Return to Her (6 page)

“
I plan to.” Mason smiled
crookedly and began to move in short, slow thrusts.

His cock felt incredible stretching
her as he filled her over and over again. Within a few moments, his
shorter thrusts turned into longer, languid ones. Mason was ever
watchful, his gaze never leaving her face as he rolled his hips. He
responded to her moans and pants, seeming to give her more of every
stroke she loved. Once he settled into a rhythm, he lowered his
upper body against her breasts and kissed her madly, stealing the
very air from her lungs.

They thrashed together on the bed,
seeking absolution in one another’s arms. Cassie met his body with
each downward stroke, reveling in the sound of their bodies
meeting. Mason’s control seemed to snap and the tempo of their
lovemaking sped faster and faster. He continued to feast on her
lips, greedily stealing every moan and whimper that came from her
and giving her nothing but pleasure with every stroke, caress, and
squeeze.

Her desire built, the fire within her
stoked ever higher. Cassie knew her release would soon be upon her.
Every nerve ending was sizzling, crackling within her.

Cassie looked into Mason’s eyes when
he pulled away for a moment. Their gazes locked and she felt a wave
of emotion crashing into her. This man, her hero, her best friend,
they were sharing a new secret—one of the flesh.

She cried out as her orgasm took her
over the edge and into the abyss. Holding on to him, she gripped
him tight, as if she’d be lost if not tied to him. Her pussy
clenched tightly around his cock as each surge of her release broke
inside her. Mason’s body tightened against her, his thrusts
becoming wild. She knew he was following her into the void and when
he stiffened, she felt the heat of his seed filling the condom
within her. His groan of pleasure rumbled through her body, and she
smiled, knowing he’d found satisfaction in her arms.

Sex had never been like this before.
One time with Mason had erased all the awkward attempts of her
past. Now she understood why some women were so sex crazed. If they
experienced anything like she just did, she could easily become
addicted.

When the haze cleared Mason stared
down at Cassie, and moved a few strands of hair back away from her
face. A satisfied smile twisted his lips before he leaned in to
gently kiss her. “Thank you,” he whispered against her lips. “You
were amazing.”

Thank me?
“I think I should be the one doing the thanking.
That was incredible.”

Mason chuckled and slowly exited her
pussy, holding the condom in place. He crawled out of bed and left
her to go to the bathroom. The distance was too much. She longed
for him to hold her in his arms once more. Cassie lay there
silently, unsure of what was expected of her. They’d never traveled
this road. Did she get up, stay in the bed, what?

There couldn’t be any awkwardness. Not
now, when their friendship hung in the balance.

He came out seconds later, a cloth in
hand. Mason sat on the side of the bed beside her and put the warm
washcloth to her brow and wiped away the sweat that lingered there.
Their eyes met and her chest tightened. The softness in his gaze
made her relax. She was exactly where she was supposed to be. Once
her face was cleaned, he lowered the cloth lower and gently eased
it along her pussy, soothing her abraded skin.

The consideration was as foreign to
her as the desire she felt. Cassie wasn’t used to this kind of
treatment, but she could sure get used to it. Yet she couldn’t.
Mason was leaving her in two days. He’d be in harm’s way when he
left, and there was no guarantee he’d come back to her. “We’ve
wasted so much time already.”

Mason smiled up at her before growing
serious. “We’ve got the rest of tonight and tomorrow. I don’t want
to think about going. I just want to spend my last days here in
your arms. If you’ll have me.”

Cassie pulled him into bed and wrapped
her arms around his neck, leaning in to kiss him. “This is exactly
where I want to be.”

Chapter Five

Mason heard the call over the airport
loudspeaker, announcing they were boarding his flight. He wasn’t
ready to leave. Not yet. Cassie sat beside him, nestled in the
crook of his arm. She’d been right. They had wasted too much time.
They’d spent the last day or so in bed, exploring one another’s
bodies. She was everything he could want in a lover and more.
Cassie had let him sample every inch of her and he was still hungry
for more. How Dave could’ve cheated on her, he didn’t know, but he
did know the man was crazy.

But Dave’s stupidity was his gain.
She’d felt so right in his arms and he knew that fate had brought
them together, which only made his departure all the
harder.

A year’s wait before he could touch or
taste her again was a sin.

Now he had her to come home to. It
would make the long months and lonely nights that much easier to
handle. He would write her, call her, and make sure she was taken
care of in his absence.

Fear struck him. A year was a long
time. What if she changed her mind and moved on? No. Cassie
wouldn’t do that to him, but they didn’t have anything tying them
together. They’d made no promises to one another. And he couldn’t
ask her to wait. He would just have to hope she did.

“
Was that your flight they
just called?” she asked in a small voice. She’d been so quiet this
morning. Her pale face looked up at him and he saw the dark smudges
under her eyes. Cassie was exhausted, as was he. They’d not slept
much the last two days.

“
Yeah, sweets, it was,” he
answered.

She pulled away from him and stood,
her small frame somehow appearing even smaller as she hugged
herself, waiting for him to rise. He saw the sadness in her eyes as
she looked up at him. He understood it. It was the same emotion
tightening his chest now.

Cassie made a little sound and then
hugged him ferociously, with more might than he’d expected from her
small body. He drew her closer, an ache forming in his
chest.

He leaned down to steal a kiss,
tasting her lips for the last time before his deployment. Hopefully
it wouldn’t be the last kiss they’d share. The embrace went on
forever, until the final boarding call was announced.

Cassie stepped back a little, tears
glistening in her eyes. “You come back to me. Do you hear
me?”

