Just One Spark (9 page)

His mouth went dry with wanting. There was only one thing to wet it properly. He stepped to her and she held up her hand.

“Mason, I asked what are you doing in here?”

“They uh…you know, out there…” Damn. There wasn’t enough blood in his brain to form a coherent thought.

“Derek and Kate? Really?” Hannah shrugged and put her hands on her hips.

Not good.
Shrugging made her breasts bob up and down, up and down. He had to get out of these pants before they killed him. He undid the button and took another step.

Hannah’s hand came up again. “Whoa there, cowboy. I made myself clear. I’m not having sex with you tonight.”

Begging was definitely an option at this point. She just stepped out of a lingerie catalog for goodness sake. “Why are you…?” His hands waved up and down in front of her body, making him all too aware he was not connecting with her smooth skin.

“This is underwear, Mason. I’m not trying to seduce you. It’s what I had on under the dress I wore to work today and I didn’t have time to change.”

“You always look like that under your clothes.” It was a resigned statement, not a question.
Is my voice an octave higher than normal?

“I suppose so,” she said with a shrug.
Not another shrug
. Mason flopped down on the bed and covered his eyes.

“You’re going to have to give me a minute here.” He tried to think of something else. Something boring like Derek lecturing, except Derek was making out with Kate in the living room. No good
.
He heard her rustling through her closet. If she pulled out another number like the green one from the other night he’d embarrass himself right there.

He pressed his hands against his eyes harder. “Hannah, please put on something that covers you up.”

“I’m not taking requests.”

Even breathing was making it worse. The entire room had that clean-laundry smell of her. The fifty states in alphabetical order. That should work. The throbbing was slowly turning into an ache. He heard the door open and shut and he took a deep breath
.

He needed to make sure they were still on for Thursday, and then he’d give her the space she asked for. Which shouldn’t be too hard because he was working every day until then anyway.

“Either they left or moved to her bedroom,” Hannah whispered, closing the door behind her. Her face was scrubbed clean and her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Mason was eternally grateful for the red knit top and flannel pajama pants. Though the body beneath them was barely disguised.

“Thank you,” he said without getting up from the bed. Let her tell him to go one more time.

“You can thank my mother. This was my birthday present last year.” She sat next to him on the bed and pressed buttons to set her alarm clock. “It’s the only thing I own you’d consider appropriate.”

He sat up next to her and kicked his shoes off and across the room.

Hannah stood by the side of the bed. “I said you weren’t staying.”

Mason raised a finger. “No, you said we weren’t having sex.”

Hannah shook her head and moved the pillows off of the comforter.

Putting his hands on his knees, he looked up at her. “What do you want to do on Thursday?”

Hannah pulled her ponytail tighter. “Mason, honestly, I was planning on spending the whole day in bed. This whole thing has really taken it out of me.”

Oh, yes.
“Fine by me. Yours or mine?”

“You’re incorrigible.” Her smile made her eyes sparkle in the dim light. “I have a list of errands I have to run, but if you want maybe we could do dinner or something.”

Or something?
“I’m glad you can squeeze me in.”

Hannah shrugged, getting up and pulling the comforter back as far as she could with him still on the bed. “This is how my life is during the holidays.”

“I know. I’m not crazy about it, but it isn’t forever.” He pulled his sweater over his head and stood to shuck his jeans and socks and toss them on top of his shoes by the door.

“Mason,” Hannah warned as he climbed into bed.

“What? You said no sex. I can behave, can you?” He patted the bed next to him and laid his head against the pillow.

She narrowed her eyes as she looked down at him. “I have to get up early. I have a breakfast meeting at seven.”

Mason turned his head and smiled. She’d have to tell him to leave. “I have to be in to work by seven. I’ll drop you off.”

She opened her mouth to say something, another protest maybe? But she bit it back and climbed into bed beside him. She rolled, facing the outside edge with her back to him. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her against him.

“Mason, I can feel you.” She wiggled her backside against his waning erection.

“Do that again and you’ll feel more of me. You should feel it. How else could I respond to what you were wearing?”

She giggled and he snaked his hand upwards. “Mason, hands off,” she warned.

