9. Mason

Iwatch Radley do everything she can to avoid looking me in the eye. I would be offended if I didn't know it was because of what we saw last night.

One minute I was wrestling with Bryce, and the next, I was hit with such a strong scent of arousal that it stole my fucking breath. We knew it was Radley, but we didn't know what we were going to find when we walked that way. The last thing I thought it would be was Radley and Nash making out. Normally, people shy away from Nash because of his size, but Radley has never had that problem. I'm glad she chose Nash because I knew he was holding himself back the most. That's all gone out the window now that he made her come.

"Do you have to work today?" I ask, finally breaking the silence.

"No. I'm usually off Mondays and Tuesdays."

"Would you like to hang out with us again today?"

Radley finally looks me in the eyes and gives me that sweet smile. "I'd love to if you guys don't mind me hanging around."

"Not at all. Nash and Bryce will be busy for most of the day. What would you like to do?"

"I'd love to see the lake."

"Would you like to swim?"

"Honestly, nothing would make me happier," Radley laughs.

"Margie leaves her suits in the guestroom if you want to borrow one. I'll make us some lunch."

"Okay." I point her in the right direction and she gets up from the table to head that way. My eyes stay glued to her long, pale legs until she turns around the corner.

With a shake of my head, I get up and make sandwiches for a picnic. I add fruit, chips, and wine with two plastic cups before going to change into swimming trunks. When I get back to the living room, Radley is sliding her flip-flops on with Nash's shirt covering her suit.

"Are you ready?" I ask, and she nods. I lead her to the kitchen to grab the basket and the back door, which will take us straight out onto the dock.

"Oh my God. This is gorgeous!" Radley exclaims, taking it all in. The whole back part of our property is water. Each cabin has their own privacy and access to it.

"The water should be warm," I say, leading her beside the dock where you can wade into the water. "There are towels in the boathouse, and a little way down, we made a beach area if you just want to lay out here."

"This is amazing." Radley grabs the hem of the shirt and pulls it over her head. I'm struck by how beautiful her body is. The bikini top is a couple sizes too small for her ample breasts, but Radley made it work. Her body is soft and curvy with creamy skin. The bottoms show off her perfect, round ass, and I just want to sink my teeth into it. "You're staring."

My eyes jerk up to hers, and she smiles. "Sorry. You look beautiful."

That beautiful blush creeps from her cheeks down her neck. "So are you."

That makes me snort. "My body has nothing on yours. Let's get into the water before I embarrass myself." I set the basket on the dock and walk into the water, Radley's laughter following me.

Radley walks in behind me and sinks in with a sigh. "I love the water."

"You're welcome here anytime."

"Aren't these sacred lands?"

"To outsiders, yes. But you aren't an outsider, Radley."

With a smile, Radley dives under the water and surfaces a few feet away. "Catch me if you can!" she calls out and dives back under the water.

Not one to back down from a challenge, I dive in after her. I let her think she's getting away from me and then reach out to snag her ankle. Hooking my arm under her ass, I bring us back to the surface. She laughs and pushes her hair out of her face. "I win."

"I didn't realize you could doggy paddle so good."

"Did you just make a wolf joke?"

She pushes off my chest with a laugh, and I dive toward her. With a squeal, she starts swimming away, and I let her get about five feet away before I silently slip under the water. I've been swimming all my life so I can hold my breath for a long time. She comes up, and I hear her call my name. I move slowly toward her and come up right behind her. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her against my chest. "Got you again."

"Oh," Radley breathes when I press myself against her. "You don't play fair."

I move her hair to the side and right when my lips are about to land on her neck, she slips through my arms with a laugh, disappearing under the water. Is that how you want to play it, Little Red? I have nothing against chasing; in fact, I love it, and she has no idea what she just started.

We spend the next couple of hours playing around in the water. It's been a long time since I just had fun, so I soak it in. We finally get out when Radley says she's hungry, and I follow her up on the dock. The sun is warm and high in the sky so it will be hot on her skin. I help her get settled and then go to the boathouse to grab a towel and sunscreen. When I get back to her, I drop to my knees behind her. "I don't want anything happening to this pretty skin."

