Wyne and Chocolate (Citizen Soldier Series Book 2) (12 page)

The
common ingredient was Mason. Ripped and wickedly handsome, the enigmatic man
pulled responses from her she never knew existed. Her body was still quivering
with little aftershocks of pleasure. She understood how her chocolate felt
flowing through the fountain, stripped, taken apart, then put back together.
Right now, she could barely feel her legs.

Mason
stirred at her side, then came up on an elbow and stared down at her, his eyes
still dark with heat. “You okay?”

“Very.
And then some.” Smiling, she reached up to touch his face. “You?”

  A grin
tugged the mouth that kissed her palm. “Hell, yeah.”

“I’m
glad.” She brushed his jaw with her thumb. “I never asked you why you came.”

Another
smile claimed his lips. “Because you tightened around me and—”

“Not
that.” She laughed and smacked his shoulder. “I meant here, to my place.”

“Oh,
that.” He reached behind him to pull something out of his discarded cargos. “To
give this back to you. Again,” he replied, holding up her grandmother’s pin.

She sat
up and reached for her neck.
Duh
.
Naked
. Her scarf was hanging
with her coat on a hook by the door. “I’m sorry. How…where?”

“Outside
the ladies’ locker room.” He smiled, handing her the pin.

In all
the years she’d worn the heirloom, it had never fallen off. Ever. Now, within a
little over a week, she’d lost it twice. Opening the clasp, she lifted her
shoulder. “It’s not broken. I don’t get it.” Then a thought dawned, and she
could feel her face turn beet red as she lifted her gaze to his. “I swear to
you, Mason, I haven’t been leaving this for you to find on purpose.”

He
grinned. “It’s okay. I believe you,” he said, then rose to his feet. “I’ll be
right back.”

She
watched him walk across the room. His naked backside was as impressive as his
front, all sinewy and lean, mouthwatering back muscles and glutes rippling as
he walked. The outdoor activities he conducted were good for his body. And hers.
After all, she’d certainly reaped the rewards.

He
disappeared down the hall, presumably to find the bathroom to take care of the
condom. Heat rushed down to her toes. Just looking at him made her ache and
took her mind off her stupid display of emotion. But, she should probably worry
about the chocolate splattered walls, cabinet, table, ceiling and floor before
the mess had a chance to harden, instead of worrying about hardening
other
things.

She’d
just closed the clasped when she heard the bathroom door open. Suddenly feeling
shy, she jumped to her feet, set the pin on a clean shelf, then quickly reached
for the nearest piece of clothes. Her apron. With no time to grab another, she
slipped it on and was tying the strings when the mesmerizing, naked guardsman
walked back into the room.

He
stopped dead, gaze heating as he stared. “You look so damn hot. Are you naked
under there?”

She
nodded. “Yeah…I thought maybe I should try to clean this place.”

He shook
his head and strode straight to her, mischievous grin tugging his lips. “I’ve
got a better use for the chocolate.”

And like
that, she went damp, and her ache increased as she watched his erection grow
hard before her eyes. He stopped in front of her, lightly brushing his thumb
across her beaded nipples poking the apron. “A much better use.”

“Again?”
she asked, unable to stop from pressing into his big, warm hand.

He bent
down to kiss her neck. “Again,” he replied against her skin, sliding his other
hand around to cup her bare ass and squeeze. “And again, because I’ve the
feeling twice in one night won’t be enough for me.”

She drew
back to stare up at him, and her whole body heated at the fierce expression on
his face, somewhere between playful and protective. Her heart cracked open, and
he slid farther inside, which scared the hell out of her, because he was bound
to leave like the others.

The
countdown had already begun.

F
ireball.

Last
night had lent new meaning to the endearment Mason had bestowed on the beauty
curled up against him, all warm and soft and curvy. He stretched out in her
bed, early morning sunlight streaking through the shades, creating bright lines
on the floor.

A
contrast to the lines they’d created on the kitchen floor last night. More like
imprints. Before scrubbing the kitchen and showering, they’d gotten creative
with the chocolate, especially after Jill had heated some in the microwave,
giving it a warm, liquid texture. He especially liked the way the chocolate had
dripped off her delectable nipples, down her belly and around her sweet folds,
and how, when he’d taken special care to lick her clean, she’d made the sexiest
damn sound he’d ever heard.

