Whatever It Takes (7 page)

Mona grinned and raised an eyebrow.

“She said I belong here and I’d find my family here.” Laurie
giggled self-consciously. “Now, I know none of that stuff is real but after
that, when I thought of growing up and moving out on my own, I always pictured
myself here. When it came time to apply for college I just naturally applied to
the ones here or near here.”

When she finished her explanation she chanced a glance at
Mona and found her smiling warmly rather than in mockery, as Laurie had feared.

“Sounds like you met Miss Agata. She was a fixture in the
French Quarter for a long time,” Mona said. “People really believed in her
gifts. On a rare occasion, she would just read something off someone passing by
and she would drag them over to sit with her and tell them all about their
lives. She called them her special people. I personally only know of a few
people who she talked to. If she insisted on talking to you, you should
consider yourself special.”

Laurie smiled, relieved that Mona didn’t think Laurie was a
complete idiot for planning her future around the words of a fortuneteller she
met as a child. They fell into a comfortable silence after that and soon, it
was their turn in the bathroom.

When they came out of the ladies’ room, Laurie intended to
head straight back to the booth but Mona stopped her on the dance floor with a
mischievous grin.

“Come on, let’s dance.”

“I’m not much of a dancer.”

Laurie shrugged as she moved toward the booth, but Mona
stopped her with a hand on her arm.

“Want me to show you some professional moves?”

Laurie blushed and shook her head. “It’s okay. There’re too
many people around. I’d be too embarrassed.”

“Screw those other people. Who cares what they think?” Mona
laughed. “I’ll teach you a few moves I know Mace will love.”

Laurie’s gaze shot to Mason, who was watching every move
they made. She shook her head because she damn sure wasn’t going to try to
learn any stripper dance moves with him watching.

“Mona, Mason’s not—”

“Not into it? Bullshit. He’ll be into it. I guarantee it—all
men are…even the ones who say they’re not. Also, you look sweet and innocent;
it will be an even bigger turn-on to see you bump and grind. Believe me…I know
men and they are
all
pervs.”

Laurie couldn’t help but laugh. Mona wasn’t going to let it
go. Laurie’d had just enough beers that she was feeling loose and before she
knew it, she agreed and allowed Mona to drag her to an empty section of dance floor.

Mason gripped his beer bottle tight enough to risk breaking
it. That damn Mona. The bitch was determined to give him a hard time while she
had the chance. He watched his girl move her body to the music and his jeans
became even more uncomfortable. He’d been sporting a painful boner all night
and now it was unbearable.

Laurie was a fast learner and quickly picked up the
seductive moves Mona showed her. Once she got comfortable, she danced and
laughed with abandon and he couldn’t take his eyes off her. He’d intended to be
a gentleman and keep his hands to himself, but seeing her move her body that
way was going to make it far more difficult.

He watched her thrust her hips and imagined them thrusting
like that beneath him as he drove his cock into her hot little pussy. Mona
urged Laurie to mimic a move that had her running her hands down the front of
her body, caressing her breasts and down to her pelvis. Laurie laughed as she
copied the move.

Watching her hands move all the way down, Mason nearly
launched himself across the room at her. A new scene stuck in his head. One in
which she lay naked on his bed, pleasuring herself while he watched. He thought
of how he would tell her where and how to touch herself. Then after she made
herself come with her hands, he would follow their trail with his tongue and
make her come again and again, and again, until she begged for mercy, then he
would do it all over again. He called himself a sick fuck but couldn’t refrain
from enjoying the fantasy as he watched her dance.

She and Mona laughed and continued to dance, oblivious to
what it was doing to him. At least, Laurie was oblivious; Mona seemed
completely aware. He could tell by the sly glances she kept sending his way.
Mona just couldn’t leave well enough alone. She wouldn’t be happy until Mason
threw Laurie across the table and ravished her in front of God and everyone. He
was already pretty damn close to doing just that.

A couple of men—clean-shaven, professional types—approached
the two women, and Mason tensed. The guys had been enjoying the show from a few
feet away. Jealousy bubbled up in Mason’s chest and threatened to overflow. A
low growl escaped him as he watched the scene.

