Mason's Resolution

by Kristine Allen

The ache began again as I watched Steph settle her infant son to her breast. My thoughts wandered as I watched the incredibly sweet moment with a slight smile on my face. The vision came unprompted to my mind of me in the same position with a golden-haired baby held to my own breast as I watched him suckle. In my daydream, I looked up to my baby’s father as he leaned over the back of the bench I sat on, to tenderly kiss our son’s head and then my cheek. The amount of love that surrounded our little family was unbelievable, and I couldn’t help but smile in overwhelming bliss. As my gaze moved up into my dream world husband’s eyes, I was startled to meet familiar, beautiful, dark-lashed, light hazel eyes reflecting the love that bloomed unrestrained in my heart.

  Oh Shit. What the hell was that? I’m losing my ever-loving mind!

  Shaking my head, I jumped up from my chair. When Steph asked me if I was okay, I gave a false smile. “Of course, I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be? I’m just going in to start supper.”

  Jesus. For some insane reason, my mind had conjured Hollywood up as my future husband and father of my child.

  Good God, I needed to get a grip.

  Yeah, it was ballsy of me to invite myself to dinner at Reaper and Steph’s, but she loved me and I knew she wouldn’t mind. After the brief discussions we’d had, I also knew she wouldn’t mind playing matchmaker between me and Becca. And with the chemistry that had exploded this morning, I needed to see Becca again ASAP. Something deep in my soul called to her, knowing she belonged with me.

  Mine continuously circled in my head. The visceral desire to claim her body and soul was overwhelming.

  She hadn’t looked happy, and I was determined to find out why. She may not be with that Trevor guy, but I wasn’t sure what the details were with all that. The sooner we talked, the better. She was mine, and there was no way she was leaving here until she admitted it. It was obvious she felt the connection; it just remained to be seen if she felt it as deeply as I did. The startled look in her eyes when our skin touched made me hope so. Now, I just needed to be able to get her alone tonight to talk to her.

  “Stop. My plans really are to just talk to her. That’s it. Okay, fine. Yeah, if she let me kiss her again and wrap her firm body up in my arms, then hell yeah, I’m going to do it. Quit making it sound like I have nefarious plans to seduce her,” I mumbled.

  I needed to quit talking to myself. Jesus.

  The rest of the afternoon seemed to crawl by in slow motion. It was my job at the shop to do the custom paint jobs on top of basic mechanic work. Before starting at the shop, I had never thought of myself as an artist, but for some reason, I could paint the hell out of a bike. The designs just seemed to flow from me, and it was pretty cool. Even I couldn’t deny it. Truth be told, I loved it. We had a really nice Harley Street Glide we were doing a lot of custom work on for a guy out on the west coast. He was some new rock star sensation, but he seemed like a pretty cool fucking dude, not one of those stuck-on-himself-too-cool-to-mingle-with-the-little-guys type.

  The finished product was going to be pretty badass, and my paint job was definitely kickass. The tank had a deck of cards flying toward a vanishing point in various positions, as if they were flipping and flying through smoky air. On the front fender, smoky tendrils started, leading to the batwing fairing where a skeleton in a top hat with a red rose and a black bowtie was positioned so he appeared to be the one flipping the cards through the air. You just had to see it to truly appreciate it. Who would have thought a sniper’s spotter would end up creating shit like that?

  Regardless of how busy I was all day, Becca was never far from my mind, and every time I looked at the clock, it barely seemed to be moving. By the time I noticed it was nearly five, my heart raced erratically as I waited for the last few minutes to tick by while I cleaned up my area. You would think, as much as I looked forward to seeing her again today, I wouldn’t be so fucking nervous. It was the anticipation, I guessed.

  It was just completely unnerving now that I realized how badly I coveted Becca’s heart and soul. Shit, what the fuck was getting into me?

  Stop it. I’m not usually so sappy. Don’t judge me.

  It just felt like I was constantly on edge and waiting for the proverbial other shoe to drop. There was an innate restlessness that was screaming at me to leave now and get to Becca as fast as I could before she could slip away from me. Fuck.

