Her breasts ached where his chest smashed them flat against her.
Mason tipped his head to one side and deepened the kiss, his tongue delving into the crevices of her mouth until she lost all train of thought. This was the first time he’d kissed her. After everything he’d done last night to scatter her brain, he still hadn’t kissed her.
Her eyes fluttered shut. All she knew was his lips, his tongue, and the way his body caressed hers against the wall. She couldn’t breathe, and she didn’t care.
She moaned and he pulled back, setting his forehead against hers. He reached with his free hand and covered her mouth. “Don’t do that. I can’t think when you make that noise, and besides, someone is going to hear you.”
Her eyes widened. She stared at him without blinking, his palm flattened against her mouth. She could taste his skin, and she wanted to run her tongue along the lines in his hand.
She inhaled through her nose instead, trying to regain one brain cell’s ability to function.
Slowly, he released her mouth and swiped her cheek with the pad of his thumb. “You were crying.”
She closed her eyes and took shallow breaths, panting really. Damn him and his vigilance.
“You’re killing me. Stop…liking me.”
She opened her eyes. “Are you serious?” What a strange thing to say to a woman. “I was doing fine until you dragged me into this corner to grope me in the hall,” she whispered with her most gravelly voice. “Fuck you.”
“You weren’t doing anything fine. You’re so transparent, I couldn’t swallow my dinner through the lump in my throat you put there with your sighing. And don’t cuss at me. It’s not becoming.”
“Fuck you again, you jerk.” She bucked against him, but he held her steady.
“Why are you so damn angry?”
“Oh, aren’t you a piece of work. You spend the entire evening ignoring me as though we’ve never met after rocking my world and turning it upside down last night. You are an ass. Katy warned me. I should have listened. I can’t believe I let you do all those things to me last night. I’m so embarrassed I could scream. And you don’t even like me.” Her voice rose above a whisper, and Mason covered her mouth again.
He set his forehead against hers and inhaled deeply. “First of all, I have yet to grope you in this corner.” He released her face and ran his hand down her side, grasping her breast and cupping it firmly in his palm.
Jenna squirmed, trying to avoid his touch, willing her body not to respond the way it was. Instead, her panties grew wet, and her nipples tightened against the inside of her dress.
Mason squeezed her tit hard through the silky material and then lowered his hand to her crotch to cup her pussy. He held her steady for one heart-stopping moment and then tugged her dress up with his fingers until the hem was too high on her thighs. Again he covered her pussy with his palm, pressing against her until he nearly lifted her off the ground. “That is groping, baby. I was doing no such thing. But thanks for the idea.”
When he released her, her dress didn’t fall back down. Instead he stuck one thigh between her legs and held her spread open. She had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from grinding against him. She was that hot, that fast.
“Second of all,” he began, gripping her chin lightly with his fingers, “I never ignored you for a moment. You just thought I did. I tried. God knows I tried. If Rafe or Katy knew what I was thinking throughout the ceremony and then dinner, they’d have my head.” He licked the slit of her mouth until she opened in a gasp.
“I—”
“Hush. I have a few more things to say.” He bit her lower lip with his teeth and released it when she groaned. “It’s true, I can be an ass. I’m sorry about that. Yes, you should have listened to Katy’s warning. Please don’t be embarrassed about the beautiful way you came apart in my arms last night. I’m humbled by your gift.
“And it’s completely untrue that I don’t like you. I like you way too much. God knows why. I shouldn’t. I should walk out the door and never look back. But your body calls to mine on a level I’ve never experienced before. I need you like an addict needs their next fix.” The second he finished his speech his lips were on hers again.
The world spun as her blood went south.
His hand roamed her body, grabbing and squeezing her in so many places at once she thought he’d grown an extra arm or two. When he lowered his thigh and slipped his palm back over her pussy, she squealed.
“Shh. Baby, not a sound. You don’t want anyone to find you here like this, right?”
