Sarah Curtis - Pursuing (Alluring Book 3)

by Unknown

  "Chocolate chip is my favorite," Adam chimed in quickly, thinking only with his seven-year-old-boy stomach.

  Pam laughed and ruffled his hair. "Yes, we know." She turned back to Will and held out her hand. "Hello, I'm Pam. How would you like to help me make some chocolate chip cookies for the cookie monster over here?" She tipped her head toward Adam while giving Will a smile.

  Will looked up at Jo and said in a low voice, "Is that okay?"

  "Yep, go have fun."

  He gave her a smile. The first one she'd seen from him. It had been slight, but it was a smile nonetheless, and she'd take it, gladly.

  "Let me get him situated, then we can talk," Pam told Jo, before turning to make her way back to the kitchen. She called over her shoulder. "Come on, Adam. If you want to eat some, you need to help, too." With a whoop, Adam raced after them.

  Jo was about to step inside, when movement from the corner of her eye caught her attention. She looked toward the side of the house but didn't see anything. She frowned, pretty sure she had seen something. She took a few steps, and heard voices, but couldn't make out what was being said so kept walking until the side of the house came into view.

  Chris, one of her older kids, was talking with another kid that she didn't recognize. The unknown kid was tall and lanky, wearing baggy jeans well below his waist, causing his boxers to stick out (they were red), and a black tank. He looked about sixteen or seventeen and had gang colors hanging from his back pocket.

  "Boys," Jo said, authoritatively. When she had their attention, she continued, "Chris, you're needed in the house."

  She watched Chris do some complicated fist bump thing with the other boy before she heard him say, "I'll catch ya later, bro." Both boys dispersed without another word or making eye contact with Jo, Chris into the house, and the other kid disappearing down the block.

  Jo stepped into the house a minute later, shutting the door behind her. She did a quick eye sweep but didn't see Chris. Cooking noises and chatter could be heard from the kitchen, so she headed that direction.

  The scene she encountered made her heart happy. Will stood at the counter with Adam on one side of him and Pam on the other. A big, red bowl held steady by Pam sat on the counter before them.

  "Okay guys, I think this is ready to be scooped up and put in the oven. T-minus fifteen minutes til cookie time," Pam said, as she pulled a baking sheet from a bottom cabinet. She saw Jo standing in the doorway. "Adam, why don't you take Will on a tour of the house. Show him where everything is."

  "Okay."

  The kids left the kitchen, Adam talking a mile-a-minute, Will nodding in response, looking totally at ease.

  Jo quickly filled Pam in on Will's situation before moving on to what really had her troubled. "I saw Chris a few minutes ago outside, talking to a boy about Chris's age and height. Dark-brown, longish hair, wearing gang colors, sound familiar?"

  Pam thought for a moment then shook her head. "He doesn't sound familiar, but I don't monitor the older kids as closely as I do the younger ones. I haven't noticed any gang activity in the neighborhood lately, but I'll keep my eyes open. I'll also let Mike and Tina know."

  Jo nodded, knowing Mike and Tina, the two others who ran the house, would keep a close, watchful eye. "Can you watch Chris a little more carefully. I don't want him getting mixed up in something he'll regret later. Let's try to nip this in the bud, now, while we can. I'm going to see if Chris is in his room. Maybe he'll talk to me."

  Jo knocked loudly on Chris's bedroom door, hoping to be heard over the heavy beat of the rap music coming from inside. His door opened a crack, but when he saw Jo, he opened it wider.

  "Hey, can I come in a minute?" Without a word, he swung the door wide for her to enter.

  Jo did an eye sweep of the room, noting the typical teenager mess. Chris walked to his desk and fiddled with his iPod until silence filled the room. He turned back around, leaning against his desk, hands in his back pockets.

  "How is everything, Chris? School going okay?"

  He snorted. "I'm sure you get weekly reports."

  Jo gave him a slight nod. "I do, but I'd like to hear it from you."

  He sighed, not loud, Jo saw it more than heard it. Sounding resigned, like he knew the sooner he talked, the sooner she would leave, he said, "School's fine. Everything's fine."

