First Choice, Second Chance, page 13
"It doesn't matter if he is. I don't want him to be upset with me or with you. He doesn't make my decisions for me, Mason. Eventually, he needs to realize I'm an adult."
His hand slid down to her hip, and he turned her toward him. "That's something I won't be forgetting," he murmured, his lips barely an inch away from hers.
Her body pressed up to hers, and he suddenly wasn't sure they'd even make it back over to his place. He shifted away from her after a long kiss and tugged on her hand. He took his truck down the driveway and down the road the short distance to his own driveway. They could have walked through the cornfield, but it was dark. He might have decided the field was far enough.
She tugged his shirt out of his jeans before the front door even closed behind them. He groaned as her fingers brushed over his skin. "I've been thinking about this all night," she said as she unbuttoned the shirt even though her hands shook.
He put his hands over hers until they stopped trembling. "We have all night," he whispered against her neck. "There's no need to rush."
"You're killing me."
"I certainly hope not. Because I have better plans for you tonight."
He pulled her hair over to the side so he could trail his lips over her neck. She hummed in pleasure as she pressed her body up against him. Maybe he was wrong. He wasn't so sure he could last much longer. Especially as her hands grasped at him then slid away before clasping onto his back again. His gaze already started to blur with desire. He wanted, needed, to be inside her. He backed her toward the couch first, pulling her shirt over her head as they went. His gaze went blurry when her fingers fumbled with the button of his jeans. She barely had them over his hips when he laid her back on the couch. He pushed them the rest of the way down before joining her on the couch.
Mason ran his hands up her thighs. "I've been thinking about getting under here all night."
"My skin? You've been under my skin since we were eighteen."
The words nearly stole all the breath from his lungs. Then, why hadn't she chosen him? He wouldn't let the thought darken this time they had. "No," he murmured, his thumb tracing the edge of her panties, "under here." He slipped a finger under them and felt how ready she was for him. "I see you've been thinking about it, too."
"Oh, God, Mason."
He liked to hear that pleading tone in her voice and the things it did to him. He pulled the last barrier away and pulled her hips to him, pushing her skirt up out of the way. His eyes closed for a moment, as he slid into her. This was heaven. It had to be. No one else had ever made him feel like this. His eyes opened again as she met each thrust. Her eyes were open and locked on his. Just as she locked around him. The words slipped out, as he came apart, even though he never meant to say them again. "I love you."
#
Lila almost didn't understand the words Mason said as she tumbled over the edge of her climax. As she became aware of his hard body over her again, they made their way through. Panic quickly followed. She pushed against his shoulders. He didn't budge. "You can't say things like that. Not at a time like this."
His smile was wicked as he looked down at her, but a hint of fear lingered behind his eyes. "When would be a better time than when you're wrapped around me?"
"No," she said and could hear the tears trying to work their way into her voice. "We've only been back together a couple weeks. You can't say that to me, not yet."
The smile didn't leave his face, but he stroked his thumb over her cheek where she didn't realize a tear had fallen. "Lila, I've been in love with you for nearly a decade. Even when I hated you, I still loved you. I couldn't help it."
She turned her face away from him. "I can't, Mason. I can't do this."
"I'm not asking you to do anything." Her gaze came back to his face. "I only said the words. It doesn't mean you have to say them back to me. It's not like I'm asking you to marry me."
That had all the color draining from her face. "No. I've done that. I'm not doing it again. Not anytime soon." She should go, push him away from her and get away before this went any farther. She couldn't do it.
"Then, I won't ask you anytime soon."
Why wasn't she moving? Where had her sense of self-preservation gone? She couldn't bring herself to move.
He didn't say anything else as he pulled her bra straps down her arms. As he nuzzled along one breast. As he ran his tongue up over her nipple. She closed her eyes and pushed away those doubts and the fear until she could concentrate on him. She brought her hands up to his shoulders as he took her breast into his mouth. She meant to give him a little push, so she could get up and take charge. Instead, her fingers dug into his muscles as sensation swept her away. He brought his head up and smiled down at her.
