Mason tugged me back and lifted me so I wrapped my legs around him. He held me in place, but spoke over my shoulder, "You'll make sure he's okay? This is important, Nate."
"I know. Chill. I'm not an idiot. I know what I'm doing."
"I don't want problems between me and my brother—"
"Would you stop acting like this is my first job? We've been doing this crap for years. It's not like I don't know how to handle Logan, you know. I am friends with him."
Mason's hand started to rub against my bottom and he kissed my shoulder. Then he added, "I know. I'm worried because of—"
"He's over Tate. He knew you were being a good brother." Nate shook his head. "For my sake, take her in the back and get happy. Both of you. Everything will be sorted out. Logan will be his normal self tomorrow."
I twisted around. "How are you going to do that?"
Nate gave me a smug look and a chill went over me. A flash of memories washed over me then.
"When Nate and Mason team up, they always do something."
"He's bad news, like really bad news. I heard him and Kade are not a good team together."
My own mother's voice on the phone, 'I'm sure he's not that bad of a boy. Mason seems very sure of himself.'
I never asked, but I was sure she'd been talking about Nate and now I started to wonder what they meant. Nate had been kind to me, but I saw a different side of him as he answered me. "I'll get him to bang the queen of your school. He already started the groundwork and she bit, she bit hard."
"Miranda Stewart?" A sick feeling started in my stomach. "She's dating Peter Glasburg."
Nate's eyebrows furrowed together. "Because that always means she won't cheat, huh?"
I flushed and buried my head in Mason's neck. His hand rubbed up and down my back. "Fix it, Nate."
"I will."
I felt Mason nodding. "Thanks. And thanks for coming."
Nate laughed on a carefree note. "Yeah, it took me longer than I thought. Never knew I'd be thankful for some pirate movie they're shooting in Brazil."
"Your parents are strict."
"Yeah, well, we gave them reason to be."
Mason's body shook in laughter. "Yeah, we did." He nodded once again and then took me to a back bedroom.
As he sat me down, he flipped the lights on and locked the door. A king size bed was in a corner with a couch and kitchen area on the other side. A small bathroom was attached and I spotted a Jacuzzi inside. A fleeting thought passed through me, I would've thought people would've found this room before now.
"I had a key card to it. No one could get in here."
"Oh." I hadn't realized I'd spoken out loud.
Mason regarded me for a heartbeat before he sat on the edge of the bed. He bent forward and raked his hands through his hair. His elbows rested on his knees and he stayed like that as I crossed the room to sit beside him. I took one of his hands in mine and he looked up. There was a haunted look in him and I gasped. I knew it'd haunt me now as well. I lifted a hand to smooth out the lines in his forehead and asked, quietly, "Why am I a little scared of you right now?"
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine. He breathed out, "Because I'm a jerk."
I swallowed painfully as my heart was pounding. My breathing picked up and it became erratic. "Why do I feel sorry for Logan right now?"
"Because I'm hurting him."
A piece of bark formed in my throat. "How are you doing that?"
He whispered against my lips, "Because you're the second girl that he's wanted and I got."
My heart picked up its pace. A herd of elephants were stampeding in my ear, but I asked the question I never considered it until now, but I had to ask it. "Does he love me?"
With our foreheads against each other, he looked up and met my gaze. His eyelashes touched mine and I felt his breath against my lips. "I don't think he does, not in that way."
My heart was beating so fast now. It was a continuous beat. I was breathless as I opened my mouth. "Do you love me?"
His hand encircled the back of my neck and he lifted my face as he adjusted on the bed. He peered into my depths. And then he moved so he was below me and I straddled him. His hands slid to my back and he ground me against him. I gasped as I pressed down harder. I couldn't get closer. I needed to get closer. I was starting to become blind with the need.
As he touched his lips to mine, I heard him whisper, "Yes." And then he rolled me underneath him and I was lost. Again.
CHAPTER FORTY
I wasn't sure what time it was the next morning when I woke. I had knocked the clock off the nightstand at some point and a jolt of warmth rushed through me at the memory of it. Mason was sprawled out on the other side of the bed. I blinked at the sight of his tight butt. The sheets had slipped down to his thigh and I was tempted to run a finger up the backside of his leg and over his cheeks. They were tanned, muscular, and itching for my touch.
"Don't even think it," he mumbled out of the corner of his mouth. One of his eyes opened enough to see me with his face pressed into his pillow. A half smile spread over him and then he tugged the sheet across my lap. It was wrapped around my legs and I was soon pulled into his arms.
He nuzzled my neck and pulled me over so I was across his chest.
When he started tickling under my arm, I pulled away, breathless. "Stop it!"