Rise: Contemporary Romance (Creamy's Bakery Book 2)

by Aspen Drake

“Mason…” I hold up my hand to stop him.

  He leans back and takes a drink. When he looks at me, his green eyes pierce into mine.

  “We’re actually staying here for a while,” I say uncomfortably.

  “You are?” He looks at me with confusion. “Sorry, I didn’t know. Is everything okay?”

  “I’m sure you don’t want to hear all about my woes.”

  He sets his glass down on the coffee table in front of us. Placing his hand gently on my knee, Mason looks straight into my eyes. “I want to know everything I can about you.”

  I glance to my now empty glass and his almost empty one. “We may need another drink.”

  He nods and grabs my glass. “I’ll be right back.”

  Chapter Three

  Mason

  I don’t want to believe what Beth is telling me. Each word comes as a shock as she recalls the story about JR being abusive with her. My hands clench into fists on my lap as she explains his manipulation and threats.

  “Beth…” My mind goes blank as I say her name. I’m left speechless. What do you say to someone who’s had so much suffering in their life? To someone whose every move is guarded with a sense of dread.

  “It’s okay.” Her eyes are glassy from crying as she tells her story.

  “I should have known something was wrong when I spoke to Amy that first time you were here.”

  “I asked her not to tell anyone. Don’t be upset with her.”

  Taking Beth’s hand in mine, I hold it tightly. “Thank you for trusting me. I wish you had told me sooner.”

  “You couldn’t have done anything, Mason. But thank you.”

  Chuckling more to myself than to her, I nod. “Maybe… But I just thought you didn’t like me. At least I know that’s not the case.”

  “I like you just fine,” she says, and then blushes when she realizes what I mean.

  “Oh, really?”

  “Well, uh...” She stutters uncomfortably and takes a sip from the third glass of wine I poured for her from the bottle I brought back with me.

  “It’s okay. I was just picking on you.” I smile and give her a wink. Thinking back to the first time I saw Beth, my smile grows even wider. Somehow, she’s even more beautiful today. The sundress she’s wearing stops right above her knees, showing off her beautifully toned legs.

  The wine must be affecting her because her C-cups are heaving from her panted breaths. Her chest and face are flushed from the alcohol. My gaze drifts to her long brown curls that cascade perfectly to frame her face. Her plump lips and tiny nose have me staring at her. Before I realize it, Beth smiles and waves her hand in front of my face.

  “Earth to Mason,” she says with a tipsy laugh. “Do I have a bug on me now?”

  My eyes snap to hers and a fit of laughter erupts between us. She leans in and places her hand on my shoulder, grasping me firmly. My smile fades as I look at her. I can feel my heart beating a mile a minute at her touch and I become hyperaware of her proximity to me. Her blue eyes fixate on mine and then move to my lips. When she pulls her lower lip in between her teeth, I think I forget to breathe.

  Moving slowly, I’m careful not to startle her as I place my lips on hers. Pressing slightly at first, I wait in anticipation to see if she pulls away. When she doesn’t, I don’t hold back any longer. I pull her lower lip into my mouth, wanting to nip at it just as she did earlier. A soft moan comes from her throat and causes my dick to twitch. It presses hard against the slacks I’m wearing as my arousal increases.

  Our passion ignites, distracting us for several minutes as my tongue explores her mouth. She returns my enthusiasm. After several minutes, she breaks away and looks at me, panting even heavier.

  “Beth.” Through my own panted breaths, I rest my forehead on hers. “I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”

  The corners of her mouth lift. “You have?”

  “Yes, and I’m sorry I waited so long to do it.”

  “Don’t be. I’m just glad you finally stopped waiting.”

  “I know I’m doing this a bit backwards, but maybe I could take you out sometime.”

  “Oh.” Her eyes become sad and her head tilts downward, looking at her hands folded in her lap. “It’s just… I’m not in a great place right now, and well, it wouldn’t be fair to you.”

  “Beth, I just want to spend time with you. Get to know you better.”

  “But JR―”

  “I’m not going to let some creep like JR keep me from exploring more with you,” I say, interrupting her. “And I hope you won’t either.”

