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Sunday, August 17th
Mase was gone when Nat woke the next morning. She turned over in the bed and put her hand out to the empty space beside her, and the dent in the pillow where he’d lain. And for a moment it was like that first morning, waking up with only the ghost of him, the memory, but no Mase. Just the hot memories and wondering why he’d left in the night.
This time, she sat up, pushed back her hair and looked around her. She was in the middle of his king bed, a jumble of tan sheets and comforter spread across the surface. The morning sun slanted through wooden blinds on the two long, narrow windows in the east wall, spilling across the faded carpet. Through a crooked slat on a northern window blind, she could see a line of green trees and the gold of cured grasses in a meadow.
She was in Mase’s bed, in his house, which meant he was somewhere around. And his absence didn’t mean he didn’t care to be with her, it just meant ... well, that he had a life to be getting on with. And so did she, little as she wanted to remember that just now.
She smoothed her hand across the soft tee he’d lent her. Tan, it read Clark County Law Dogs Fun Run on the front. She smoothed a hand down her chest, hunching her shoulders with pleasure. The soft, worn cotton was like a hug, which she really needed right now.
She leaned over, pressing her forehead to her fists. The previous evening came pouring back, battering at her in waves. Opening the bar, welcoming the first patrons, bustling about and reveling in the sounds, sights and smells of a bar—her bar—doing what it was meant to do, providing a fun, relaxed atmosphere for people to kick back and have a good time.
Then Cassidy’s arrival along with Buzz and the hateful shouting match that followed. The uncomfortable exodus of many of the other customers.
Misery slithered through her, cold and debilitating.
She lifted her head when she heard Mase’s voice, coming closer as his footsteps thudding lightly up the stairs. Through the open door she saw his head, then shoulders appear above the landing, phone held to his ear.
“All right,” he said. “Thanks, babe. We’ll be there.”
Nat shoved back the covers and scrambled to the side of the bed. Standing, she shoved back her hair and turned toward the bathroom.
“Morning,” she said brightly—or tried. Her voice cracked. “I, uh, just need to get dressed. And then I’ll ...” do something. She wasn’t sure what.
“Baby,” Mase’s voice held a patient rebuke as he moved to stand before her, too close to ignore. He wore only a pair of faded green gym shorts, hanging low on his narrow hips. He put one hand on her waist, pulling her to him and crooked his other hand under her chin, tilting her face up to his.
He looked into her eyes, his warm and searching. “Whatever’s goin’ through that head of yours, stop. You got that?”
She nodded half-heartedly.
He shook his head once and pulled her closer, into a full body hug, his arms closing around her, his hands rubbing up and down her back. Her head fit into the curve of his strong shoulder, his bare skin smooth and warm against her face. If only she could stay right here and hide ... forever.
“You don’t get it, but you will. Here’s what’s gonna happen. We’re gonna shower, we’re gonna get dressed, and then we’re going back to Teri’s. She’s fixing breakfast. We’re gonna eat, have some coffee and we’re gonna make a plan.”
Nat frowned uncomprehendingly at the tanned column of his neck so close to her. “A plan? For what?”
“A plan for the bar,” he repeated firmly. “Dack and the guys are comin’ up. Kai and the girls too. Dave. It’ll be a summit.”
She tipped her head back and gazed up at him, her brain whirling. “A summit.” Had he been drinking, this early in the morning?
Mase grinned at her, his face creasing, eyes twinkling. “The Rambles Bar Advisory and Planning Committee. Baby, you better hold on, ‘cause we’re gonna rock your world.”
Hot tears filled her eyes, and she pressed her trembling lips together as emotion surged too high and hard to hold back. “Oh, Mase ... that’s so sweet.”
It was. She wasn’t sure any of them could do anything, but how good to know she had friends in her corner. No matter what happened next, at least she wasn’t facing it alone.
His hand moved down and slid under the hem of her tee to cup her ass cheek and squeeze. He leaned closer, tipping his head to align their lips.
“Nah. Sweet is you in my house, wearing nothin’ but my tee. And my bed right behind you, waiting to catch you when I do ... this.”
He pushed, she yielded, and found herself lying back on the bed, her legs parted and dangling over the edge, while he leaned over her, pushing the tee up, up until it was wedged in her armpits, revealing all of her below. In spite of her dragging angst, a thrill of excitement pulsed through her.
His hot gaze swept over her, his hand stroking up the inside of her bare thigh to cup her mons. “Now that,” he pronounced, “is what I call sweet.”
