On the other hand...she had Fantasy Island's hunkiest guy almost on his knees in front of her. How could she not take advantage of that? Every romantic chick flick she'd seen flashed through her head, followed by more than one scene from her favorite romance novel. She really shouldn't tease him, but her body ignored the caution and leaned closer and closer until she ran the risk of falling off the chair and all she could see was Mason. God, he was gorgeous.
And he was kissing distance away, his chiseled lips mere inches from hers.
Since her mouth was so close to his, she brushed her lips against the corner of his mouth. He inhaled. Exhaled something that might have been her name. Yes, please, her hormones sang and she licked him, bracing her hands against his hard, warm shoulders just so she wouldn't topple him to the floor. He tasted sweet, a sweet that was deceptive because, darn it, there was absolutely, positively nothing sweet about Mason. He was 100 percent trouble, even kneeling before her.
"Problem solved," she whispered and kissed him.
5
"YOU'RE ASKING FOR TROUBLE." The gruff words came out of Mason's mouth uninvited. He didn't know why he was complaining. He wasn't opposed to kissing. In fact, completing his mission practically called for it, what with the whole "make her feel butterflies" plan. This was also the part where he kept her busy with his mouth and won her trust, so he had an ironclad reason for sticking by her side. Plus, over her shoulder, he could see the front door open silently as Levi slid inside and made for the coffee table to swap the laptops.
She smiled down at him. Not a teasing grin, but a big, wide smile that lit up her pretty face and made him want to smile right back. It was hard not to get pulled into Maddie's orbit. She was Planet Sexy to his Moon of... Christ. He didn't know. He sucked at metaphors. Or whatever.
She ran her finger over his bottom lip and heat streaked through him, almost driving all nonsexual thoughts out of his head. "I prefer to think of it as creative rule bending."
Maddie was the best kind of trouble, her fingers skimming over his mouth, leaving whipped cream and destruction in her wake. How the hell was he supposed to stick to the plan now? He sucked her finger into his mouth, exploring her skin with his tongue. When he bit gently, she moaned. And smiled again. He had a bad feeling she'd let him do far more than simply kiss her. Was he that much of a jackass that he'd seduce her in the name of his mission?
"What's the punishment for getting in trouble?" Blissfully unaware of his inner dilemma or the SEAL leaving her living room with a quick flash of the finger, she caught his lower lip between her teeth and bit right back. Jesus. She wasn't shy at all. A bright, hot flare of pleasure shot straight from his mouth to his dick. He didn't know if that had been her intention, but damn, she was good. And...screw the mission. Poor choice of words. He put his hands on her thighs and slid his palms up over smooth, silky skin. Her barely there shorts were no barrier, more like a teasing end goal. He could keep touching her, have his fingers beneath the cotton in seconds, and then... She gave a purr of approval.
"Go on a date with me." The words shot out of his mouth before he could bite them back. He wanted it all, right now.
She nibbled on her lower lip, clearly thinking about his offer. And...so much for restraint or sticking to the plan. The plan had been a terrible idea. The worst ever. Kissing her, on the other hand, was the best. He slanted his lips over hers and she gave a sigh of pleasure, melting into him.
Her new position pulled her off balance and he liked that, too. Damn it. She was half perched on her chair and he was crouched before her. Her nails dug into his shoulder as she reached for him.
"I like a man on his knees."
She clearly thought she had the upper hand, but he was happy to prove her wrong. He reached, too, cupping her neck with his hand and bringing her face down to his. He gave her three seconds to decide whether or not she wanted this and to fall back, but all she did was exhale softly, her gaze fixed on his mouth. Definitely a yes in his book. Since she apparently liked her kisses sweet, and whatever she liked was more than fine by him, he swiped a finger of whipped cream from his plate and painted the stuff over her mouth.
"Oh." She sounded pleased, her lashes fluttering shut in delicate submission.
Slowly, he closed the distance between them, spinning out the moment because she was so goddamned pretty, brushing his lips over hers again, when she finally remembered to breathe and exhaled. Her mouth was slick and sugar sweet, a wicked invitation to explore. Unable to resist, he licked her bottom lip, drinking in her husky moan. The sultry little sound cut off, as if she wasn't so sure about letting go for him. He'd just have to convince her. He made a list of the places he could coat her with whipped cream, starting with her lovely breasts and moving south.
He pressed his mouth against hers and her lips parted. A little more pressure and he was in, his tongue tangling with hers. Deeper, hotter. He tasted the sugary bite of the cream and something else that was all Maddie. She was a bright, hot flavor, like sunshine and happiness, and he had absolutely no basis for comparison. He was no kissing virgin, but Maddie was someone special. He recognized that truth even as he stroked his tongue into her mouth, taking more. She was addictive, too.
With a whimper of encouragement, she met him, giving as good as she got, and, dear God, he was a lucky man. The morning was perfect. She was as sweet as she tasted, although he already knew she had a side of sass and tart and would kick his ass if she ever found out about the undercover SEAL mission. He'd deserve it, too, but right now he had Maddie in his arms and no way he was giving that up. He might have offered pancakes under false pretenses, but there was nothing fake about their kiss.
When he broke away, her lips clung to his as if she wasn't done with him yet. Thank God. He wasn't done with her, not by a long shot.
"You got an answer for me, sugar?" Yes worked for him. Tonight was even better.
Her lashes drifted up slowly, as if she was lost somewhere pleasurable, in another world. He found that incredibly intoxicating. He'd touch her for hours, love on her every way possible. He rubbed a trace of cream he'd missed with his thumb, relishing the way she turned into the little caress.
"Remind me of the question." She sounded dazed and content. Damned if he didn't like that, too.
"I'd like to see you again," he said gruffly. He was no Mr. Suave, but he meant every word. Hell, it was the understatement of the year. He more than liked. He needed. He...was in over his head.
* * *
"YOU WANT ME to go out with you?" It was official. Kisses could make a gal stupid and her brain had stopped working somewhere about half a kiss ago. Maybe that had something to do with the man on his knees before her, his thumbs stroking a naughty pattern over the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. So good. She was on fire for him, needing and achy in ways she hadn't felt for months. Years. He lifted her hand to his mouth, gently sucking the last bit of whipped cream from her finger. Oh. His lips moved, repeating something, but English wasn't on her radar right now.
"On a date," he said, his mouth brushing over hers again.
Whatever he wanted, a million times yes, as long as it meant more kisses now. When she didn't answer right away, he continued, "I've decided that you said yes. Or at least ‘I'll think about it' or ‘maybe.' Because the way you kissed me back? That wasn't a ‘when hell freezes over and thaws out again.'" He dropped a quick kiss on her lips and stood up.
"Um. Wait. You're leaving?" Because that definitely hadn't been part of her fantasy when she'd put herself out there. She'd moved full steam ahead to bedroom things. And orgasm things. She might not be good at long-term relationships and her dating skills were a bit rusty, but her bedroom skills? Rocked.
Plus, as soon as she got back from Fantasy Island, she had her fourteenth wedding of the year to attend and she was once again going solo, so she deserved a Mason-size treat right now. She could totally do sex.
With this man.
It was true that around him she felt like the sexiest woman in the world. But despite the heated sensations coursing through her body, he made her feel something else, too. Something...warm. And entirely unfamiliar. He needed to stay so she could figure it all out.