by Melinda Minx
To silence everyone, I grab her by the waist, pull her into me, and kiss her again. I kiss her deep and warm, not holding it quite as long as our first kiss in the car, but long enough to shut everyone the fuck up. Long enough to get a taste of her again. I could tell she’d never kissed anyone before—not that I want to make a big deal out of it and embarrass her—but already on her second kiss, she’s getting really fucking good at it.
When I let go of her, I realize no one is watching us anymore. No one cares. Her displaying some confidence about herself has finally shut everyone up, and now we can just enjoy the night together.
We dance to Usher, OutKast, and Destiny’s Child. We dance fast, and we dance slow. Neither of us are very good at dancing, but neither of us cares. During the slow dances, I feel her pressed up against my body, and I hold her by the waist. I’ve done much more—and much faster—with plenty of girls, but it’s never felt this good just to hold someone.
After a while, I hear a lot of noise near the drink table.
“Isn’t that your brother?” Sophie says, looking over towards the commotion.
I see Eric and Dan Grossman stumbling around near the table. Some guy—I think it’s Nick Miller—is red-faced. He shoves Eric, knocking him into the table.
The table, and all the pre-filled plastic cups of punch, fall to the ground.
Sophie looks at me nervously.
“I gotta go help him,” I say. “Fucking Eric.”
Sophie frowns and nods.
I rush over toward Eric, who is pulling his drunk ass back up to his feet. Nick’s fists are still all balled up, and he looks like he’s only letting Eric get back up so he can knock him down again.
“Nick!” I shout.
He turns to face me. “Fuck off, Mason, this has got nothing to do with you.”
“He’s my brother.”
Nick turns to me, as Eric stumbles back up. His shirt is stained with punch. Dan laughs and taps Eric on the arm, egging him on. Dan looks even more drunk than Eric.
But Nick has turned his anger toward me. “You know what he did?”
I look over at Nick. “Looks like he spiked the punch and had too much to drink. Come on, Nick, you got a good hit on him—”
Eric rushes Nick from behind. He ducks his head down like a charging bull.
I open my mouth and point, but Eric head butts Nick in the back before he can turn around. Nick grunts as Eric crushes him to the floor.
Dan cheers, and Nick’s friends bum-rush me. As if I started the fucking fight.
I may not start fights—not usually at least—but I sure as hell fight back if someone hits me.
Three guys move toward me, and I slam my fist into the first one’s jaw, knocking him back straight away.
The other two see it and get cold feet. They stop in place and start to back up.
I eye them down, daring them to hit me.
Two teachers are coming now, shouting at Nick, who is punching Eric in the face.
I grab Nick and peel him off my brother, and then slam an elbow into his face to knock some sense into him.
“Fuck off!” I shout, shoving him backward.
The teachers step between me, Nick, and his friends. Eric is laughing, but his face is all bloody.
“Steel!” The teacher angrily looks at me, shouting, “You and your brother...out!”
I nod. “Let me get my date…”
“Out!”
I see Sophie standing in the crowd that’s gathered around. I grab Eric by one arm and start heading toward Sophie.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
“They’re kicking me out of the dance,” I say. “You want to come with me, or…?”
She grabs hold of my free hand. Holding my fuck-up brother’s arm with one hand, and Sophie clasping the other, we head out into the night.
As soon as we’re outside, the feeling of Homecoming is gone. My suit and Sophie’s dress feel totally out of place, and Eric is mumbling something as blood drips down his face.
“Let me help you clean him up,” Sophie says.
We get him seated on a bench a few feet away from the building, and I go to grab some oil rags from the trunk of my car.
When I get back to the bench, Sophie is sitting next to Eric and smiling as she talks to him. It looks like she’s trying to get his mind off whatever got him going in the first place.
She grabs the oil rags out of my hand and starts cleaning Eric’s face.
“I stole his girl,” Eric says.
“You proud of that?” I ask.
