7. Bridget

SEVEN

Bridget

Mason's lips are on mine, then traveling lower and lower. Some part of me realizes this has to be a dream, but I don't wake up, falling deeper into the fantasy.

"Bridget, you've been gone for too long. I need you." Mason's words are a raspy whisper that goes straight to my core.

I arch against him as his lips coast down the front of my throat, feeling them kiss and playfully nibble at my skin.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, Mason hesitates only long enough to place another feverish kiss on my lips, then pushes my arms back down to the bed over my head.

"Don't move, beautiful."

I don't, lying there open and ready for him. Mason skims his hands down my sides, nearly tickling, before he grabs the hem of my shirt and hoists it up.

Yelping slightly in surprise, my eyes go wide as I watch him go straight for my nipple. He licks and sucks on the hardened bud, making me moan deep in my throat.

"That's it, Bridget. I love those sounds you make."

He keeps going, working me up something fierce as he devours my nipple. But then, Mason pulls back, stopping. I'm ready to be upset, to beg him to keep going, when he goes for the button on my jeans, undoing them and pulling them down my legs.

In a long, slow journey, Mason slides my panties off next. I know the fabric is damp from how turned on I am, and embarrassment floods me.

"What's that face? What are you thinking, beautiful?"

My cheeks heat, and I try to turn away from the situation, but Mason grabs my chin, gently holding me in place so that I have to meet his stare.

The words tumble out.

"Jai. He never…he never wanted me to be messy or ‘dirty.' Enjoying things like this…it wasn't my place."

Mason runs his hand across my cheek, offering a gentle smile. "Never again, precious. All I want to see is your pleasure."

With that, Mason tosses the undergarments to the side, diving between my legs like he's starving for me. His tongue slides up my slit, and I buck against his mouth.

"Fuck!"

He does it again and again before slipping deeper inside and flicking across my clit. I cry out, pleasure zinging through me.

"That's right, baby. Come for me."

Damn, do I want to. I'm right there, right on the edge of an orgasm, as Mason sucks and licks at my clit like a goddamn pro.

My legs clamp together, squeezing around Mason's shoulders. His fingers join the work, and as he hooks my G-spot, pressing hard, I soar higher.

"Fuck, Mason! I'm going to c?—"

The solid click of the front door shutting has me jumping up off the couch and nearly falling to the floor. I blink against the light, trying to remember where the hell I am.

Mason's. You're at Mason's. You were watching Mia.

Just as I wipe away the drool on my bottom lip, Mason walks into the living room with a tired grin.

"Hey," I offer, scrambling to sit up and straighten my clothes. "You're home early."

He nods. "Yeah, I'll admit it. I missed Mia. But I looked in earlier. It looks like you guys got along well."

I'm confused for a moment, still trying to process the fact that I'm now speaking to the man who was just starring in my sex dream.

"Oh! You have home cameras. That makes sense." I shake my head. "Yeah, we did. Mia is a great kid."

The pounding of my heart settles some as I think about Mia. She truly is wonderful, and getting to hang out with her was a blast. I will definitely enjoy being her nanny.

"Where, um…?" Mason looks around, clearly wondering where his kiddo is at.

"Oh, right. Sorry." I put my hand on the back of my head, trying to smooth down my hair. "She's taking her afternoon nap. I'm sure she'll be up any minute."

Mason nods again, a slight smirk touching the corner of his mouth. "You taking a nap, too? Looks like you were having some dream."

My heartbeat ramps right back up, and I can feel my cheeks burn even harder than before.

"Oh, I…she just…"

I'm scrambling. We both know it, and I have nothing to offer to save myself. Fucking hell, just change the subject.

"Mia has tons of energy. I understand how you stay in such good shape if you're always running around after her."

I reflexively look up and down Mason's body and immediately regret it.

Nope, that was definitely not the thing to bring up. Fucking shit. I am so bad at this. When did I get so bad at this?

A sigh escapes as Mason fights back a grin. I'm years out of practice. I know that much, but damn. Even I'm impressed by my fabulous lack of skills.

He chuckles, and the sound is as charming as ever. "I'm glad to hear you had fun. And yeah, Mia is a handful. So…thank you. For watching her today. I definitely needed to get caught up on work."