She tried to focus on his face. She shook her head and bit her lip.
“No sounds. Got it?” He stroked a finger under her thong as he spoke, dipping into her channel and then spreading her moisture up over her clit. “So wet for me. So aroused.”
“We should stop this.” She struggled against him, trying to free her hands.
“We should,” he agreed, making no movement to do anything of the sort. “But you know you don’t want to.” He lifted his hand away from her pussy and sucked his fingers clean of her juices, starting with his pinky and working his way to his pointer. When he was about to suck the last finger into his mouth, he changed his mind and dipped it into hers. “Suck, Jenna. Taste yourself on my hand.”
She obeyed, unable to stop herself. A flood opened in her core, and her wetness leaked down her leg. She moaned softly, her eyes fluttering closed.
Mason pulled his pointer out with a pop and reached between her legs again. He jerked her thong, tearing it from her body in one quick motion that had her gasping and widening her eyes to drink in his expression. He stuffed her panties in his tuxedo pocket, at least that’s what she imagined. She couldn’t see anything but the blue of his eyes.
And then he plunged two fingers into her pussy once again. He stroked her hard, adding a third finger and pressing his thumb into her clit at the same time. “Come for me, baby. I love to watch your face when you tip over the edge. It’s more gratifying than a good fuck.”
Jenna’s legs shook. She ground herself on his hand against his thigh. She needed release so bad, she didn’t care about the repercussions any longer. She wrapped her fingers around his and squeezed to steady herself, knowing her legs would buckle at any moment.
And then she shattered. Her orgasm took her by surprise with its intensity. She pulsed around Mason’s hand, her entire body jerking with each release.
As she came down, she slumped against his thigh, his hand pressing deeper into her.
Slowly, Mason released her hands and removed his leg from between hers. He steadied her shoulder with one hand as she shook out her arms. The last contact he removed was his fingers from inside her.
She moaned softly at the loss. “You ruined my thong.”
“I did.” He grinned. “I like the fact that you’ll be bare under that short dress now.” He sucked his fingers once again and then straightened her against the wall. “You’re flushed.” He rubbed her cheek with his thumb. “You have that just-fucked look.” He smiled wider. “I like it.”
“Yeah, well, I still had it this morning too, and Katy called me on it.”
Now he chuckled. “Oh, you’re a gem.” He kissed her lips. “Go back into that restroom and straighten yourself up. You have to come back inside. If you don’t have a smile on your face and a party in your step, Rafe will kill me.”
“Hmm.” She toyed with the idea.
Mason raised his brow. “Don’t test me, baby. You don’t want to see what I can be like when pushed.”
Jenna wasn’t so sure she agreed. So far her experiences with Mason had been unbelievable. Kinky, without a doubt. Edgy to say the least. But she’d never felt so alive.
»»•««
Mason ducked into the men’s room, leaving Jenna to compose herself. He figured he had plenty of time. She wouldn’t be able to get the red off her cheeks for several minutes.
He smirked as he thought about her plight.
No on
e was in the restroom. Thank God. Men didn’t tend to flock there until they couldn’t hold their piss any longer. And even at that it was get in, get out. No dawdling.
Mason slipped into the only stall, lowered his zipper, and grasped his cock with one hand. As long as he could keep from making a noise, it didn’t matter who came in. This wasn’t going to take long.
Sure enough, before he had a guest, Mason leaned one hand against the wall behind the toilet to get a better angle and came, hard and fast. He released his cock, still leaning on the wall behind the commode to catch his breath. That woman had flipped his world upside down. He was sated for the moment, but far from satisfied…
When he left the restroom as though nothing were amiss, he hoped he looked like the world was his party. Inside he screamed at himself for his stupidity.
He hadn’t followed Jenna to the bathroom with any intention of fingering her in the hall. He’d only meant to kiss her to ease her discomfort so she could enjoy the party and stop fretting over his presence as a world-class jackass.