  Jo gave him another slight nod. She knew dealing with teenagers could be tricky. You push too hard, they back away fast. "Good." She reached into her back pocket and pulled out one of her business cards. She walked to his desk and placed it on top. "Remember, I'm only a phone call away if you need anything." She watched him a moment in silence before stressing, "Anything at all."

  She didn't expect a response, so wasn't surprised when she didn't receive one. She was surprised to see him pick up her card and place it in his back pocket as she silently closed his bedroom door.

  Jo pulled up in front of Mase's house and shut off the ignition. It was late, and she was exhausted. She gathered her stuff from the passenger seat, got out of the car, and beeped the lock. The front door opened as soon as she hit the bottom step. She looked up to see Mase framed in the doorway, bare-chested, only wearing a pair of faded and holey blue jeans. It was a nice sight after a very long day.

  He jogged down the steps, took the stuff out of her hands, then lightly kissed her on the lips. "I've got dinner warming in the oven for you." He took her hand and led her up the stairs. "Come on, let's get you fed."

  She docilely followed for a few steps while what he'd said and the implication behind it penetrated her brain. She stopped suddenly, causing Mase to look back at her with a questioning look. "Everything okay?"

  She opened her mouth, but no words would form. Something tight gripped her chest, and she had to fight for breath. Mase's questioning look turned to one of concern as he placed her things on the ground and took the step down that separated them. He pulled her into his embrace, and she wrapped her arms around him tightly, trying to still her trembling body. She buried her face in his chest and breathed in his scent as his arms held her tighter, and he whispered near her ear, words she couldn't quite understand, but soothed, nonetheless. She was surrounded by him.

  His arms.

  His scent.

  His voice.

  Her whole world at that moment was Mase, and like a blanket on a cold winter night, he covered her with warmth. For the first time, in a very long time, she felt completely safe and free of fear. She floated in the euphoria of that knowledge, soaking up and greedily taking everything Mase offered, hoping she imparted the same in return. She held on to him, basking in the delight of her newfound discovery. Mase had been right, as frightening as the fall had been, she landed unscathed while sheltered in his arms. And though she wasn't ready to say the words aloud, in her heart she knew she was in love with Mason Connor. Maybe his brand of craziness was catching.

  She squeezed him a little tighter. "Please be real." Her words were muffled in his chest, but she knew he heard because he squeezed her a little tighter, too.

  She took a slight step back separating herself from him so she could see his face. He kept one hand on her shoulder while the other gripped the back of her neck. "Thank you."

  His expression turned inquisitive. "For what, Angel?"

  She felt his thumb graze across the apple of her cheek. "For being you."

  Chapter Fifteen

  They were in the pool for another swimming lesson. Mase was insistent he would teach her to swim tonight. Jo had her doubts, but she didn't voice her opinion. She was growing more comfortable in the pool but was unsure if she would ever want to try it without Mase. He was her anchor. She knew he would never let anything happen to her.

  "We'll keep to this end, and you can swim the width of the pool, that way you'll know I'll be close and can reach you quickly if anything happens."

  Jo nodded, teeth chattering. The night was unseasonably cool, but she had a feeling her teeth clatter was more from nerves than cold.
/>   "Do you remember what I taught you to do?"

  He had given her full instructions on how to kick her legs and how to stroke with her arms, cupping her hands to create a pull against the water. "I think so," Jo said, wrapping her arms around herself for added warmth.

  Mase glided to her, pulling her into a hug, and rubbing along her back. "Everything's going to be okay. I'm right here."

  "I know." She put her arms around his neck and let the water buoy her up, so she could capture his lips in a kiss.

  Mase groaned, put his hands on her shoulders, and gently pushed her away. "None of that or we won't get any swimming done."

  She gave him an exaggerated eyelash flutter and a come-hither smile. "And would that be so horrible?"

  Mase crossed his arms over his chest, gave her a stern look, and shook his head slowly from side to side. "I know what you're up to, Angel, and it won't work. As much as I like fucking you, and believe me, I like it a lot, I want you to learn to swim more. It's important to me that you know how to save yourself, so you'll no longer be afraid."

