Page 90 of The Spare

A knock sounds on the door, making me jump. "Melody, what's going on? Are you okay in there?"

"Yes, I'm fine," I answer, walking to the sink and running the tap on cold. I put my fingertips under the water and then press them to my eyes, huffing a breath so deep it hurts my lungs.

There's silence from the other side of the door, but his footsteps don't recede, and stubbornly I keep the tap running.

"I'll be out in a minute!" I call out loudly, washing my hands just to buy myself some time.

Opening the door of the bathroom, I step through and push a lock of hair behind my ear, giving him a small smile.

"Hi," I say, feeling shy.

He gives me a devilish smile, reaching for my hand and pulling me to him. I smooth my hands up his chest, and when he crooks a fingerunder my chin, tilting my head up for his kiss, my knees tremble a little as he spends long seconds licking into my mouth. He groans and pulls away, smoothing his thumb across my bottom lip.

"Let's sit down. We’ve been traveling for a while."

He turns, heading towards the couch in the living area, but I linger a bit behind, dragging my feet. He sinks into the couch and watches me as I meander over to the drinks cabinet instead and pick up the little welcome card to distract myself. But the wedding ring on my finger shines up at me, highlighting my new marital status and amplifying my anxiety.

"Melody, you're shaking," Mason says in that slow, assessing way of his. "Why're you so nervous?"

I wet my lips, putting the card back down and look to the side, meeting his eyes. "I uh…um…" I trail off, unsure of how to word it. I don't want him to think I'm stupid. Or possibly make fun of me.

"Um what,Mel?"

"I don't…" I take a deep breath and will my hands to stop trembling. Turning to face him head on, I nibble on my bottom lip, wringing my hands. "I don't know the first thing to do with a man."

His brow arches, and then he gets a wicked smile on his face."Oh, butterfly."He hums deep in his chest, and the sound travels straight to my clit, making me clench my thighs together. "Don't know what to do with a man,huh?Sounds like a serious problem. Come sit on my lap so we can talk about it." My eyes slide to the seat next to him. But he shakes his head, drawing my attention back. "Sit down, or I'll sit you down."

My lips part on a shocked inhalation of breath, and my thighs tighten in response; however, he just sits there patiently with his head cocked to the side, staring me down.

"Okay, Mason, I'll come," I say softly, feeling my shyness ramp up even more at the hungry expression on his face.

I somehow will my frozen feet to move, and Mason makes an appreciative noise in his throat as he leans back into his seat and spreads his legs as I come closer.

"That's a good girl," he murmurs as I swing a leg over his thick thigh before settling down and pulling my other leg up.

His hands find the back of my thighs and then smooth up to my ass, plumping the flesh in his hands. He gets a knowing, sly look on his face as he squeezes harder, rocking me on top of him. I feel the color rise in my face, and he notices, based on how his lips curve at the edges. He moves his hands to my shirt, pulling it off me, and then unhooking my bra. Tossing that to the side, too.

His eyes fall to my naked breasts, and I fight the instinct to cover them with my hands, keeping them flat on his chest. "There's a difference between me and any other man that's out there, Mel," he says in a slightly rougher voice.

"Oh?" My voice quivers.

"I've waited for you.Starvedfor you." His eyes rise to mine, and I suck in a deep breath at the intensity in his gaze. "Every second that I was forced to deny myself your touch, your taste,your presencetortured me and bonded me to you in a way that is only special to me. I'm the only one in the world who knows what that particular ache feels like, so no, youdon'tneed to know what to do with a man, butterfly" he says, leaning back and releasing a slow, deep breath as he rests his head on the cushion of the couch behind him.

I squirm on his lap, his words quickly overwhelming me. I wet my lips, determined to be brave despite how thoroughly his words have not just turned me on, but have turned my heart inside out.

"I don't?" I manage, my voice soft and slightly unsure.

His grin is so sexy. "No, sweetheart. You only need to know what to do withme."

My heart skips a beat as his eyes pin mine. Unable to find the words, I just scoff, my gaze lowering from his.

Mason palms my cheek with his broad hand. "I wouldn't lie to you."

My eyes rise back to his. "You….you won't want me to leave after you figure out just how little I know about life? About…. being with someone. Marriage?" I half-whisper, a bit ashamed.

"Leave me?"he asks with a chuckle. Leaning forward, he presses his lips to the side of my breast. "Ahh, you're so very cute for thinking you could have slipped through my grasp after all these years I've spent providing for you, waiting for you, keeping you untouched for me."

My lips part."What?"I scoff. "What do you meanuntouched?"