Chapter 1
The party was hopping. Sally Brooks drank way too much, but so did everyone else. They were all at the house. Susanna, Ava, and Alexa had made a bunch of food. Juliet was mixing drinks, and Elise and Paula were laughing along with BJ, Monte, Tyler, and Matt. Chad and Michael and a bunch of the guys were roaring about football. It was a great party.
Sally searched the room for any sign of Mason or Steven. She had not seen either man for a while. She had that fuzzy feeling in her head as she leaned against the corner of the doorway. She smiled again at seeing everyone so happy and enjoying themselves and the friendships they’d created.
She pushed herself away from the wall and made her way down the hallway toward the bathroom in the back of the house. Her high-heeled boots clicked on the tile floor, and her skirt brushed against her thighs as she tried to keep her balance. Yeah, I am definitely drunk.
She smiled to herself until she hit the wall in front of her. Strong arms wrapped around her waist, keeping her upright so that she wouldn’t fall on her ass. She gasped then looked up and up until she locked gazes with Mason Marcus, and man, did he look serious.
“Sorry,” she stated, sounding so breathless and intimidated she could have kicked herself if the alcohol wasn’t flowing through her veins. The fear of making a fool out of herself caused her to refocus on the Goliath in front of her. He ignored her most of the time anyway, so what did it matter? He would probably be polite, because she’d bumped into him. She couldn’t help the feeling of disappointment.
He just stared at her as he remained holding her in his arms. His green eyes bore into her as they cascaded along her breasts then back up to her lips.
“You can let me go now,” she whispered. He squeezed her, and a moment later she was pressed up against the hallway wall and he was kissing her.
Shocked to the core and nearly to a sober state, she kissed him back, taking this opportunity to really taste Mason. She was stunned that this was actually happening. A fantasy come true, a show of shared attraction she had only dreamed about in her wildest fantasies.
His hands explored her body as they attacked one another, him leading her around the corner to an empty, dark room. She tried to touch him, like he was touching her. The feel of strong, big hands grasped her wrists and held them behind her back with one hand. She felt her body react. Damn it, he was so fucking wild and in control. It turned her on beyond belief.
His mouth left hers to trail across her chin, her neck, then back up again.
His hot breath collided against her sensitive flesh and she thrust her hips against his waist. He towered over her.
“Mason,” she whispered. She felt his free hand move down her thigh to the hem of her skirt.
His warm, large palm caressed firmly across her skin and straight up between her thighs.
He squeezed her wrists tighter with his other hand that remained holding them firmly.
He nibbled on her throat and chin as his hand found her mound and cupped it.
“Oh.” She moaned again.
“I need to feel you,” he whispered, sounding like a distorted voice or as if he was clenching his teeth.
She parted her thighs willingly. She wanted this so badly and had dreamed about his touch and his brother’s touch for far too long.
His fingers pushed past the thin, flimsy material and found her clit. She tightened, and he pressed one finger up into her.
“Oh.” She moaned and he covered her mouth with his and devoured her cries of pleasure. Over and over again, he pumped his finger up into her pussy as he made love to her mouth.
She felt her entire body tighten, and then he pulled his finger out, added a second digit, and pumped faster and harder up into her.
She tried to pull her hands from confinement and that turned her on even more so. She was out of control, losing her ability to maintain some sort of balance here, when she exploded.
He pulled his fingers from her pussy, released her wrists, and pulled her against his chest. He was breathing as hard as she was. He pressed her against the wall and laid his head against the wall and her shoulder. “Incredible.” He licked her skin then caressed her thighs, her hips, and then her breasts with his hands.
She heard voices coming down the hallway. They were laughing, and suddenly Mason pulled back and stared at her.
His green eyes were glossed over with a passionate expression but also something dark and undefinable. He released her and disappeared out of the room.
Sally rolled her head back and absorbed all the sensations running rampant through her body and in her head. Her legs were shaking, her pussy moist and still looking for more of Mason’s attention.
That was the most erotic moment she had ever had. Mason kissed her, fondled her breasts, finger-fucked her, then basically left her in the aftermath of this sexual encounter. It was the last thought that brought her sobriety.
He left her, after he copped a feel, made her come, and got what he wanted. Bastard!
* * * *
It was Friday and open mic night at Dixie Chix. Sally was listening to the performers and wishing that she had the nerve to get up there and sing. It wasn’t like she wanted to be famous or anything. She just loved singing. Looking across the room at her sister, Alexa, snuggling between Chad and Michael made her smile. They loved Alexa so much. Sally wanted that, too. Despite the little fears she had about dating, she ought to take the same advice she gave Alexa and just go for it.
The other problem was her attraction to two very unfriendly non-active-duty Marines, who hadn’t paid her any attention or even acknowledged her existence. Except of course Mason, over two weeks ago at a party. The man acted as if it never happened. She wasn’t that fucking drunk and neither was he.
She caught them staring a few times, but then they quickly turned away. Mason and Steven Marcus were complicated and obviously not interested in anything more than to cop a feel. God, that really burned her inside. She was so turned on that night at the feel of Mason’s hands on her…and in her.
Damn it! Maybe they thought she wanted something permanent like their friends had with Paula, Susanna, and Juliet. She just wanted to try a normal relationship. She never had a boyfriend. As a matter of fact, she never even went on a real date. She was getting antsy seeing all her friends, including her own sister, find happiness. Her chest tightened as the emotions hit her. She wanted a man that would care for her. She should forget about Mason and Steven and just go out with some other guy.
“Hey, beautiful, you’re looking really good as always.”
Caught daydreaming about having a man and startled, she turned around then looked up to see Garret Walters, a very tall, good-looking cowboy, eyeing her over. She smiled and gave him a friendly hello. Garret had been hinting about asking her out for over a week now. He seemed really nice, but he was big and wealthy, so sometimes a bit of arrogance seeped to the surface. He’d catch himself, but still it was there. She wondered if it were in his blood or something. He didn’t live in town, but he conducted business around Delite. If she had a type, he would probably be it because of his good looks and big muscles, and he had style and a roughness about him. But mostly, he saw her. He knew she was there and didn’t ignore her, like two other men she knew. But she didn’t have a clue about men. She wasn’t sure she was up to the challenge.
“Thank you, Garret. How’s it going? Are you meeting the guys here?” she asked. Garret was rarely by himself. He always seemed to have two or three of his friends around him, and they were all pretty popular with the ladies.
He moved a little closer then reached up and tucked a strand of hair away from her eye.
“Naw, just came by to see you. You know I’m gonna keep asking you out until ya say yes, don’t you?”
She felt her cheeks blush. The Texas accent combined with his good looks was lethal. She felt a little flutter, nothing big, but enough to make her say the hell with it.
“You’ve been hinting at it. Are you going to ask me tonight?” she asked, feeling a little flirty.
He squinted his eyes at her, and she stared at his broad shoulders and the way his chest filled in the tailored cowboy shirt. He looked so good.
“Why, Miss Sally, I’d be honored if you’d accept my invitation to dinner tomorrow night.” He bowed with his hand in front of his waist as he lowered his head but held her gaze. He was making a scene. She grabbed his shoulder and pulled him up.
“Cut it out. Someone might see you.”
“Who cares, if your answer is yes.”
“Yes. Okay, the answer is yes. But not a word to anyone. I don’t need people fussing over me.” He gave her a look that made her belly uneasy. She dismissed it as nerves and smiled up at him.
She was taking the bull by the horns here. She was putting Mason and Steven out of her head. She was done waiting.
“I’ll pick you up at your place?” he asked.