Mason's Winter Read online

  “Sorry. Let me get you a drink. It’s probably too early for scotch, but I have some if you’d like. Or I could get you coffee.”

  “No, it’s too damn hot in here for coffee. I’ll take the scotch.” She saunters to the sideboard, trying too hard for her own good. She’s going to cost her father this deal which I’m sure will ruin her little inheritance if she keeps this up. I take the glass from her and down it in one gulp.

  “Wow, you’re thirsty.” She takes my glass and refills it. I want to guzzle it down, but I’m not trusting her one bit. I have to get out of here before I sweat my balls off. There’s a knock at the door, but she doesn’t answer it right away. It’s as if she’s trying to make them think she’s not in here. After the next knock, she takes a drink of her scotch. “It’s probably your father,” I say, standing up and walking to the door, adjusting my tie.

  “It’s not him,” she mutters angrily over her glass. I open it anyway. The cool gust of air gives me no damn relief because now I’m staring at the woman I’ve been obsessing over. She’s so fucking hot that my dick suddenly found life again. “Winter, what are you doing here? I told you to take that to the house. How can you be so fucking dumb? I swear. You can’t find good help anywhere.”

  “Sorry, Ms. Grable. I’ll go there now,” she bites out, holding back all the fucked-up words I can tell she’s ready to unleash on the shrew behind me.

  “I have to leave, too. I have another meeting in an hour,” I state, walking over to get my suit jacket and coat. “I’ll be in touch,” I say distractedly, slipping on my jacket and staring at Winter who’s rushing to the elevator. Two men in maintenance uniforms call for Ms. Grable’s attention, leaving my prey all alone. Winter presses the button rapidly like she’s in some horror movie trying to escape. I wonder if she’s scared of her boss or the instant attraction between us.

  The elevator doors open, and she dashes in like she’s going to get away. It’s really fucking cute, but I’m quick and step in before she can press the close button, letting the doors close behind me. I leave the buttons alone, so the elevator doesn’t move.

  “We meet again, Winter.” I inch closer, stalking and trapping her into a corner. Her eyes look away from me, trying to hide the momentary joy she got when I entered.

  “Yes, more’s the pity,” she scoffs, glaring at me and twisting her lips, but her body’s much more telling than her words.

  I lower my head, dipping my nose down to her neck and taking in her scent. “Wow, you sweet little liar,” I accuse, leaning in and stealing a kiss of her racing pulse. Her mouth parts as I linger above them. “You’re a pretty little fibber, aren’t you? I bet if I slide my hand between your thighs and run my fingers across your panties, your pussy would be soaked.”

  “Don’t even try it. There are cameras right over there, watching us. I’m not losing my job because of you.” She grinds her teeth, mashing that last syllable, then points out the one camera mounted to the roof of the elevator that could see everything.

  “Now, that’s a pity.” I step back and reach to press the lobby button when the doors open.

  It’s Ms. Grable with her hands on her hips, and her brow cocked. “What’s going on, Winter? You’re already skating on thin ice. Come here. We need to have a talk,” she bit out, nearly dragging Winter from the elevator. I wink at Winter who scowls at me before the doors close again.

  I’m going to get her alone one way or another. There’s no way she can lie about the attraction. I’m not sure why she’s fighting it, but she won’t for very much longer.

  Chapter 4

  Winter

  Why? I can’t stop thinking about Mason Hunt. Why? I know he’s hotter than sin, but he’s taken. And why won’t he quit trying to talk to me? Better yet, stop trying to seduce me. I somehow managed to run into him at every meeting. It’s all because Carissa is a total damn airhead and forget that she’d send me on an errand. I felt like she was purposely torturing me. She knew that I was interested in him and rubbed it in my face. Damn, I couldn’t even hide it, but he belonged to her. They can’t make it public until the company’s sold, so they see each other secretly. In fact, they’re supposed to have another “business meeting” in less than an hour at a fancy restaurant while I’m driving through this winter mess, picking up her Christmas presents.

