Page 174 of House of Payne

Mason grunts and doesn’t reply.

I inch closer and reach for his hand, and something in me melts further when he lets me hold it. “I’m not going to deny it. I don’t want to.”

The air between us is thick as we sit there in the darkness, clinging to each other for dear life. I don’t know who reaches for whom first, only that our mouths are suddenly colliding, hot and eager and hungry.

It’s searing, it’s heady, and it feels like I’m hurtling toward the edge.

Mason threads his fingers through my hair and yanks, sending little pinpricks of pain over my scalp. I moan and climb onto his lap. His hands move from my hair to my waist, and a wave of emotion rises within me, threatening to drown out everything else.

He nips my lower lip, and my mouth parts, allowing him access.

I pour every ounce of emotion I can into the kiss, hoping to soothe away his worries, and Mason responds in kind.

I want to lose myself in him and stay there.

I want to forget who we are, and the world outside our door.

When Mason’s hands dip beneath my clothes and he touches my skin, everything else ceases to exist.

Time stops as he moves back and pulls my shirt over my head.

I fumble with the buttons on his shirt and let out a litany of curse words. Mason chuckles and takes my hands in his. In one quick move, he removes his shirt, and it flutters to the floor, revealing tanned skin and smooth, taut muscles. He inches closer and peppers me with hot, open-mouthed kisses.

“You’re mine, London,” Mason whispers, a prayer and a plea rolledinto one. “Only mine.”

I throw my head back and lock my legs around him. “I’m yours.”

Mason stops kissing me, and I stare at him through hooded eyes. “What?”

He takes my hand and places it on his chest over the thundering of his heart. “This… all of this… it’s only for you.”

My heart swells.

Slowly, I nod. When my mouth finds his, it’s gentler and more sensual. Mason frames my face in his hands, almost as if he’s afraid I’m going to slip away. Together, we fall backward onto the bed, his body covering mine. I run my hands down his back and pause at his backside.

I give it a firm squeeze, and Mason makes a guttural sound in his throat.

Suddenly, he leans back and stands up. He holds his hand out to me and waits. Without thinking, I slip my hand into his and allow him to pull me to my feet. He half drags, half carries me out of the guest room. In silence, we creep down the hallway, and I’ve never been more aroused or excited.

He stops outside a door, pats his pocket, and takes out a set of keys.

The door swings open to reveal a room with gray walls, a plush red carpet, and various equipment scattered throughout. Wordlessly, Mason leads me into the room and kicks the door shut behind us. I sink onto one of the benches, and my eyes dart around, taking it all in.

When I move back to his face, he’s watching me with an indecipherable expression. “This is my playroom.”

I stand. “Yes.”

Mason raises an eyebrow. “I haven’t even asked.”

I step in front of him and push myself up on the tips of my toes to kiss him. “I know what you’re going to ask, and my answer is yes. I want to try… with you.”

Mason studies me. “You need a safe word.”

“I won’t need it,” I reply. “I’m ready.”

Everything has built up to this moment between us, and I can feel the second it all falls away. Mason pulls me to him and hoists me into the air. I wrap my legs around his waist as he sinks his teeth into my neck. Waves of pain and pleasure rise within me as he carries me to the bed.

He sets me on the mattress and pauses to rummage through a drawer, returning with a pair of handcuffs and a whip.