Kindred (The Watcher Chronicles #2) (15 page)

"Are you smelling my hair?" I ask, trying to think when the last time I washed it was.

Mason chuckles.  "Yes," he admits, sounding like I caught him doing something maybe he shouldn't.

"That's ok," I reassure him, taking a whiff of my own against his neck.  "I like the way you smell too."

"What do I smell like to you?"

"It's kind of woody with a hint of cinnamon."

"Must be the soap I buy from Malik and Tara's company."

"I love it," I say, allowing myself the pleasure of drenching my sense of smell with him.

Mason pulls away from me.  "I love you."

I smile.  "I love you too."

I see his eyes drop to my lips before he leans into me.  "I love the way you taste too," he says, gently pressing his lips against mine in a chaste kiss.

"You're quite delicious yourself," I reply, leaning in to deepen the kiss but Mason pulls away.

I know I look confused because I am confused.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"We need to talk about something before we go any further."

"Ok," I say, suddenly concerned this conversation might be going in a direction I won't like.

"While you were all getting JoJo's talisman, we were watching the satellite feed back at headquarters."

I still feel like I’m in the dark.  "And?"

"Why can you talk to Chandler so easily about things and not me?"

I see the hurt on Mason's face and instantly know he overheard my discussion with Chandler about why making love might be difficult for me.

"How much of our conversation did you hear?" I ask.

"I had Joshua switch the audio off when Chandler asked if you couldn't or wouldn't go past just kissing.  It didn't feel right to listen in on what was meant to be a private conversation between the two of you."

I sit back on the couch.  I should have known they would be watching us back at headquarters and make a mental note to myself to be more cautious with what I say from now on when I'm within range of the Watcher spy satellites.

"It's not that I can talk to Chandler more easily than I can you.  He's become a sounding board for me about you.  I appreciate his advice on certain things, that's all."

"Would you tell me what your answer was to him?"

I look at Mason and see that he's listening intently for my next words.

"I want to go past just kissing," I say.  "I want you so badly my body aches to the point where it's unbearable. But I can't make love with you yet.  Even though every tiny cell in my body wants nothing more, I'm just not mentally ready."

"It would be nothing like what you experienced before," Mason says softly, "that much I can promise you."

"But can you promise me I wouldn't flinch away or even try to run away from you when you touch me?  Because I can't make that type of promise to you.  I don't want to hurt you like that.  I don't want you to think I don't want you when I do."

"Then we'll take it slow," Mason says.  "We can try to push the boundaries when it feels right and see where it leads us.  If I touch you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable, just tell me to stop.  That's all you have to say, Jess.  Say ‘stop' and I will.  And you won't hurt my feelings if you flinch because I know how hard it is for you.  I know what you've been through.  There's nothing in this world you could do that would really hurt me except leave me."

"Well there's no way in hell I'm ever leaving you," I profess, which garners a pleased and relived smile from Mason.

"You and that smile," I say, roughly pushing Mason back onto the couch with both my hands and lying on top of him.  "It's always getting you into trouble, Mr. Collier."

Mason's smile widens.  "I like being in trouble with you, leads to interesting punishments."

"Hmm," I say primly, tracing the edge of Mason's jaw with my index finger, running it slowly down the center of his neck until I reach the small bit of chest revealed by the V opening of his white button down shirt.  "I can see you're going to be a handful, Mr. Collier."

"Maybe even two," Mason says, taunting me with his maddening cheeky grin and mischievous eyes.

I reach up and begin to trace the outline of his lips with my finger.

"Insubordination will only get you one thing," I murmur, feeling Mason's warm, quick breaths against the tip of my finger, telling me he's almost to his breaking point.

"And what's that?" He asks, almost as a groan.

I lean up further until our eyes are level with one another.

"Submission by kissing," I say, pressing my lips lightly against his.

"I can live with that," he replies, as I continue to barely touch his lips with mine.