He lowered his hand, stretching his fingers out so they splayed across her stomach and felt her every breath.

As he nestled her head beneath his chin, he realized he might actually be able to sleep for the first time since that night. With her in his arms, he knew she was safe.

“Mason,” Hannah whispered in the dark. “Did you plan this?”

“No.” He smiled into her hair. “If I’d thought of it before, I wouldn’t have worn underwear.”

Chapter Nine

A sharp creak of metal startled Hannah awake. In the darkness, she stiffened and froze, waiting for the next sound.

“It’s just Kate’s bedsprings,” Mason said, his voice gravelly and rough. He rubbed his hand against her bare stomach. “Go back to sleep.”

Hannah let out the breath she was holding and relaxed down into the mattress. The creaking grew more rhythmic, insistent. Between that and the adrenaline rush of being woken, there was no way she could sleep now. She checked the clock. Two twenty.
Too early to get up.

“You slept through the first two rounds, you can do it again if you try,” Mason whispered in the dark as he pulled her closer.

She liked the feel of him, the way their legs intertwined in the night. She squeezed her eyes shut tight, but her brain kicked on in full force. “I’ll go out to the living room so you can get some sleep.” She tried to get up but he pinned her legs beneath his and held her firm.

“You need to sleep, Hannah.”

“I know. I just can’t now.” She tried to muster up some fear. The man was holding her down in a bed. She should be afraid. All she felt was the low level hum of arousal she always enjoyed around Mason. The feeling that switched off her common sense.

“Why?” She heard the pillow rustle as he pushed up on it behind her.

He relaxed his grip as she rolled over and looked up at him. “I don’t know. My mind starts spinning and I can’t stop it.”

“What do you usually do?”

Her heart stuttered in her chest. She usually dug one of her erotic romances out of her nightstand and read until she fell asleep or needed her vibrator. But she wasn’t about to let him know that.

“Really?” he asked, as if he read her mind.

He couldn’t possibly know. “I didn’t say anything.”

“Your eyes,” he whispered, kissing her forehead. “You know, since I’m here, if there is anything you’d like me to help you out with…”

How could he always see what she was thinking in her eyes? She shook her head. “Mason, I told you we are not having sex.”

“No, you said we weren’t having sex last night. It’s technically morning, so you can make love with me and not break your word.”

She bit her lip and searched his eyes. How had he used her eyes to read her mind when she could barely see his in the darkness? “Is that why you stayed?”

“I didn’t want to be away from you.” He moved his free hand in a lazy dance up and down her arm. “I never want to be away from you. I know you’re busy, but if I’m going to live on five days a month, then I need you to return my calls and let me come down once in a while.” She watched his shoulders fall as the words came out, almost as if he was releasing himself from something.

“I warned you the holidays are a crazy time for me.” She splayed her hands across his chest, the fine hair tickling her palms. “But I am sorry I was avoiding you.”

His body seemed to lighten at her apology. “That’s okay. I’m already looking forward to your week off in February. Let’s book a trip so we have something to look forward to.”

She didn’t have the heart to tell him if she got the promotion like she was hoping, she wouldn’t get the week in February. There’d be no vacation time for at least six months. “I should use the week to visit my folks in Arizona.”

He stiffened, stalling his fingers on her elbow. “You don’t want me to go with you.” It wasn’t even a question.

She felt his discomfort. It was almost as if his heart had hiccupped. “It’s not that.” Her parents would never approve of her bringing a boyfriend into their home. Not unless there was a ring on her finger. And even then, they’d have to sleep in separate rooms. She ran her hands up to cup his face now rough with stubble. “February is a long time from now. I know it feels like more, but this relationship is brand new. Let’s not make any promises we can’t keep, okay?”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“You say that now.”

Mason grabbed her wrists, pulled her hands between them and wrapped them with his own. “I’m not going anywhere. Hannah, I—”

His words were cut short by Kate’s screams “The penguins, yes, yes, oh, the penguins!”

Hannah rolled to her back as she tried to stifle the laughter racking her body.

“The penguins?” Mason asked, sitting up. “What the hell is he doing to her?”

“He’s your brother.” Hannah laughed. “Kate collects penguins.” Hannah managed as a tear dropped from her eye. “I have to stop or they’ll hear me.”

