Mason found himself slightly dejected on his first day back in Nassau. Rebecca had recovered enough to leave the infirmary, and went to live in the same house as her civilian friends, Aila and Darlene.
This was reasonable, even expected, but Mason would have been lying if he said he didn’t want her to come stay with him.
“I’ve packed you a nice lunch with some panisse and a bottle of wine,” Haley zipped up one of the town’s many supply bags at their table. “Go ask the girl nicely if she’d like to walk with you and go for a picnic.”
Haley’s enthusiasm for Mason to win the girl’s affection was slightly awkward and unnatural, though he wasn’t sure what to say about it.
“You don’t have to…I mean, I’m perfectly capable of…”
Haley sighed and sat on Mason’s lap at the kitchen table. She was going to go meet Blake to help with contracts for the afternoon, so she’d worn a tasteful grey dress that was supposed to look professional and indicate she wasn’t to be hit on. But frankly there wasn’t anything the girl could wear to not look sexy as hell.
“Mason, you like this girl, do you not?”
“I…” he met Haley’s blue eyes and shrugged. “Yes.”
“I am your bonded assistant. Your happiness, your goals, your pleasure—they are mine. Do you understand?”
He did. Sort of. But she was still a woman he was banging six ways from Sunday and it was a little hard to talk to her about another woman he’d like to give the same treatment. Haley smiled, clearly seeing his hesitation and feeling…maybe, pleased?
She leaned in and kissed his lips gently. “Your concern is adorable. But I meant what I said before—your stamina is…inhuman. I need help to keep you satisfied. And a little variety is good for a man, no? Also, she’s very sweet and you are not always here, so it would be nice to have another woman around.”
Mason felt himself stiffening slightly at her words. And at the feel and smell of her. Her hair was tightly held back in a ponytail, and for a moment he imagined holding it as she dropped to her knees...
But they both had things to do.
“I’m really happy I didn’t leave you in that dungeon,” he whispered in her ear.
She giggled. “Go and woo our beautiful Becky. I’ll see you tonight?”
“Yes,” his hands slid to her ass. “And you’d best prepare yourself for that stamina.”
Haley’s eyelids drooped as she wrapped her arms around him, opening her mouth as he slid his tongue against her lips. “Go, go,” she slapped his shoulder. “You’re losing daylight.”
She hopped off, and Mason took a deep breath, and apparently his picnic basket, and walked out to find Rebecca.
* * *
“I can just sleep on the couch,” Becky said for the third time. “Y’all were here first and it’s really not a big deal. I slept on plenty worse at the farm.”
Aila rolled her eyes. “We were here first because you almost died saving us. You think we’re going to put you on the couch? There’s plenty of room in the beds.”
Glenda nodded and pointed at the second bedroom. “You slim things’ll probly be more comfortable together than stuck next to an old broad like me.”
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Aila giggled and took Becky’s hand. “It’ll be like a sleepover every night! Come on Becky, we can talk about boys. Or maybe a certain boy.”
Becky let herself be led, and soon she and Aila were re-arranging pillows and getting a new sheet draped over the queen-sized bed. Becky wasn’t so sure she wanted to talk about Mason, but she didn’t have much choice, because Aila sure as hell did.
“I’m honestly surprised you’re staying with us instead of him.” She raised her eyebrows as they tucked in the sheet.
“I’ve known him for like ten seconds,” Becky said. “And he’s probably just being nice to me.”
“You’ve only known us for a few days,” Aila countered. “And now we’re like sisters! Things move fast when it’s life or death.” She met Rebecca’s eyes. “And trust me, girl, that wasn’t the look of a man being nice. That man wants to fuck your brains out.”
Becky felt her face flush with heat, nowhere near comfortable with the kind of lewd talk the Finnish city girl seemed to love.
“I’ve never…I mean,” Becky felt the flushing heat take over most of her body. “I wouldn’t know what the hell to do anyway.”
Aila’s eyes widened as she realized what Becky was saying. “Oh my God, but you’re like eighteen! And look at you. Don’t American boys like girls?”
“Course they do.” Rebecca finished with the bedding and picked at a loose nail. “I ain’t like you, Aila, I grew up on a damn farm in Arkansas. I hardly even met anyone I wasn’t related to. I didn’t even kiss a boy ‘till I was sixteen, and I’m pretty sure he was my second cousin.”
Aila laughed at that, and as always the genuine, infectious sound got Becky going too, and pretty soon they’d collapsed on the bed in something of a giggle fit until they were laying side by side.
“I’m so glad you were with us,” Aila said, putting her head against Becky’s shoulder. “Out there, I mean. I know about boys and a little about biochem, but you were so amazing out there Becky. You really were. Who cares about boys anyway.”
“Yeah,” Becky said, giving the girl a squeeze. “I’m glad too. But we’re safe now. Everything’s going to be OK.” She paused and giggled. “Who cares about boys anyway.”
A knock at the door echoed throughout the house, and Aila and Becky looked at each other but didn’t move as they heard Darlene open the door.
“Oh, um, Master Mason,” the older woman clearly raised her voice to be heard. “How nice to see you…oh sure, she’s, well just give me a sec.” She turned and called even louder. “Becky, uh, someone’s here to see you.”
Aila’s grin stretched across her whole face as she clutched Becky and started tickling her. “Yep,” she said. “That smoking hot superman wants to fuck your brains out. Now go let him or I swear I will first.”
“Shit.” Becky stood up and gave her clothes a once over. She was still wearing a white blouse and a pair of some kind of stretchy jeans she’d borrowed from Haley, with her usual and still somewhat grimey cowboy boots. “God. Do I look ridiculous?”
Aila looked her over and laughed. “You’re going to be just fine.”
* * *
Mason watched Darlene’s eyes widen as she saw Streak behind him. Then he realized the animal might scare the girl he meant to ‘woo’, and cursed himself for an idiot.
“Hi Mason.” She came out of a bedroom with a shy, but beautiful smile, looking ready for a country fashion photo shoot. He temporarily forgot what he’d been worrying about.
“Hi Becky,” he cleared his throat. “I don’t like to stay in town that long. And I figured you could use a walk.” He held up the picnic basket. “Care to join me?”
Old world Mason would have felt rather nervous the girl would turn him down. New Mason just felt excitement she’d say yes. He supposed facing certain death a few times added perspective.
Becky’s whole freckled face added to her radiant smile. It was clear showing her happiness to the whole world didn’t bother her a bit, or she just didn’t have the guile to do otherwise. Either way he found it incredibly attractive.
“Sure,” she said, curling some loose hair behind her ear. “I’d like that.”
“Well, let’s get moving.” Mason grinned and held out his hand. Becky took it.
“See you later,” she called to the other girls as she went outside, then froze slightly as she saw Streak.
“He’s with me,” Mason explained, trying to keep the grimace off his face. “I expect he needs the walk more than we do. You don’t have to be afraid, he won’t hurt you. But I can leave him here.”
Rebecca nodded and seemed to make a decision as she looked at the wolf. Then she knelt down and scratched his ears, finally burying her hands in his fur to pet and scratch with abandon. The animal half closed its eyes and wagged its tail, tongue lolling as it made a few happy yips.
“No hard feelings,” she said and grinned up at Mason. “Course he can come.”
Watching her courage and easy way with Streak only made Mason want the girl more.
“Come on,” he said, clearing his throat again to hide his lust. Then he took her hand and helped her up, leading her on towards the gate. Before he’d even reached it Becky laced her fingers with his, and he met her eyes and smiled so wide he felt like a damned idiot until she did the same.
They walked into the trees together.