Although Mona was a gorgeous woman and turned heads
everywhere she went, the men seemed more interested in Laurie. Probably because
she looked like the kind of woman a guy could take home to his mother or to
dinner with the boss, but considering the way she moved her body, she might
give him a blowjob on the drive over.

Whatever the men said, Laurie wasn’t interested. She shook
her head then turned back to Mona, dismissing them. They walked away in defeat
and Mason relaxed a little and sat back in his seat.

“You all right there, big guy?” Dewayne asked, his words
underlined with amusement.

“I’m just fine,” he snapped.

“Damn. Lil’ Girl is really good. She could be a stripper,
easy.” Dewayne continued to gaze toward the dance floor, although he kept
sneaking glances at Mason. “Wish I had some singles. That little thing is hot.
Oh, and damn it, brother, I love it when she cusses. It gets me hard.”

“You and Mona are a couple of assholes,” Mason growled but
couldn’t make himself take his eyes off Laurie. “And if you plan on keeping your
goddamn cock, you best keep it away from her—whether it’s hard or not.”

Dewayne laughed, obviously taking no offense to the threat.
He appeared just as entertained by Mason’s discomfort as he was by the women
dancing.

Laurie continued to dance with Mona, although she was sure
she was making a complete ass of herself. Mona was a great dancer and Laurie
figured, in comparison, she probably looked like she was having a seizure, but
at that point she didn’t care. She was more than halfway drunk and having fun
for a change, so she intended to live it up while she had the chance. Monday
morning it would be back to the books. No more distractions.

“That’s great,” Mona told her. “All you need are pigtails
and a schoolgirl uniform and you’d be a big hit where I work.”

Laurie had to stop dancing and hold her stomach; she was laughing
so hard. She couldn’t help but picture herself dressed up the way Mona
suggested, and the image that flashed in her mind was so comical she could
barely breathe.

“Come on, I need a drink,” Mona said.

She hugged Laurie and the two headed back toward the table.

Mason rose as they neared the booth so Laurie could slide
into it. She took her seat and leaned back, still laughing and breathing hard.
He handed her a fresh beer and she accepted it with a grateful smile.
Instantly, the look in his eyes caused a stab of awareness in her foggy brain
that she couldn’t quite grab onto, but her body reacted anyway. Her nipples
beaded, pushing almost painfully against her bra. She hoped nobody would notice
in the dim light of the booth. She took a deep breath and inadvertently
breathed in his scent, which compounded her problem. An ache settled low in her
belly and she squeezed her thighs together as she felt moisture seep out of her
and dampen her panties. She repressed an aroused shiver and focused on tearing
the label off her beer.

After a few moments of silence, Mona started talking and
pulled everyone into a new conversation, which kept them all arguing and
laughing. Laurie started to feel sleepy but kept up with the conversation,
while Mason kept her in fresh beers. She wasn’t sure how much time went by but
she was having a great time. When the lights blinked on and off rapidly she
looked around in confusion.

“Am I drunk or did the lights just flicker?”

“Both.” Mona laughed. “I think we’re all pretty drunk but
the flickering lights mean last call. The bar’s about to close.”

Laurie was tired but it didn’t seem that late.

“What time is it?”

“Almost four thirty,” Mason told her after a quick glance at
his phone.

“Holy shit, really?” Laurie gaped, as she set her fresh beer
aside. “I guess I better go find my friends.”

“They left a few hours ago,” Mason said. “They were with a
big group. It didn’t look like they were going home.”

Laurie heaved a heavy sigh and nodded. She should have
expected he’d ditch her when he hadn’t come looking for her earlier.

“What assholes,” she muttered. “Well, screw ‘em. I’ll just
go get a cab.”

She turned to slide out of the booth but Mason showed no
sign that he intended to move out of her way, as he continued to sip his beer. Mona
withdrew from kissing Dewayne and turned to face her.

“Oh, hell no, honey. We’re not sending you off alone. Awful
stuff happens on those college campuses. Especially to pretty little drunk
women stumbling to their dorms in the wee hours. I watch the news.”

“But you’re all drunk too.” Laurie raised an eyebrow and
smiled.

“Yeah, but four drunks are better than one and less likely
to get attacked by some juiced-up college jock.” Mona laughed.