  Reaper was putting all his tools away, and I told him I’d wait out by the bikes for him. He was talking on his cell and gave me a nod of his head in agreement. The brothers who lived in their own places were starting to trickle out and head home to their families. The music from inside the clubhouse gained intensity as the jukebox was turned up to be heard over the jesting and laughter of the guys. At this time of day, some would be racking up the balls to shoot pool; others were probably sitting at the small bar bullshitting. Still, more would head over to the Oasis, Steph’s pub, to hang out and gorge on some of the meals Steph had designed as signature dishes for the Oasis.

  “You in a hurry for something, bro?” Reaper was being a cocky asshole with that grin. Fucker knew damn well why I invited myself to dinner—besides Steph’s amazing culinary genius, that is. Trying to act relaxed and patient was damn near killing me. My head and heart were about to explode.

  By the time Reaper started his bike, smiled, and rolled out of the lot toward his place, I was so anxious to lay my eyes on her, I couldn’t stand it. Once we hit the road, I quickly worked through my gears until my bike ate up the few miles to their home. We rolled our bikes up to the garage and set the kickstands. Reaper was still grinning at me with a teasing expression as he got off his bike.

  “Shut the fuck up.” He hadn’t said a word, but I knew what he was thinking, and he needed to just stuff it. Motherfucker. Like he hadn’t panted after Steph when he found her again. Despite knowing where I hoped things would end up with Becca, there were no guarantees in this life. What I knew for sure was I wanted her like no one I had ever wanted before. Maybe this wasn’t a forever thing. Maybe after a while, I would be able to work her out of my system, but right now, I just knew I wanted her. I wanted to be inside her, wrapped around her and owning her. The thought of that Trevor asshole or any other guy having their hands on her soft skin had me damn near seeing red. Something about her brought out a crazy possessive side of me. Not in like a stalker, creepy way, so don’t even go there.

  She just felt like… well… like she was mine.

  STEPH HAD CONCOCTED SOME sort of fancy chicken on a bed of seasoned rice with Asparagus spears and carrots, seasoned with some kind of deliciousness.

  I made… the salad.

  Boy, did I feel like I went all out.

  Yes, sarcasm intended.

  Now, in my defense, I did make my mom’s famous coconut cake for dessert. Thanks to my mom, baking was really more my thing. One thing I could say as I sat smelling the amazing aromas that permeated the kitchen was Reaper must never get bored with Steph’s food! He better stay active, or he would easily be six hundred pounds one day, I giggled to myself.

  My eyes kept darting over to the clock to see how much longer before the guys were home. Every minute crawled by until I heard the rumble of their Harley’s as they pulled up out front. One of them said something, and then I heard laughter that sounded like Reaper, but I wasn’t sure. The fluttering in my chest and stomach increased.

  Looking down, I noticed I had flour on my T-shirt and sticky Remi handprints on my jeans from when I let her lick the bowl of frosting.

  Crap!

  “I’ll be right back!” I shouted to Steph as I raced down the hall to the spare bedroom, stripping out of my clothes as soon as the door closed. As I stood digging through my bag for a clean pair of jeans and a shirt that didn’t say I had dressed up for him, but one that didn’t make me look like a bum, I heard Reaper coming down the hall. He must be going to their room to get cleaned up too. Okay, good, I had time.

  That’s when the door burst open and Mason stepped in t
he room. Whatever he was getting ready to say froze on his tongue, and I was immobilized for a moment in shock before grabbing a pillow off the bed next to me and holding it over myself.

  Shit, I was in my underwear! Granted, they were nice ones—my favorite red set—but I wasn’t expecting anyone to just come barging in! Damn.

  “Excuse me! Do you not know how to knock?” It was hell trying to keep my face from giving away the rush I felt just seeing him. I tried to maintain an indignant look. I was sure I failed, but I tried. The man had already seen me in much less, but that was before.

  Before what? I don’t know… Shut up.

  When I saw him close the door softly and lean back against it, I felt my body tingling and a flood of wetness at my core. Oh man, oh man. How did he do that to me just by looking at me?

  Oh no, he was not coming toward me with a feral gleam in his eye. No, no, no. Oh shit, yes, he was.