Mason grinned, though he was fighting
back the tide of emotion he’d not expected to feel. Of course he’d
known he’d miss her, but not like this. He leaned down and grabbed
his duffel, flinging it over his shoulder. “Yes, ma’am. Like any
good soldier, I can follow orders.”

He saluted her and leaned in for one
final kiss before spinning on his heel and stalking toward
check-in. Those last steps were the hardest he’d ever
walked.

* * * *

Cassie walked into her apartment and
closed the door. She fell back against it and dropped her purse and
her keys on the floor beside her feet. Slowly, she slid down the
door to the floor. And then the tears finally came.

She already missed him. He’d been gone
for less than an hour and she was overwrought. How was she supposed
to make it a year without him?

Forever independent, she would
survive. She knew how to take care of herself, but there was
something he gave her no one else did. Mason listened to her
stories. He cared about her and the things that mattered to her. He
was the most considerate man she’d ever met.

In that moment, she realized he was
her other half. When he’d left, there was a hole inside her that
wouldn’t be filled by anything but his return.

She would manage. Days would pass and
she would survive. She would look forward to the weekly calls he’d
promised and it would be enough. It would have to be. How military
wives did this time and time again, she didn’t know. She had a
newfound respect for the families who had to say goodbye to their
spouses and parents, not knowing what would come next.

Cassie rubbed her face
with both hands and tried not to think negatively. He
would
return to
her.

A knock on the door made her jump and
she climbed up from the floor, dusting her bottom off. Looking
through the peephole and saw… flowers?

She opened the door and noted the
idling delivery van in the driveway.

“
You Cassie Summers?” a
voice sounded from behind a bouquet of what had to be at least
three dozen red roses.

“
I am,” she answered,
holding her hands out to take the arrangement. She carefully
navigated into the kitchen and lowered the vase down to the
counter. Stepping back, she frowned, wondering who they were from.
Before she could check the card, she heard a cough from the
door.

Cassie returned, signed for the
delivery, and fished a couple of bucks out of her purse for the
driver. As soon as she shut the door, she walked back to the
beautiful display and searched for the card.

Buried deep inside, she found
it.

I miss you already. I love
you. –Mason

Cassie pulled the card tightly to her
chest as more tears threatened the backs of her eyes. She held on
and didn’t let any fall. For him, she needed to be stronger. She
would make it through and be waiting with open arms when he came
home.

Chapter Six

Nearly a year
later…

“
I can’t believe it’s
almost been a year already,” Ashley twittered as she dumped a big
mound of potato salad on her paper plate. They stood inside one of
the park shelters before a table laden with more food than everyone
assembled could eat. “Another month and Mason will be home. Are you
excited?”

Cassie nodded, not wanting to say
much. There was no way she was jinxing his return, so she’d decided
not to talk much. Mason had missed his normal Sunday call and it
had her anxious—so anxious, she almost reneged on coming to their
friends’ Fourth of July party. How was she supposed to eat, drink,
and be merry when her stomach was tied in knots?

Why hadn’t he called? Those phone
calls were her comfort—the lifeline she needed to know he was
well.

“
The fireworks are
supposed to be even bigger this year, from what I hear,” Ashley
droned on, adding a pile of coleslaw next to the potato salad. She
handed Cassie the handle, but Cassie shook her head. Ashley looked
down at Cassie’s near empty plate and frowned. “Why aren’t you
eating? It’s a celebration. We’ve got tons of food. You’ve got to
make sure you’ve got something on your stomach before you have a
beer or two.”

Cassie took a deep breath, not wanting
to be asked why she was so unnerved. Better to eat something to
appease everyone and not draw unwanted attention. She took the
spoon out of the potato salad and plopped a small mound onto her
plate. “I’m eating. Okay?”

Ashley stared at Cassie a moment, her
eyes narrowing. “Everything alright?”

“
I’m fine,” Cassie added,
reaching over and snatching a couple of Deviled eggs. “Everything
is A-Okay.”

Ashley stared another few moments
before appearing to leave well enough alone. “The sun’s getting
lower. Fireworks start at nine. I feel like a big kid every time I
see them.”

Cassie absentmindedly added food to
her plate, things she knew she’d never eat. But it would look good
and she’d nibble here and there, waiting for the night to be over.
Following Ashley to one of the picnic tables occupied by their
friends, Cassie settled down in the center and closed her eyes as a
cool breeze drifted off the lake. After the intense heat of the
day, the wind felt refreshing.

Sailboats dotted the still blue waters
as families came in droves to watch the annual Fourth Fireworks
Celebration. Cassie had always looked forward to fun with friends
here, but today it just wasn’t as fun. The past year had made it
hard for her to enjoy moments like this, knowing Mason could be in
harm’s way.

“
You know, you are allowed
to have fun when he’s not here,” Ashley said suddenly. Cassie was
shocked her friend had seemed to pick up on the feelings running
through her head.

Cassie turned to stare at Ashley.
“What do you mean?”

“
For the past year, you’ve
avoided most of us. You’ve worked, went home, and stayed in. It’s
been like pulling teeth to get you out of your house. You’ve
cancelled on our lunch date three times now.”

Cassie squirmed in her seat, not
wanting to have this conversation. “It’s been a hard few
months.”

“
And we could’ve helped
make it better,” Spence, Ashley’s boyfriend added.

“
I came out. On occasion,”
Cassie said, defending herself.

Ashley and a couple of their other
friends laughed. “And you looked as miserable then as you do now.
Just because Mason is overseas, it doesn’t mean you can’t go out
and enjoy yourself.”

Cassie realized Ashley was right.
She’d felt like she was doing something wrong whenever she’d been
out. It was some weird guilt she had.