Mason pushed himself on top of her, his face inches from hers. “They’re a little preoccupied.”

“Really? And here I thought they were dusting her figurines.” Hannah erupted in laughter again as Mason pressed down on the bed, bouncing her beneath him. “Quit it,” she yelped, trying to swallow her giggles.

His grin told her he wasn’t planning on stopping. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his and pulled him down on top of her. “Making me laugh is not helping me get back to sleep.”

“Right,” he said without moving. “I know something that will help you.” His warm kiss on her neck did nothing to calm her down. Every nerve in her body went on red alert. Instinctively, her legs tightened around him and she raked her hand through his hair.

Before she lost all control, she said, “Mason, this is not the answer to anything.”

“Maybe it’s the answer to everything.” His hot breath tickled her neck as he made his way to the curve of her shoulder, her collarbone.

Molding her hands to his face, she raised his head to look at her and shook her head. Mason bit his lip and nodded, rolling off her and to the side.

Her stomach sank watching him close his eyes and breathe deeply. How could she make him understand when she barely got it herself? He jumped as she rested her hand against his chest. She pulled back, but he grabbed her hand and held it where his heart was thumping. She could barely find her voice.

“Every time I’m with you I get in deeper. I just need us to be about more.”

“We are,” he whispered, stroking the back of her hand.

Hannah rolled to her side, pulling his hand with her. He wrapped himself behind her, warming her with his presence.

“Did you always have trouble sleeping?” he asked, running his fingers across her scalp and down her hair.

“Yeah. I would wake up early to be with my dad before he left for work. I was always listening for him. I think that made me a light sleeper.”

“Are you still close with him?”

Hannah wondered if they’d ever been. “He doesn’t think I have a real job.”

Mason’s chest vibrated against her back as he laughed. “What does that mean?”

“He thinks it’s something I’m doing until I get married and have babies.” She thought of his words when she’d told him she was not coming to Christmas in Arizona again. ‘Hannah, you work in a mall. Don’t take yourself so seriously.’ Pointing out her last two stores hadn’t been attached to a mall wouldn’t matter.

“Why does he think that?”

Hannah shrugged. Because that’s how he thought the world worked. Because it never crossed his mind anyone might want anything else. Hannah blew away the heaviness of her emotions. If she kept talking about this she’d need to have sex with Mason just to feel better about herself. Instead, she focused on his fingers, pressing them away from his palm as she traced their length.

Mason kissed her hair. “My dad still wants me to give up firefighting and join the force. Parents have dreams for us that don’t actually jive with who we are.”

“What you do makes a difference in people’s lives. Your parents have to be proud of that.”

“Are you okay with it? My job, I mean.”

She was more than okay with it. It was incredibly sexy, the way his whole career focused on helping other people. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Some women have a problem with it. The schedule is rough. Twenty-four on and forty-eight off can make for a complicated home life.”

“I’m hardly in a position to call anyone else’s schedule crazy.”

Mason spoke slowly, as if deliberately choosing his words. “We are highly trained and always very careful, but it can be dangerous if something goes wrong.”

A chill ran down her spine at the thought. He hugged her closer as if he’d felt it too. She didn’t even want to think about anything happening to him. She folded his hand between her own and brought it to her lips. “You just keep coming home in one piece and I’ll be fine.”

Mason slowly opened one eye and assessed the strange light glowing from Hannah’s alarm clock. With every minute, the light seemed to be getting brighter and brighter.
What the hell?

He pushed up on his elbow. The entire thing was glowing as if it might explode. He rubbed his eyes as the light brightened again. It was pitch-black outside, but Hannah’s bedroom was fast approaching dawn.

“We still have five more minutes,” Hannah mumbled, scooting back into him.

“What is that thing?” Mason whispered, lying back down but not taking his eyes off the glowing box.

“My alarm clock? It’s supposed to help me wake up gradually and reset my circadian rhythm. Christmas from my dad two years ago. He does all his shopping from those catalogs in the backs of seats on airplanes.”

All those words without even opening her eyes. She must be one of those freakish morning people. Finally, he’d figured out what was wrong with her.
He could live with it.

