“But, you are!”
“No, I’m not. But I don’t care anymore. I can’t do the noble thing. I’m weak when it comes to you.”
I drew in a breath. I was afraid to hope. Afraid to let my feelings show.
“What does that mean?”
“It means, Paton has that room all to herself.”
My eyes got wide. It was one thing to give us a place to crash. It was something else entirely to start a relationship by sharing a bed.
“Are you sure, Mason? Maybe we should just… date first.”
He shook his head.
“I’m all in, or all out. I can’t wait for you any more. I’m taking you home right now. Kelly and Cass will both be here tonight. They already made a bed up for Paton.”
Oh. My.
He’d really thought this through. It wasn’t just the miniskirt. Wasn’t just sex.
He wanted me.
“You really want this? With me?”
“You have no idea how badly. I’ve been fighting this from the moment we met.”
He smiled wryly.
“I lost that battle.”
I inhaled sharply as he tipped my head back and told me to open my lips. Slowly he lowered his mouth to mine and kissed me firmly. He slid his tongue into my mouth and I shivered with pleasure.
“Cold?”
His eyes were laughing but warm with desire. I had to laugh. I was a little bit chilly.
“Is it okay if Pate stays here tonight? Kelly already made up the trundle.”
I stared at him.
His fingertips traced my collarbone. I was having trouble focusing on what he was saying. I tried to concentrate but his touch was too distracting. His fingertips sent shivers coursing through me in every direction.
But they all ended up in the same place.
“Why?”
“I thought we could be alone tonight.”
“Oh.” I bit my lip, my whole body alight. “You want to be alone with me?”
“Yes. I’m tired of pussyfooting around. I want you in my bed tonight. And I want to be loud.”
My knees got weak and he caught me, his arm pressed against my lower back.
Oh my.
“There are things I want to do… well, we can always be quiet. But tonight I thought we could take the night off from being good.”
My mouth felt dry so I licked my lips without thinking. He smiled knowingly when I did that.
“So what do you say, Michelle? Do you want to be bad with me?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
“That’s good, honey. That’s real good.”
And then he scooped me up into his arms and carried me through the party. Everyone gawked at us, except Kelly who gave me a furtive thumbs up. But I didn’t care about the stares.
Mason wanted me.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Mason
We got into the house, but barely. We didn’t make it farther than the kitchen. I shrugged my jacket off as our tongues tangled, slamming into a wall while I tried to get her top off.
The bow was tight… dammit.
I broke off the kiss to work on it. The sound of our ragged breathing was the only noise in the house. Even the dog knew better than to interrupt me now.
“Mason?”
“Hmmm?”
I was completely focused on that ribbon, and getting to see what was under her clothes.
“I haven’t really… done this before.”
I raised an eyebrow, still working at the laces in her corset.
“How’d you get Paton, exactly?” I asked in a teasing tone.
She laughed breathily.
“No, I mean… well, we only did it twice. And I haven’t… since then.”
I stopped what I was doing, staring at her. The graceful column of her throat was so elegant. Her profile was as lovely as a marble statue carved by Michelangelo. She was perfect.
And… she hadn’t been with anyone in all this time?
It was a travesty. But it was also a goddamn miracle.
Mine. She really was all mine.
Fierce possessiveness came over me, turning me into the caveman I wanted to be. I lifted her so her ass was on the kitchen counter and spread her legs so I could settle between them.
Not a complete innocent, but close.
She did look more than a little bit shocked.
Damn, the girl was practically a virgin.
“You and me, we’re born again virgins.”
I brushed her cheek softly. I knew I should be gentle. I knew there was no way in hell I was actually going to be gentle.
“Once I start, I might not be able to stop.” I tried to smile but it was too painful. I was holding back with everything I had. “I might be too rough.”
She swallowed and glanced away. My stomach tightened up. Then she nodded to herself and slid her arms around my neck.
“Good. I don’t want you to stop.”
With a moan I sunk between her thighs and gripped her head, kissing her deeply. My tongue was deep inside her mouth seeking and stroking, my hands were on her ass and my cock was burning a hole in my jeans.
“Fuck, I can’t wait…”
I reached for her panties and tugged them down. Holding her legs open I lowered myself to my knees and pushed her skirt up.