Savor Me

"That’s what I was trying to do before you two woke me up. Oh, and for the record, Lacey, I'm scared shitless of those damn yearlings. I tried to break a horse with Mason once, but I ended up the broken one. Two cracked ribs from a hoof to the stomach." He stops talking when Mason barks out a laugh. "Shut up, jerk-off. You set me up and you know it."

"I did not set you up. You're just an idiot for walking behind an unbroken horse while I tried to saddle her. I know people who have been riding for ten minutes who know better than that." Mason continues to laugh but once again settles on his back, pulling me against his chest. Hunter rolls into me and cups my breast.

We lie like this for a while. I can't fall asleep, but I know Hunter racked out again. First his breathing evened out. Then, he eventually rolled away from me and stretched out across the bed. I stay curled against Mason, and his hand never stops sifting through my hair. It’s the most comfortable I’ve ever been. I'm not usually a snuggler, and it’s not like Mason is a warm and fuzzy teddy bear either.

Ever since Hunter entered the equation, Mason has been quiet and distant with me. He’s never kissed me, yet there is still something in his eyes that says more than his actions. It’s something deep but very distant.

I would think I was reading into things, but just as I begin to doze off, I hear him whisper against the top of my head, "What are you scared of, Lace?"

It's a personal question that I would usually avoid at all cost, but the answer escapes without hesitation. "Being left alone."

I should freak out that I accidentally shared something so personal with some random guy. This isn’t the way I usually act at all. Aside from the fact that there are two men in the bed with me, none of this is normal for me. I don't talk after sex unless it's to get ready for round two. I sure as hell don't let guys sift through my hair. So you can imagine my shock when Mason asked me this personal question and I actually answered it. However, I'm so comfortable and sated that I don't give it another thought before I drift off to sleep in his strong arms.



"MASON!" I SCREAM AT the top of my lungs. I bolt up straight, unable catch my breath. Even though I have known him just over twenty-four hours, I reach out, trying to find the one person who can save me from this nightmare.

"Fucking hell, Lace," he says with a sleepy voice as he drags me on over his body to the side farthest away from Hunter.

"Shit." I try to reach up and scrub my sleepy face, but Mason has my trembling body pinned to his own. "Shit, I'm so sorry. I..." I fade off as my voice begins to tremble right along with my body.

"Is she okay?" Hunter asks, sitting up while Mason smooths the hair away from my face.

"I'm fine. Sorry. It was just a nightmare. I dreamed I was being trampled by one of your crazy horses." It's an obvious joke, but it seems to appease Hunter enough to go back to sleep. He relaxes, instantly falling back to sleep.

Dropping his voice to a soft rumble, Mason begins his investigation. "What were you dreaming about?"

"Nothing."

"Bullshit," he snaps back.

"Can we just go back to sleep?" I plead for him to drop it.

"Yeah, whatever," he says, annoyed that I won't elaborate.

I can tell by the look in his eye that he is nowhere near ready to let this go. I’m sure I scared him. I mean, who wants to be woken up by a shrieking woman? But he makes no attempts to roll me back in the middle. Instead he curls around me, wrapping me in a Mason cocoon.

"You know it's not good to keep stuff like that in," he whispers against my neck.

"I'm not keeping anything in. Besides, you already know the answer. You might be the only one who knows what that dream was about." My connection with Mason surprises the shit out of me. I know I told him my biggest fear earlier, but I really didn't need to remind him of it. Yet the words still tumble out of my mouth.

"So who left you alone, Lace?"

"No one important," I answer honestly.

"No fiancé left you at the altar or high school boyfriend who took off and never came back? Something had to have made you this way.”

"Nope. But oh, wise horse trainer Mason, do you also have a degree in psychology that you aren't telling me about?" I can't keep the sarcasm out of my voice. If there is one thing I hate, it’s when guys try to figure me out. Sure, I opened the door with Mason by telling him something about myself that he has no business knowing. "I had one fucking nightmare. I don't need some deep, traumatic event in my life to be scared of something.”

"Oh yeah? Then just tell me why you called out my name?

"When, during sex? Um...because your huge dick was ripping me in half." This conversation is quickly escalating into an argument—at least on my end. Mason remains calm and cool, seemingly unfazed by my attitude.

"Oh, I know exactly why you were calling my name when I was making you come all over my dick, but why did you wake up from a nightmare calling my name?”

"Yeah, okay, I'm leaving." I stand up, ready to bolt. The morning is quickly approaching, and that’s my cue to go.