Masters 01 Master of the Mountain (18 page)

She was submissive in bed and feisty the rest of the time, not a slave who wanted to be under command twenty-four hours a day. After watching Jake and Mimi's failed relationship, Logan knew he couldn't tolerate that depth of submission. His gut twisted as he remembered Mimi's despair when Jake had uncollared her, and Jake's horror when he told Logan how she'd taken her life.

He heard the shower come on upstairs and shook his head. Why was he bothering to think about Jake and Mimi…or Becca either? The woman would be gone day after tomorrow.

Fuck.

* * * * *

Rebecca arrived downstairs in time to see Logan disappear into a room she hadn't seen yet. She followed, and her mouth dropped open. A deluxe pool table on one side and a long rack of cues hanging on the wall. A Ping-Pong table and a foosball table occupied the middle of the room. A dartboard hung on the opposite wall. “Wow. Is this where you spend your winters?”

Logan turned, a smile lighting his eyes to a true blue. “Actually, we close the place down after the first snow and take off for warmer climes. Scuba diving, sailing, deep-sea fishing.”

Oh, she could see him, cutoff shorts, barefoot. Shirtless. Especially shirtless, with that muscled chest and broad shoulders and dark tan. She shook her head—
bad Rebecca
—and said lightly, “Sounds like fun.”

“It is.” He nodded at the room in general. “Choose your game, rebel.”

Hands behind her back, she strolled across the room like a supervisor. Everything was top quality; obviously the boys liked their toys. When she reached him, she grinned. While working in a fraternity, she'd learned more than just how to cook. “Let's start with pool. The winner gets to pick the next game.”

He glanced down, and a crease appeared in his cheek.

She followed his gaze. Oh heck, hands behind the back while wearing an oversize flannel shirt was not a good idea.

“And the loser?” His eyes glinted in a way she didn't trust, especially when his finger trailed down between her breasts.

“Ah. The loser won't get to pick a game?” she said weakly. How could he turn her on like this, just with a touch?

He chuckled and handed her a pool cue. “Break.”

Half an hour later, if she could have removed the flannel shirt without being indecent, she would have. The room felt way too warm, or maybe she was going through early menopause and having hot flashes.

How could Logan turn a simple game of pool into something erotic? All his attention appeared to be on the table, but his choice of shots always brought him next to her, and he touched her every time he walked past. A pat on her shoulder, a hand on her waist, a squeeze of her bottom. When she had to stretch out to make a shot, he'd stand at the other end, and his gaze down her front would be so heated that he might as well have taken her breasts in his hands.

He won by one stinking ball. Next time she'd try that sneaky way of distracting an opponent on him.

After putting their sticks away, he said, “The winner gets a victory kiss.” He yanked her into his arms without waiting for her answer. With a fist in her hair, he tipped her head back and took her mouth. His other hand curved under her bottom and pulled her onto her tiptoes and against a rock-hard erection. Plunging his tongue deep, he possessed her in the same way he'd taken her body earlier.

All the teasing he'd done during the game was like kindling that now shot up into flames. She wrapped her arms around him and gave him anything he wanted.

With a low growl, he released her and then had to grab her arms when her knees buckled. He had a devastating grin, one that made her emotions turn all squashy. God, she could so easily fall in—She froze, her mouth dropping open.
No. No. Absolutely not
. No getting hung up emotionally on this man, no matter how gorgeous. No matter how he made her feel. Yes, he was smart and protective and…God, so male. He could laugh at himself and didn't get all territorial. When she argued with him about the trail, he'd just studied her solution and said, “
You're right. Your way is better
.”

The sex was great, and…he liked her.

Unnerved, she ran her fingers through her hair. But she lived in San Francisco.
I need to go home right now.

“Becca?” He frowned down into her face. His hands curved around her upper arms, pulling her onto tiptoes. He took her mouth so gently that this kiss was even more devastating than the last. Encased in her chest where it should have been safe, her heart melted like wax in a hot sun.

“That looked like fun,” a dry voice said from the doorway.

Rebecca spun. Leaning against the door frame, Logan's brother had his arms crossed over his chest. His blue eyes, a shade lighter than Logan's, danced with laughter, although no smile graced his lips.

“The horde is back, then.” Logan pulled Rebecca to his side with an unyielding arm around her waist. “You're running late.”

“It was a slow hike down after Brandon pulled a muscle, so it'll be a while till supper.” Jake finally grinned. “I wanted to see if you were interested in a beer and a game of poker before we eat.”

“Usual stakes?”

“Chores?” Jake snorted and then glanced at Rebecca. “Sure.”