Ah,
hell.

He was
rock hard again. How could that be? He should be dead. He’d already used the
condom he’d had tucked in his wallet and the one they’d rescued from his pants
pocket before tossing the cargos in the wash. And they hadn’t needed a condom
when the chocolate had been poured, because once he’d licked her clean, she’d
drizzled it on him and licked off more than chocolate when he was balls deep
inside her warm, wet mouth and she refused to let up until he gave all he had.

Still,
according to his raging hard-on, he couldn’t seem to get enough of the woman.

“Mmm…”
Jill stirred next to him. “Good morning. Is this present for me?” she asked,
stroking a hand down his dick, making him see stars in the daylight.

“Easy
there, Fireball,” he said, removing her grip. “We’re all out of condoms.”

She
giggled and refastened her hand around his throbbing arousal. “No we’re not. I
have one in the drawer,” she said, kissing a scorching path across his chest.
“I got it at your sister’s bachelorette party. It was in the bags Jordan handed
out.”

Jordan
McCall. He smiled. Figured. The beauty was a sheriff, a strong, clever woman,
and a good friend to his sister down in Texas.

“Remind
me to thank her,” he said, opening the drawer.

“Wait.”
Jill stilled as she stared at the clock. “I have less than forty minutes to
open the shop. Unless you can make this super quick,
He-Man
, it’ll have
to wait.”

“He-Man?”
He chuckled, flipping her on her back and sucking a pebbled peak into his
mouth. “There’ll be no waiting,” he said against her soft skin as his hand
traveled south and he slipped a finger inside.

Ah,
hell yeah
.

She was
already warm and wet. He drew back and stared down at her flushed face,
beautiful, dark gaze hazy with need. “This might be super quick, but you’re
going to enjoy every second.”

He was
reaching for the condom when the doorbell rang, followed by a loud knocking.

“Jill?
Mason? Open up,” Ben said, his muffled voice distinctive even through a locked
door and walls.

Why the
hell was his brother here? If it had been an emergency, he would’ve called, and
Mason had already checked his phone ten minutes ago. There were no missed calls
or texts.

Which
meant his brother was here to see Jill.

His
heart lurched. Old, unwanted, dark feelings rushed to the surface as he glanced
down at the woman whose face was beet red.

“Shoot.
I forgot to tell him I didn’t need a ride.”

Or that
she’d found another…

Jesus
,
he was such a damn idiot. Clamping his jaw, he rolled off her and reached for
his clean clothes on a nearby chair, while she slipped into the robe hanging on
the back of the door.

Christ,
was his brother seeing Jill while Lea was in New York? Even as the thought
formed, his mind balked. No. Ben wouldn’t do that. Ever. He didn’t think Jill
would either, but…hell, he never thought Renee would and yet she—

The
sound of the front door opening brought his mind back to getting dressed.
Fastening his pants, he kept an eye on the entryway visible from inside her
bedroom.

“Hey,
Ben,” Jill said, swinging the door wide. Face still flushed.

His
brother stepped inside, wearing his ACUs, his keen green gaze running over the
woman gripping the belt on her robe before fastening on him as he pulled on his
shirt.

“Sorry,
didn’t mean to interrupt,” Ben said, nodding to him, expression contrite before
his attention returned to Jill. “But just because I found Mason’s Jeep in your
driveway, I didn’t want to assume you had a ride to work.”

She
glanced at him then, gaze open, slightly worried, waiting to see what he
wanted, allowing him to reply. Trouble was, he had no damn idea what he wanted.
Or felt. Other than confused as hell, and angry. But at whom? And he could also
see something else in her gaze. Mistrust, but of a different kind…she expected
him to let her down. Prove that he was just another guy she couldn’t depend on.

“Yeah,
I’m taking her,” he finally replied. He sure as shit was not one of those
fuckers. No matter what, he dealt with his responsibilities head on, and damn,
he was trying not to be warmed by the relief that brightened her gaze.

She
turned back to Ben. “I’m sorry. I…didn’t think to call you.”

“No
problem.” His brother smiled. “I was up anyway. Had to drop Lea off at the bus
station. She’s going to stay in the city this week since I’ll be working late
due to the upcoming drill weekend. She’s only coming in Friday night. As a
matter of fact, I might actually need you to pick her up.”