  I held a hand out in front of me to ward him off, like I didn’t want to crawl up his sexy body like a spider monkey. “Hollywood, what are you doing? No. Don’t you come over here! Hollywood!” I started to panic at the thought of not being able to control myself if he got too close. But it was already much too late. He gently took the pillow from me and set it on the bed before placing his hands on either side of my neck and sliding them up until his fingers were buried in my curls. I was sure he could hear my heart beating, because it sure as hell felt like it was pounding out of my chest. His lips parted, and he started to lean closer.

  When his lips brushed against mine hesitantly at first, I felt a jolt of electricity… or energy… or something… shoot through my entire body. Whatever it was, I didn’t want it to stop. When my hands curled up around his body and over his shoulder to pull him closer, the kiss deepened into a crazy, frantic exchange, like we were trying to meld right into each other. My nipples were so hard the friction of them against my lace bra was almost uncomfortable. God knew when his hands slid down to my thighs, but I felt them gliding up from my thighs to cup my ass and pull me tight to his body. Oh wow, he was seriously turned on, unless the large ridge I felt in his jeans was something other than his dick.

  My nails dug in to the leather over his shoulders, and I moaned into his mouth as he pulled me even closer, placing pressure on my clit. Sweet baby Jesus, the sensations washing over me made me whimper. He lifted me up until my legs were wrapped around his waist, and I felt his leg rise as he climbed on the bed while holding me. Our kiss broke off as he laid me back across the comforter. A whine slipped out of my mouth at the loss of contact from both his lips and groin.

  “Hollywood…” The breathless whine of my voice was foreign to me.

  “Mason. For you, it’s Mason, not Hollywood.” His voice was as breathless as mine.

  We were both breathing heavy as he stared into my eyes as the back of his hand skimmed along my skin until his fingertips were running along the inside of my panties. When his fingers dipped down into my folds, I knew he felt how turned on I was. It was evident in the mixed look of triumph and pain in his eyes, which appeared more green than gold. My breath caught at the feeling of his finger slipping in and out of my channel before he added a second digit.

  Dear God, don’t let him stop…

  My head pressed back into the bed, and gasping breaths slipped from my mouth as his fingers moved in and out, curling against just the right place to push me into sensory overload. The heel of his hand placed pressure in circular motions on my clit, and his name whispered from my lips as I grasped desperately at the comforter. “Yes, just like that…” Was that me hissing out words of encouragement to this gorgeous man with his hand between my legs? My hands were still wildly grasping the bedding. My subconscious must have thought, if I could get a strong enough grip on something, then I could control the crashing waves of insane desire he was creating in me.

  My breasts ached, my entire body quivering and on edge. Jesus, he is so good at this. The feeling of absolute fulfillment at his hands was about to overtake me, the ripples starting at the periphery of my being.

  “Let go, Becca. Give it up for me. Show me again how fucking gorgeous you are when you come.” His words whispered across my neck. He increased the pressure on my clit and his fingers played my G-spot like the most skilled pianist. The pressure kept building, and every muscle in my body tightened in expectation. When the explosion came, I saw white flash behind my closed lids and his name was a groan from deep in my soul. His lips crashed to mine in an effort to contain my moans of ecstasy as his hand continued to work me, squeezing out every bit of pleasure and extending my orgasm until I thought I might completely combust.

  When I finally started my descent back to Earth, he broke off from our kiss so we could breathe and rested his forehead against mine. “God, Becca, you’re so fucking stunning. I could spend all day in bed with you, making you come, just to see that look on your face. You are so damn amazing to me.” His fingers continued to stroke within my core as he kept pressure on my clit, causing me to clench against them in an aftershock of pleasure. When he pulled his hand from my panties and raised it to his lips, I almost died. Surely he wasn’t going to… oh God, he did. He licked his fingers as if the cream coating them was the sweetest delicacy.

  Shit, that was hot.

  “Jesus, Mason. What the hell are you doing to me? You’re going to drive me crazy if you keep this up.” My voice sounded breathless and soft—so foreign to my ears. I watched as he removed his fingers and leaned closer before running his tongue along the shell of my ear, causing goose bumps to erupt along my skin. He then nipped my ear with his teeth.

