Page 20 of Hidden Obsession

Chapter Nine

Mason felton top of the world the moment he opened his eyes the next morning with Cleo wrapped around him, her soft skin glowing in the early morning light.

He was tempted to wake her for a repeat of the previous night, but a quick look at his watch told him that if they indulged again, they would be late. The idea of a morning romp was tempting, but if he wanted a future with Cleo, he had to keep her safe and alive, and to do that, he had to catch her stalker.

Untangling himself from the warm woman in his bed, he showered quickly and dressed before going to the kitchen to start the coffee. As he checked the fridge to see if there was anything that could still be classified as edible, he heard the shower turn on. With some difficulty, he ignored the rush of blood to his cock imagining Cleo’s naked body under the spray and finally found a pancake mix that was still within its expiry date.

He was setting the table when two slender arms came around his waist. Turning to see the goddess who’d rocked his world a few hours earlier, he took in the scent of soap and shampoo coming from her as he stole her lips in a good morning kiss. However, when lust flared, he grabbed her hips and pushed her to arm’s length breathing hard. “There’s nothing more I’d like than continue our good morning kiss, but if we do, the pancakes will get cold, and we’ll be late for work.”

Cleo wrinkled her perfect nose, clearly disappointed before checking the time on the stove. “But we still have time…”

“Not if we stop for coffee and pastries as you normally do. And because we can’t go to your usual place, it will take extra time.”

Annoyance was replaced by resignation before a smile returned to her mouth, and she gave him a chaste kiss. “Thank you for thinking about it. I didn’t realize we’d need extra time.” She looked at the table and gave him another peck on the mouth. “And thank you for going to all this trouble. I love pancakes.”

Warmth expanded in his chest when she turned to fill them both a cup of coffee. Dressed in a bright blue dress, her violet hair in a simple ponytail, with minimal make-up, she looked stunning, but then she always did. Mason loved how perfectly at ease she was in his kitchen, doctoring her coffee before taking a sip and closing her eyes in visible bliss.

“How do you take your coffee?”

“Black is fine.”

Rounding the counter, she put his mug on the table. “No wonder you take it black, it’s amazing coffee.”

Mason brought the plate of pancakes and put it in the middle of the table. He went back for syrup, butter, and brown sugar, hoping that it was how she ate them.

“There’s a little shop on my jogging route I discovered a couple of weeks ago. My Spanish is rusty, but the owner and I communicate through coffee.”

Cleo sat and smiled. “I think I’ll have to take up jogging too. It seems you discover the most amazing places during your runs.”

She helped herself to a few pancakes before drenching them with syrup, catching the last drop with her finger before licking it. The image of those ruby lips around his cock came to mind, and he was glad he was seated for a few minutes to give his hard-on a chance lessen a bit.

“And I’ll need to start jogging if you feed me pancakes like this every morning. Otherwise, I’ll need to shop for more than new underwear.”

She winked at him, and Mason shook his head, smiling at the light banter. “I like your curves, Cleo. And you can jog with me anytime.”

Cutting a piece of pancake, she started to eat, rolling her eyes at him. ”My exercise is using my bike every morning and night. I haven’t had time for sports since I left Arizona.”

She said it lightly, but the topic was obviously heavy for her. However, he couldn’t help himself and dug a little more, wanting to know her better. “What did you do after you left? You said you went to Houston. You found a job there?”

“Yep. As a file clerk in a law office. It was pure luck that I landed it within a week of arriving. I was renting a room in a hostel nearby, and I met a lawyer at a coffee shop one morning as I was looking at the classifieds. We said hello, she asked for the arts section and if I was searching for a job. Less than a year later, I was promoted to executive assistant.”

“That’s not a surprise. You’re too intelligent and resourceful to remain a clerk. And that firm had the brains to see it.”

With a stunned look on her face, Cleo nodded. “I worked hard, especially since my education was limited. I almost refused the position because of that, but they told me what I lacked in training, I made up for in street smarts, drive, and planning. I seemed to be able to sense events before they happened.”

Mason nodded, having seen that himself since he’d started working for the agency. “Did you stay in Houston long?”

Cleo grabbed her mug, taking a sip as she thought about it. “Five years. Then I was headhunted by another firm in Salt Lake City. Stayed with them a couple of years before going on a business trip to New York. It was a complicated case, and we were there a month. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired in my life, but I bumped into a contact who offered me a job I couldn’t refuse. It was working for the head of the NYPD.”

This was impressive. “Head of the NYPD? You’re talking about The New York City Police Commissioner? Really?”

Cleo nodded, smiling at the memory. “Yeah. Nice guy. He offered me a position as one of his assistants, and I couldn’t resist. And I learned a lot.”

“And how did you become part of the Alliance Agency?”

Cleo pushed her plate away. “I gave myself a quick vacation in Miami, rented a car, and told myself that I was going to party until I dropped. Unfortunately, I never got to do it because I was barely out of the airport before I was pulled over by the biggest imbecile of a cop I’ve ever met. We argued so much he decided to take me to the station. I gave him and his superior an earful. There are benefits from working for law firms and a police commissioner. You pick things up regarding the law and your rights. What I didn’t know was that Emme was in the station and heard most of it. She caught up with me when I finally got out of there. She offered me the job. I think it’s my destiny to be offered jobs.”

“Well, I have Emme to thank for having the incredible luck of meeting you.”