Eric grins. “Yeah, Lana Del Gotto? You seen her? She told me that I’m twice the size as Nick, she said that—”
“Shut up,” I hiss.
“I already told Sophie the whole thing,” Eric says, grinning. “You don’t have to spare her, bro.”
“So where’s Lana now, huh?”
“Nick might have a small dick, but he’s got more money than we do. Nick’s never had to fish a day in his life, and his parents will send him to a nice school in Boston as soon as he graduates. Girls will always stick to money. Nick’s a free pass out of Tuckett Bay. I’m a fun diversion. Women are bloodsuckers.”
Sophie gives me a look.
“But not you, huh, Sophie?” Eric says. “You’ve got a pure heart, right?”
“You gotta work on your impulse control, man,” I say, grabbing Eric by the shoulders. “Just because you want to do something, or you think it feels right in the moment, doesn’t mean you just do it.”
“You saying I should grow up, huh?” Eric asks. “You saying I should stop being a fuck-up?”
“Basically, yeah,” I say. “There’s still time. Or you wanna end up here, working on a boat into your late fifties, early sixties?”
Eric nods, and I actually think he’s taking my advice seriously. For once in his damn life.
10
Sophie
Fifteen Years Ago
I’d honestly hoped that Mason would stick to his reputation, and that he’d sleep with me on our first real date. Maybe if Eric hadn’t gotten into the fight, then maybe I’d have ended up “taking a ride” with Mason in his famous Camaro.
Instead, he holds me close and kisses me for the third time that night. It’s a real, passionate good night kiss.
I beam up at him after our lips part. “That was good.”
Mason nods. “I know you’ve heard stuff about me, Sophie, but…”
“It’s not true?”
He looks down at his feet. “It is true. But maybe I don’t have to be that guy?”
I give him a sinful smile and eye his Camaro. “Didn’t you tell me not to hide who you are?”
“Is that what you want?” he asks. “You wanna fuck in my car? And you want me to forget your name and never call you again? You really want that?
I bite my lip. “Maybe just the first part…”
He laughs and shakes his head. “We got time, Sophie. Trust me, it’s not like I don’t want to tear that dress off you right now, but I don’t want that other stuff to happen so fast. Maybe I’m just talking shit, but I feel like we got something real here. Don’t you?”
I nod, but I barely believe what I’m hearing. Mason Steel doesn’t talk like that. Especially not to me.
“You’re not just saying that,” I say, “to make me feel better? You’re not letting me down easy?”
“Where’d your confidence go?” he asks, grinning. “This may be good night, but it’s just the beginning for us.”
The next morning, in the middle of my second class, the door swings open, and Ms. Bierman tells our teacher in a frantic voice to turn on the TV.
When the screen flashes on, we all look up to see the World Trade Center on fire. And then footage of a plane flying into its Twin Tower.
MASON - PROLOGUE
“I grew up,” Eric says, stepping inside the living room.
Mom and I have been watching the TV for the past five hours, solemn and numb, trying to make sense
of whatever the fuck is happening in New York, DC, and Pennsylvania, but Eric has been MIA.
“What?” I ask. “You seeing this shit on the news?”
“Yeah,” Eric says. “I saw it, and I did what you told me to do, Mason. I grew up.”
Mom and I look at him, not really following what he’s telling us. He’s got bruises all over his face from the fight the other night, and despite his words, he still looks like a kid.
“What did you do?” Mom asks, standing up from where she had been sitting on the couch since this morning.
She seems to know something I don’t. She can read him better than I can.
“Enlisted,” Eric says, sticking his chest out. “I’m going to fight those fuckers. Whoever did this is going to pay.”
“No!” Mom shouts. “You’re my baby, you can’t!”
She goes hysterical and begs Eric, clinging to his shirt with tears streaming down her face, to go back to the recruiter, to change his mind.
“I already did the physical,” Eric says. “As long as I pass, I’m in. No going back. I can’t be a fuck-up anymore. I learned that the other night...I’m tired of being a nobody. Now I’ve got purpose. And my purpose isn’t to be a fucking no-name fisherman in Tuckett Bay.”