  Well, how could she argue with that? Feeling contrite, she promised herself she would put her best effort into learning to swim. "Okay, Captain, I'm ready."

  Mase shook his head, giving her a grin that clearly expressed he thought she was adorable. Well, at least that's what she hoped he was expressing. "On your mark–"

  "Wait," she interrupted.

  "What?" He folded his arms across his chest once more.

  "Can I have a kiss for luck?" They both knew she was stalling, and by the look on his face, knew she would only be able to stall for so long.

  "One kiss, no tongue."

  "You're being a party pooper, again, Ace."

  "And you're being a pain in my ass and if you don't stop, I'll be giving you a pain on your ass."

  He leaned in and kissed her pouting lips (without tongue, more's the pity), then stepped back and with a clear voice said, "On your mark. Get set. Go!"

  With arms and legs that felt like rubber, Jo slowly made her way through the house and up the stairs to her room to take a nice, long, hot shower. As promised, Mase had kept her in the pool until she could swim its width. Well, sort of. She still had a bit of a dog-paddle technique going on that Mase said they would work on, but he'd been happy with what they'd accomplished for the night and thankfully had let her quit. It was late, past eleven, and she was tired. She'd had a long day with yet another one on the horizon for tomorrow. Spending a big chunk of her day on the Pursuers practice field ate up precious hours of her already hectic schedule, and she found her reports falling by the wayside. She foresaw a few more late nights in her future.

  She turned on the shower and removed her bathing suit, rinsing it in the sink and hanging it on the towel rack to dry, while she waited for the water to heat. She stepped under the spray and closed her eyes, nearly moaning when the powerful jets beat into her scalp. What she wouldn't give for a shower head like this one at home.

  Lost in shower bliss, the feel of two, strong hands, covering her breasts startled her enough to make her jump. She felt the heat from Mase's chest hit her back as he whispered in her ear, "I now give you permission to kiss me with tongue."

  Jo lightly chuckled, spinning around and looping her arms around his neck. "Oh, yeah? What if I'm not in the mood anymore?"

  He reached down, sliding his fingers through her folds before slipping a finger deep inside. "You don't feel like you're not in the mood." He pulled his finger out and held it up so she could see the wetness on his finger before he sucked it between his lips.

  He maneuvered her until her back was against the marble wall, his wide, muscular back, blocking her from the spray. "I'm going to eat your pussy, Angel, but first I want to feast on these," he said, bending his head to capture her nipple in his mouth.

  Jo may have whimpered. She knew her toes curled. He sucked her nipple deep into his mouth and swirled it with his tongue as his hands ran down her back until they reached the swells of her ass where he stopped to give her cheeks a tight squeeze. At this point, Jo was pretty sure she groaned.

  He took his time, transferring to her other breast and paying it the same attention before moving down, lapping at the water droplets along her belly. "Spread for me, Angel." His warm breath whispered across her skin, and she slid her legs apart. "Wider."

  His tongue licked through her folds. She looked down. He was on his knees, the wide expanse of his back with the fierce looking dragon staring up at her, on full display. He latched onto her clit, sucking it between his teeth, and her knees went weak. "Oh, God." Her head fell back, hitting the marble wall, and she dove her fingers into his hair. She heard him chuckle against her, sending ripples of sensation tingling up her spine.

  His fingers found her again, gliding in and out, seeming to know exactly the right spot while his tongue worked at her clit, bringing her closer to orgasm. She was panting, clutching at the short spikes of his hair, forcing his head closer as she pressed herself against his mouth.

  Then his mouth and fingers were gone. Her eyes flew open and she bent her head to look at him. "Why did you stop?" Was that her voice that sounded so breathy and maybe just a tad desperate?

  His eyes, hard and intense, seared into her as he rose to his feet, hooking her behind her thighs and wrapping them around his waist. "Hold on," was his only warning before he slammed into her with so much force, her head would have clacked against the wall if he hadn't shielded it with his hand to protect her from the hard, unyielding marble.