  Her smile returns and I lean in for another kiss. We separate when Amy’s voice drifts in from the hallway.

  “I was wondering where the two of you got off to.” Amy makes her way over to us, seemingly oblivious to the make-out session I was having with her sister.

  “It was hot out,” Beth says, clearing her throat and laughing slightly. “We decided to come in for a bit.”

  “Mommy!” A small voice calls from behind us as Isla runs over and plops down on the couch between Beth and me.

  “Hey, baby. Did you have fun outside?” Beth wipes some crumbs off Isla’s cheek.

  “Yes.” She nods her head emphatically. “What have you been doing, Mommy?”

  Looking at Beth, I stifle a grin while her face becomes embarrassed. “I was talking with Mr. Mason.”

  “Hi, Mr. Mason.” Isla’s sweet voice is only matched by her beautiful features. She definitely inherited those from her mother.

  Leaning over, I whisper in Isla’s ear. “You can just call me Mason.”

  She giggles slightly, looking at me as if we now share a secret. Getting to know Beth means getting to know her daughter. Even though I haven’t been around a lot of kids, I can tell that I’m going to get along well with Isla.

  Chapter Four

  Becca

  “Becca, you look stunning as usual.” Joe’s six foot four frame fills my entryway as I open the door and grab my handbag from the hall table. I glance down at the pink A-line dress I put on for the evening along with a pair of four inch heels.

  “Thank you, Joe. You look quite handsome yourself.” I gush at him and make him smile. The blue button-down shirt he’s wearing stretches over his cut torso, showing a hint of his tight chest.

  He runs a hand through his dark locks, his cheeks flushing crimson. It always amazes me how bashful he seems around me because he carries such confidence around others.

  His southern drawl always makes me smile. “Are you ready to go?”

  “Absolutely.” I hurry out the door and close it behind me. “Where are we heading?”

  “Wherever the lady desires,” he says in a mock-formal accent. Mixed with his drawl, it sounds odd and makes me laugh.

  “Hmmm.” Thinking about my day at work, surrounded by pastries, anything not sweet or fluffy would be good. “Steak?”

  “Steak it is. I know just the place.” The perfect gentlemen, he opens his car door for me and shuts it once I’m safely inside. The drive to the restaurant is full of mindless chatter about our day. Joe talks about the club and all the changes he wants to make to the bar area.

  I try my best to make cream sticks sound exciting. Of course, with Mason trying to broaden Creamy’s menu into more baked cookies and cakes, I did have some disasters to share. Today I tried to create the perfect recipe for peanut butter cookies.

  Needless to say, it wasn’t perfect.

  Even though my work isn’t as exciting as what goes on in his club, he always pays close attention to what I’m saying, as though the next word out of my mouth could be brilliant.

  When he pulls the car into the Ruth Chris’ parking lot, my mouth begins to water. Just thinking about a perfectly seasoned and juicy filet makes my stomach growl.

  Once we’re seated at our table and we’ve placed our drink orders, Joe and I settle into our now familiar discussions of becoming more acquainted. “Tell me about your family,” I say as the waiter comes back with
our drinks.

  After placing our dinner order, Joe gets around to answering my question. “I’m the oldest of three. Frank is three years younger than me, and my sister, Kelly, is eight years younger.”

  “The oldest, huh.” I smile at him. “No wonder you’re so sweet. Lots of practice.”

  Joe chuckles. “You can say that. They definitely tried my patience growing up. But I love them both and wouldn’t trade the world for either of them. How about you? Any brothers or sisters?”

  “No, I’m an only child. Guess my parents decided I was a handful and didn’t need anymore.”

  “Or they realized they had already made perfection.” His eyes rove over my face, and although he’s always treated me like a lady, the lust behind his gaze is unmistakable. Heat flushes through my body under his scrutiny.

  “This looks amazing,” I say, picking up my fork and knife as soon as our food arrives.

  “It does,” he says, his gaze never leaving my face.

