Part 14 (1/2)

Her shy smile was a reminder of the constantly changing and contradictory beauty that was Kevan Landry. And her gasp as he pinched one nipple and sucked the other into his mouth was his cue to keep things moving.

”This doesn't change anything.” Her words were rushed and delivered on heavy breaths.

”I know, Bettie. Just enjoy it,” he said. Reaching down, he parted her wet lips to stroke her pulsing c.l.i.t. ”Oh, I think you already are.”

He pulled her other rosy nipple into his mouth and bit a little less gently as he pinched her hard c.l.i.t. Her body stiffened, and she sang his name as she came apart in his hands. He dragged out her o.r.g.a.s.m by plunging two fingers into her quivering ca.n.a.l, absorbing her cries as if they were feeding him straight adrenaline. Oh, the power he felt when he brought her some relief, some joy, like he could conquer the world.

If Mason wasn't careful, he could become addicted to this woman.

Kevan was a lot of things; stupid wasn't one of them. She knew she shouldn't be here with him, but she couldn't muster the energy to feel any regret for falling into bed with Mason again. He'd shown up right when she'd needed him. The nightmare that had frightened her from a sound sleep had continued to linger until Mason had bullied his way into her bunk and carried her off. Her pathetic attempts to pull away were just her going through the practiced motions she used to keep everyone away. She'd wanted him. Desperately.

There would be time for personal recriminations and self-flagellation later. At that moment, she was riveted by the image of the glorious man kneeling between her parted legs. Watching as he stroked his long erection with huge-but somehow still elegant-hands and seamlessly rolled on the condom. He really was a ma.s.sive, gorgeous man with broad shoulders, sinewy taunt muscles, and a tapered waist.

”If you're not inside me in the next five seconds, I swear I'm taking matters into my own hands and leaving you out of the equation,” she blurted.

He laughed, never taking his eyes off her or his hand from his c.o.c.k. ”Now who's the bossy one?”

Mason's hand wrapped around her knee as he stretched her legs wide before laying her ankle on his shoulder. His grin took on a scandalous, almost feral tilt, before he leaned forward, caging her in, and lifted her bottom. He stared directly into her eyes with an intense heat that made her want to look away. But she didn't. She needed this connection with him, even if it was transitory and superficial. Needed to feel part of something and not alone. Just for a while.

Kevan grabbed Mason's shoulders as he plunged deep inside her, deeper than she thought possible. When he began to move slowly, the tingling sensation building in her core surprised her. Apparently, the man had a magic p.e.n.i.s. She felt her muscles relax, unfurl, with his increasingly demanding motions. Kevan's body no longer belonged to her, she realized, as she arched into his and her fingers scored his back.

His thrusts became more erratic. He groaned, ”I can't last much longer.”

The urgency in his voice and the fact that a powerful man like Mason could lose control with her pushed her over the edge. Her world sparked a million colors, going from shades of gray to a rainbow in seconds. He called her name as he spilled into her, stroking two more times before he stilled inside her, on top of her.

It took all of about three minutes before the panic set in and she pushed him off her, which he let her do. Avoiding his stare, she gathered her nights.h.i.+rt and sifted through his tangled sheets for her panties.

His warm hand pressed on her back, calming her enough to stop and look at him. Warmth flooded her cheeks-embarra.s.sment from the s.e.x or from her panic?

”It's okay, Kevan,” he said quietly, as if talking to a frightened animal. As if knowing her better than he should and sensing her fear before even she could identify it. ”We don't have to talk about it. We don't have to try and figure anything out. Just lie here with me.”

His hand rubbed circles on her lower back. G.o.d, he really did have some strange hold on her. Better to own up to the mistake now and get the f.u.c.k out before she lost her heart to him.

She cleared the cobwebs from her throat and stood next to the bed with her shoulders level. ”Thank you for the distraction. But I think it's time for me to go to my own bed.”

His eyes widened, and his face flushed. ”You're thanking me? Thanking me for f.u.c.king you? Jesus. Why can't you just let go for one night? Just let me f.u.c.king hold you.”

The anger in his eyes was all the justification she needed to rationalize her escape.

”You know why, Mason. We...” She pointed to him and back at herself. ”We aren't a thing. We can never be a thing. You don't do relations.h.i.+ps, remember? And I don't do this! Don't even get me started on the whole 'you're taking away my livelihood' thing.” Hating the shake in her voice and knowing there wasn't anything left to say, she smiled weakly and stomped out of his room.

She yanked her gown over her head and threw herself into her cold bunk. Alone. Always alone.

Chapter 14.

Welcome to life on the road, Kevan thought wryly as she pushed the off b.u.t.ton on her phone's alarm. She drew open the curtain and dragged her achy body out of her narrow bunk. They'd only been on tour two days-three now-but Kevan was exhausted with an unnatural weariness that left her bones heavy and her muscles fatigued. And now the ache between her legs matched that of her heart.

