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  “I can see that.” He caught her hand. “Let’s grab a shower.”

  Chapter 6

  They took their time washing each other clean and sneaking a couple of long kisses. Abby nuzzled his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting the warm water slick down over them.

  The intimate, sensual moment had her purring with content. Easy girl, just because he gave you the best orgasm of your life doesn’t mean it’s love. And don’t forget, he’s a military man, born and raised.

  Standing that close to his naked body, Abby couldn’t resist kissing his chest a couple of times. But before she could initiate a full-out seduction, he turned off the water and grabbed a towel to dry them off.

  “Now, we swim.”

  Swim? Did he have a pool? Abby followed him as they walked naked through the house, admiring the way it was decorated again. The framed prints on the wall were all black and white shots of various jazz musicians in performance. She recognized a Miles Davis photo—she had the same poster framed at home. Obviously this man was a huge jazz fan. Not that it was a surprise. She had first seen him at The Lounge.

  The rest of the house seemed to be mostly furnished in black, from the leather couches to the coffee and dining room tables.

  They passed through the kitchen before he opened a sliding glass door. After flipping on a switch, he tugged on her hand, leading her outside.

  The switch he’d hit must’ve been for the pool. The yard was dark, save for the light in the water that illuminated the medium-size pool.

  “Oh, that looks amazing.” She practically drooled as she crossed the patio towards the water.

  Mason’s arms wrapped around her and suddenly her feet were off the ground. She yelped, and as he tossed her into the pool, one thought took over her mind: he picked me up. No guy ever tries to pick me up.

  She came to the surface sputtering and gave him a mock glare. He looked so hot, standing on the edge of the pool with his hands on his hips watching her.

  “That wasn’t very nice,” she chided, but secretly loved the fact that he’d done it—the fun playfulness of it and the familiarity they were already creating together.

  The little voice of reason in her head tried to butt in. How many women did he bring back to his house? How many did he seduce and make love to all weekend, only to send them packing by Monday morning? Was she just one of many?

  Does it matter, Abby? Don’t get attached to him. He’s military. You can’t go down that road again. You swore you never would.

  Mason dove into the pool, and then emerged beside her. Droplets of water trickled over the muscles in his shoulders.

  “Ah, and what are you going to do about it?” He grinned and closed the distance between them, grabbing her ankle.

  Abby gave a surprised laugh and then choked on the water as she went under. She managed to kick herself free and swam to the opposite side of the pool.

  She leaned her back against the side, laying her arms on the edge while she let her lower body float. The cool water felt amazing on her heated skin.

  Mason’s gaze was mischievous, determined, and just plain sexy as he began a lazy butterfly stroke towards her.

  Her heart did a little flip-flop for reasons that went beyond sexual attraction, and it made her nervous. She couldn’t make this about more than sex. It wasn’t possible.

  He came to a stop right in front of her and stood. He was taller, and, unlike her, could still reach the bottom.

  “So, what kind of work do you do, Abby?”

  She pushed a wet strand of hair out of her eyes and grinned. “I’m a high school English teacher.”

  “I can’t believe it. You seem way too crazy to be a teacher.” He laughed and tweaked her hair. “But then you just never know what kind of freak the teacher is outside of the classroom, do you?”

  “Ah, so now I’m a freak?” She giggled and splashed water at him.

  “Nah, it’s a good thing.” He caught her wrist and pulled her away from the edge and close to him, a slow smile spreading across his face. “A freak in the bedroom.”

  “Nice.”

  “Yeah, it is.” He lowered his head, brushing his sensual mouth across hers. Pulling away, he made a sound of approval. “A freak I’m growing addicted to.”

  Her heart skipped at his words. “I kinda like being an addiction.”

  “Mmm. I bet you do.” He traced a finger over her collarbone. “So, if you’re an English teacher…”

  She tried not to think about the warm shivers that followed his finger. “Yes? If I’m an English teacher…” What was he going to ask? Who her favorite author was? Poet?