Jenna was not a woman he could have. He knew that. Rafe had made it clear. Katy had made it clear. Hell, even Mason could recognize Jenna wasn’t a woman accustomed to his kind of kink.
He never should have steered her down this path. He couldn’t be the man she needed in her life. He was a Dom, not a boyfriend. He was a fucker, not a lover.
Ugh.
Mason held his head high as he reentered the party, now going at full speed.
He danced with the bride and both of the other bride’s maids. He had a few drinks with the groomsmen. He toasted with the rest of the crew from the gym. Although they’d been dubbed The Fight Club, really they were just six guys who happened to be MMA fighters as well as Doms. Most people didn’t know that last part. They each had different careers and day jobs, but they were bound to each other through a mutual love for the exhilaration of both MMA and BDSM. When they weren’t working, they fought together and played together.
Mason laughed and joked with the guys, but all the while he kept his gaze fluttering around the room to see where she was.
Damn. What was wrong with him? He needed to stop this nonsense. Jenna Mathews was off limits. He could only hurt her. Sure, a romp in the sack for a few weeks would be enjoyable, but he was kidding himself if he thought it would last. He could only do vanilla for so long. Eventually it would bore him to tears, and then he’d be lying to himself every time he made love to her.
He’d be lying to her too. She knew nothing about his life other than what he did for a day job. His evenings were a mystery she was better off not knowing.
While she had her back to him, he set his beer on a table and sauntered out the door. He had to get away. Distance was the only answer.
Chapter Six
Three weeks later…
Mason blinked his eyes and reached for the hand above him. The smirk on Rafe’s face was all he needed to see to know his friend had indeed gotten the better of him—again.
Rafe pulled him to standing. “What’s up with you, man? You’ve been distracted and off your game since I got back from Hawaii. Was my absence that big of an influence on your ability to fight?” The man chuckled as he released Mason.
Mason stepped back and leaned forward against his knees. “Yeah, that’s it. One week without you, and I can’t fight again.”
“That’s the third time I’ve taken you down this evening. Your face looks like shit. Seriously, man. Are you okay?”
Mason stood to his full height, stretching his arms over his head to work out the kinks in his shoulders. He lifted his gaze to Rafe. If he didn’t fess up about what was bothering him, it would slowly eat away at his soul.
“Oh no. I know that look. There’s a woman.” Rafe smiled. “I’ve never seen you in knots over a woman before. Did you meet her at the club? Whoever she is, she must be pretty amazing to be able to distract you from your game.”
Mason lowered his arms and his shoulders. “There’s a woman, all right. But I sure didn’t meet her at the club.” He waited.
Rafe shook his head. “Where then?”
“You fucking introduced us at the wedding.” Yeah, that’s it. Blame it on Rafe.
Rafe hesitated a beat, his mouth open to say something. And then he closed his lips and swallowed. He shook his head. “Please say it isn’t so. Have you been seeing Jenna?”
Mason smirked. “I wish. If I had, you wouldn’t be kicking my ass right now, and I wouldn’t be losing sleep.”
“Oh my God. You’re into her.” Rafe closed his eyes a beat and then continued. “That bad?”
“Yeah. Apparently.” Mason turned around and grabbed a towel from outside the fence. “Don’t worry. I haven’t seen her or spoken to her since the wedding. But that woman got under my skin.”
Rafe stepped outside the fence and slumped to the bench. He rubbed a hand down his face. “Fine. I give you my blessing. Tell her. But I’m warning you this isn’t going to end well. Please work this out of your system and let her down gently.” He lowered his gaze. “Katy is going to kill me,” he muttered.
“Thanks, man. I don’t see how I can put it off any longer. It’s like an illusion of what I want her to be that haunts me day and night. I’m sure you’re right. She’d never make it in my world, but until I scare her off, I can’t rest.”
Rafe laughed.
“What? Don’t tell me you didn’t experience something similar with Katy.”
