trustanddare_GEN

by Shelli Stevens

  She stepped into the tub, easing her body into the water. Closing her eyes, she leaned back against the edge. Mmm. How wonderful.

  This whole weekend had been amazing. Mason had somehow tapped into many of her fantasies. The whole “play by my rules” bargain she’d agreed to had been something she’d always wanted to try. It had been a brief taste of being dominated. The whole experience had been exciting, fun, and hot enough to keep her panties wet. That is if she’d had any on. Silly boy had torn them off.

  Her face scrunched up into a ridiculously big smile. Mason had been so hot for me—me, not some skinny club hopper—that he tore my underwear off! How cool was that?

  He was a good guy, in and out of the bedroom. Loved his family, cooked, was concerned about her cousin…

  She sighed. Oh Lord. It was official. She’d fallen for him. Hard. The idea that he was the one had been toying with her all weekend. It was a gut instinct. At least, they’d both admitted there was more there. And that they’d go beyond the weekend. That concert next week would be fabulous.

  She mentally planned a dinner menu in her head while shampooing her hair. Would he like chicken? Or was he a steak and potatoes guy? Dunking her head under water, she rinsed and then reached for the bottle of conditioner. Her hand stilled. Where was he anyway? He should’ve been in by now. What if that phone call had been a bad one?

  Stepping out of the bath, she grabbed his robe off the bathroom door and slipped into it. After opening the door and not finding him in the bedroom, she stepped into the hallway and walked towards the living room.

  A high-pitched laugh rang out from the living room and Abby’s stomach knotted. A woman? There was a woman here?

  Don’t freak out. It could be his sister…or a neighbor. Just stop thinking the worst and go say hi for God’s sake.

  Taking a deep breath, she rounded the corner with a friendly smile on her face.

  Her lips went numb and the room seemed to tilt as the blood rushed in her head. Not his sister.

  Mason had his back to her, the woman’s arms were wrapped around his neck as they kissed.

  Abby reached out her hand, finding the table as a means to keep her knees from giving out. She knocked her purse over and her keys hit the wood table with a loud jangle.

  Mason jerked away from the woman and spun around. Her gaze connected with his and she saw the shock and guilt in his eyes.

  Oh, God. Humiliation and pain clawed at her, and she felt suddenly nauseous. After wrapping her fingers around her keys, she slid her wrist through the strap of her purse.

  Get out of here, Abby. Just get out. She forced her feet to move and lurched towards the door.

  “Abby, wait!” He started after her.

  Her fingers fumbled with the door handle and then she was running down the driveway, barefoot in a bathrobe. She reached her car and jabbed the key into the lock.

  She got in and slammed the door, locking it just as Mason grabbed the handle and attempted to open her door.

  “Abby!” He slapped the window. “Stop, it isn’t what it looks like.”

  “Get away from my car!” She turned on her stereo, blasting Ella Fitzgerald to drown out his excuses.

  She started the engine and pushed the gear into reverse, hitting the gas. Her little Honda shot backwards and Mason jumped away.

  She floored it away from his house. Don’t look in the rearview mirror. Don’t. Her gaze lifted despite her own orders and she watched him slow down from running after her.

  Tears flooded her eyes and she slapped the steering wheel.

  “Stupid. I’m so freaking stupid! Yeah, that bubble bath should’ve been a big freaking clue!” The ache in her stomach intensified until she finally had to pull her car over to the side of the road.

  The tears fell thick and fast. She lifted the sleeve of her bathrobe—Mason’s robe—to dry them. How? How was it possible to hurt this badly? After only two days?

  She gave up trying to figure it out and started the car again.

  Chapter 9

  “You bitch.” Mason slammed the door to the house and descended upon his ex-fiancée. “You just fucked up my life with that little kiss.”

  “Oh, come off it, Mace.” Paulette folded her freakishly thin arms across her small chest and shrugged. “You would actually prefer some fat white chick over me?”