I dry her top half off and squirt sunscreen into my hands. I rub it all over her shoulders, back, and stomach. I pause when I reach around to her chest, and she leans back on her hands, giving me access. I rub it on the swell of her breasts, making her breathing speed up. I move around in front of her and rub it onto her face. Her eyes are on my lips, but I know if I kiss her now, I won't stop, and she needs to eat. I lay the towel over her legs and start pulling things from the basket.

"I don't think a man has ever made me a picnic before," she says, opening her sandwich.

"Margie makes them all the time. I guess I picked up the habit."

"Is Margie your mom?"

I distract myself by pouring wine into the plastic cups so I don't have to look at her. "No. My mom rejected my dad's mate bond right after I was born."

"Oh, Mason." She reaches out and lays her hand on my arm. "I'm so sorry. Why would she do that?"

"She ran off with a rogue wolf, saying she didn't want to be tied down."

"I'm sorry," Radley says sadly. "I didn't mean to bring up something like that."

"It's okay. I have my dad and his pack. Margie stepped in when she was turned, and she's more of a mother than what mine sounds like."

"How many are in your dad's pack?"

"Six. There's my dad, Teddy, Cruz, Margie, Marcus, and Beth."

"So, there's different sized packs?"

"I've seen them as big as twelve."

I hand her a cup, and she takes a sip of the wine. "Oh. That's really good."

"Teddy makes it. He also makes moonshine," I laugh.

"My grandma loves hooch!"

"I'll grab a couple for you to take to her."

We fall into comfortable silence while we finish eating, and I can feel her looking at me while I'm looking off in the distance. I'm used to people staring at me, and I don't mean that to be vain. But it's different with Radley. She doesn't just want me for my status or what I could give her. She wants me. The constant worry that she's going to reject us like my mom did slowly starts to fade.

After I'm done eating, I move to sit beside her and enjoy the sun beating down on me. I'm usually working, but I wanted to take the day to spend with Radley if she wanted to. Which is why Nash and Bryce agreed to work with my dad today.

"Mason," she says quietly, and I turn to look at her. "Do you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"That…pull between us. Is that what the bond is?"

"It is. Which is why we wanted you to make up your own mind. The bond has a way of telling you what you want without you ever agreeing to it."

"How do we have a bond if I'm not a wolf?"

"You don't have to be a wolf," I say carefully. There's so much that she still doesn't know, and I can't be the one to tell her. "There are plenty of humans with the mate bond."

"Will it always be this intense?"

I smile. "Yeah. I've been with the guys for fourteen years, and I still feel everything just as strong as the first time."

"Are you and Nash together too?"

"We are."

"I want what you guys have."

My heart skips a beat, and I check for any uneasiness. All I feel is relief, like she's been waiting to say the words. "Does that mean you accept the bond?"

"It does. But I don't know if I'm ready to be, um, marked yet."

"That happens on your terms and no one else's. Even though we'll know when you're ready, we'll wait for you to say the words."

"Mason? Will you kiss me now?"

I don't even have to think about it. I lean forward and lay my lips against hers. Radley reaches up and threads her fingers through my hair when I lick the seam of her lips. She opens for me, and I stroke her tongue with mine. I feel what she was talking about pulsing between us, begging me to claim her. She isn't ready for what happens when she has sex with an alpha, so I'm content to just kiss her.

Radley tugs on my hair, pulling me down on top of her. I settle between her legs so she can feel what she's doing to me. It would be so easy to pull my cock out and slide her bottoms to the side. I can smell how wet she is, and it's taking all my willpower not to fuck her and make her mine right here.

Radley moans into the kiss and raises her hips to rub against me. I need to pump the brakes before we do something we can't take back, but I can't pull my lips from hers.

I'll just have to fight it until I can explain to her that alpha's cocks have a knot.