“Don’t we have to go to breakfast?” she asked, her fingers curling into the comforter beneath her. How did he make her insides melt with just that look?
Mase shook his head, already dropping to his knees between her thighs. “Not until I get me some sugar, baby. You give me your pussy, first on my mouth and then on my cock. After that I’ll take you to breakfast.”
Since his fingers were already parting her for his lips and tongue, Natalie did what a smart woman would do. She slid her fingers through his short hair and clasped his head to her and hung on.
He made her come so fast her head spun, then rose, yanked down his shorts, hooked his arms under her knees, lifted and spread her and thrust inside her with a series of moves so fast and focused it felt like one.
Natalie cried out with joy as he slid home, and he gave a deep growl of satisfaction and need.
“Put your arms over your head. I want you open and spread for me, all the way. Eyes open, on me. You hear me, Natalie?”
She did. Arms over her head, body open and held so she could only take what he gave her, excitement pounding with the rhythm of her heart, Nat kept her eyes on his face. The bed rocked under them, and their flesh slapped together as he took her, hard and fast. His cock raking her pussy, slamming against that perfect spot each time, was everything she needed, wanted.
“Mase,” she breathed. “Oh, don’t stop. Please don’t stop.”
His head went back, his jaw and throat clenching in sharp delineation. His nostrils flared and he sucked in a long, harsh breath.
“Fuck,” he groaned. “Fuck, yeah. Natalie.”
Her name, uttered as if he called out to her from the heights of ecstasy, sent her flying over the edge with him. She let go with a sob.
“Mase. I love ... oh. Love this, love it, love ...”
She came back to herself slowly, with a smile that rose clear from where they were still joined. Stretching luxuriously, she relaxed again, and forced her heavy lids open to look up at him.
Mase pulled out of her on a hot slide of semen and softening cock. He let her go, carefully, lowering her feet to the bed with a caress for each bare leg.
Nat watched him, her smile slipping uncertainly as she saw the odd look on his face. He was examining her carefully, as if testing a new theory.
“What?” she whispered, her heart banging against her ribs. She brought her hands down and yanked at the tee, pulling it over her breasts. An outer shield couldn’t hide what she may have revealed from inside herself, but it would have to do.
He stopped her with the shirt still riding on her nipples, and traced each long, furled tip with a forefinger, then bent to cup the side of her face with his palm. He pressed a soft kiss to her lips, and tipped his forehead against hers.
“You can trust me with that, too,” he murmured, his voice soft and gravelly at once, as if dredged from deep within him. “When you’re ready. I’m not goin’ anywhere, Nat. You get that, right?”
Oh, shit. He’d heard her slip, knew what it meant. Nat eyed him warily, hope and terror flying in dizzy loops inside her chest.
“Okay,” she whispered. He was here for now. That would have to be good enough. Because who knew what the future held for her or for them? She daren’t even try to look beyond today.
He smiled at her. “Okay, baby.” He kissed her again, a long, slow kiss that turned deep and wet, full of the hot memory of what they’d just shared and maybe the promise of more.
Then he pulled her out of bed and into the shower, the tee tossed on the floor behind them.
“Now, move it, woman,” he ordered cheerfully. “Your pussy is sweet, but I need java and real food.”
Nat knotted her hair up on her head and stepped into the shower with him.
“You’re hungry?” she pouted. “I didn’t get anything to eat.”
He gave her a look of dark promise.
“Oh, I’ll give you somethin’ to swallow later on,” he drawled. “While you’re on your knees. Maybe somewhere with people real close. Don’t forget who we’re havin’ breakfast with.”
Nat froze, the soap in her hands. Holy crapoly, they were going to be breakfasting with a bunch of doms. What had she done, giving him ideas?
Mase gave her a satisfied grin and snitched the soap.
* * *
AFTER HER SHOWER, NAT bundled her sweaty undies and Rambles’ tee in her purse, donned the tee she’d slept in and her jeans, commando. Then she shoved her feet into her trainers and followed Mase out to the Highlander.
He handed over her keys, leaning in for a kiss. “I’ll be right behind you. Gonna stop at the grocery store on my way.”
“Okay.” Nat watched him walk to the garage. She started the SUV, noting the country atmosphere of Mase’s neighborhood, and the widely spaced homes. She looked wistfully at his house. It could use a good coat of paint and some yard work, but it was a great place.
As she put the Highlander in gear and backed around into the gravel sweep before the garage, she noted the basketball hoop standing to one side of the drive, and the dusty ball sitting on the ground underneath, as if it had been tossed down after a game.
