Page 14 of Swept Away (Men of War #1)

G EMMA

Later

“That would be me,” I say, sleepy and wrapped in a blanket Carter insisted on giving me.

Masson pulls the car to a stop in front of my building and lets the engine run while looking at me with a smile and marvel in his eyes.

“How are things?” he asks, brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

Grinning, I look away, my cheeks ablaze.

“Things are good.”

Slowly, he strokes my neck.

“Did you like it?” he asks, and I shift my eyes to him.

For a few moments, we only look at each other.

“Is that even a question?”

Laughing, he nods.

“Yes, I did. It was intense. My body hurts,” I say quietly, chuckling and shaking my head.

He moves his hand to the back of my hair and pulls me into him before turning the engine and headlights off.

Silence surrounds us. The street is empty.

He moves his focus back to me and gives me a deep, inquisitive look before dipping his eyes to my lips.

“You were good,” he says, and a smidgen of awareness floats through me.

It’s like they tested me and I’ve passed some test.

As if this was part of a bigger plan.

I push that thought back.

His hand still rests on my neck when he talks again.

“Are you seeing someone?”

I search his eyes, a smile tugging at my lips.

“Isn’t it a little too late to ask me that?”

He seems amused.

“I just need to know.”

“You think I am?”

He runs his fingers through his hair, his eyes moving to the street.

“No, I don’t. And I’m just wondering why,” he says, moving his eyes back to me.

“It just hasn’t happened. I’m too busy with my life. I’m working and going to school.”

“Uh-huh. How much longer do you plan to go to school?”

I chuckle.

“Till I finish next year.”

“Are you set on that or…?”

I laugh again.

“Why? Do you have plans for me?” I say with humor.

He looks away, smiling.

“I don’t know.”

“What about you two? Are you two seeing anyone?”

He looks at me.

“No.”

“What about Monique?” I ask, curious.

He shrugs.

“She’s always had a crush on him. They’ve never been together and they never will.”

He looks down for a moment, and I use the opportunity to ask something else.

“What about your stepsister? Are you still looking for her?”

He lifts his gaze to mine.

“Yes.”

“So, your story is real.”

“Yes, it is.”

I hesitate before I speak again.

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

He clicks his tongue.

“No. I don’t think so.”

A thoughtful look slides over his face before he shifts to me and spreads his fingers over my cheek.

“I think you’ve done enough for me,” he says.

The air is charged with electricity as he kisses me softly.

“Your phone is fake, though,” I say when he tears his lips away from mine.

He gives me a cute laugh.

“I need to get a new one. I promise my phone will work next time.”

“There will be a next time?” I ask, teasing him.

His lopsided grin makes my panties melt.

Sunk in thought, he drags his thumb over my cheek.

“How does your schedule look tonight?”

“Tonight?” I singsong. “I need a week to recharge,” I joke.

“There’s not much time for recharging,” he says before waiting for a different answer. “Tell me.”

“I need to work today. I have a deadline on a project that has to be finished by Monday.”

“Is there anything I can do to help?”

“No.”

“Then go work. I’ll pick you up tonight at seven.”

His eyes don’t leave mine.

I move my gaze over his face.

“Are we doing this?” I ask softly.

“I think we are,” he says quietly.

“What’s the plan for tonight?”

“We go out and eat and then spend some time together.”

“The three of us?” I ask incredulously.

“The three of us.”

“Huh…” I murmur, falling back into my seat.

“What? You don’t want him?”

I look at him.

“I want him.”

“Then?”

“What if I want him too much?”

“Like, if you want him more than you want me? You’ll never like him more than you like me.”

I weigh my answer before moving close to his lips.

“What if I need to choose between the two of you at some point?” I murmur against his lips.

He gives me a knowing smile.

“That’s the thing. You’ll never have to choose.”

“Have to? Or I won’t be allowed to?”

“Allowed to.”

He flashes a grin again.

“Go now before I change my mind and fuck you in the car.”

“You can come upstairs.”

“I can come here just fine.”

We both laugh before our smiles vanish, and we look at each other as if our world hadn’t started only a couple of days ago.

As if I hadn’t touched him in disbelief on Friday evening and then let him fuck me behind the club last night.

“This is going so fast,” I say quietly, and he runs his thumb over my lips, fascinated by the look on my face.

“It’s going at the right speed. As long as you like it, that’s all that matters.”

His lips come to me with smoldering fire, and I get trapped in the cage created by his words.

I like the sound of that despite realizing that this story has turned my world upside down in only a few short hours.

“I’m leaving,” I say, not moving.

“Leave then,” he says, not moving either.

We kiss again, and my blanket falls off my shoulders as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me into him.

“It's hard to send you away,” he says, running his fingers up my legs.

And then we kiss and he touches me between my legs, and before long I’m exactly where I was an hour ago.

Stirred up, ready for sex, wanting everything now.

My hand goes to his fly.I cup and squeeze and rub his bulge.

He pulls his zipper down, and I slide my hand down his pants and stroke his erection while he teases my clit, our mouths locked, our breaths intertwined.

He tastes even better now, since we’ve learned things about each other, our motions are perfectly coordinated, and a lot of the nervousness typical for new beginnings has withered away.

Being comfortable with him is what makes me wrap my fingers around him and stroke him as if we haven’t had sex the entire night.

“I’ll go, now,” I warn him, but again, not a part of my body moves, other than my hand going down and up. “Are you living far from here?” I ask, watching his eyes fill with lust.

“I live in a hotel downtown.”

My hand slows down.

“You can come visit me if you want to,” he says.

“Now?”

“Anytime you want.”

“I need to go home and get some sleep so I can work tomorrow morning.”

“Okay. What about this? You get your sleep, do your thing, and I’ll pop up before noon with coffee and donuts. Then I’ll have lunch with Carter, and we’ll meet tonight. Would that work for you?”

“Sounds good.”

“Great.”

He looks at my hand as I move it faster, not intending to climb out of his car.

“I’m leaving, I swear,” I say, and then lower my head and take him into my mouth.