She needed to take her chance before he had her unsteady again. She pushed herself up until she sat in front of him. "My turn," she said.
Her fingers went to the buttons of the shirt he still had on. She could see them shake as she started with the bottom button. It didn't make it any easier when he leaned forward to brush his lips over the corner of her jaw, adding a little nip before moving down to her neck.
Lila had to draw in a deep breath. Why did he always make her feel this way? Like she barely had a grip on the tether keeping her grounded. She focused on the buttons of his shirt, determined not to be swept away. Her nails scraped his chest as she worked on the buttons. She heard his own drawn breath. That had her as turned on as what he was doing to her neck now.
With shaking hands, she pushed the shirt down his arms. Her fingers came back to trace the muscles of his abdomen and up to his chest. "I don't know if I'll ever get tired of looking at you," she murmured.
His hands moved into her hair. "I hope you don't." His mouth found its way back to hers.
She broke away from the kiss and pushed him back against the couch. "I said it was my turn." She nearly laughed at the way his mouth turned up into a crooked grin.
"Yes, Ma'am. I didn't mean to take any freedoms."
She couldn't stop a little snort. "Yes, you did. Now it's my turn."
She slid her hands back down his chest, her fingers moving in circles over his muscles until she watched them jump under her touch. She sank to her knees in front of the couch, tracing her fingers over his thighs. The muscles there were as hard as the ones she'd just studied. She didn't hesitate there. He would let her touch him this time. She was determined. One hand stayed braced on his thigh as she slid the other between his legs. She felt his groan more than she heard it. She didn't let it stop her as she ran her tongue over the tip of him.
"God, Lila."
His hand wrapped around her hair, but she still didn't stop. He'd pleasured her until it was nearly torture for them both. Now, it was her turn. He didn't stop her this time. Not even when she took him into her mouth as far as he would go. She ran her tongue along his length as she came back up, then she went down again. She didn't know if she did it right, this was something new for her, but the way his hands kept clenching in her hair and the groans she could hear, she was at least getting it close.
She twirled her tongue around the tip one last time before releasing him. His hands released her hair as she stood in front of him. She let the skirt he hadn't taken off earlier, fall to the floor before straddling his legs. His hands came to her hips, and the tip of his shaft poked at her. She rubbed against it and had both of them groaning. "It's still my turn," she said, then guided him into her.
She closed her eyes for a moment, savoring the feel of him inside her. When she opened them again, his were focused right on her. "What do you want?" he asked, his voice hoarse as if turning over control to her took everything he had.
She grabbed his hands and moved them to her breasts. "I want those on me. I want your mouth on me. I want all of you, Mason."
"You have it. You've always had it."
She didn't want to think about the meaning behind that right now. Instead she rocked her hips against him, taking them both away. He did what she asked, keeping one hand on her breast while his mouth took the other. His other hand slid down between their bodies. It took barely more than a touch to send her hurtling over the edge of the cliff. He stiffened as she relaxed against him. He kept moving inside her. She floated higher and higher. Her hands moved over his body as he brought her up to that peak again. This time when she flew over, he went with her.
As she floated back down to him, he whispered it this time. "I love you, Lila. Always."
Her pulse beat in her throat. She couldn't say it back to him. Not yet, maybe not ever. Her heart beat a little faster in her chest, and not in panic. She laid her head on his chest, his heart beating steadily under her ear. The words wouldn't come to her lips, but they bounced around in her head. She kept her eyes closed even as he shifted her into his arms, and she felt him carry her into the bedroom. She would hold onto this for as long as she could.
Chapter 20
Lila jumped down from the truck. The back of her skirt flipped up before she landed, and he drew in a breath that strangled in his throat. Nothing showed but the length of her thigh. Even that had him wanting to touch her. She turned to look at him now, probably wondering why he still sat there.
