by Zoe Chant
“I’ve got a cousin, Heath,” he said. “He’s an MP, over on one of the military bases about three hours from here.”
“An MP?” Charity asked. “As in… Military Police? And just how many cousins do you have, anyway?”
Mason grinned. “More than I want to think about. I’m an exception – most lion shifters have big families. My parents had a lot of siblings, and then they had a lot of kids too. There’s Whittakers all over, from here to Boston.”
Charity laughed. “One day I’ll have to meet all of them.”
“You will,” Mason said, smiling. “But all this has made me think – the Reapers might’ve already started selling around here, and like I said, an army base might be the perfect place for it. It’s risky, but it would pay off big if they can get some guys hooked.”
“You think they might already be selling there?” Charity said. “How would they do that? Security there must be crazy. Wouldn’t someone have noticed?”
“I have no idea,” Mason admitted. “But it might be worth me making the call to Heath, just to see what he knows.”
Lifting his cell phone to his ear, Mason hit Heath’s number in his contacts list. Characteristically, Heath picked up after only one ring.
“Whittaker,” came the clipped voice on the other end of the line.
“Heath? It’s Mason,” he said. “How’re you doing?”
“Mason!” Heath’s voice warmed up considerably as he realized who he was talking to. “Or should I be calling you ‘sheriff’ now?”
Mason laughed, a little surprised. He honestly hadn’t expected Lincoln to be spreading the news of his election, considering how against it he’d been. “Sure, if that makes you happy,” he said, chuckling. “But look, I better tell you – this isn’t a social call. I wish it were, but there’s something going down here I want to run by you.”
“I’m listening,” Heath said, his voice returning to being all business.
“Here’s the thing,” Mason said. “I’ve got a crate full of crystal meth, found in the middle of nowhere out here in Coldstream County. Definitely felony quantity, and it’s likely there’s a lot more of it out there. What do you make of that?”
Mason could hear Heath sucking a shocked breath in through his teeth. “I can make a lot out of that, even if it is out of my jurisdiction,” he said. “Where’d you find it?”
“I didn’t find it – it was left out the back of a diner out here.”
“I take it you’ve got some serious questions for the owner of the diner,” Heath said.
Mason couldn’t help but laugh a little. “As a matter of fact, I don’t – don’t need to. The owner was the one who called me. And aside from that, she’s my mate.”
There was stunned silence for a moment, before Heath’s warm laugh came down the line. “Your mate? Mason, you’re a sly one. I had no idea! So when do we get to meet her?”
Mason smiled. “As soon as you get some time off and can come down to the ranch,” he said. “But yeah, unfortunately, we have a situation here at the moment. Someone’s definitely trying to set her – and me – up with these drugs. You said it was out of your jurisdiction, but I wondered if someone might be trying to sell to some of the men on the base.”
There was a pause at the other end of the phone, as Heath clearly thought it over.
“It’s possible,” he said after a moment. “I haven’t heard about it, if it’s been happening, and the MP officers would definitely know about a thing like that, even if we didn’t want it spreading while we track down who’s responsible. It’d be tricky to hide something like that actually on the base, but I guess men could buy it in town on their nights off.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” Mason said. “Boys letting off steam and drinking, it could happen.”
“Only too often, unfortunately,” Heath said, sounding grim. “Do you think that’s what’s been going on?”
“Maybe,” Mason replied. “I thought I’d give you a heads up, anyway, let you know to be on the lookout. Maybe do a snap inspection and see what you can find. And if you do find something, you now know where it came from, and that I’m extremely interested in that information.”
“Understood,” said Heath. “I’ll definitely tell you if I find something. Is that all?”
“There’s one other thing,” Mason said. “The gang who might be dealing to your men are shifters. It’s possible they might have an inside contact who could warn them if you find any drugs on the base.”
Heath was quiet for a long moment. “We’ve got a few shifters here,” he said. “But they’re good men.”
“I don’t doubt it for a second,” Mason said. “But the ones I’m dealing with down here aren’t. Are there any lions among your men?”
“None that I know of,” Heath said. “And you know I’d know about it if there were.”
“Yeah,” Mason agreed. His earlier misgivings rose again. No lions on the army base. Probably no lions in the Reapers. That left very few options for who left the tracks outside Charity’s diner. Quickly, Mason pushed the thought down again. Later, he told himself. He’d deal with the implications later. “Well, I’m sorry to have troubled you, Heath. But do think it’s good info for you to have.”
“Hell yeah it is,” Heath said. “I’ll go through every locker on the base and look under every mattress myself if I have to. Thanks for calling me – I’m going to go deal with this right away.”
“No problem, Heath,” Mason said. “Make sure you get down here sometime soon, won’t you?”
“I sure will,” Heath replied. “Now that Mason Whittaker is all settled down, I’ll have to see it to believe it.”
“Don’t you say anything that’d get me in trouble, now,” Mason said, laughing.
“Wouldn’t dream of it.” Heath laughed. “And Mason, you make sure you take care of yourself – and your mate.”