A great place for a family, that’s what this place was. And Mase was her age, mid-thirties. Not too late for a man to find a young woman and start a family. Was that his plan, with a place like this? If so, there went any future they might have.
She put her foot on the gas and drove away.
At Teri’s, Nat ducked into her room, where she did her hair, her makeup and rifled through her closet for clothing. She finally chose a soft green knit top with cut-out shoulders, tonal lace insets in the front and a blousy hem that sat just right over her short denim skirt. Paired with her brown leather wedge sandals, silver bangles and a pair of huge silver hoops, she felt ready to face Mase’s friends.
Teri was in the kitchen when Nat came out, bustling between the oven and the sink. “Good morning,” she called. “Coffee’s on.”
Nat hurried into the kitchen. Teri had clearly been cooking, as there were utensils, bowls and supplies scattered about, and a wonderful buttery, cinnamon smell filled the air. Her friend wore a frilly white apron over a short red skirt and black top, her hair caught up in a complicated knot with a red bandanna.
“Oh, you went to all this trouble,” Nat noted. “Let me do dishes.”
“I like to cook for special occasions—and this qualifies. I made my baked French toast,” Teri said, stowing supplies back in her big refrigerator. “With pecans and cinnamon-sugar syrup. Dave’s grilling the bacon on the barbecue, and Daisy’s bringing a fruit platter. So we’re good.”
“How are you doing?” she asked, pausing with the carton of milk in her hands and the refrigerator open.
“I’m okay,” Nat said, then faltered under Teri’s searching look. “Oh, who am I kidding? I’m a mess.” She sniffed, and blinked hard. “I want this so bad, Teri. And this feels like my last chance to make it work.”
Well, it was, literally, because she needed to start making a profit fast, or she’d have no money to make her first loan payment. And if that happened, her whole plan would begin to unravel. She couldn’t buy liquor and pay employees with moondust and dreams.
Teri gave Nat a quick, hard hug. “I know, hon. I know. Owning a business isn’t for cowards. I had a color job go bad the first month my salon opened ... thought I was gonna lose it all in a lawsuit. She was a city councilman’s wife, liked to throw her husband’s weight around.”
Nat nodded. “I remember. You called and I could hardly understand you, you were so upset.”
“Right. But I fixed the color and got through the bad publicity. And now look at me ... I’m turning people away. And you will too.” Then she made a face. “Okay, that metaphor headed south in a bad way, but you know what I mean.”
“Yeah,” Nat muttered. “I know, all right.”
“Pfft,” Teri uttered. She moved away. “I remember what you told me during my hard time, even if you don’t. Anyone can stumble. Then you have to get back up.”
Nat smiled crookedly. “I was clearly channeling my mother when I said that.”
“Hey, your mama is one of my heroes. She’s still full of sass, even on that walker. And her hair always looks great.”
This was true. Wendy kept her hair blonde and styled, because as she’d told her daughters time and again, fixing up made a woman feel better, even when she was down.
“Or maybe,” Teri added, “you just need to remember why you want this so badly.”
“Because it’s my dream,” Nat said, plunging her hands into the soapy water. She grabbed the soapy dishcloth and attacked a mixing bowl. “Because I want Rambles to be a place where people want to come and have a good time. Where everyone who’s stuck in those cubicles that you and I managed to avoid, or out working the hard, dangerous jobs like Dave and Mase can sit back and forget their troubles for a while. You take tired, frazzled, stressed people into your salon and pamper them, send them back out into the world feeling better about themselves. I wanna do that too, just in a different way. Where everyone knows your name,” she ended, smiling to herself as she remembered her date conversation with Mase.
“And your therapy is much less expensive than mine,” Teri teased.
Nat sighed. “Yeah, so now I just need to figure out how to keep Rambles open so I can do that.” She washed, rinsed and then began to dry cooking utensils while Teri briskly attacked the counter tops.
“Well, we have a sharp crew coming to brainstorm this morning,” Teri said, wiping her hands on a towel. “And we are ready for them, girlfriend.”
A sharp rat-tat on the front door announced Mase’s arrival. He walked in with a smile for Nat, a kiss on the cheek for Teri and a bag which he set on the island, revealing two kinds of creamer, a big jug of orange juice and a carton of milk.
Then he turned to Nat, caught her hand and turned her to look her over with approval. “Baby, you look good enough to eat. Wait, already did that.”
Natalie clapped her fingers over his mouth. “Mase!”
He captured one of her fingertips in his mouth and bit down gently, his eyes sparkling. Nat pressed her thighs together as her pussy spasmed, and he waggled his brows at her.