  ~**~

  “Thank you for the lovely evening, Becca.” Joe walks me to my door, and I fumble to unlock it before turning around and grabbing his hand with mine.

  “Would you like to come in?” I ask. The feral look in Joe’s gaze intensifies. The debate in his head over whether to come in or not plays out in front of me in an instant.

  “I really shouldn’t―”

  Unsure what comes over me, I pull him to my chest and reach up on my tip toes to kiss him. My interruption catches him off guard and he gives in quickly. His hand reaches behind us and turns the doorknob.

  Without turning on the lights, I drop my bag on the entryway table and push the door closed.

  We break apart long enough for me to lead him to the master bedroom. The room is bathed in moonlight from the window, so I pull us toward the bed and turn around, taking Joe’s mouth again. He only lets me take control long enough for his mind to realize that I want this as much as he does.

  His grip changes as he pulls me toward him, pressing his lips to mine. A soft moan escapes my mouth at his dominance. When my lips part, Joe’s tongue gently prods my mouth and he explores me fully. His hands move forward and cup my breasts, massaging them through the soft fabric. When his hands skate across my back again, he pulls me closer and his arousal hits my inner thigh.

  I’m thankful I went commando tonight because they would be soaked right now. Never parting from his mouth, I slowly unbutton his shirt, excited to finally feel the strong, muscular chest I’ve admired at the gym.

  When I have enough buttons undone, I reach inside the fabric and trail my fingers down his pecs. His body is rock hard and causes my body to react.

  Heat tingles between my thighs as moisture continues to wet my core. Joe gently tugs at the straps of my dress, taking them off my shoulders and allowing the dress to slink to the floor. Standing before him, covered only in moonlight, I recognize the fire behind Joe’s eyes. They hold the same heat as they did at the restaurant. He reaches behind his head and tugs his shirt off, not even bothering with the final few buttons.

  His body looks better than I remember it and feels amazing. Reaching up again, I stroke the soft hair on his chest and follow it down to his chiseled abs. When my hand reaches below his waist and grips his hardon through his pants, a guttural sound erupts from his throat.

  Joe lowers me over the bed so I’m splayed across it. His eyes take in my body as he pulls down the zipper to his slacks and removes the rest of his clothing. I gasp slightly at the thick seven-inch cock standing straight up in front of me.

  However, I can’t appreciate the view for long before Joe leans over me, using his mouth to suck in one of my nipples.

  “Mmmm.” I moan at his touch as he continues to lick and nip at my breast. His other hand finds my other tit and begins pinching it, gently at first and then a bit firmer as his suction intensifies on the other. My body is tingling under his touch, reacting to the carnal heat developing between us. It’s only been a few weeks but I’m more than ready to feel him.

  Joe licks down my breast to the center of my sternum. He makes his way down my stomach, stopping only to circle my navel a few times before continuing down to the small patch of hair surrounding my mound.

  My head is about to explode when his tongue swirls around my clit. My fingers curl around the comforter, and I gasp in pleasure. He expertly flicks the hood while inserting a finger inside me. I shudder as chills flow over my body while he probes in and out of me. When a second finger joins the first, my body feels like it’s a lit firecracker waiting to explode.

  Pleasure begins to course through me as I move my hands to the top of his head and hold his mouth closer to me. He sucks harder on my clit as the first wave of my orgasm surges through me, igniting my insides.

  “Oh, god,” I say, following up with a raspy whimper. My body shakes for several long moments until he moves away from me, his face beaming in pride.

  When he stands up to change positions, I quickly grasp his hard shaft in my hand, not letting him get too far. He looks at me in surprise before I wrap my lips around the head of his thick, beautiful cock. A drop of precome glistens at the tip, so I suck it into my mouth and taste his flavor.

  Taking more of him into my mouth, I moan. I have to open wider to fit him inside, but that’s okay. His thick shaft fills my mouth, but I work it down as far as I can before gliding backwards. Using my hand below my lips, I make sure every inch of his dick is given equal attention. Hollowing my cheeks, I move up and down his cock, loving the way it pulses beneath my touch.