Well, while they were playing, she'd be able to cool down, give herself a good talking-to, and then maybe see about helping with supper. But when she tried to move away, Logan's arm tightened.

She looked up with a frown.

He ran a finger down her cheek. “How well do you know poker?”

“Not that well.”

“Good.”

* * * * *

Rebecca owed Logan a blowjob? All Jake had lost were two days of doing the dishes. Still a bit stunned and trying not to think about taking Logan's cock into her mouth, licking it, sucking… Darn it. She grabbed a Yosemite flyer someone had left on the dining room table and used it to fan herself.

When she stepped into the kitchen, she realized she'd arrived too late to do anything except make gravy for the mashed potatoes. Once finished with that, she noticed Thor sitting patiently just inside the kitchen door. The tidbits she dropped in front of him were woofed up quickly, and she couldn't help but notice his big teeth.

A pair of boots stopped beside her, and she looked up with a quick intake of breath…and let it out. Jake, not Logan.

Jake tossed Thor a piece of roast beef. The dog caught the morsel with an unsettling snap of sharp teeth that didn't bother Rebecca at all.
Much.

“What a moocher.” She scrambled to her feet.

“When it comes to food, he has no dignity whatsoever.” Jake had a laugh even deeper than Logan's but less rough. “The minute food's on, he's in the kitchen waiting. He's never missed a meal since Logan found him.” He grinned and ruffled the thick fur. “A homeless guy never passes up a handout, right, buddy?”

Thor whuffed and looked hopefully at the dishes being carried out to the dining room.

“Logan found him?” Rebecca prompted, trying not to look nosy.

“All skin and bones, trying to get into the garbage behind our hotel in San Francisco. He growled at me, and I would have left, but Logan—” Jake shook his head. “If something's wrong, he's just got to try and fix it. He sat out there for an hour, discussing the weather with Thor. And when we came back here, we had us a flea-ridden, scrawny dog.” His words sounded harsh, but the hand stroking Thor's head was as gentle as…as Logan's.

She could just see Logan in some alley, sitting on a crate, long legs outstretched. Taming Thor's fear the same way he'd tamed hers. And when he snapped his fingers, Thor would have followed without a second thought. She bit her lip, feeling sadness curl up inside her. Logan wouldn't be snapping his fingers and taking her home.

As Jake walked away, Rebecca bent over and gave Thor another hug. “You're a lucky guy,” she whispered in the furry ear.

“Rebecca, does anything else go out?” Paul yelled from inside the dining room.

“I'm bringing the gravy. That's all that's left.” She planted a kiss on top of Thor's head, then poured the gravy into a bowl and followed the servers out.

She took an empty seat near the center of the table. To her amazement, Thor sauntered into the room and thumped down at her feet instead of choosing one of the brothers. She felt like a schoolgirl who'd received a star on her paper. Making a new friend: A+.

While stroking the big head leaning on her leg, she glanced at the club members. Sunburned faces, cheerful expressions. Sex made for hungry people. She knew that for a fact. Rebecca smothered a grin and helped herself to some potatoes.

A minute later, Greg rose to look over the food. His face fell. “No rolls or biscuits?”

“Get real,” said Brandy, who had helped cook. “The only way I make rolls is if they come in a tube.”

Making the rounds with a wine bottle, Logan set his hand on her shoulder to fill her glass, his touch causing shivers to run through her body. He whispered in her ear, “How can I bribe you to make biscuits for breakfast?”

He chuckled and rubbed his knuckles over her cheek. “You will explain that thought to me later. In detail.” To her relief and disappointment, he moved on down the table.

If people hadn't surrounded her, Rebecca would have covered her face and groaned. The room had not only heated up, but even worse, her panties were wet, just from his brief touch. With a shaky hand, she picked up her wine and took a hefty drink. Not strong enough. Scotch would have been better. Jeez.

As she set her glass down, her gaze met Jake's. He raised an eyebrow, and his lips quirked in amusement before he resumed pouring wine.

She flushed again.

She cooled off slowly. Having Logan sitting at the far end of the table helped. If she concentrated on the conversations around her, she could avoid looking at him. The swingers had apparently had a fun day up in the meadow, thankfully on a different mountain than the one she and Logan had been on. The dynamics of the group had shifted again, she noticed. Ashley now sat between Brandon and Christopher, ignoring Matt. Brandy flirted with Paul and Amy. Rebecca choked at their discussion of the afternoon's sexual antics. Two men and three women in the water? An even bigger group in the meadow? Man, what…energetic…people.