When You're Back Read online

  “I want your shirt off,” she said with a soft moan.

  I’d do whatever she wanted. I let her nipple pop from my mouth and jerked my shirt off in record time. My mouth was back where it wanted to be in seconds. Reese’s nails gently trailed down my chest, and her palms covered my pecs as she bent her back and whispered my name in a way that made me feel like a king.

  Once she’d been scared of this. Knowing she trusted me to love her and make her feel good was something I’d never take for granted. She had been broken once, and I intended to make sure she never felt that way again. I would protect her from all harm. With me, she would always know she was safe.

  Her hips began to rock, and I bit back a wince. My dick was about to burst out of my jeans. Having the zipper press even harder against it caused pain along with the pleasure.

  I let her nipple go in order to claim her mouth again and inhaled her sweetness. When she whimpered, I broke the kiss and touched my forehead to hers. “Let’s take off your jeans,” I said, wanting to touch more of her.

  “Let’s take off yours,” she replied with a grin, then eased back off me and stood up.

  I watched as she unzipped her jeans and slowly began to wiggle out of them. I was entranced. A pair of black satin panties came into view, and the pain from the zipper got worse. I reached for my own jeans and unfastened them to give myself some relief. But I never took my eyes off Reese. She slid her jeans down her legs and tossed them aside.

  “Panties,” I said, but it sounded more like a growl.

  Her face flushed and her eyes lit with desire as she quickly removed those, too. I had her completely naked now. I wanted her like that in my arms for fucking ever.

  “You haven’t taken off your jeans,” she said, staring down at my boxers which were now in view.

  “I was working on it. You distracted me.”

  “Then stand up and let me help,” she replied, grinning wickedly.

  I swear I’d jump off a cliff if she asked me to. That grin could make me do anything.

  Reese

  Mase stood up, and my eyes went to his rippled stomach, which was so hard I couldn’t keep my hands off of it.

  “Anything you want,” he said, looking at me like I was his world. This was the Mase I knew. The man I trusted. The man I knew would never hurt me. I felt guilty for doubting him earlier. I hadn’t had any safe and secure relationships until recently, so I didn’t understand how to trust in them. Until now.

  I closed the little space between us and tugged on his already loosened jeans until I realized he was still wearing his boots. I loved his boots. “You need to take those off,” I reminded him.

  He smirked, bent down, and pulled them both off with ease. “Done.”

  He made me feel as if I could ask him anything and he would do it. That was a powerful yet humbling emotion. I continued pulling his jeans down, pausing to appreciate his muscular thighs and perfect calves.

  I stood up, glancing at his boxers. My cheeks felt warm as I touched them and gently began pulling them down. I could hear Mase’s breathing hitch, and that sent a shiver of anticipation through me. My being close to him like this—especially his penis—excited him. That was a powerful feeling for me, too. Knowing he liked it when I took my time, I paused and glanced up at him when I had the boxers low enough to expose him. His eyes were heated with excitement.

  Leaning in, I pressed a kiss to the swollen red tip.

  “Fuck, baby,” he groaned.

  I liked that. No, I loved that.

  I continued moving his boxers down his legs, then stood up and touched his stomach as I ran my hands up his chest. His hands settled on my hips.

  “Let me take you to bed,” he said, pulling me flush up against him.

  “OK,” I whispered.

  He picked me up and held me closely to his chest as he walked me to his room, my legs wrapped around his waist. His mouth covered mine in a hungry kiss before he laid me down gently on the king-size bed.

  I stared up at him, letting my legs fall open as I held my hands up for him. I wanted him covering me. Completing me.

  Mase fell into my arms immediately.

  “I love you,” he said fervently as he kissed my neck. “I love you so much I can’t breathe. You are my heart, Reese. My life.” He continued to kiss a trail down my neck until he was nibbling at my collarbone.

  “Mase,” I moaned, lifting my hips. I wanted more. I wanted him inside me. Filling me.