“Sure,
no problem,” Jill said.

“Thanks.”
Ben nodded. “Her car is at the resort. Sorry she needed to grab it off you
yesterday. I can take you to get it after work, if you want.”

She
smiled. “Yes, thanks.”

Mason
noted it wasn’t one of the brilliant ones, or heated ones she laid on him, and
he began to relax. Then called himself all kind of names for even entertaining
the thought that those two were having an affair.

Jesus
,
he needed to move past that shit.

He
leaned against the bedroom doorframe, mere inches behind the beautiful woman
who’d shared body and soul with him last night. She had a great body and
wonderful soul and didn’t deserve his mistrust. Yet, he knew…he
knew
this was probably not the last time he’d jump to the
cheating
conclusion.

He was
just too screwed up.

“I only
need it for a few days. I’m supposed to get my insurance check this week.
Hopefully, I’ll have my own car again by Friday.”

 “No
problem. See you later,” Ben said, then shifted his attention to Mason. “And I
guess I’ll see you soon for breakfast, bro.”

He
nodded. “Yep.”

Then Ben
was gone, leaving him alone with Jill, and the elephant in the room.

His
mistrust.

“Thanks,”
she said, walking to him, resting her head on his chest while her arms wrapped
around him tight.

“For
what?” he asked, automatically dropping his hands to her waist. “Thinking for a
moment that you and my brother were having an affair?”

She drew
back and stared up at him, and he braced himself for her tears, or wrath, or
slap. Lord knows he deserved all three.

None
came.

Instead,
she graced him with a beautiful, honest, pure smile. “No. For coming to the
conclusion that we
weren’t
having an affair. For working your way past
your mistrust and seeing the truth. For giving me the benefit of the doubt. But
most of all,” she said, reaching up to cup his face. “For offering me a ride to
work even when you still weren’t sure if I was sleeping with your brother.”

He
blinked down, totally blown away by her words. “You’re not mad that I thought
you were sleeping with Ben?”

“No.
Given your levels of mistrust, and what Renee did to you, I would’ve been
shocked if you hadn’t.”

The
woman was too much. Too sweet. Certainly too damn sweet for the likes of him.

“No, I’m
not,” she said as if reading his mind. “I just happen to have trust issues, too,
and know where you’re coming from.”

“Then
let me reassure you here and now, I do
not
abandon, Jill. I would never
abandon you.”

Her gaze
was hopeful, and he could tell she wanted to believe him. But she didn’t. She
pulled away and walked to her closet to pull out clothes.

“I know
you wouldn’t mean to, but things happen, and eventually, you—”

“No,” he
cut her off, grabbing her arm to swing her to face him, navy sweater dangling
in her hand. “Don’t lump me in that category. You don’t know me well enough to
put me with those assholes.”

She
sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry. We don’t know each other that well, and I’m
not even exactly sure what it is we’re doing. Are you?”

“Hell if
I know.” He released her and blew out a breath.

She set
the sweater on the bed then stepped in front of him. “Do you want to keep doing
it?”

Big
brown eyes stared up at him, eyes capable of a heat that could bring him to his
knees inside of two seconds, or brimming with utter satisfaction that made him
feel like a king.

Two things
he was not ready to give up. Not after tasting her, slipping inside her slick
warmth, hearing his name on her lips as she came undone around him.

“Yes. Do
you?” His heart hammered in his chest as he waited for her reply.

“Very
much so, Mason.” She grabbed his hand and brought it to her lips. “I like being
with you. A lot. But the last thing I want to do is put pressure on you.” A
shaft of heat flashed through her eyes. “But given our past, it’s probably best
if we take this slow. Don’t put any expectations on one another.”

“I
agree,” he said, liking where her head was at. Slow worked for him. “As long as
you don’t see someone else. We’d have to be exclusive, Jill. I won’t share. And
I don’t abandon. ”

“Of
course. You either.”

She
smiled up at him, gaze open and warm, and he felt contentment for the first
time in nearly an hour.

“We
don’t see anyone else, just each other once in a while.”

“Yes.”

Jill
slipped her arms around him again, brushing his body with her soft, supple
curves, and this time, Mason held her tight, feeling as if he’d won something,
yet he had no damn clue what.