“It gets even brighter?”

“I’ll turn it off if you promise not to let me fall back asleep.”

“I’ll get used to it, I guess.” Never going to happen
.
He’d been waking up to flashing lights since he was seventeen. Hannah’s hand reached from beneath the comforter and slapped the box. It immediately powered down, darkening the room once more.

“Thank you,” he whispered against her hair, wrapping himself around her.

“Mason,” she teased, wiggling her bottom against his morning erection.

“Find something you like?” He pressed himself against her.

“You have a one-track mind.” She tucked the covers under her chin.

That was definitely not the no he’d heard all night. “You inspire me.”

“I need to inspire you to get a new line. You’ve used that one before.”

She didn’t stop him as he moved his hand across her hip and under the waistband of her flannel pajama bottoms. He didn’t stop, sliding the material down over the curve of her hip.
Damn.
She wasn’t wearing any panties.

“Mason, we need to get up in four minutes.” Her words hung in the air, but she didn’t resist as he pushed the pants down past her thighs. He shucked his own boxers and wrapped himself around her again, pushing her pants off the rest of the way with his foot. Brushing the hair away from her ear, he kissed her neck, savoring the scent of her soap that even now lingered on her skin. Hannah moaned and arched her back, pressing against him mercilessly.

He reached beneath her shirt, palming her breast and squeezing, kneading until her breath went shallow. Hannah lifted her leg over his and arched back farther, offering herself to him. Mason bit back a groan and released her breast, reaching over the top of her to throw open the nightstand drawer.

He fumbled around, looking for the box of condoms, not caring to imagine what some of the other objects he found might be. “Finally,” he groaned as he snatched a condom from the box, rolled back and sheathed himself.

Snuggling against her, he worked his hand back to her breasts, brushing across each nipple in turn. “Hannah?” he whispered as he pulled her hair away from her face and began to kiss his way down her neck to where her shirt met her shoulder.

“Shhh. I’m having the most amazing dream.” She twisted and writhed against him. He slid his hand south from her breasts, over her tummy and cupped her pussy. She was so wet, so ready. He parted her lips and his length slid against them, absorbing her heat.

“Have this dream often?” he asked.

“All the time.” Her voice was raspy from her shallow breathing.

He hissed as he slid inside her, slipping his fingers on either side of her clit.

She hummed and leaned forward slightly, pressing back against him. He pulled out almost all the way and then slid in again. He watched the comforter move as her hands found her breasts. In his mind, he saw her tweaking each nipple.

“Hurry, Mason, I can’t last,” she rasped. Good thing, because neither could he. He quickened his pace, stroking her clit with each thrust. Her hands appeared over the comforter as she grabbed her pillow and buried her face in it.

The strength of her spasms shocked him, sending him over the edge immediately, milking him of all he had. He gathered her body against his, waiting for his mind to return to this world while he stayed buried deep in hers.

“Hey, Mason,” Derek whispered as he knocked on the door and opened it without waiting for an answer. They were fine, covered more now than when they’d slept, but Hannah stiffened anyway.

Derek peeked his head in the room. “Wake up. I need to borrow some clothes. Where are your keys?”

“In my jacket pocket. It’s on the chair in the living room.”

“Thanks.” Mason could swear he heard whistling as Derek closed the door.

“That did not just happen,” Hannah squeaked as she buried her face in her hands.

“What?” His heart skipped. She could not mean them
.

“That was too close.”

“He didn’t suspect anything. Trust me, Derek would say something.”

“But we’re lying here, together.” She squeezed him with her inner muscles to accentuate her point. His body surged at the contact.

“It looks just like it did when we were sleeping.” He brushed his hand along the length of her thigh, the curve of her hip, the dip of her waist, up until he found her breast again.

“But if he’d come in even a minute before.”

“We wouldn’t have known he was there.” Mason laughed against her neck.

“This isn’t funny, Mason. We shouldn’t have started anything without locking the door first.”

“Who knew you’d change your mind.” Mason edged his legs between hers once more.

“I’m only human.” She wrapped her fingers around his, encouraging him. “I can’t resist you forever.” She released her hand. “You probably get that a lot.”