Mason looked across to where Charity had perched herself on the edge of his desk, smiling at him slightly. A fresh swell of adoration rose up in his heart.
“I will,” he told his cousin. “You can be sure of that.”
Chapter Ten
Charity
It was completely dark by the time Charity pulled up behind Mason in her truck. She’d followed his SUV along the roads for about an hour, before he’d turned off down a long dirt driveway. She couldn’t see anything of the ranch at this time of night, but she knew they’d driven uphill a way, and past long stretches of fields and paddocks.
She only had the very vaguest of memories of her own father’s ranch – he’d already been in the process of declaring bankruptcy when she’d been born. But she’d always loved wide, open spaces, and the feeling of being the only ones in the world.
Turning the key in her truck’s ignition, she shut it off before stepping down onto the ground. Mason was already waiting for her, and he took her hand, his skin warm against hers, and guided her toward the ranch house.
“Lincoln, Casey and Joe will already be asleep,” he said as they reached the door. “Lincoln likes to get up with the sun, but there’s no need for you to be up that early if you prefer to rest. You’ve had a long day.”
Charity grinned. “And a long night. I hope.”
Even in the dark, she could see the heated expression in Mason’s eyes as he looked at her. “Well, I’ll have to see what I can do,” he said, and she could hear the barely restrained lust in his voice as he led her down a path through the darkened garden, toward the house.
In the darkness, she couldn’t make out anything about the house except that it was large and sturdy, mud brick and timber, like most ranch houses out here. There were no lights on inside when Mason opened the door, but he led her through the rooms quickly and easily. Charity didn’t know whether he just knew his way around so well that he didn't even have to think about it, or whether his human ability to see in the dark was enhanced by his shifter form.
She would have to ask him about that, she decided – she felt lik
e she still had so much to learn about that area of Mason’s life.
Hand still enveloping hers, Mason pulled her down a long hall, the wooden floorboards creaking quietly beneath their feet, before opening a door and leading her inside.
Charity blinked in the sudden flood of light as he flipped the light switch, looking around the room.
She hadn’t honestly been sure what she’d been expecting, but now that she was here, there was something so indefinably Mason about the room that she felt at home immediately. It was a cozy place, mostly timber, with patterned rugs on the hardwood floor. A faded football poster hung on the far wall, featuring some player Charity had never heard of – but then, she’d never been a big one for sports. The room was neat and spare, a double bed, impeccably made, in the middle of the room. The room was like he was: large, neat and comforting.
Mason seemed to be watching her, as if waiting for some signal that after the shocking discovery earlier today, she felt up to anything more than sleep. Smiling a little, Charity couldn’t think of any clearer signal than turning to him and standing on tip-toes to press her lips hungrily to his. She felt his arms come up around her, pulling her to him, crushing her to his hard, flat chest.
Charity moaned, the sound muffled by Mason’s lips on hers, his tongue sliding between them and pushing into her mouth. His teeth grazed against her, sending a shiver of pleasure straight through her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. She could feel herself growing wet already, heat building between her legs. Her reaction to Mason’s touches and kisses was almost instantaneous, and completely uncontrollable. Already she felt herself unbearably turned on and wanting more.
She was so dizzily light-headed from his hungry kisses that she almost didn’t realize when he picked her up, lifting her feet from the ground as if she weighed nothing at all, and carried her toward the bed. Charity gasped as he laid her down on it, covering her body with his. She could feel the hot throb of his huge erection against her upper thigh. It seemed like he reacted to her just as quickly as she did to him.
Reaching up, she stroked her fingers over the back of his neck, watching his eyes slide shut in pleasure.
“God, I want you,” she whispered. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”
Mason only nodded in response, before he lowered his lips to hers once more. He shifted slightly, and Charity felt his powerful thighs resting either side of hers on the bed, before he leaned back, breaking the kiss, his fingers going to the front of her shirt.
“I need you so badly,” he said, his voice husky with desire. He pulled her shirt open, exposing her breasts inside her white cotton bra. Charity cried out, unable to remain silent when he leaned down, catching one sensitive nipple between his teeth, biting her through the material.
Her panties were soaked through, and she didn’t think she could stand it a moment longer if Mason didn’t touch her there – didn’t do something to release the hot, sweet pleasure between her thighs.
“Please, Mason,” she whispered. “I can’t – I can’t wait. Just… touch me. I need you…”
The last word was lost in a gasp as she felt Mason push his hand below the waistband of her jeans, his fingers sliding over the soaked material of her panties. Charity arched up off the bed, seeking his touch, wanting and needing more.
Mason didn’t make her wait – with his free hand, he unbuttoned her jeans, giving him greater access, before his fingers slipped down inside her panties, parting the slick lips of her pussy.
“Mason…” she breathed as his fingertips stroked over her clit, expertly drawing deep shudders of pleasure from her body. Pulling his body back from hers a little, he curved his hand, and slid a finger inside her.
Charity gasped, feeling every muscle in her body suddenly pull taut as he stroked her inner walls, finding exactly the right place within her. Heat fired through her veins, the movement of his finger making her writhe on the bed below him.