I’m in Sophie’s room, on her bed, holding her in my arms. Her dad isn’t home. The news has finally died down—you can finally turn the TV on without seeing footage of the attacks circulating non-stop on loop—but Eric’s decision has made it so I can’t forget.
No, my decision doesn’t allow me to forget. I haven’t told Sophie yet, but tonight I have to. I can’t hold it back from her any longer.
“What’s wrong?” she asks. “I can tell you’re hiding something. Is it Eric again?”
I nod, and she runs her hand up along my abs. I squeeze her hand and then push it away.
“Jesus, Mason,” she says, standing up, fuming with anger at me. “You say you like me, but you sure don’t seem interested in touching me. Or letting me touch you. And don’t blame it on Eric.”
I look up at her, dread filling my chest. “He’s my little brother. I have to watch out for him. I have to protect him.”
She shakes her head. “I know. Maybe he won’t get sent off to war, but if he does...what can you do?”
I stand up and smooth her hair back, look her straight-on in the eyes, and say it. “I joined up too, Sophie, I gotta go protect my brother.”
I see her face turn ghostly white and then it nearly breaks apart, but she quickly pulls it back together. “How long?”
“I dunno,” I say. “Shit, we don’t even really know for sure who attacked us? We don’t know who all was involved.”
“I mean, how long do we have left?” she asks.
I pull her close to me and say, “Forever. If you’ll wait for me.”
“I’ll wait for you,” she says. “But I want you, Mason.” Her eyes have darkened and they bore into mine. “Now.”
She pushes me backward until I tumble onto her bed, and then she straddles me, and presses her lips against mine. I don’t resist. She drinks me in thirstily—hungry with desire. Her hands grab at my belt, tear at it.
“Slow down, Sophie—”
“No,” she says, locking eyes with me.
Something takes over me then, some kind of animal instinct. I grab her strongly by the waist and flip her onto her back. Suddenly I’m hovering on top of her. And I’m not just tearing at my belt. It’s already off.
Her face flushes red, and her lips part. She gasps for air.
It’s a fucking frenzy. She knows I’m leaving, and she’s wanted me to do this for a while now. She wants me now, before I’m gone. But I don’t want to rush this, it’s Sophie’s first time, and it’s bound to be my last for a long fucking time. This memory will be one of the few good things I can hold onto, to get me through whatever is to come.
She pulls my body back down on top of her. Our lips are connected again, and I slide my tongue against hers as my hand slides up under her shirt.
She breaks the kiss and says in a hurried pant, “Let me get it off.”
I laugh and pull my hand away. I can still feel the warmth of her belly lingering on my hand.
She sits up and tugs her shirt off, and her big breasts spill out over her bra. She laughs as she catches me staring, my mouth agape.
“Come on,” she says.
“Cut me a break,” I say, grinning. “I’ve been using a lot of brainpower ever since I met you to imagine what they look like, and now I’ve almost seen ‘em.”
She smiles and reaches back to unclasp her bra, and moments later the lacy prison falls away. Her nipples are rock hard and pointing out, and as much as I want to stand back and appreciate her body in all its glory, I find myself shoving her back against the comforter and pinning her down.
My hands trail up her sides to cup her breasts. Their warmth fills my hands, and I stare down at those beautiful fucking nipples. If I’m not careful, they’ll poke my eye out. Or at least it looks that way.
She giggles as I squeeze her big mounds, but soon her giggles give way to guttural moans, and I see her eyes closing, her chin tilting back.
“God, Sophie,” I say hoarsely, running my fingers up to her nipples, then circling them gently along the sensitive and swollen skin.
I pinch one nipple, with just light pressure, but Sophie gasps and screams.
I stop, suddenly, worried I went too far.
“Don’t stop, Mason!” she pleads.