He took another breath, and this one came a little easier. He unbuckled his seatbelt and stepped down from truck. His hands were slippery with sweat, and he wiped them on his pants before rounding the truck to meet her. God, why was he so nervous? They'd been sleeping together again for weeks. They'd known each other since they were kids. He doubted there was much they didn't know about each other.
This was the second time he'd dressed up to go out with her since she got back. The second time he'd picked her up at her father's door. This time had gone a bit smoother. Only one condescending comment from Luca before they'd made it out the door. He hadn't quite seemed to mean it. Maybe the old man finally realized he didn't want to do anything to hurt Lila.
She slipped her hand into his and drew him back out of his thoughts. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers. When her mouth opened, he took the kiss deeper, but only for a moment. They were in public after all. Cops here might pick them up for public indecency. He wanted to show her there was more between them than just sex. He loved the sex, but he wanted even more from her.
Mason kept Lila's hand in his as they headed for the sidewalk in front of the restaurant, but she stopped as they headed for the door. He hesitated then glanced back at her. She stared up at the restaurant's sign. Anxiety curled through his belly. Did she not like it here? "Lila?"
She pulled in a deep breath, and finally her gaze came back to him. He wasn't sure how to read the look in her eyes. It wasn't the happy glint that had been there on their way here. "What's the matter?" he asked.
"Why'd you bring me here?" she asked, gesturing up at the sign.
He started to shrug but stopped himself and adjusted the tie his mother had helped him put on. "I thought it would be the kind of place you liked. Then, we can walk right down State Street to the Warner for the show."
"Show?" she asked, her face paling even more. "At the Warner Theatre? What kind of show?"
Why was her voice barely squeaking out now? He had tried to do something nice for her. Why did she act like she was on the edge of panicking? He'd always gone for simple before. It had always been Kyle that went for the fancy dinners and shows.
"Uh." He took out his wallet and handed her one of the tickets. "It's a musical, I guess. I thought you'd like it." He wanted to show her how much he wanted to spend time with her, no matter what they did. He didn't want it to only be about sex.
"Mason, you hate musicals."
He hunched his shoulders. She wasn't wrong. He'd never really cared for them, or at least sitting through them. "I thought you'd like it," he said again.
Her face softened. "I don't care if we go to a musical, to a fancy dinner," she said with another gesture to the restaurant they still stood in front of. "Or if we have a picnic of burgers and beers in the back of your truck." She smiled at him then. "I still remember the last time we did that. And what happened later that night."
The anxiety unfurled, and his shoulders loosened. "Brian's party. You drove me crazy."
She moved closer to him, tucking her arm through his. "I didn't mean to. You did a pretty good job of driving me crazy, too." She shook her head. "It's hard to believe so much has changed, and yet so little really has."
"He doesn't have those parties anymore, only a couple barbecues during the summer." He grinned. "They're a lot tamer than they used to be. He doesn't have to steal the alcohol from his old man anymore."
"You know why he did that, don't you?" she asked as he led her toward the restaurant again.
His jaw tightened. "Yeah, I know." He paused in front of the doors. "Is this okay? I thought you'd like something different than what we usually do."
"It's fine, Mason. I don't mind what we usually do. In fact, I love it," she said, a grin spreading across her face.
He didn't care if they were in public. He stepped to the side and pulled her up against him. His lips crushed against hers as his hands moved down her back. When their bodies were tight together, his mouth moved down to her neck, then his lips brushed up to her ear. "We'll definitely do some of that later, too." He didn't tell her he'd reserved a room for the night at a local hotel, too.
She moaned and pressed up against him, driving him crazy again. Then, she pulled her head back so she could look at him. "We should probably go in before we end up giving these people a show."
He groaned even though she was right. But, first, he stole one more kiss.