  Red blurred his vision. “You’d better watch your mouth, girl. That’s my future wife you’re talking about.” He went to the closet and grabbed the box full of her crap out of it, thrusting it towards her. “This is what you said you wanted when you called. I should have just had it mailed to you months ago. Now get the fuck out.”

  “Mason, you can’t be serious.” Her eyes widened. “We were engaged before you went on TDY—”

  “You slept with another man, Paulette. We were done the moment you cheated on me.”

  “I explained how that—”

  “Look, it never was going to work anyway. I don’t love you, Paulette.” He rubbed his head and sighed. “I never did.”

  Her mouth tightened and she adjusted the box in her grip. “But you love her? That Gabby girl?”

  “Abby.” His gut twisted. “And yes, I think I do.”

  “Where the hell did she come from? It’s only been three months since I last saw you.”

  He shook his head. “Look. You need to just leave. Now. I gotta figure out how I’m going to get her back.”

  Paulette shrugged and stepped past him towards the door. “Well, good luck with that.”

  After the door clicked shut behind her, Mason pulled out his wallet and dug around for the business card he’d gotten earlier. Then he dialed Danny’s auto shop.

  * * * *

  Abby sat on a chair in her brother’s back office, chewing on the top of a pen. Using her foot, she pushed off the desk, spinning the chair around in a half-circle for the zillionth time.

  She looked through the glass window to the garage. The men had all filtered out to go home, the shop closing down now that it was almost six. Her brother was on the phone, had been for the past ten minutes.

  He was probably grateful for the interruption. For the last couple of hours he’d had to listen to her anger and doubts about what she’d seen with Mason.

  It’s not what it looks like. His words had meant nothing when she’d been flooring her way out of his driveway. But now that she’d calmed down, had time to think about it rationally…what if there was a logical explanation?

  They were kissing. How can that be rationalized? She groaned and tossed the pen on the desk. It should’ve been the nail in the coffin, she shouldn’t even be questioning the situation.

  But she was. It went back to that earlier realization that she trusted him. Damn it all.

  This just sucked.

  She watched Danny hang up the phone in the garage and come back into his office.

  “Hey Ab, someone’s coming by to drop off some papers in a few minutes, but I need to be somewhere at six-thirty. Can you stick around and handle it?”

  “Oh. Sure.”

  She’d assumed they’d grab dinner or something, and he’d listen to her bitch and cry some more. But he was probably tuckered out. Poor guy had put up with enough today.

  “Thanks, Ab.” Danny grabbed his keys off the desk and kissed her cheek. “It’ll be okay. Trust me.” He headed out the door and yelled, “Lock up when you leave.” And then he was gone.

  She stood and stretched, walking to the mini-fridge to grab a soda.

  A few minutes later, the front door buzzed. Setting down her drink, she went to answer it.

  She left the office and headed towards the door. After she unlocked it, she glanced up and froze.

  Mason pushed open the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind him. Her throat tightened with emotion and she had to restrain herself from throwing her arms around him.

  “Abby.” He looked both confused and relieved. “I thought I was meeting with your brother.”

 
“My brother?” Realization kicked in. “That was you on the phone.”

  “Yeah.” He hesitated. “I just wanted to convince him to give me your number. He said I should come down and we could talk about it.”

  “Right.” Her brother had set them up. Why was she even surprised? It was totally something he would do.

  Mason stepped forward and pulled her hands into his big ones. “Abby, baby, why didn’t you let me explain?”

  “I…I couldn’t. Not after watching you kiss—”

  “She kissed me.” He sighed and settled his hands on her waist, pulling her body snug against his. “I screwed up by not telling you about my past, Abby.”

  Push him away, he’s a jerk. But her heart disagreed with her head. She sighed, and she lifted her arms to his hard shoulders.

  “Tell me now.”

  The relief in his eyes was evident. “The woman you saw was my ex-fiancée. We broke it off a few months ago and she came over today to pick up some things. She got it in her head we should try again, and you walked in right as she kissed me.”