  Just thinking of them together makes me nauseous. Soon I’ll be gone and never have to see them again, but until then I have to brace myself for the heartbreaking encounters. The other day in the office was the worst; it nearly broke me. They took forever to open the door. And when they finally did, he was fixing his collar while she was behind him straightening her top. Then as if to rub it in, she ran her finger around her lips to hide that they were kissing. His brow was sweaty and his cock was unmistakably hard when he ran into the elevator, pinning me to the wall and acting like he wasn’t in the middle of trying to get busy with Carissa when I interrupted. That fucking disgusted me, but my body refused to agree. My pussy practically screamed “take me” when he kissed my neck.

  And despite the fact that he’s taken and a player, I let him see how attracted I was to him. Damn, I hate the way it makes me feel. He’s gorgeous, but a total dick. He’s engaged to my step-sister and looking at me as if he can see through my clothes. Every day, I go to bed and hope that this feeling for him will go away, but any time I think of him it gets worse. I’m a wretched person for wanting him and yet I can’t avoid him—even in my dreams.

  I still remember the first encounter two weeks ago that started it all. Has it only been two weeks since he barreled into me? I can still feel his hands wrapped around my waist as he stopped me from hitting the ground. Our eyes connected, and my heart raced out of control. I thought I was going to faint away.

  But then I remember what happened right afterward.

  “Winter, if you want to live in this house, you’ll stay away from Mason. He’s mine,” she snarls, poking me in the chest. “Do you hear me?” she screamed. It was so loud that I thought he could hear her in his car.

  I nod. “Answer me,” she bites out.

  “Yes, I hear you. I didn’t even speak to him,” I remind her crazy ass.

  “Good. You’re your mother’s daughter, so keep your slutty paws off my man. And just so you know our engagement is a secret. If you say anything you’ll be out on your ass, and the best job you’ll get is at a fast food restaurant.”

  I close my eyes and shake away that conversation. I want to tell her to go fuck herself, but I can’t. Even when I want to quit so bad, especially right now. I’m circling the block in my car that technically belongs to Mr. Grable. It’s been snowing for hours; it finally stopped around four in the afternoon, but now rush hour has begun. Cars hit the road all over downtown Chicago, making it hard for me to find a parking spot and the plows to clear the streets. The nearest garage is a block away, and I’m not interested in paying twelve bucks to park there to pick up something. Carissa already told me that she wouldn’t reimburse me for it, so I’m not paying more than a few bucks to run her errands.

  Finally, a spot opens up halfway down the block, and I get in with a couple of tries. The snow on the curb forces me to take the tight spot slowly. Once I’m out, I nearly slip on the icy roads. Everything will be salted down in a few hours, but right now, the ice and slush are a bit of a mess. I make it into the store and my time doesn’t get any better. The people inside are total dicks, and I can’t wait to get out of the place.

  I bundle up, but my waist length coat does nothing to protect my chilled thighs. Even after twenty minutes in the store, my body hasn’t warmed up enough to brace myself for another return outside. I suppose that’s why rich people hire assistants. Getting to live at the house while I finish my degree if I serve as Carissa’s assistant is almost at an end. She’s an heiress with beauty and brains, even if she doesn’t use them. and I don’t even get anything from her dad, so I don’t understand why she has to be extra bitchy with me.

  She�
�s the total package and yet, I get the feeling that even that isn’t enough for her. She’s getting married to the most handsome man in the world. In fact, I’m sure one of these packages is for him. I stack them in my arms and practically stumble out of the store.

  As I step out, the wind picks up sending my packages, or rather Carissa’s, nearly tumbling down. The only thing that stops them from falling to the ground into the slushy abyss of winter is a pair of gloved hands. “Whoa, whoa,” a deep husky voice exclaims. “Are you alright, miss?” A voice that’s so familiar to my ears.

  “Yes, yes. Thank you,” I reply, looking around the boxes at my rescuer. I almost drop them again because it’s really him, Mason Hunt. He’s hot, and even in this cold weather, I feel heat course through me. He’s my freaking fantasy. He’s a lot taller than my five feet-three. His eyes are greyish-blue, but I can’t get a great look at them because the street light blinds my in-depth inspection of his irises. My eyes move down further to his mouth and a strong jaw with a scruffy beard. It’s thicker than before. I’m moaning internally. I have to get away, but I’m not sure I want to try.