  He slipped a hand between my legs, and his finger slid inside. “So fucking wet. Damn,” he groaned. He took that same finger, slipped it into his mouth, and sucked on it before lowering himself until I felt the tip of his hardness press against me.

  This was what I needed. This connection.

  He slowly sank into me, stretching me with his size. The muscles in his arms bulged, and he closed his eyes tightly. I watched his beautiful face. The tight clenching of his jaw and the vein in his neck. All of it made me hum with pleasure.

  When he was finally deep inside me, his eyes opened, and he met my gaze. There was so much emotion in them that I felt my own eyes start to tear up. He didn’t have to tell me how he felt about me—I could see it. He bared it all to me in that moment, and I knew it.

  “Wrap your legs around me,” he said in a hoarse whisper as he lowered himself even further. His mouth brushed my ear.

  I did as I was told.

  “So good,” he said, whispering his praise.

  I held on to his shoulders, ready for him to move inside me. I knew it would be so incredible—more than incredible, really; there was no way to describe how I felt during sex with Mase.

  “Keep those legs open wide, baby. Let me love you until you can’t remember your name.”

  With those words, he nearly brought me to the brink of an orgasm. Was that even possible?

  “Sweet, just like that. Let me make you feel good. I want you to reach heaven the way I do when I’m buried inside you.”

  I started to assure him I was there, that I knew what he was feeling, but his hips rocked, and I lost all thoughts and the ability to breathe as I held on tight. He made growling sounds of pleasure as he sent sparks of heat through me.

  When the first orgasm crashed over me, he scooped me against his chest and whispered how beautiful I was and other sweet things I couldn’t quite remember—his words and the steady rhythm of his movements were already bringing me to my next orgasm. Quickly. I held him close, clinging to him for dear life.

  By the time the third one hit me, Mase roared and cried out my name as his body shook with his own orgasm. He pressed his face into my neck as he gasped for air.

  Feeling him fall apart over me made me tremble with pleasure once more, before we collapsed together, our hearts thudding wildly.

  The sound of knocking broke into my dreams as I forced my eyes open. I looked around in the darkness of the room, Mase’s warm body pressed against mine as I lay wrapped in his arms. After the third time we’d made love last night, we had both passed out.

  Mase groaned and blinked his eyes open. “What the . . . ?” his sleepy voice asked.

  “Mase!” a woman’s voice called out. I recognized it. Aida was here. “Open up. I brought food.”

  “Shit,” he growled as he eased out of bed. He walked over to the closet and grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. When he turned back to me, he gave me a pleased grin. “You hungry?”

  I was sleepy but hungry, too. It looked like we had slept past dinner. I nodded.

  “I’ll get your suitcase. Take your time getting dressed. I’ll fix your plate,” he said, bending down to press a kiss to my lips.

  Mase left the room. I lay there, tucked into blankets that smelled like him.

  I could hear Aida at the front door as her voice filled the house. “What took you so long? I brought you food. I’d think you’d be more grateful.”

  “Thanks,” he said flatly.

  “Where you going?”

  “Bringing
Reese her suitcase,” he replied as his footsteps made their way back to the bedroom.

  “Jesus, Mase. You could’ve at least picked up her underwear before you let me in,” Aida said in an annoyed tone. She didn’t like me. I wasn’t just imagining that.

  He didn’t respond. When he opened the door, he rolled his eyes and grinned at me. Our discarded clothing was tucked under one of his arms as he carried my suitcase with the other hand. “Ignore her.”

  He tossed our clothing onto a chair and winked at me. “Get dressed and come eat.”

  When he walked out this time, I sat up, worried about how to face Aida.

  I didn’t want his cousin to dislike me, but I wasn’t sure if I had any control over that.

  Mase

  Momma had sent over enough food to feed an army. I reached to get two plates out of the cabinet. “Tell Momma I said thanks for this. Reese is probably starving.”

  Aida was standing on the other side of the counter with her hand on her hip. “You only got two plates. Is Reese not eating with us?”

  Us? Shit.