I squeeze her nipple again, harder, and as she moans, my dick gets so hard that I worry my jeans will snap it right off. But I don’t have time to get my pants off, I’ve gotta bury myself in Sophie’s tits.
I squeeze her nipple harder between my fingers, and I go for the other one with my mouth. I attack it with my lips and tongue, sucking on her while flicking it with my tongue.
Her whole body bucks up against me, and her hand clutches the back of my head, her nails digging into my scalp through my hair. She presses me into her, begging for more.
And I give her all I’ve fucking got.
Then I notice her legs are squirming a lot. If I’m this fucking hard, she’s gotta be soaking wet.
I let go of her breasts, popping her nipple out of my mouth. Both breasts are now wet with my saliva, and her nipples have somehow become even harder.
I slide back down her body, reluctantly away from her sensitive breasts. They sway as I move down her body, until they finally come to rest. Now I’m just below her belt. I grab hold of it while looking her straight in the eyes.
She bites at her lower lip and looks at me with those beautiful fucking green eyes, the lust-filled gaze is one I’m sure I’ll never forget. Whatever hellhole desert the army decides to send me to, those green eyes will be there with me. Already I’m sure of that.
I pull at her belt until it’s loose, and she presses her hips and ass up off the bed to help me. I slide the belt all the way off.
Her wet pussy is so close to me now, if I went fast—if I had no patience—I could have my tongue licking her up in just short of two seconds. But I’ve got a bit more patience than that.
I open my hand and press my palm against her belly, feeling her warmth. My cock is still pressing and throbbing in my own jeans, but the longer I wait to let it out, the better it will feel in the end.
I slide my hand down. Her jeans are really low-cut, barely covering her panty line. I trace my fingers around the waist of her jeans, and as I get to the center, I dip my finger just below. I feel the soft cotton of her panties beneath my finger. Sophie lets out a low moan.
“I’ve barely touched you,” I say, licking my lips.
“I’m imagining how it’s going to feel,” she says. “I don’t think it’s going to hurt.”
“I’m gonna’ get you soaking wet first,” I say.
“I already am,” she breathes out in a gasping voice.
“You’d be surprised just how wet I can make a girl.”
/> “You already made me wet, Mason,” she says. “Before you even looked at me. I’d fantasized about you before you even knew my name.”
I laugh. “I always knew who you were, Sophie, I just never figured you’d be into a guy like me.”
She rolls her eyes. “Stop it, you’re straining believability.”
She’s slipping back into the Sophie with no confidence. I’ve got to punish her for that.
I slide my hand all the way down. My fingers slide against her soaking wet lips, and I run a finger through her dripping wetness, then up to her clit. I press gently.
You wouldn’t think I’d only put a little bit of pressure on it, because Sophie fucking explodes.
“Fuck!” she shouts. Her body bucks like a newly-stringed bow, and even as strong as I am, it takes me some pushing to get her back down flat. I move my fingers back up, outside of her panty line. I start to trace my fingers around her navel.
“What…” she pants, “what are you—why did you stop?” She grabs at her jeans and starts to peel them off.
I laugh. “It’s fun to see you squirm.”
“That’s why you stopped?” she huffs, nearly enraged. She throws her jeans hard against the wall.
I lose track of what I was doing, because she’s now nearly completely nude. Only her tiny panties are still there. I can see her body in all its glory, just how I’ve imagined it for months now. The real thing is better than my fantasy.
“I’m taking these off, Mason,” she says.
“Do it.”
She pulls off the cotton panties, and I watch with wonder as she becomes fully nude. As fun as I’m having teasing her, the moment they are off, I dive in between her legs. Before she can even react, my tongue is on her clit.
Then she reacts. I have to grab hold of her waist with both hands and use my strength to keep her pinned. Her body fights against me to buck up, but I hold her down. I’ll let her up once she’s cumming for me. Not a moment sooner.
I taste all of her juices as my tongue runs up and down her soaked lips. She slams her arms against the bed and squeals. I press my lips more forcefully against her clit, and massage it with my tongue.