Grabbing her iPad off the bunk shelf, she reviewed the schedule for Redding that day, which included an all-day charity home build. Then she shot off a text message to her intern, Sindra, reminding her to follow up with the media, and set her tablet back on the bunk. The clank and clunk from the kitchen alerted her to Mason's presence. She smiled, knowing how hard he tried to be quiet in the morning, but his big body in the small RV was the proverbial bull in the china shop. Then she remembered how she'd thrown a tantrum and stomped off in the middle of the night. Yet another impulsive act meant to salvage her bruised ego and s.h.i.+eld her wounded heart gone wrong.

She trudged into the kitchen, stretching her arms over her head. Mason handed her a steaming cup of coffee, which she accepted gratefully. They exchanged niceties, ignoring the awkward morning-after tension that swirled around them. She sipped her coffee as she prepared for the low income Home for Good project build she'd set up through Bowen's ex, Lynn Bale.

They moved around each other as if they already knew the other's carefully ch.o.r.eographed routine. She smiled to herself, allowing herself to imagine them as a real couple. He was beautiful and graceful, where she was all clunk and sparkle. Her manufactured glamour and klutziness. His natural sophisticated style and cla.s.s. What would it be like to wake up with a man like him every morning? A real man. A grown-up. Would she get up early to make him his morning coffee every day? Or would he let her sleep in and deliver her favorite blend to her in bed?

Kevan shook her head and moved into the bathroom to finish getting dressed. As she pulled the bathroom's pocket door open and called out to Mason, ”Hey, you ready or wh...” Mr. Punctual was already standing in the kitchen with her enormous boho bag hanging from his index finger, smirking.

”Of course you are,” she said wryly.

They stepped out the door into the foggy early morning and piled into the rented van. The band, a few roadies, some woman she hadn't met before, and Joe were already there waiting. While some warmed their hands with paper cups of coffee, others shoved their hands in their pockets, hoping to find warmth in the cold fall morning. Kevan pulled her phone from her pocket and fired off a few more texts to the local media attending the build.

”Let's get this party started!” Jax yelled, laughing when the rest of the sleep-deprived group winced, groaned, and slid down in their seats. Maybe September was the wrong time to plan an event like this.

Once they reached the build site, Kevan climbed out of the van first, and checking the time on her phone, she realized they were running slightly behind. She pointed Mason, Joe, and the band toward the coffee and donuts while she located Lynn, Bowen's old high school girlfriend and the community relations director for Home for Good. The thin, tall blond squealed and threw her arms around Kevan, rocking her back and forth and squeezing her tight. The earnest reception warmed her heart and melted some of the tension knotting her shoulders. Kevan had always liked Lynn and, at one time, hoped she might be the special woman to quell Bowen's restlessness and stop his downward spiral. Despite it not working out with her brother, Lynn had stayed in touch, and they'd remained friends.

”I can't believe how great you look.” Lynn was always complimentary and sweet, despite always being the hottest chick in any room. With her long, straight hair and big green eyes, she was the quintessential beach babe. The California girl with model looks and a heart of gold, who dedicated herself to improving the lives of others.

”Right,” Kevan said, rolling her eyes. She laughed and looked down at her vintage Social Distortion s.h.i.+rt and torn, baggy jeans. Yeah, she looked lovely today. ”How have you been? Heard you're getting married. Who's the lucky guy?”

”He's a cop here in Redding I met at a fundraiser a year ago. It was love at first sight. Plan on having a bunch of his babies and living happily ever after.” Lynn's smile grew even wider, if that were possible. ”So who's the s.e.xy, broody giant you came with?”

”No one,” Kevan said shortly. No reason to open that can of worms. ”Just another marketing guy.”

As her eye instinctively sought him out in the growing crowd, Mason raised his head and glanced at her. He stood next to a young woman wearing a sheer yoga outfit that was completely out of place on a cold housing build. The woman talked animatedly, waving her hands and her hammer in the air. Maybe she was one of the volunteers from the local gym. Maybe she was more Mason's type. He didn't smile at Kevan but nodded and turned back to the overly chatty woman. Kevan clenched her jaw. Maybe the hammer would slip out of blondie's hand and land on her foot. Or his.

Catching Kevan watching him like a love-starved teen, Lynn raised her eyebrow. ”Really?”

”Really.” But maybe she should pair Mason with someone more helpful. Like another guy. ”We might have gotten together once.”

”And?”

”And then he found out I was trying to sign Manix and left without a word.”

”And?” d.a.m.n Lynn and her tenacity. The woman was like a pit bull.

”And now he keeps cornering me and kissing me. And maybe he dragged me out of my bunk on the bus last night and then I ran off like a scared bunny. It's all a mistake. He's the CEO of a really big company, and now we're sharing an RV and competing for Manix's business.” She explained the meeting with Joe, the deal they'd made, and how she'd ended up sharing his motor home.

”Girl, you have a knack for jumping in the s.h.i.+t feetfirst, don't you?” Lynn laughed. ”I give you two days at the most.”

”Two days? For what?”

”Before you're back in his bed again.” She winked.

”Shut up,” Kevan mumbled and shoved her friend's shoulder. Nope, she could totally stay away from him.

”Don't look, but he's been staring at you the whole time we've been talking.”