  Aida wasn’t leaving. It wasn’t that I didn’t enjoy hanging out with her when she visited, but I didn’t want her hanging out with us right now. I just got Reese back. I wasn’t ready to share her yet.

  “Uh, I figured you had already eaten.”

  She looked hurt. “No, I wanted to eat with you. We always eat dinner together.”

  Damn. This wasn’t going to be easy.

  I saw movement from across the living room and glanced up to see Reese standing there in a pair of cutoff sweats and a T-shirt that hugged her body just right. I wanted to be alone with her, but Aida was here, and I couldn’t hurt her feelings.

  I smiled at Reese. “Come eat. I’m getting you a plate ready now.” She glanced at Aida then back at me nervously.

  “She can’t fix her own plate?” Aida asked in a snarky voice I didn’t like.

  “Yeah, she can. But she doesn’t have to. Not when I’m here.”

  My reply seemed to annoy Aida, but she didn’t say anything else. What was her deal? No wonder Reese looked nervous. Aida wasn’t being her usual bubbly self. Reese was seeing a bad side of her.

  “I don’t mind. I can do it,” Reese said as she moved toward me. She seemed eager to please. This was the Reese I’d met. The one who was unsure of herself and shy. Aida wasn’t going to bring that out of her again—I wouldn’t allow it.

  “I got this, baby,” I assured her.

  She walked toward the cabinets. “I’ll fix the drinks, then. Aida, what would you like?” she asked.

  I looked over at Aida, who seemed even more annoyed before she saw me looking at her. Then she smiled. “I’d like sweet tea, please,” she replied. Her smile didn’t meet her eyes. I was going to have a talk with Aida. Something was off with her.

  “Momma sent tea, too,” I told Reese, sliding the gallon of tea across the counter to her. “I’ll take some, too.”

  Reese smiled up at me, relieved about something, and began pouring three glasses. “I love your momma’s sweet tea,” she said.

  And my momma loved Reese. I was surprised she hadn’t brought the food over and had sent Aida instead.

  I slid a plate over to Aida before I picked up Reese’s and walked over to the table to set it down. Reese was setting the glasses of tea at each seat. I pulled her to me and kissed her.

  “Eat a lot. You need your energy,” I whispered in her ear, then walked back over to fix my own plate.

  Aida was frowning at me. “Do you have to do that with me here?”

  “My house, Aida. I can do what I want in it. You don’t like it, you can eat at Momma’s.” I was tired of her snarky attitude. She was never like this. I didn’t know what had gotten into her.

  “That’s rude,” she said, sounding hurt.

  “When I want to kiss Reese, I will. Get over it.”

  I didn’t wait for her to say more but grabbed several pieces of fried chicken and a biscuit before walking back to the table.

  Reese was sitting there, staring down at her plate with her hands in her lap, looking a little lost. “You’re not eating,” I said.

  She lifted her gaze to meet mine. “I was waiting for the both of you to join me.”

  Aida sat down on the other side of me. “So are we still going to the cattle auction tomorrow? I’ve been looking forward to that all week.”

  I kept my gaze on Reese. “Doubt it. I don’t expect Reese will want to get up that early.”

  “Reese doesn’t have to go,” Aida replied.

  She was really starting to piss me off. “She just got home. I’m not going anywhere without her.”

  I felt Reese’s soft hand touch my arm. “If you need to go to the cattle auction, I can get up early. Don’t let me be the reason you don’t do things you need to do.”

  She was trying hard to fix things. I didn’t want her thinking she had to do that. This was her home. She belonged here.

  “My need to have you all to myself is what’s keeping me from doing things. I don’t intend to do shit tomorrow. I want you alone in this house with me.”

  Reese blushed, and a smile tugged at her lips before she lowered her gaze back to the plate in front of her.

  “Does that mean you aren’t going to the Stouts’ for the barbecue tomorrow night? They’re expecting you.”