  “Ah…” Her own relief kicked in and all the anger and doubt slowly faded. The warm fuzzy feelings spread through her body.

  “But it’s over, Abby. I swear to you that it’s over, and has been for months now.”

  “I believe you.” She laid her head against his chest, inhaling the familiar scent of him. It felt so good, being held against his strong, hard body. Having his arms wrapped around her like he never wanted to let her go. “Mason, I trust you.”

  “Do you?” He lifted her chin and rubbed his thumb over her lips.

  “Yeah, I do.” She gave a soft laugh. “And I’m sorry I ran away in your bathrobe without giving you the chance to explain.”

  “Baby, I’m so sorry.” He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his full lips. His tongue ran aggressively along the seam of her mouth, before plunging inside.

  She slid her arms up around his neck and opened her mouth wider to his kiss. This was where she belonged. It felt natural, it felt right to trust him with her entire being.

  With a moan, she tightened her arms around him and stroked her tongue against his.

  He lifted his head. “Abby. God, Abby I was so afraid I lost you.”

  “No. I just panicked. I freaked out.” She kissed him again. “I’m sorry, Mason.”

  “I’m sorry you had to see that.” He backed her up, his hand sliding inside her shorts and delving into her panties.

  She leaned against the wall and moaned as he pulled one of her legs around his waist. With her body open to him, he palmed her pussy, before pushing two fingers inside her.

  “Mason.” She gripped his shoulders, her inner muscles squeezing around his thrusting fingers. “I want you inside me.”

  He released her and fumbled with his zipper. She pulled down her shorts, and kicked them and her panties off.

  When he’d freed his erection, Mason lifted her and pinned her against the wall. Abby wrapped her legs around his waist, crying out as he buried his cock deep inside her. She shuddered and wound her arms around his neck, burying her head against his shoulder.

  “Promise you’ll always trust me.” He made slow, steady thrusts into her.

  “I will. I do.” She gasped as he slammed up inside her harder. “Mason.”

  “You’re mine.” His hips moved faster, his thrust going deeper.

  “Yes.” Her heart swelled with emotion and she sobbed, closing her eyes and giving over to the pleasure. “Yes.”

  He thrust deep, pressing against the mouth of her womb. His mouth came down on hers, catching her cry as her body tightened around him as he spilled himself inside her. She could feel his heart beating rapidly, almost in pace with hers. Their breathing was ragged.

  When he lifted his head, his gaze was tender. “And I’m yours, Abby. There’s nobody else for me.” He rubbed his lips across hers. “I’m yours.”

  The warmth in her stomach spread throughout her body. She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. “I know you are, Mason.”

  The End

  Preview another book by this author

  Anybody But Justin

  Chances Are, Book 1

  Shelli Stevens

  Chapter 1

  Gabby dove behind a display of cereal boxes and nibbled her bottom lip. She eyed the exit some thirty feet away and wondered if she could ditch her groceries and make it out the door without him spotting her.

  Her pulse quickened and she counted to ten before leaning forward just enough to peek around a box of Lucky Charms.

  “Gabby?”

  She snapped back and winced, glaring at the floor of the market. Damn. He’d seen her. So much for bolting.

  Dusty brown leather shoes appeared in her line of vision as he rounded the corner. She lifted her gaze up the length of his tall body, lingering on the broad shoulders beneath his faded flannel shirt.

  Her heart fluttered in her chest and she swallowed hard before tilting her head that last inch to meet the blue gaze of her old roommate.

  “Justin.” She forced a bright smile and switched the basket of food to her other hand. “Hey. How’ve you been?”

  “Been all right.”

  His gaze, warm and knowing slid from her head to her toes in a lazy caress that made every damn inch of her body tingle. Irritation pricked and her smile grew more brittle.