  “What’s a conjunctive pronoun?”

  Abby burst into laughter and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “And here I thought you were just getting deep on me.”

  His smile turned sly. “I’d rather get deep in you.”

  Her pulse raced and she glanced at him from under her lashes. “Now why doesn’t that surprise me?”

  “Hmm. But now that you said it, I do like the idea of getting to know you on a deeper level.” He traced his fingers between her breasts. “Like what motivated you to ruin my truck.”

  He wanted the personal stuff? She hesitated. “I wasn’t trying to ruin your—”

  “I know. Okay, some other poor bastard’s truck.”

  “Take away the poor part, and you’re right on. He’s a bastard.” She swam back so she could lean her head back against the edge of the pool, kicking her legs in the water.

  “What happened?”

  What could it hurt telling him? “He was sleeping with my cousin. She’s only nineteen and he’s twenty-nine. Which isn’t so bad in some people’s eyes, but he’s also married and neglected to mention that to her.”

  “I see.” His gruff tone gentled. “Is he Army?”

  “Yeah.” She looked away. They always were. At some point in their lives, all the women in her family had gotten their hearts broken by an Army man.

  “What’s his name?”

  “Does it matter?”

  “Possibly.”

  “Jonathan Wilbanks.”

  “Wilbanks?” He gave a harsh laugh. “He’s one of my soldiers. I’ll take care of it for you.”

  Abby lifted her head and blinked at him in disbelief. “He’s one of your soldiers? What does that mean? And you’ll take care of it? How so?”

  “I’m a squad leader and he’s one of the soldiers I’m responsible for.” He stepped between her legs. “Adultery is frowned upon in the military. He can get in deep shit, and I intend to make sure he doesn’t get off easily.”

  “You’d do that for me?” Pleasure spread slowly through her body, and she had the urge to swoon like the heroine in a bad melodrama—which was crazy. Because of who he was, he could never be her hero. Yet somehow he seemed different. She wanted to believe he was different, but the thought of giving him that chance terrified her.

  “I don’t like fuckheads,” he murmured. “And I’m sorry about your cousin, baby. Nobody deserves to go through something like that.”

  She smiled. “Kelly will be all right. She’s heading off to college in the fall, so I’m sure she’ll find a new guy to crush on. She’s young, not even twenty yet. She’ll bounce back.”

  “How long was your cousin dating Wilbanks?”

  Abby shrugged. “I don’t know. Six months? Maybe eight?”

  He cocked his head and gave her a quizzical glance. “And she never saw any clues that he might be married?”

  Blinking in surprise, Abby pulled back slightly. “What are you suggesting? That Kelly knew he was married and just ignored the fact?”

  Mason rolled his shoulders. “I’m not saying anything. I’m just trying to point out that eight months is a long time to not notice any of the usual signs.”

  “You know what? Screw you.” Abby turned around and braced her arms on the pool’s edge, trying to pull herself out.

  “Abby—”

  “No
.” She grunted, managing to get one leg out. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Just as she lifted herself out of the pool, she was pulled backwards again into the water. The jerk had pulled her back down!

  Abby came up sputtering again, but wasn’t at all amused this time.

  “I’m sorry, baby.” He pulled her resisting body against him.

  “I don’t want your apology. I want you to let me go.” She pushed again at his chest, but he didn’t budge. “You suck.”

  “So do you, and you proved it very well earlier tonight.” He grinned and then touched his nose to hers. “I’m sorry, Abby. I didn’t think before I said it.”

  “No, you didn’t,” she grumbled.

  “I’ve met a lot of women out there who don’t care if the guy’s married or not. I don’t know Kelly, but I trust you. And if you say she didn’t know, then I believe you.”

  She wanted to stay mad, to climb right back out of the pool and run away from every emotion he was evoking in her heart and body. But she couldn’t. The tension drained from her body and she went limp in his arms.