  Chapter 5

  Mason

  The only reason I’m going to this business dinner is in hopes that Ms. Grable’s sexy assistant is going to be there. I haven’t stopped fantasizing about what I want to do to her. I only got a moment of her attention the last two times I encountered her.

  She did everything to avoid the truth between us, and Grable and his greedy daughter monopolized my time when she was around. Fuck, I didn’t even get a proper introduction. I wanted to curse their asses out and steal her away for the way they treat her, but I knew she’d think I was fucking crazy. Damn, just thinking about the taste of her skin after kissing her pulse made me come every time I took my dick in hand.

  And maybe I am a bit off my rocker, but I want Winter more than I need to breathe. Her long blonde hair, pinned up in a tight ponytail, trailing down her back makes me want to grab it and drag her lips to mine. Crushing them, owning them until she understands what she does to me. Every inch of me wants to chain her to me, fuck my kid into her, but things don’t always go your way.

  I swallow a deep breath, remembering that I have somewhere to be and can’t have my cock hammering against my zipper. I step out of my Mercedes, adjusting my length and using my car door as cover. Once I’m good, I close it and hit the lock. I make a mad dash for the restaurant. I’m getting slush on the edge of my pants. Not the best damn look for an important meeting, but I’m not here to impress them, especially Ms. Grable.

  I’m nearly there when a group of women with strollers take up the entire sidewalk. I try to move around them, but one of their little ones decides to dart in my way. “Oh my, we’re sorry, sir,” one of them exclaims dragging the child to her side. “I told you to be careful.”

  I nod as they apologize profusely to me, but my attention is taken by none other than my woman. I can see through the window of Oui an expensive store newly added to downtown Chicago.

  She smiles at the man behind the counter but doesn’t get one in return. What the fuck kind of service is that? I heard it was one of the most expensive stores in the area. For the price of things in there, they should come with a grin plastered to their face. She’s walking toward the exit with a handful of packages. I make my way to the entrance just as she’s coming out. I’m lucky as fuck it’s freezing out here or the attraction would be noticeable, very noticeable even in the dark. She darts out and into my arms again. Fuck, now my dick is hard despite the cold. She thanks me for my help, but this time, I don’t have a psycho woman trying to interfere.

  “My pleasure, Winter,” I add, caressing her name. “Can I lend you a hand to your car?” She’s hesitant, but I can see she’s interested.

  “Um…you don’t have to, Mr. Hunt,” she responds, trying to talk both of us out of it. That’s not going to work one bit. I grab for the boxes she’s struggling to stabilize them.

  “Call me, Mason. And I know that I don’t have to help, but I can’t let you, in good conscience, struggle to carry them.”

  “Um. Thank you. My car is down the street.” I can’t hold onto her like I want to, but I stand as close as I can.

  “Please be careful, Winter.” There are patches of ice scattered randomly on the sidewalk. They clean them off, but the slush gets kicked by the foot traffic sending it onto the cleared path.

  “I’m already pushing that envelope,” she mutters under her breath.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I ask, stopping in the middle of the street.

  “Nothing, it’s just slippery out here.” Damn, she’s lying to me. This girl is not a convincing liar at all. I like that. Years of negotiating deals and buying and selling companies have put me in the sights of professional liars.

  We continue walking halfway down the block when she stops and says, “We’re at my car. Thank you.” Attempting to rush our time together, but she’s not getting away that easily. She opens the back door and loads the gifts inside, then turns around to reach for the ones I have. I ignore her and slide them in myself. She’s already treated terribly by her boss. I can’t do the same thing to her. I stand up and step back, so she can close the door, and that’s when I spot a gift tag sticking to her pants. It’s in the perfect spot, and I can’t help but smirk when I see my name on it.

  It’s a fucking sign that her pussy belongs to me. And damn am I going to love unwrapping that present. I don’t give a fuck how dirty that shit sounds, but I’m going to leave her a gift for both of us.