  The Stouts owned one of the two biggest ranches in a fifty-mile radius; my family owned the other. I’d grown up with their son, Hawkins. We weren’t close friends, but we both knew we’d be taking over our fathers’ positions one day.

  I glanced at Reese. “You up for a Texas barbecue?”

  She nodded. “That sounds fun.”

  Having Reese on my arm and introducing her to the people in town made going to the barbecue feel more bearable.

  “Guess I lost my date. Who will I dance with now?” Aida asked with a pout.

  She was being exasperating. I had started to respond to her ridiculous comment when she dropped her fork to her plate with a clatter and stood up.

  “You don’t want me here. I’m just in the way.” She turned and headed for the door.

  What the fuck? Where had my fun little cousin gone? She’d turned into an angry crybaby. This was not like her at all. “I need to talk to her,” I told Reese. “I don’t know what’s gotten into her.”

  Reese nodded and gave me a smile that didn’t meet her eyes. That bothered me. I had to fix this thing with Aida so she would stop upsetting Reese.

  I followed after Aida only to find her at her truck, crying. “What is wrong with you?” I asked as I walked down the steps toward her.

  She looked up at me with a tear-streaked face. “I don’t . . . she’s . . . you don’t have any time for me with her here.”

  “Aida, this isn’t a competition for my time. My life and my future all belong to Reese. She’s a part of me. We are a package deal. I would think you’d be happy for me, but you’ve hardly even spoken to Reese. I want you to be friends. You’re my family, and she will be, too, soon enough.”

  Aida wiped at her tears and sniffed. “So we won’t ever get to do anything together again, just you and me?”

  I tried to understand why she was crying. I had always given Aida all of my attention when she visited. She didn’t come over often when we were growing up, but when she did, I treated her the way I treated my little sister, Harlow. But things had changed, and we were adults now. She wasn’t that little girl anymore. I didn’t have to let her follow me around, and I wasn’t obligated to entertain her every second she was here.

  “If you would give Reese a chance, I know you’d love her. She’s easy to love. Everyone who meets her loves her. We can all do things together. I’m not cutting you out of my life, but you have to understand Reese is my life now.”

  Aida sniffled and sighed. “You won’t have time for me anymore.”

  She was right. I wasn’t going to be able to drop everything and escort her everywhere she wanted me to
. “We’re grown-up, Aida. We aren’t kids anymore. I’m not a single guy who has time to do whatever you want. Those days are gone.”

  She nodded, and her tears seemed to dry up. “OK. I can accept that. But can you at least not ignore me?”

  “I don’t ignore you.”

  Aida seemed appeased by that and started to open her truck door. I reached around her and opened it for her. She climbed inside. “Be nice to Reese next time, will ya?” I said, before I closed her door and headed back inside to my girl.

  Reese

  I finished eating alone and cleaned up my plate and Aida’s before walking back to the bedroom. I wasn’t sure how long he would be gone, and I wished I could shut my mind off about what was going on. I had only just met Mase’s immediate family. How would it affect us if his cousin hated me? Because I was pretty sure she did, though I wasn’t sure how to fix that. Harlow was so sweet and accepting of me, and she was his sister. It should be easier to win over his cousin.

  The stream of warm water felt wonderful when I stepped into the shower. Just as I closed the door, I heard Mase call my name.

  I had started to open the door and answer him when he appeared in the bathroom doorway. He walked straight toward me, and I watched him through the glass as his eyes trailed over me like I was his meal instead of the food I’d left for him on the table.

  He opened the shower door, and our eyes met just before he started stripping off his clothes.

  “I left your food on the table for you,” I said, watching him step out of his jeans and boxers.

  “Can’t eat knowing you’re naked and wet in my shower,” he replied, and stepped under the stream of water with me.

  “You didn’t eat very much.” I sounded breathless.

  He smirked. “Turn around, Reese. Put your hands on the wall. I want to kiss my spot.”

  His spot was the freckle under my left butt cheek. He was obsessed with it. And when he wanted to be naughty, that was the first thing he kissed.