Laurie was surprised over Mona’s concern for her. Although
they’d enjoyed visiting with each other all evening, in reality they were still
strangers and Mona had no reason to worry about Laurie’s safety. She wasn’t
used to having someone else look out for her and she felt a little
uncomfortable with it.

“It’s not necessary, really. You shouldn’t trouble
yourselves. Campus security patrols the area, and the cab will drop me off
right outside my building. I’ll be—”

Mason cut her off by gripping her chin between his thumb and
forefinger and turning her face toward his. When their eyes met, her mouth went
dry and her heart began to pound.

“We will escort you home,” he said in a quiet yet firm voice
that forbade argument.

Mesmerized by his eyes, she swallowed hard and nodded. He
smiled back and caressed her chin with his thumb then ran his index finger down
the length of her throat to her collarbone before turning his attention away.
Laurie retrieved her beer and took a long drink, hoping the cold brew would
cool the heat that had flared up in her body at Mason’s touch.

As he paid the tab, she finished her drink, feeling bad that
he was paying for her many beers. Rather than argue, she let the issue go—mostly
because she didn’t think it would do any good. Mason Pierce appeared to be the
kind of guy who did what he wanted, regardless of what anyone said. The notion
sent a shiver up her spine.

Mason slid out of the booth and reached out his hand to her.
She took it and allowed him to help her. Once she was on her feet, he laced his
fingers with hers instead of letting her go. The contact felt intimate and
Laurie’s belly flip-flopped. Her heartbeat sped up but she did her best to
pretend that walking hand in hand with him was nothing out of the ordinary.

Mona and Dewayne walked ahead of them as Mason led her
across the empty dance floor and through the exit where there was a line of
cabs outside the bar. Laurie was shaky and nervous from her contact with Mason
and she hoped for some distance in the cab, but instead of one of the minivan-type
vehicles, they chose a smaller one. She ended up squeezed into the small
backseat, almost on his lap. A shiver ran down her spine when Mona squeezed in
on one side of Laurie, forcing her to press against Mason to make room. She
felt pretty toasted and wasn’t sure she’d be able to handle being so close to
him.

“Where are we going, Angel?” he asked her.

His lips were so close to her ear that she felt the warmth
of his breath on her cheek. She had to take a slow, shaky breath before she was
able pull herself together enough to give the name of her dorm, and then she
sat back, clasping her hands together in her lap.

“Are you okay, sweetheart?” Mona asked, smiling innocently
at Laurie as they pulled away from the curb.

Laurie offered a weak smile and nodded, knowing the twenty-minute
ride back to her campus would feel like an eternity.

She was overly conscious of every move Mason made and she
inhaled his scent with every breath. She held herself stiffly at first but as
the ride went on, she began to relax. It was quiet and warm in the cab and her
eyes grew hot and heavy. Every time she blinked, it took more and more effort
to reopen her eyes. She decided she would shut them, just for a second, and
almost sighed at the pleasure of letting her lids drift closed.

“Wake up, Angel.”

Laurie stirred and burrowed her face deeper into her pillow,
which had never felt so comfortable or smelled so good. She was warm and safe
and didn’t want to wake up. A hand brushed the hair out of her face and she
smiled sleepily for just a moment before her eyes popped open.

Horrified, she gasped and jerked out of Mason’s embrace. In
her sleeping state, she’d ended up pretty much on top of him, with her head
resting on his chest and one leg draped over his.

“I’m sorry,” she said, feeling heat settle in her cheeks.
Her eyes locked on a wet spot on his shirt and she groaned inwardly.
Oh
sweet Jesus, I drooled on him.

“Don’t worry about it.” He chuckled before he opened the
door and stepped out of the cab.

“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Mona said, stopping Laurie long
enough to hug her. “I hope I get to see you again.”

Laurie nodded and hugged Mona back then Mason took Laurie’s
hand and helped her out of the cab. Lacing his fingers with hers again, he led
her up the steps to the door of her dorm. With his hands on her hips, he held
her steady while she attempted to unlock the door. She had difficulty using her
card key so he reached around her and took over the task. She swayed a little
but with her back at his chest and his arms around her like a cage, she was safe
from falling. She wasn’t sure if her unsteadiness was a result of the many
beers she’d consumed or a side effect of Mason’s nearness.