With a groan built out of frustration, Mason grabs me by the upper arms and deftly positions me under him instead of on top.  He plunges his hands into my hair on either side of my head and plunders my mouth with his tongue in a kiss that literally takes my breath away.  Mason leans his body down onto mine and I know the hardness I feel against my thigh isn't his phone this time.  The realization that I can arouse him in such a short amount of time makes me feel powerful and desired. I feel him wedge the leg he has near the inside of the couch in such a way that lifts the proof of his arousal so it isn't resting against my leg anymore.

I break the kiss.

"What are you doing?" I ask, taking the opportunity to catch my breath.

With a blazing heat in his eyes, he leans down to continue the kiss while saying, "Kissing you."

I bring my hands up to his face to stop him.

"No, I mean with your leg," I say.

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable," he says shyly.  "It's not exactly a part of my body I can control, Jess."

"It wasn't making me uncomfortable," I tell him.  I grin.  "Especially now that I know it isn't a phone."

The heat of desire in Mason's eyes intensifies and his lips descend against mine like he's laying claim to me, possessing me.  I feel him slowly lower his body back down on top of mine and I smile against his lips at the feel of him against me.  I run my fingers through the hair at the back of his head content to keep him there forever.  After a while, I feel him gently begin to move his hips against mine.  The feel of him makes my body ache to accept what he has to offer but the warning signal blaring inside my head over rules everything else.

"Stop."

Mason pulls away immediately.  He gets off of me and kneels beside the couch.

"I'm sorry," he says, breathing heavily.

I shake my head.  "Please don't be."  I reach out and cup the side of his face with my left hand.  "You didn't do anything wrong."

"I should have had better control."

"I'm glad you lose control when you're with me," I tell him.  "It makes me feel like the most desirable woman in the world when you do."

Mason takes the hand I have on his face and brings it to his lips to kiss the palm.

"You are undoubtedly the most desirable woman I have ever met," he proclaims, making me smile.

He kisses the inside of my hand one more time before standing up and pulling me to my feet.

"But I need to take you home now," he says.  "I need a few minutes without you around."

I nod, understanding his request isn't meant to hurt me but protect me.

Mason phases me to my house and gives me a tender kiss.

"I'll be back soon."

After Mason phases, I sit down heavily on my couch.  My phone buzzes and I fish it out of my front pant's pocket.  It's Faison.

"Hey, you back home yet?" She asks me.

"Your timing couldn’t be more perfect.  I just got back.  What's up?"

"I found some pictures of bride's maid dresses that I like but can't figure out which one I like best.  Can Mama Lynn and I come over?  I want your opinion since you'll have to wear it."

"Sure.  Come on over.  I'm alone."

"Why isn't Mason there with you?"

"He had to attend to something," I say, hoping I sound vague enough for Faison to not delve any further into the subject.

"Attend to what?" She asks and I can tell she's suspicious.

"Had to take a shower I think."

Faison is quiet for a few seconds before saying, "Be right over."

I end the call and brace myself for the interrogator I feel sure is walking to my doorstep.

Chapter 12

Surprisingly, Faison doesn't try to interrogate me right away.  She waits a good five minutes before setting in.

"So, a shower… in the middle of the day, uh?"

I look at her and Mama Lynn, knowing they already discussed why Mason would need a shower before it was even dark outside.

"It's not the middle of the day.  It's almost supper time," I say, avoiding direct eye contact with either of them as I stare at a crack in the wood of the table.

"Hmm," Faison says knowingly, not easily thrown off the scent now that she smells blood.  "Sounds like someone might have taken my advice and is working her way onto the naughty list this year."

I stare at Faison, not believing she just said that to me.

"Any help here?" I beseech Mama Lynn.

Mama Lynn smiles.  "Jess, you know we just like seeing you happy, and being with Mason makes you happy.  Everyone around the two of you can see that."

"We aren't disgustingly lovey dovey like Faison and John Austin, are we?"

"I take offense to that question," Faison says, but with a smile because she knows I'm right.

"Not quite that bad," Mama Lynn concedes.  "But it's there, plain as day.  Now, have you talked about getting married yet?"