  Mmmm, damn his teeth on my skin were a wild turn-on.

  “Becca, baby, I’ve only just begun to pleasure you. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll have forgotten the feel of any other man inside you. The only name that will come to your lips in climax is mine. Your body will crave my touch like an addiction.” His breath puffed against my ear and neck as he spoke, causing the chills to ripple through my body with a shudder of desire.

  Oh dear God in heaven. What he didn’t know was I already did.

  “You probably won’t believe me, but I really did just come in here to tell you dinner was ready. Then when I saw you standing there in just those tiny scraps of red lace, it was my undoing. You do things to me no other woman ever has.” It was important for her to know that while I didn’t for a second regret what had just passed between us, I didn’t come in here intent of seducing her. Of course, I can’t say that wasn’t on the agenda for later, but hey, I wasn’t admitting that just yet.

  She bit that bottom lip between her little white teeth and my cock jerked, reminding me I had neglected it. Fuck.

  “Becca, please stop that shit or we will not be having dinner with everyone.” My tongue ran across her bottom lip and teeth, extricating her lip from their punishment and allowing me to gently suck it in before ending in a tender, lingering kiss.

  I crawled off the bed, reaching for her hand to help her up. When she stood, I pulled her body gently to mine before placing another soft, chaste kiss on her lips and the tip of her nose. My hands gripped her ass in a possessive hold.

  “Baby, we need to talk. Ride with me after dinner.” It wasn’t really a request, but her green eyes met mine and she nodded before cupping my head and kissing my cheek. She stood there on her tiptoes and held the side of her face to mine for a minute before she spoke.

  “I need to get some clothes on, so unless you want me to go out and have dinner dressed like this, you need to let me go.” She gave a teasing little grin and stepped back until my hands rested lightly on her hips. The thought of Reaper, or any man, seeing her like this made me feel an irrational burst of jealousy, so I reluctantly let her pull out of my arms to dress.

  My eyes devoured her every movement as she stepped into a pair of snug-fitting jeans and slipped on a long-sleeve, black Metallica tee with vintage print across her chest. I had never been more jealous of a band in my life. She
sat on the bed to pull on a pair of socks and then walked over to grab a pair of boots. When she bent over to tug them on one at a time, I had to adjust my dick just from the view of her perfect, firm ass and the tiny glimpse of skin where her shirt raised up slightly.

  Shit, I’m in trouble with this girl, and I truly don’t give a rat’s ass.

  She straightened up and looked at me. Yeah, totally busted checking her out, and her smirk said she knew exactly what I had been doing. I shrugged my shoulders and gave her a shit-eating grin.

  “Hey, what can I say? I’m a red-blooded man and you are one fine-looking woman.”

  The sound of her laughter made my stomach flip. She raised an eyebrow as she tried to turn the knob and found it locked.

  “Well, after I saw you like that, I figured it wouldn’t be a good thing for someone to walk in on us while we came to an, uhhhh…. understanding.” Winking at her, I reached around and unlocked the door, opened it, and waved her through in a “ladies first” manner.

  Best. View. Ever.

  Walking behind her was something I could handle doing every day. Well, maybe not. I might end up with a perpetual hard-on. That shit would suck. Hmmm, unless it led to us being in bed. Then, of course, we would never get anything done. No job, no money, no place to live… probably a bad idea.

  “Earth to Hollywood, Earth to Hollywood. Are you done checking out Becca’s ass? Because I’d like to eat the amazing food my wife made for us sometime tonight.” I jumped at the sound of Reaper’s voice. He stood in the doorway to the living room with his arms crossed over his chest, trying not to laugh at me. Shit, was I really that engrossed in looking at her ass? Dammit. What the hell was wrong with me? Grinning like an idiot, I decided I really didn’t care that he saw me staring. She was like a drug crawling through my blood, and I totally needed to fuck her until I got her out of my system. Then maybe we could go our separate ways.

  But if I was just going to fuck her and forget her, why did it piss me off to think of her with someone else after we were done? Because every nerve in my body screamed she was mine every time I saw her.