  And this was why she avoided him, didn’t answer his calls and had basically tried like mad to forget he even existed. If she got within two feet of him, her hormones went on the fritz and her mind went spongy. Which would be fine if it were with any other guy. Anybody but Justin.

  “Did you get my messages?”

  “I did.” Her gaze slid away again and she felt her cheeks warm in a telltale sign of guilt. “Umm. Sorry, I’ve been crazy busy. I recently stepped up in my position at Second Chances.”

  “So I heard.” The note of admiration in his deep voice had her snapping her focus back to his face.

  “You heard?”

  “Yeah. I’m proud of you.” He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and the shirt tightened across his chest as a result.

  His words sent a rush of pleasure through her, but with her focus once again on his chest, she barely managed an obscure, “You are?”

  “Yeah. I keep up on you, Gabby. Even if you don’t pick up the phone when I call.”

  “Oh. No. It’s not…” Her blush deepened and she bit her cheek.

  “No?” He leaned forward, stretching a hand past her to snag a box of cereal off the shelf behind her. Her gaze locked on the hint of brown stubble on his chin and for a brief second he was so close that she could smell the mixture of soap and man.

  Not just any man. Justin man. Gabby swallowed hard, and she felt her nipples tighten and chafe against the cotton bra she wore. Not good. So not good.

  “Hey, look, I’ll give you a call later.” The lie came out in a husky rush. “We can catch up. I promised Phoebe I’d stop by the Second Chances home in a little bit. I should get going.”

  She moved to step around him, but he blocked her path. Her heart thudded faster. This time when he reached out, it was to touch her. He caught a strawberry blonde braid between his fingers and slid his thumb through the strands.

  “I’m going to hold you to that,” he said softly.

  It’d be nice if he just held her, period.

  Her eyelids started to flutter shut and she swayed toward him. Choking on a gasp, she jerked away. What was she thinking? Was she completely out of her mind?

  This was Justin. No. No. And hell no.

  “Of course I’ll call. I will.” Her head bobbed in an affirmation that contradicted the decision in her heart.

  There was no way she would dial his number tonight. His lips twitched and she saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes. Finally, he gave a short nod and stepped back.

  “Great. I’ll…talk to you soon then.”

  “Definitely.” She bit her lip a
nd stepped around him, hurrying to the cash register to check out.

  His gaze burned into her back and tingles of awareness raced through her body. Her palms were damp as she swiped her debit card.

  One last glance back into the store showed Justin had likely disappeared down another aisle to finish his shopping. Thank God. She fished her keys from her purse and rushed to her car.

  *

  Justin set the cereal back on the shelf and scowled. Hell, he’d only picked it up as a reason to get close to her. If only for a second.

  What the hell had happened with Gabby? He hadn’t seen her in six months—since she’d moved out of the house he owned without an explanation.

  For two years they’d been roommates and good friends. And then she’d left and cut all contact. What happened?

  You know what happened.

  He headed back toward the deli, pushing back the memories of that night. The night when everything between them changed. The night that had likely motivated her to move out two weeks later.

  Grabbing a pre-made sandwich from the deli, he went up to the register to pay. His gaze drifted out the windows of the grocery, even though she’d left minutes ago.

  God, it was good to see her. At first he hadn’t been sure it was her. Then she’d looked up, spotted him and promptly run to hide behind a stack of cereal boxes.

  Same old impulsive Gabby. And she was avoiding him. He’d suspected as much since she’d stopped answering his calls and never replied to the messages he left.

  He hadn’t realized how much he missed her until a few minutes ago. Until she was standing right in front of him again and it became clear just how much he’d lost that day she’d moved out.

  She was the same Gabby he’d loved to hang out with. Cute, quirky and a bigger sports fan than half the guys he knew. He’d ditched more than one night out with the boys to sit back at the house and watch the game with her.

  He handed the cashier his money and headed for the exit, stopping to hold the door for an elderly man who approached with a walker.

  After the man gave a quick nod of thanks and disappeared into the store, Justin made his way to his truck.