  “Okay.”

  “You forgive me?”

  She gave a small sigh. “Yes. I’m sorry, I probably overreacted too. It’s just that Kelly’s so young and naïve.”

  “Is that why you don’t date military? Because of what happened to Kelly?” He pushed her legs farther apart and moved in closer.

  No, Kelly was just the icing on the cake. Talking about her reasons wasn’t something that was easy for her. Not even with her closest friends. She jerked her gaze away, her throat tight. “No, it’s more complex…”

  “I understand.” He must have realized she didn’t want to expand on the issue. His fingers glided over the folds of her pussy, and then slowly sank inside. Relief and pleasure at his unconventional way of changing the subject hit at the same time.

  “Oooh.” She took in a deep, unsteady breath and reached behind her to grip the edge of the pool. “That feels really good.”

  “Yeah? I know something else that feels good.”

  He crouched down in the water and lifted her legs onto his shoulders. His breath was hot on her sex, and she stretched her arms out along the pool’s edge.

  “I love this pretty pink pussy. I’ll bet you’d like a good tongue fuck.” He nuzzled his face between her legs, planting kisses on the inside of her thighs.

  Heat spread throughout her body, tightening her nipples and making her sex heavy. She should be embarrassed by his words, shocked or something. But the way he talked to her was so exciting—such a turn on. “Mmm…you’d win that bet.”

  Abby could feel the moisture gathering between her legs and squirmed against his hot breath.

  He dragged his tongue over her slit before pushing it deep inside her.

  “Mason!” She gasped and bucked against him, closing her eyes against the intimate invasion of his mouth.

  He rubbed her clit with his thumb, while his tongue continued to thrust in and out of her. Her hips rose and fell in the water as she ground her pussy against his mouth.

  He ate her deeper, licking and sucking on her folds and penetrating her with his tongue. His mouth moved up to replace his finger, circling her clit before he lightly bit it.

  “Ooooh!” Her groan was guttural and her ass clenched.

  He gave a husky laugh. He drew the sensitive flesh into his mouth and sucked it, while he thrust two fingers deep inside her.

  The delicious tension increased inside her until every muscle in her body was tight, her entire being focused on his mouth and the havoc it was creating between her legs.

  When he added a third finger, she came. Lights danced behind her eyelids and her thighs tightened around his head, holding him to her.

  He kept licking her and thrusting his fingers into her cunt, until she was limp and her arms slid off the edge of the pool.

  Mason caught her before she went underwater, lifting her legs off his shoulders and then lowering and impaling her onto his thick cock.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and locked her ankles around his waist. She moved slowly on him at first, then began riding him so hard she was almost bouncing on him in the water.

  “Kiss me,” he demanded, slowly moving his cock in and out of her.

  Abby lifted her head up to his, and he crushed her lips with his own. His tongue thrust into her mouth again and again, mimicking the motions of their hips.

  He slowed the kiss and rotated his hips, moving at different angles and depths inside her.

  The kiss turned from desperate and hard to something sweet and sensual. Abby’s insides melted in an entirely different way. There it was again. That connection. And it would all end Sunday. Her stomach clenched, a wave of intense disappointment sweeping through her. Did some part of her want to belong to him for more than just a weekend? And if so, did he feel the same?

  “Abby,” he muttered and lifted his head. His cock embedded deep, he didn’t move for a moment. “What are you doing to me?”

  What was she doing to him? Before she could answer—not that he expected one—his mouth was back on hers, and he was thrusting again.

  Abby’s head fell back, the pleasure was so intense. He supported her with one arm, and lowered his mouth to her neck, sucking on the pulse that beat wildly.

  His free hand moved between her legs, touching her clit right above where they were joined.

  “Oh!” The pleasure spilt over again into another intense orgasm.

  He thrust harder, deeper, and faster until he gasped and she felt his spurting warmth inside her.

  “All of it, Mason, I want it all.” She squeezed her muscles around him, milking everything from him.

