Page 15 of Sensual Nights

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Everyone had left except for Carley, who still bustled about the kitchen, putting dishes away and unpacking boxes filled with other kitchen items. She hummed while she worked. It was cute. Mason stepped into the kitchen and watched her for a moment. "Do you mind if I run and take a shower?"

She stopped and stared at him. Her lips turned up into a smile. "Of course not. I'm almost finished with the kitchen. I hope you're okay with where I put everything."

"Thanks." He grinned. "I'm fine with where you put things. I dislike doing that stuff, so I appreciate all you're doing."

Her smile grew and she cocked her head slightly. That was cute too.

He hustled to the bedroom and found his suitcases where he'd packed his clothes. He pulled a clean T-shirt, sweatpants, and clean underwear from inside and slipped into the bathroom in his bedroom. He turned on the shower and rummaged through the boxes on the floor for a towel, soap, and shampoo.

He made quick work of his shower, but what he wouldn't have given to stand under the warm spray of water for a lotlonger. He'd been sweaty all day. This felt like a little slice of heaven.

He quickly dressed and exited his bedroom to find Carley wiping the counter off. Her sweet derriere pointed in his direction, and he obliged himself and watched it move back and forth as her arm swiped across the counter. She stood and turned, noticed him watching her, and their eyes locked.

He saw her cheeks turn an adorable shade of pink. He moved toward her slowly. It was as if there was a magnetic pull. It felt natural to move toward her.

He stopped in front of her, and they stared at each other for a long time. Just as he bent his head to kiss her lips, her phone rang. He froze, and she huffed out a breath as her shoulders dropped. She pulled her phone from her slacks pocket, and he stepped back. Her hand reached out and took his and held him there.

"Hi, Jace."

She listened and he watched her face.

"Okay. What will you do with it?"

Her eyes looked into his. "Okay, I'll bring it by tomorrow."

She squeezed his hand. "Okay. Thank you. Bye."

She dropped her phone into her pocket and smiled sweetly. "Jace found the video of the man putting the note on my windshield. He's going to take it to the police tomorrow and wants me to bring the note and the medallion to him."

"Okay."

His heartbeat increased, and he pulled her hand, so she stepped into his space. He let go of her hand and slid his arm around her lower back, pulling her in tighter. His other hand slid into her hair at the nape of her neck. He'd wanted to touch her hair since the first time he'd seen her. Her arms slid around his waist, and her face turned up to his.

He lowered his face slowly, just in case she wanted to back out. She didn't. He wasn't about to. His lips touched hers ever-so-slowly. He then pressed his lips to hers. He felt the sizzle of an electric current run down his body, and their lips began moving with each other. Hers were soft and pliable and they felt incredible against his lips. He breathed in her scent as his mouth moved against hers. The silky strands of hair between his fingers felt as he imagined they would, only better. Her body pressed against his as she opened her lips, and he slid his tongue inside to taste her fully. Their tongues slid together, back and forth; a dance perfectly timed by the two of them. It was as if they'd been kissing each other their entire lives, but it was the first time. The first time feeling her body against his. The first time he tasted her. The first time he heard her whimper against his mouth. He tried imprinting it all into his brain because he didn't want to miss a single thing. He didn't want to ever forget how she felt... ever.

He slowly pulled away to allow them both time to catch their breath. Her face remained turned up to his and he stared into her eyes for a long time. His voice was gruff when he finally spoke. "I've dreamed of kissing you since the first time I saw you."

"You have?"

"I have."

She smiled and it was perfection. "I've dreamed of kissing you since then too."

"Then we've both been having great dreams."

She swallowed. "They weren't as good as the real thing."

He filled his lungs with air as he stared into her eyes. His stomach swirled around, and a newfound energy flowed through his body. He'd never felt like this before. He should have at his age. But relationships had never been a thing for him. He focused on his career as an Army surgeon working on an FST, aForward Surgical Team. They were much like MASH units set up in times of war.

That thought had his head popping back to his reality. He couldn't put her through dealing with his stuff. Panic attacks coming whenever, especially at night. That's when the ghosts of patients from the past haunted him the most.

What kind of life would that be for someone like Carley? She didn't deserve to have to be woken every night with his tossing and turning or yelling out in his sleep. Telling the ghosts to leave him alone. Telling them how sorry he was he couldn't help them. And he was so terribly sorry. He'd gone into medicine to help people, not hurt them. He'd always wanted to help people. He failed at that though, and he paid for it every day of his life.

Carley's head tilted to the right. "Are you still here with me? You seem to have retreated to somewhere else."

He blinked and focused on her. Her pretty face and long dark hair. The beautiful blue of her eyes was crisp and soulful. She stared into his eyes as if she was trying to reach him. She did. If she only knew how much she reached him. But that would have to be the end of it. She didn't deserve him and his shit.

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