“I did. True. But I never imagined ‘The Bullfighter’ falling for a girl.”
“Yeah, well, like you said, if she knew the truth, she never would have given me the time of day.” He smiled at Mason. “I know just how to get her out of my system.”
“Why don’t I think I’m going to like this?”
“My goal is to ensure Jenna doesn’t like it. I don’t care if you do.”
Rafe groaned. “Don’t— Oh, never mind. Do what you have to do.” He shuffled off to the locker room, leaving Mason pulling his gloves off and plotting how to lose a girl at the same time.
»»•««
Jenna leaned back against her beat-up couch cushion and jabbed her spoon into the chocolate ice cream she held between her knees. She propped her cell against her ear and listened to Katy jabbering about her great life as the wife of the wonderful godlike Rafe, to hear her tell it.
Katy took a breath and switched gears. “So how’s Ribbons and Bows doing?”
“Fine. Good. I’m lucky to have two employees I can trust, and we’re in the black. That’s what matters.” Jenna took a bite of the rich chocolate and closed her eyes to enjoy the flavor.
“So, what are you doing tonight?”
“Me?” Jenna looked down at her loose boxer shorts and tank top. “Sitting on my couch eating ice cream. I’ll probably watch a movie or read.”
“Really?” Katy chuckled. “Well, I have it on good authority that—”
Jenna jumped when someone pounded on the door. “Hang on a sec. Someone’s at the door.”
“Yeah, um, that would be—”
Jenna opened the front door, her spoon hanging from her mouth. Mason. The man filled the doorway, seemingly too large to fit through the frame.
Her spoon fell to the floor with a clang as her emotions ran amok in every direction. “I’ll have to call you back…”
“Yeah, I bet you will.” Katy giggled in her ear and then disconnected.
“What are you doing here?” She swallowed around the lump in her throat.
Mason nodded behind her. “May I come in?” He pushed the door open slowly and stepped around her. When she didn’t move except to twirl in his direction, he wrapped his hand around hers on the door and tugged it away. The door slammed shut.
Jenna flinched. “Sure. Why not. Don’t you always do whatever you want?”
Mason chuckled. “Yes. That’s generally the case.”
Jenna stared at his right eye. “What happened to your face?”
“Oh this?” He
touched the tender skin without wincing. “This is nothing. You should see the other guy.” He winked at her and stepped farther into her apartment. “Nice place. I didn’t pay much attention the first time I was here.”
No shit. You were too busy plotting your game of how to strip a woman and break her down to mush without taking your own clothes off.
“You don’t look too happy to see me.” He took a seat on her couch and leaned back, making himself at home.
Jenna still stood by the door. She stared at her melting ice cream where it sat on the coffee table.
Mason leaned forward, dipped his pointer into the confection, and sucked the digit into his mouth. He watched her as he moaned. “That’s good.” He lifted the pint-sized container. “Ghirardelli. You have rich taste in dessert.”
You have no idea. “What do you want, Mason? I can’t do a third round of ‘let’s torment Jenna until she comes.’ I’m too tired.” She slumped against the door with no intention of moving until he left.
“Third round,” he chuckled again, “that’s funny.”
She had no idea what he meant by that.
He took another lick of her ice cream, unfazed by the fact he was eating right out of the container with his finger.
When he licked his lips, she had to stifle a moan.
“I have three rounds in mind for tonight, but not the kind you’re thinking of.” He stood, grabbing the ice cream and the lid, and rounded the couch. In seconds, he was in the kitchen putting the container in the freezer. “You’ll need to wear more than that, though.” He returned to her side, grabbed her wrist in his usual high-handed manner, and tugged her to her bedroom.
Jenna stood rooted to the floor stunned. She glanced down at what she currently wore and crossed her arms. She didn’t even have a bra on.
Mason stepped into her closet and rummaged around while she scowled at him.
“What do you think you’re doing? I never agreed to go anywhere with you.”
The Fight Club - Boxed Set Page 26