The Mercenary Next Door (Rogues and Rescuers #2) - Lucy Leroux Page 0,90
hand. “Only if I check you out first,” she said, gesturing for the kit.
Mason scowled at her. “What?”
She pointed at his scraped hands. “You’re hurt worse than me.”
“Laila—” he began.
She held up a hand. “I won’t let you until I see your hands.”
Growling something under his breath, he handed the kit over. “I will comply,” he said primly. “But after this, I expect full cooperation.”
“We have a deal,” she said with an equally formal inclination of her head, gesturing for him to take a seat on the couch.
Once he was seated, she opened the bag, setting the disinfectant, antibiotic ointment, and bandages on the coffee table. Being extra gentle, she cleaned his scrapes, blowing on the disinfectant she applied. When she looked up, his eyes were fixed on her face, his expression warm now.
The muscles in her neck relaxed, making her realize just how much tension she had been carrying since their almost-silent car ride home. I won’t be tense next time, she vowed.
There would be other occasions when she and Mason argued, even fought. She never had to be afraid of him when he was angry. Her brain had known that before, but her body needed a little more convincing. That would come with time, and they were going to have lots of it. Nobody—not Joseph or Franklin or fucking Oscar Johansen—was going to take it away from her—from them.
“I just flashed forward to our future, seeing you kissing our kid’s booboos and making them better.”
The soft words clashed with her militant mindset, making her crumble into a mushy pile of goo.
“I will always try to protect you,” he swore as she wrapped a white bandage around his hands, just enough to cover the scrapes while leaving him with full mobility. He ended up looking like a boxer getting ready for a bout.
“I know that,” she said, pressing a kiss to his wrist. “But you need to get used to me protecting you, too.”
“If you promise me the next time won’t involve you running out in the open when there is a gunman around, then yes,” he said, the words clipped despite his obvious effort to let go of his anger.
Pretending she hadn’t caught his tone, she stood. “I trust you have no other injuries I need to examine?” she asked in her most professional how-may-I-serve-you voice, the one she saved for Gardullo’s high-end customers.
The corner of his mouth quirked, his annoyance fading. He knew she was teasing him. “No.”
“Good.”
Laila pulled her shirt over her head.
Mason’s head jerked back, his eyes fastened on her breasts, which were lovingly cupped in the dusty-rose lace bra she’d found on sale.
When she undid the fastening of her jeans, shimmying out to reveal the matching pink panties, Mason’s lips parted, his hands reaching out reflexively to claw the air as if he couldn’t help himself.
Laila stepped into his outstretched hands. “You needed to take a good look,” she said, pitching her voice low.
“Holy hell.” His voice was all gruff and gravel. It sent a frisson of anticipation across her skin, making private places tingle.
Shedding her bra with more haste than grace, she took his hands, putting them on the sides of her breasts. She shivered as he cupped her, the bandages abrading her nipples.
Putting her hands over his, she slid them down her waist to the elastic of her panties. Guiding him, she used his hands to push them down. Stepping out of the lace, Laila moved to straddle Mason, but he held her up. “Wait.”
He stood and yanked at his clothing, setting what had to be a world record for stripping. Naked, he crashed back on the couch, pulling her on top of him with hot, hungry hands.
Laila closed her eyes, her head falling back to expose the vulnerable line of her neck. Mason’s mouth flamed up and down the tender skin, liquifying her bones.
Mason’s hands closed on either side of her face. His head drew back to stare into her eyes. “No matter how much of you I get, I always want more.”
His breath fanned over her face, the bite of peppermint and the cedar of the soap he used like a drug to her senses.
Her mouth took his, slanting over his lips, drinking him deeply. Pushing away, she moved down his chest, kissing and licking her way down his body.
She pushed his thighs apart, making room for herself before grasping his cock in her hands. His intake of breath was sharp. Mason’s entire body jerked under her firm grasp.