  He groaned, his hips jerking against her. And then his grip eased and his lips closed over one of her hard nipples.

  “Abby…” He tongued the tip. “I don’t think I’m gonna make it through this weekend. You’re killing me.”

  “Liar. You’re doing great so far.” Her heart thudded heavily under the breast he was sucking on. She ran a hand through his hair and closed her eyes, sighing when he tightened the arm that was wrapped around her waist. The intimacy of the movement had her stomach doing little flips.

  “You know it’s probably after three in the morning. I haven’t stayed up this late since I was an E3.” He sighed. “I hate to say it, but I think we need some sleep.”

  “What are you talking about? I could go all night long.” She screwed up the teasing lie when a yawn popped her jaw. “Okay, you got me. I’m tired.”

  “All right. Come on, baby. We’ve got all day tomorrow to play.”

  “After we sleep in, of course. I should warn you that I’m not a morning person.”

  “No?” He glanced over his shoulder while climbing out of the pool.

  “Nope.” She climbed out of the pool after him and followed him inside the house to his bedroom.

  “Well, we’ll have to work on that, because I am.” He left for a moment and came back with two fluffy towels, handing her one. “You can just dry off and climb into bed naked.”

  Work on that? That sounded almost long term. Her heart sped up again, and she had that fluttery feeling in her stomach again. Stop, don’t even go there right now.

  She glanced over at the queen-size bed and quickly dried her body. The evening was catching up with her, and sleep suddenly sounded like a luxury instead of just a necessity. Would he want to cuddle? Or just roll over to the other side of the bed and forget she existed?

  Tossing down the towel, she walked to the bed and slipped beneath the covers onto the cool cotton sheets.

  She watched Mason rub down his muscular chest with his towel, and bit back a sigh. He was a good guy. And she would never have even given him a chance had it not been for the little mix up in the parking lot. Maybe he was different from all the bad experiences she’d had.

  Her thoughts momentarily paralyzed her. Was she admitting it? That she wanted to give him a chance
beyond just the weekend? She’d sworn never again, but with him, everything was different. She wanted to trust him.

  Mason dropped the towel, hit the light, and a second later the bed dipped as he climbed in beside her.

  “Come here.” His breath was warm against her ear as he wrapped his hands around her waist.

  Her eyes widened. Surely he wasn’t turned on again so soon? He tucked her into the curve of his body and laid his chin on top of her head.

  “Night, Abby.”

  Oh…how sweet. Her heart slowed from a fast beat to a slow, drowsy thump thump. She smiled and closed her eyes. “Good night, Mason.”

  Chapter 7

  Mason woke from one of the deepest sleeps he could remember. He lay still, memories of Abby and from yesterday flickering through his head. What if she’d left him in the middle of the night? He stiffened, his eyes snapping open.

  Abby was still very much here, her lush body curved right up against his. The tension eased from his shoulders, and an unfamiliar wave of tenderness ran through him. With a small smile, he tucked a strand of her hair back from her face.

  How was it that he could go from wanting to keep things simple, to not wanting her to leave tomorrow? He shouldn’t want to trust another woman. It went against everything he told himself he’d never do again. Yet here he was, wanting more than just sex with this woman.

  Abby sighed in her sleep, shifting a bit. His pulse sped up. Although, sex at the moment was starting to sound pretty damn tempting. The pink tips of her breasts brushed his arm and she kicked one leg over his calf, leaving her pussy ready and open.

  Unable to resist, he reached down and rubbed his palm between her legs. She stirred again, and he applied more pressure.

  Her breathing shifted from the steady pace of someone asleep to someone who was awake and aroused. Moisture gathered on his palm and he smiled.

  He lifted his gaze to her, and found her watching him. That aroused, sleepy look in her eyes spurred him on. Made him want to please her, cherish her. They only had one more night together, and then the bargain would be done. Could he convince her to keep seeing him? Would she want to?