“You like my teeth,” he muttered. “I’ll remember that.”
Teri giggled delightedly. “You two. Oh, here’s Dave.”
Dave was not alone. He moved through to Teri’s back patio to grill his bacon, but in moments, Teri’s condo was full of people and voices. Dack and Daisy arrived, Dack bearing a huge platter of cut fruit.
“Thank God for Costco,” Dack said, thunking the platter onto the island.
Trace and Kai were next, with a slender, pretty redhead that Mase introduced as Sara. Kai held a large covered dish wrapped in an insulated cover.
“Egg and ham casserole,” he said, setting it down. “Because you’re not just feeding people, you’re feeding body-builders. Sara here may be small, but she eats enough for two guys.” He snapped his white teeth at the redhead.
She made a face at him and then dimpled as he pulled her close for a hug. “I do not, moke. That’s you and Trace.”
“Because we are two guys,” Trace informed her, moving in on her other side for a kiss on top of her head. He winked at Nat. “She has trouble keeping track of us.”
Natalie exchanged a smile with Sara even as she marveled at the threesome’s easy affection.
“Are we late?” called a feminine voice from the door.
“No, we’re not late,” answered a deep voice. “When we get here, that’s when it starts.”
The others all laughed as Jake and Carlie joined them, Carlie rolling her eyes and her huge fiancé looming behind her.
Carlie carried a bouquet of cut flowers in a clear vase, which she set on the island. “For you,” she said to Teri and Nat. “Since we didn’t get to bring anything to eat.”
Everyone sorted themselves with drinks, the women set out dishes, silverware and accoutrements. In a short time, everyone was seated at the small table, the island or in the adjacent living room with plates of food.
Nat sat beside Mase on the sofa, Daisy and Dack across from them, Teri in a chair with Dave seated on the carpet at her feet. The others sat at the table, except Kai who perched at the island behind Trace and Sara.
The food was delicious. Nat ate a little and drank two cups of coffee. She was ready to set her plate aside when Mase frowned.
“Baby,” he said quietly. “Eat. You didn’t eat supper, probably didn’t eat lunch yesterday. You keep this up, you’ll lose those curves I like so much.”
She gave him a crooked smile. “I can stand to lose a few of them.”
“No,” he said with a glint in his eyes. “You can’t. I don’t like bony women.”
She snorted. “I’m a long way from bony.”
“Coffee, anyone?” Teri asked, rising. “Carlie, can I get you a cup?”
Carlie smiled wanly. “No thanks. I’ll stick to milk.”
Jake gave her a look of mingled concern and satisfaction. “You gonna tell ‘em why?”
She blushed, smiling. Everyone stared at her and the big weightlifter. Jake cast a smug look around the room. “She’s pregnant.”
“Oh, my God!” Daisy shrieked. “Carlie. Oh, my God.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Sara crooned, her eyes filling with tears. “A baby.” Trace and Kai grinned.
“Already?” Dack demanded. “Jesus, you two just got engaged.”
“Dack,” Daisy scolded. “We’re happy for them.”
Mase burst out laughing. “You better watch out, Hummer. May be somethin’ in the water at the club. Drink it and you’ll be next.”
He looked at Jake. “Congrats, man. That’s great.” His voice rang with sincerity.
“Yeah, it is,” Jake agreed. “I can’t wait.”
Carlie sighed. “Me too. I want my coffee.” But she rubbed her tummy. “And a baby.”
“Well, if it’s a girl, I hope she takes after her mother,” Trace said.
Dack laughed this time, but Jake gave Trace a deadly look. “Of course it will. I mean she will—or whatever.”
Nat set her plate aside and took a drink of her coffee. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you,” she said to Carlie, who beamed shyly.
And Nat was happy for them. She just hoped there wasn’t something in the water at the club, because while she liked kids, they weren’t part of her life plan. They never had been, really. She and Tony had agreed to put off trying until Rambles was stable. When their marriage had tanked, Nat had been deeply grateful that they hadn’t had a baby together. She never, ever wanted to be a single mom, like hers.
Since then, she’d realized that even if she did meet another guy, she really didn’t want to be a parent at all. She wanted to live her life, run her bar and enjoy being herself, not an adjunct to some younger person for whom she would be responsible for at least eighteen years.
And now, there was Mase.
Mase the doting uncle, with the big house and his happiness for his friend who would soon be a father. Nat frowned to herself, her thoughts darting like goldfish looking for an exit from the fishbowl. And although not about her problem with Rambles, these were not happy tangents.