His bowed legs are in jeans that fit his muscular thighs like a glove over what looks like an old pair of work boots. His ballcap is on backward and his beard is neatly trimmed. My face flushes as I remember that beard scratching all over my body last night.
Oh no!
Is that Mason? He doesn’t look like the pictures I’ve seen in Mr. Harlow’s office. It’s the beard, it’s new.
Shit!
CHAPTER SEVEN
MASON
WELL, SHIT.
The reason for the pep in my step and the smile on my face is standing right in front of me. In my family’s kitchen. Looking just as fucking breathtaking as she did last night. Her moss-green eyes are lighter in the sunny kitchen than they were last night in the dark bar, and just as captivating.
Ain’t this just the luck of the draw?
But why is she in my kitchen?
I take a step backward and poke my head out of the doorway to look up and down the hall to see if anyone is within earshot and step back in.
She speaks first, “You’re Mason.” She breathes it like a whisper and a look akin to confused horror is on her face.
I nod my head, not sure if I should be insulted or not, my heart beating just a little faster, “And you are?”Please don’t beGray or Tucker’s girlfriend.If I were twenty years younger, I would cross my fingers for luck.
She looks down like she’s embarrassed and my chest squeezes because I made her feel that way, not once did I ask her name last night, but she rallies quick and looks to the side before locking her gaze on the kitchen island between us.
Taking a soft breath, she says, “I’m Sloane. I already put all the breakfast food away, but I can make you something if you like.”
Is that shame in her eyes and on her cheeks?
My eyebrows pinch together for a second and I look down at the counter as I realize that she works in the house, then I remember that our last cook and all-around house cleaner for nearly twenty years retired earlier this year. Marley was upset because she thought of Opal like an aunt.
I can’t say that I’m not a bit relieved. The last time a woman got between me and one of my brothers was a disaster, it didn’t matter that the woman was mostly to blame, Tucker and I fought in the front yard and our dad sprayed us with the hose. We were soaking wet and bloody, and neither of us have forgotten.
Still frozen in place, I say, “You took Opal’s place.” I’m thinking out loud more than I’m expecting an answer from her but she pulls me out of my thoughts.
“Yes. Is there anything I can get you?” There is an edge in her voice and my eyes snap back to her, she still won’t look at me and that bothers me. I want to do whatever it takes to wipe the embarrassment off her face and replace it with the smile I saw all last night.
Taking a step to my left to go around the island, she takes a step to her left toward the back stairs, so I stop. Her cheeks are red, I know she’s embarrassed, but I’m not sure why, “I’m sorry if I said something wrong, I’m just a little surprised.”
Does she want me to leave her alone?
She smiles politely like she is talking to someone she just met instead of someone who was making her moan all night and takes a deep breath before she makes eye contact with me. As she lifts her head and squares her shoulders, I see the love bite that I put on her neck, she tried to hide it with makeup.
Something carnal in me makes me almost smile in satisfaction for marking her as mine. I fight the smile and keep my lips in a straight line, I marked her in other ways than just a hickey last night. Many times.
“Of course not, you didn’t say anything wrong. If there isn’t anything I can do for you I have things to do upstairs.” She waits graciously and stoically for me to answer.
At a loss, I shake my head as I look over her features, the lips I kissed all night are pursed together and her eyes are tight. Resisting my curiosity, I say, “No, I’m good.”
With a slight nod, she turns on her heel and disappears up the stairs, her ponytail swinging over her shoulder and then back between her shoulder blades.
Stepping back into the hall, I look around again to see if I see anyone else and set my hands on my hips.What just happened?I think diddled the maid. Do I feel bad about it?No, I don’t. She’s beautiful and this just saves me from going back to the bar to see if I can find out who she is.
Since she snuck out on me while I was sleeping I never got her name. For the first time, I was disappointed when I woke up alone and decided I would go back to the bar every night to see if I see her again.
But I get the feeling she’s not happy to see me.