I rest my forehead on the table.  Dear Lord, did I really want to meet my blood kin?  Would my grandfather torture me as much as Faison and Mama Lynn about my personal life?  If my grandfather is a nosey body too, I feel sure I won't survive my family.  As it is, I know Mama Lynn and Faison won't stop bugging me until Mason and I are married with two children.  That might not even be enough.  I'm not completely sure.

I raise my head and stare at their expectant faces.

"No, we have not talked about marriage.  We just really started dating.  I don't think we're at a point where we need to talk about marrying each other yet."

"Why not?" They ask in unison.

"Because I'm not ready yet!"  I say and immediately regret yelling at them.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to yell, but you guys have got to stop harping on the marriage thing.  It is not happening anytime soon."

Faison sighs.  "And here I was hoping we could have a double ceremony."

She pouts, which brings out a reluctant smile on my part because she looks like a petulant child when she pouts.

"Listen, you'll be the first person I tell if and when Mason and I decide to tie the knot."

"Tie what knot?"

I look up and see Mason standing against the entryway between the kitchen and living room.  His hair still looks wet from his shower.

"A boat knot," I say, refusing to give him the satisfaction of answering a question I feel sure he already knows the answer to.

"I have a boat," he tells me, grinning slyly.  "A yacht actually."

"Ooh, could we go out in it one day?" Faison says, thankfully filled with a new purpose besides trying to marry me off.

"Sure, name the day," Mason tells her.

"I'll get back to you on that," she promises.

"I'm going to go read my book while you ladies talk," Mason tells me, a slow suggestive smile spreading his lips.  "Let me know if you need any knots tied.  I'm pretty dexterous with my fingers."

I stare after him as he leaves, completely flabbergasted that he made a sexual innuendo in front of my family.  Or had my mind just completely become obsessed with sex that I was taking everything he said as meaning something naughty.  When I look back at Faison and Mama Lynn, I know he did just do what I thought.

Faison starts to giggle.  Mama Lynn just lifts one of her eyebrows at me.

"Show me the dresses," I tell Faison, desperately needing something to take my mind off the devastatingly handsome man waiting for me in my living room.

I spend a good thirty minutes with Faison and Mama Lynn discussing dresses.  We finally all agree on one and they gather their things to leave.

"Can you and Mason come over for dinner tomorrow night?" Mama Lynn asks.

"No," I say hesitantly, not sure if I want to tell Mama Lynn the reason why.  But I don't want to keep her in the dark either.  "I'm actually supposed to meet my grandfather tomorrow night."

Mama Lynn stops stacking the magazines in front of her and looks up at me.  "You're grandfather?"

"Mason found my biological father's father.  I'm supposed to go to his house and meet him."

"Oh," Mama Lynn takes in a deep breath.  "I see."

Worry creases Mama Lynn's brow as she finishes stacking the magazines in front of her.  "Well, I guess that will be good for you.  You'll finally get to see where you come from."

"Yeah," I agree, but don't elaborate on how excited I am about the meeting.  I don't want to give the impression that I feel like my life thus far has been lacking in any way.

"I love you," I tell her.

Mama Lynn smiles wanly.  "Oh, I know that, Jess.  I just didn't realize you had any family out there."

"Me neither," I admit.  "But, apparently I have a grandfather."

"Well, maybe we can all get together one day," Mama Lynn suggests.  "I would like to meet him too."

I smile.  "Let me make sure I like him first.  Then we can decide if we want him in our family or not."

Mama Lynn smiles too.  "Ok, Jess."

After they leave, I flop down by Mason on the couch and he puts his book on the coffee table.

"Everything all right?"

"Yes."

"Do you need to talk about it?"

"No."

"Would you like to continue what we were doing at the villa?"

I look over at him and notice his hair is still slightly damp.  It makes me smile.

"How many cold showers can you take a day?"

He brings me into his arms.  "As many as is necessary."

"You'll turn into a prune," I argue weakly.

"It'll be worth it."

Before Mason can kiss me, I see Isaiah and Chandler phase in behind the couch.  I instantly get to my feet, not wanting the two of them to think all Mason and I do is make out.