  “Um, you have a sticker.” I point to the spot I want to fucking taste. She glances down at it and back up at me with a blush.

  “That’s not a good place for a gift tag,” she jokes clearly hoping to push away the embarrassment.

  “I beg to differ,” I insist. “It has my name on it.” I step in closer to her, and she moves back until she’s pressed against the car.

  “Um you shouldn’t be talking to me like that,” she stammers out.

  “Are you offended that I’m interested in you?”

  “Yeah. You have a fiancée.” I jump back like she slapped me.

  Chapter 6

  Winter

  Mason’s gaping me like I’ve lost my mind. He pins me in with his hands on either side of my body, resting on the roof of my car. “What the hell gave you that idea? Better yet, who the hell gave you that fucked up idea?”

  “Um. Carissa,” I answer, trying to process that he’s claiming it’s a lie. After what I saw in the office, maybe they’re not engaged but just dating.

  Tilting his head, seemingly annoyed, he questions, “Ms. Grable told you that?”

  “Yes, she said it was a secret.”

  “Fucking bitch,” he muttered under his breath, pushing off the car and standing straight up. “I’m not engaged to her. I’ve never been with her.”

  “What about what I saw in the office?”

  “What do you think you saw?”

  “You both were straightening your clothes.”

  “Sweetheart, did you step into that room? I loosened my tie and took off my jacket because it was about a hundred degrees in there, and I was sweating like a damn pig. The maintenance crew walked in just as I darted to the elevator to chase you down. I’ve never chased a woman in my life, but I had to see you, touch you, know you.” I’m flabbergasted. When I think back on it, I remember after I got out of the elevator Juan and Frank came up to Carissa and said it’s all fixed. Damn, I’m brainless sometimes.

  “Come, we’re going to have dinner.”

  “What? I can’t. I have to get these to Carissa.” I truly wanted to dump them in the nearest slushy puddle, but knowing her, she’d accuse me of stealing her purchases.

  “Good, we’ll do that first.”

  He opens my car door and grabs all the boxes at once. I close it behind me and follow him as he storms toward the restaurant down the street. “Be careful. You’re going to drop them.”

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nbsp; He freezes and turns to me. With a snarl, he scowls and asks, “I don’t give a fuck. Tell me, Winter. Did you avoid me because of her?”

  “Um. Yes,” I stammer out. It’s the only reason I tried to hide from him. I want to be in his existence forever. I want to be his shadow. I want to give him my virginity and have his beautiful babies. My womb is screaming for him to fill me up. Wow, knowing that he’s not engaged changes everything. It’s as if the chains holding me back have fallen off.

  “Then, that’s all that I need to know.” He turns back around and marches to the restaurant, leaving me three steps behind. Uh-oh, it looks like I angered the beast.

  We enter Chateau, a fancy French restaurant, and the host greets us, looking at us oddly because of his handful of packages. “I’m Mr. Hunt. I’m here to join the Grable party.”

  “Yes, Ms. Grable is at the table. Follow me.” Carissa is sitting at a small intimate table only meant for two people. I want to snap because this is what she was hoping to have—a nice private dinner that I’m sure had nothing to do with business. She sees Mason first since his broad body blocks me from her view. She stands up with her calculating smile turned on him until she takes in the expression on his face. A part of me loves this and wants to instigate the matter, but I won’t have anywhere to live if I do. Maybe there’s a shelter or Mr. Reedy, and his wife will let me stay with them sooner than expected. Shit, I just remembered they are going out of town to visit their kids.

  “Ms. Grable, here are your packages from the shop.” He tosses the gifts on the table carelessly.

  “What’s going on?” she asks, looking between the packages and Mason. I step around, so she can see me and then her face blanches instantly. “Oh, you’re telling him lies.”

  “Ms. Grable, I’m leaving these here, and Winter and I are gone. Now, just so you know the deal is off. I’m not going to buy your father out. You fucked that up big time. You told my future wife that I was engaged to you,” he exclaims, then slides his hand down my arm and intertwines his fingers with mine. Did he just call me his future wife? I can’t believe he said that. Maybe it’s just to piss her off.