Now, I'm the one nodding, but I have no doubt that I look like a damn bobblehead. I quickly stop myself as Mason comes to sit down on the couch next to me.

I can feel the weight of his presence, this strong, towering force looming from the seat next to mine. We're not that close, a comfortable distance, but every part of me wants to reach out and touch him.

No. Absolutely not. You cannot do that. You and Mason…well, there is no you and Mason. No, no, no.

Mason stretches, his arms going over his head, and I hear his back crack. Sitting at a desk all day is not what I would have pegged Mason's job to be, but it's clear he finds other ways to stay so fit.

But I really need to stop thinking about him like that.

Still, as he settles against the couch with a sigh, his hands go to his tie, loosening it and undoing a few of the buttons at the top of his shirt.

It's like he's forgotten I'm even here, and I'm not sure how to feel about that.

He seems comfortable enough with me, which is a good thing, but on the other hand, it's a bit too easy to ogle him when he's not paying attention.

And ogle him I do.

With his shirt unbuttoned like it is, I can see the top of Mason's chest, the fine dusting of hair covering his skin peeking out from behind the crisp fabric.

There's something about the way a guy can loosen his tie like that that's undeniably attractive. I chew on my lip, Mason's eyes still closed as he lays his head back against the couch.

"Long day then?"

Jesus, what am I? A bartender?

"As per usual," Mason replies. "But it was fine. And really, thank you for watching Mia. I will definitely need more help in the future."

"Of course." I smile as he looks over at me. "I'm happy to help."

At once, Mason leans forward, taking off his suit jacket and ditching the tie altogether. I'm frozen there, looking at him like some dumb teenager. But his hands go to his sleeves, unbuttoning them and rolling them up, and I'm practically drooling again.

You are pathetic. Pull it together!

But then I remember that dream, how it made me feel, how dream Bridget had been very honest about how she hadn't felt that way in years .

Jai was never about my pleasure, after all. Everything was all about his, and I was often left alone after he was finished with me, with no sign of reciprocity in my future.

Mason doesn't seem like he'd be that way. I can't say for sure, of course, but something in my head screams that Mason would at least be a bit nicer in general.

He always was before…

Looking over at me, Mason's casual air falters, and I see him glance up and down my form briefly. He leans back onto the couch again, but there's something charged in the space between us now.

It's like I can feel the molecules shaking, vibrating furiously as we hover so close to each other.

"You'll come again?" I nearly choke on my spit when I hear him say, "come." "To watch Mia tomorrow?"

I'm quick to nod, if only to relieve some of the tension whirring through me.

"Sure thing. Whenever you need."

I know I'm dangerously close to saying something to Mason, and I can't. I just can't.

I'm the one who left, who left him , and I can't come back here and act like nothing has changed. Everything has, and it's my fault that I'm where I'm at.

"You have a beautiful daughter, Mason." I smile softly, the pang of regret zinging my chest. "And I can tell you're an amazing dad. It's quite the sight."

My eyes start to burn, but I'm not spilling my emotions all over Mason. He doesn't deserve that.

"I'm really happy for you. That you have such a great kid you so clearly love with all your heart. Dads…dads are important, you know?"

Words shaking, I can't help but think of how much I miss my own father, how Mason lost his, and suddenly, sitting there becomes too much for me to handle.

I shoot up off the couch and go for my purse in the kitchen.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Mason. Tell Mia I said bye."

I hurry away before he can say anything, not willing to look back at Mason because I know it'll only make me hurt all the more.

After leaving through the front door, which I close gently, not wanting to wake up Mia, I pull out my phone to call Hudson.

I'm still carless so I have to rely on him to come pick me up until I'm able to get a new vehicle.

The dial tone starts, and the phone rings as I stand there on Mason's front porch. My heartbeat is calming again, but then I hear a crack over by the bushes.

Anxiety drills through me, and I feel the surge of adrenaline as the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

It's like I'm being watched, but that's ridiculous.

Still, my skin prickles as I pin my stare to the bushes. There's nothing. No more movement or sounds of cracking branches.

I have to remind myself that Jai couldn't possibly have found me this quickly.

No one knew where I was going. I paid in cash for everything. And I didn't take the direct route here.

Jai doesn't know where I am. He just…he can't.

But I don't move off the porch as I wait for Hudson to answer, and I know I'm not about to move from that spot until he's here, either.