#
Mason wrapped his arm around her waist as they walked out of the theater. Lila leaned in a little closer to him. She'd only had one glass of wine at intermission, but she'd use it as an excuse if she had to. Mason didn't seem to mind, either. His arm tightened around her. He'd had a beer during the intermission, but he was as steady as ever.
They hadn't stopped touching since they left the restaurant, though nothing inappropriate. Her hand on his thigh or resting over his hand. His hand had trailed along her leg, resting often on her knee. Even that simple touch had sent heat searing through her. She didn't want to think of him ever not putting his hands on her. The show had passed in a blur.
Everything seemed to be passing in a blur. They'd only been back together a couple weeks, but it was almost like she'd never left. There was too much between them for that to be true.
"I hope we're going back to your place."
"Nope," Mason said. When she looked up at him in surprise, there was a little smirk on his face.
"More surprises?"
He brushed a lock of her hair away from her face. "Hopefully only good ones."
"Where are we going?"
He jerked his head toward the next block down. "I got us a room."
That stopped her in her tracks. "Are you serious, Mason? At the Avalon. Why? There are other places or home. We could have gone home." Her breath caught as she realized what she had said. Home. As if she could make a home with him.
He turned her toward him and reached up to cup her cheek. "We still can if you want. I wanted to give you a special night. I figured if we had much to drink tonight, we shouldn't drive home." He brushed his lips over hers. "What'll it be? Drinks, the room, or home?"
Something swelled in her. He left it up to her. He'd set all this up, and he had to have spent quite a bit of money to do it. Yet he was willing to let it all go and take her home. Kyle would have pitched a fit if she had even thought of suggesting them not using a room he had already reserved. She shouldn't still have to remind herself of how different the two brothers were.
"How about drinks then the room?" She smiled up at him.
"Now, that sounds good."
He took her arm again, and they started down the street. She almost had a hard time believing she was with Mason. The last time, they'd gone to a few places nicer than the diner in Kurztown. But, this…? This was something different. She never would have expected this from him. It ate away at her. They were at the entrance to the bar when she turned to him. "Why are you doing this, Mason? The big gestures have never been your thing."
His hands slid up the outside of her arms to her shoulders. He bent down and brushed his lips over her cheek. "I told you. I love you. I wanted to show you."
Her breath backed up in her lungs. They'd been avoiding it. At least she thought they had. He'd end their phone calls with "love you", but it was just something you said. "Mason, I-"
He brought his mouth to hers, cutting her off. "I still don't need you to say it back. I only need you to know." His hand brushed down her hair. "I screwed up last time by keeping it to myself. Otherwise maybe you would have chosen me instead of him."
She shook her head. "I didn't choose him, not then." His face hardened, and she could tell he didn't believe her. "I had to leave, Mason. I had other commitments I couldn't break. And you, you were so angry. It scared me a little bit. He only went with me to Pittsburgh. He'd told Dad he'd get me down there."
"We don't have to do this right now, Lila. The past doesn't matter. You're here now."
"It does matter, Mason. It's all tangled together with right now. We've never really talked about it."
"We don't need to now," he insisted. "I want to be with you, Lila. I don't want him to be between us, not anymore. He's spent too much time there."
Her breath trembled out. She still couldn't say the words, but he made her feel so much. She didn't know what else it could be but love. She wanted to show him. Somehow she needed to.
Lila stepped close to him again. "Maybe we should skip the drinks. I'm feeling a little drunk as it is."
His arms tightened around her, and his lips brushed over her ear. Then, he turned and with her hand in his, they walked toward the hotel.
Chapter 21
Before
Mason ran his hand down Lila's back as her lips moved against his. She had been waiting by the barn door when he and his father had come back from baling hay. He'd stripped his shirt off when they were out in the field. Sweat dripped down his back, and front, but Lila hadn't seemed to care. He hadn't wanted to get her pretty sundress all dirty. Again, she didn't seem to care about any of it. His father had taken the tractor back to the equipment barn and left them alone. Lila had practically jumped on him once Scott was gone.
