My breasts dropped free, and his eyes raked over them, his hands palming the soft flesh.
He took my mouth again, this time even more hungry than before—something I hadn’t even thought possible. My own hands went for the button of my jeans, undoing it and shimmying out of them and my underwear. I kicked them off to the side as his lips broke from mine. I had never been so desperate to be naked. His kiss trailed down my jaw, neck, and collarbones as his hands gave my bare ass a squeeze.
I ground into his erection, loving the groan that left his lips as I did so. I tugged at the damp material, loosening the knot he had made to hold it in place. He stepped back for a split second to let it fall between us, and I took the moment to break away, dropping to my knees. I’d never been the type to do such a thing, but the soft, smooth skin of his freshly washed cock was more enticing than ever before.
“You’re so thick,” I murmured as I wrapped my hand around the girth of his dick, stroking him back and forth.
“Oh, fuck,” he let out a growl, his eyes shutting for a moment before fluttering back open to take in the view. I licked my lips as I leaned forward, taking in the tip of him. Gently, I wrapped my tongue around it, feeling the way his body tensed against me. His fingers went for my hair, sliding through the soft chocolate locks.
Working my mouth down his shaft, I moved steadily, enjoying the taste of his skin and the bourbon scent of the soap he must’ve used. He let out sharp breaths and groans as I moved faster, my hands working with my mouth as I drew him and released him. He let me move freely, not offering any guidance as his hips remained still and his arms supple.
“I wanna fuck you,” he growled between breaths before finally tightening his arms and stopping me. My pussy clenched at his words, and I released his cock, standing to my feet.
I squealed as he swept me off the floor, carrying me to the bed. He tossed me down, working my legs apart and climbing in between them. Mason lowered his head, running his tongue between my slit. I caught my breath as I shivered, his kisses heading for my nub. He moved with a gentleness, but also an eagerness, sucking my clit into his mouth.
My hips ground against his face, moans escaping from my lips. “Oh, ooh …”
“You taste so good, baby,” he growled, lapping up the moisture slipping from between my legs. I was going to climax quickly, and I dug my fingernails into his shoulders as my body tensed, focusing on reaching the end.
“Oh, Mason !” I cried out as my orgasm ravaged my body, the ecstasy causing my eyes to close. His tongue gyrated against me until I came down, pulling away once it became too much.
Mason smiled, leaning over my body and planting a hot, wet kiss on my lips, giving me a taste of myself…
And then he froze.
“Oh shit,” he grumbled, instantly pushing off of me.
It took me a second to process what the heck was happening, but then I heard it.
“Dad!” Jess called. “I’m home.”
My eyes widened as I looked over at Mason, who was quickly dressing, already having a pair of boxer briefs on and jumping one leg into a pair of jeans.
“Get dressed,” he instructed, an edge of panic to his voice. “ Now. ”