She had been waiting for this for so long that she could already feel the heat of her orgasm building in her belly. She cried out when Mason added another finger, stretching her open just a tiny bit more, his thumb circling over her clit.
She could feel her own wetness on her thighs, Mason’s fingers sliding in and out of her body easily. Reaching up, she filled her hands with the muscle of his shoulders, hard and unyielding beneath her touch. Biting her lip, Charity closed her eyes and let her head fall back on the pillow. White light blossomed behind her eyes.
“I’m coming,” she gasped out, a second before her climax overtook her, sending a hot flare of sensation all through her body. A second later Mason’s lips were locked onto hers – and despite her orgasm, his fingers didn’t leave her, his thumb still finding her hot, swollen clit, drawing still more sensation from her nerves.
Her second orgasm made her buck up on the bed, a cry fighting its way out of her mouth. Mason’s fingers were relentless, still pumping into her until she felt breathless and dizzy, shockwaves coursing over her.
Mason’s next kiss was deep and slow, bringing her back down from the heights to which he’d driven her. She lay beneath him, limp and sated, her breath heavy in her chest.
“Wow,” she said when he pulled back. “I never knew I could… that it would feel so good…”
Mason just grinned at her, slowly sliding his fingers out of her, before lifting them to his lips. Charity watched as he sucked on them with evident pleasure. She hadn’t ever thought about it before, but now, watching Mason enjoy the way she tasted, she found it incredibly hot. She lay back, looking into his face, and felt completely satisfied.
As he shifted on the bed, however, she felt his erection press into her thigh once more, and she realized that things were far from over.
“Maybe I can return the favor,” she whispered to him, raising her hand to press it to where his long, hard shaft was tenting the front of his pants.
Mason groaned at her touch, and she smiled wickedly, before pushing herself out from under his body to lie alongside him. His hands were on her thighs, moving her jeans down her legs, before they finally fell to the floor.
She kissed him as her fingers worked his pants open, before tugging them down over his narrow hips and muscled thighs. His cock sprang free, thick and heavy against his abdomen, and swollen with desire. Charity felt a little dizzy just looking at it – he was this hard for her, she thought, renewed desire spiraling through her. She took him in her hand, the hard breadth of him filling her palm. As she made her first movement along his length, Mason groaned, his head falling back, sweat prickling along his throat.
Charity thought she had never seen anything more gorgeous in all her life – the thick muscles of Mason’s biceps bunched as she stroked him, his chest rising and falling with his breath.
He was incredible – and he was hers.
Charity realized that she could wait no longer – she needed to feel his whole length inside her, now. She still felt slick and sensitive from her first two orgasms, but she knew that every second she did not feel him within her was a second too long.
Moving forward, she draped her thigh over his hip, still gripping him in her fist. She guided him to her entrance, watching his face contort slightly as she pressed herself against the head of his cock.
“Oh God, Charity…” he whispered, his hands moving to her hips, his fingers like steel against her skin.
Charity couldn’t bite back her cry as he moved suddenly, driving his hips up, sheathing himself fully within her. She felt she could have wept with how good it felt – to finally feel him buried within her once again, hard and massive.
He began his thrusts slowly – small movements of his hips that made her catch her breath, jerking against him. Their bodies were pressed together, not an inch of space between them, Mason’s hands holding her where she was.
“My God, you feel amazing,” he whispered as he moved, lengthening his thrusts, drawing back before plunging into her yet again, relentless.
>
Charity couldn’t answer – she had lost her ability to speak to the waves of pleasure that were slowly building inside her, again and again, every time Mason moved. He mind was blank, her body overtaken entirely by sensation. She could feel Mason’s hot breath against her throat, the movement of his powerful body against hers, his cock buried deep inside her. Every time he thrust forward, the hard muscles of his abdomen brushed against her swollen clit, driving her to new heights of ecstasy.
“Charity,” he whispered again. “I can’t – I need to –”
This time, she managed to find her voice for long enough to whisper, “I’m ready,” before she felt him pulse inside her, and together they fell over the edge of their climaxes. Hot pleasure spread through her body from the inside out, leaving every nerve ending on fire, white hot from bliss.
Charity could feel her back arching, and heard Mason cry out as he poured himself into her, but after that it was only pleasure, wave after wave of it, whiting out her vision and leaving her breathless and winded.
She didn’t know how long it was until she found herself again, coming down slowly on the bed next to Mason. He was still inside her, her muscles still clenching and relaxing around him, seeking out every last drop of pleasure he had to give her.
Finally, when their breathing had slowed, he withdrew, pulling out slowly, before drawing her to him once more.
“Wow,” he muttered into the hair that swept back from her temple. “I know I say that a lot, but… wow…”
Charity smiled lazily into his chest. “Yeah. Don’t worry, I know just how you feel.”
“I suppose we should get undressed,” Mason said after a moment of silence, during which the only sound was their breathing.
Pulling back a little, Charity ran her gaze over his partially-dressed form, his usually neat and tidy sheriff’s uniform in complete disarray. “I don’t know,” she said, a wicked smile on her lips. “You look kind of cute like that.”