  She clung to his shoulders, her fingers digging in deep, as her thighs squeezed his waist. His other hand, still at her ass, kneaded and squeezed, driving her crazy. She was amazed at how much such a simple thing could turn her on, make her wild. He thrust into her harder, deeper, and she loved every second of it, glorying in his power and strength, never having experienced anything like it before.

  "Fuck!" His head tipped back, and she watched the corded muscles in his neck tense. She knew he was close and that was all it took to have her falling over the edge, shattering apart.

  She was quiet as he washed her, running soapy hands over every inch of her body. She felt a bit overwhelmed and a tad vulnerable, and she wasn't quite sure where these emotions had come from. She should be glorying in the fact that she'd just had the best sex of her life, but instead, her crazy stupid brain agonized on what would happen if this whole thing fell apart. She couldn't help but wonder, with everything happening so quickly, would it all crumble to dust just as fast?

  "Tip your head back."

  "What?" She tipped her head back and blinked up at Mase.

  "Need to rinse the shampoo." She had been so lost in thought, she hadn't even noticed him washing her hair? She was in bad shape.

  He dried her before drying himself and after wrapping her snugly in a towel, walked her to his room.

  "You're quiet," he said, placing one of his T-shirts over her head.

  "I'm just tired, it's been a long day." She slipped her arms through the sleeve holes. His shirt was large on her, boxy, and hit her at mid-thigh, but the fabric was soft and still held a trace of Mase's scent.

  He steered her to the bed and pulled back the covers before motioning for her to climb in. He hit the wall switch and the room fell into darkness. She lay on her side, facing the windows and felt his movements as he entered the bed behind her. His arm came around her middle, pulling her back flush to his front, his leg covering and trapping hers, his head resting on her pillow above her own.

  "You wanna tell me why you're suddenly so quiet."

  "I told you, I'm just tired."

  "This won't work if you don't talk to me, Jo."

  Those words made her stomach drop. She didn't want things not to work, she wanted them to work forever and therein laid her fear. God, she was an emotional mess. But he deserved to know what he was getting into, have a chance to back out of this relationship before they became too involved.

  She knew she needed to
try and explain her feelings to him. It was just so hard to put her thoughts into words sometimes. "In the shower," she felt her cheeks grow warm and knew she was blushing. Thank goodness it was dark in the room. "I had never felt anything like that before. I don't want to dredge up the past, God knows I don't want to hear about all the other women before me, but compared to my not so vast sexual experience, what I feel with you is..." She struggled to find the right word. "Intense." His arm grew tighter around her waist. "I feel such a connection with you. It's like you've become a part of me, and I'm afraid if I lose you, it would be like losing a part of myself." She sighed. "I don't know if I'm explaining this well, but in a nutshell, what I feel for you is so powerful it triggers my flight instincts, making me want to run away fast and bury my head in the sand." She rolled around so she was facing him and laid her palms against his chest. "I know that's all kinds of messed up, and I'm not usually such a coward, but if you promise to stick around while I work through this, I promise to stick around, too."

  *

  Mase rolled to the far side of the bed so he could click on the bedside light. The room filled with a soft, golden glow. He wanted her to see his face when he said what he had to say to her. He rolled back over to Jo, pushing her to her back, and partially lying on top of her. He had her trapped, but didn't want her to feel trapped.

  He looked deep into her eyes, wanting her to see the truth of his words. "I'm not going anywhere, Jo. I've waited too long to find you. I love when you share your feelings with me, even if they're feelings of insecurity or doubt. I want you to share all your thoughts with me. We can't work through things if we don't talk. I need to know where your head's at so if you're having doubts, I can put you back on track.

  "You said a lot in those few short sentences, more than you realize, but I want you to know, we're on the same page. What I feel for you is all consuming. You're right, I don't want to rehash relationships that came before, but know this, I've never felt for anyone the way I feel for you. I love you, Jo, I've never loved anyone before, so remember, you have the same power to break me as I have you. Your fear is my fear. The fear of losing you."