  Joe’s hand touches my hair as he helps to guide me up and down his length. After several more seconds, he pulls away. “I’m not ready to come yet,” he says between heaving breaths.

  Leaning over me again, he takes my mouth in his. We both fall back onto the bed, his hands tracing my body as we do.

  “Do you…uh.”

  “Yeah.” I’m almost embarrassed that I’ve started to breathe heavily as well. Almost. “In the medicine cabinet.”

  Although he’s never been in my bedroom before, he quickly navigates to the bathroom and flicks on the light. The sound of the medicine cabinet opening and closing, followed by the light turning off again lets me know he’s found the condoms I keep handy.

  Joe rips open a foil packet and extracts the rolled-up rubber. Slipping the sheath on his hard dick, he glances up at me and winks. Fuck, he’s gorgeous.

  I’m giddy at the feel of his weight against me. The slight pressure at my mound is followed by a cry of pleasure as his cock fills my opening. His thick, long shaft rubs inside me, reaching far depths as he glides as far as he can go. Instinctively, my hands move to my breasts and I begin to play with them as he thrusts into me.

  “God, Becca. You’re so wet.” I can hear in his voice how excited he is.

  “Mmmm. Joe, fuck me.” This seems to turn him on even more and his thrusts become more forceful, filling me until I can hear the slap of skin against skin. I gasp as his pelvis pounds against my engorged clit, causing my muscles to tense.

  “God. Don’t stop. Harder, please.” I beg him to take me and he does. His cock strokes my inner walls until he’s gasping for air.

  “Fuck. I’m going to shoot,” he says.

  “God, yes.” My second orgasm of the night erupts throughout my core. Waves of tingling heat course through me as Joe’s moans mingle with mine. He’s emptying into me, each plunge extracting more of his load. When his balls are fully spent, he pulls out of me and removes the filled condom.

  His mouth meets mine again as he kisses me sweetly between panted breaths. Resting his head on my breasts, his body relaxes next to mine. I move my free hand to his hair and gently stroke it while we lay there, completely sated and very happy.

  Chapter Five

  Carly

  “And you think we’ll find him there tonight?”

  Max and I have been in New Orleans for about a week. We’ve already visited all the places Max thought he might visit. Realistica
lly, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, but I’m determined to remain optimistic about the situation. With my hair wrapped in a towel, I step out of the hotel bathroom feeling refreshed after my shower.

  “I think so. The PI said he followed him there several times, always on Thursday nights.”

  “But why Thursdays?”

  “Evidently, that’s when the chef makes a particular dish. It doesn’t really surprise me, though. Noah loves crawfish and potatoes, so any dish that puts the two together is bound to be on his favorites list. I called the restaurant while you were showering and verified that’s tonight’s special.” Max looks over to me and gives me a warm smile. “We’ll find him. Don’t worry.”

  “We have to.” I bite my lip and stare out the open window. “When should we go?”

  “As soon as you’re ready, beautiful Carly.”

  I beam at his sweet nickname, but part of me knows that without Noah here, I’m only feeling half the joy I should. We should all be together, the three of us. Why did Noah have to choose that one moment of my entire trip to come and check on me? If only he had come the day before or the day after, he wouldn’t have heard me babbling on…

  No, I can’t think like that.

  Max told me it isn’t my fault, and I have to start believing that. If I don’t, I may lose my fortitude to keep looking, and I’ll never give up on Noah.

  “Okay. Let me just throw something on. What’s the attire?”

  “I’m thinking semi-casual.” Max turns to use the mirror in the bathroom to straighten his hair.

  “I packed just the thing.” I run to the small closet and extract a flowing, ankle-length summer dress with a flower print. After putting it on, I wonder if the night air might become chilly against my bare arms. Not wanting to change out of the sleeveless dress, I grab a cardigan to put over my arms.

  When I’m finally dressed, Max sneaks up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist. His gaze meets mine reflected in the mirror. “And you do look beautiful, Carly.”

  Once again, I’m blushing as he leans in and places a kiss on the inside of my neck. My skin tingles at the sensation of his touch on my body, making me long for him to hold me forever.