Doomsday Brethren, Book 04: Entice Me at Twilight Read Online Free Page B

flared as he raised a brow and leaned closer, wearing a determined expression. Frozen, she watched as he raised his palm to her jaw, cradling it. She tried to inch back, but Mason’s fingers curled around her nape, staying her. His mouth hovered above hers, his eyes growing sharp with desire.
    Oh God!
This wasn’t what they’d agreed to. This was exactly what she’d feared about marrying him—changing everything. Ruining their friendship.
    “Mason, stop. What are you—”
    “Shh.” He leaned even closer, so close the scent of his aftershave bombarded her. His smooth-shaven cheek caressed her own. Then he pressed his lips to her jaw.
    Mason had kissed her many times. Hello. Good-bye. Always a friendly peck. Never had his lips lingered, seduced. As if he
wanted
her.
    Felicia sucked in a breath, her heart pumping wildly in panic.
    He desired her, after all these years? Yes, logically she’d known they would share a bed eventually once married. They both wanted children, after all. But she’d imagined even sex would be friendly, fun, never seductive or hungry, like Mason’s expression suggested now.
    Firm lips feathered their way across her cheek. His breathing turned uneven. Felicia tensed. Anxiety and confusion raced through her blood, chilling her. He urged her closer … to his mouth.
    Felicia started to protest when he silenced her with a firm press of his lips. Everything inside her froze. For the sake of their marriage, she tried to relax.
    With a groan, Mason urged her lips apart. Slowly, he dipped inside, cajoling her with a sweep of lips, a slide of tongue. An embrace of passion. The kiss of a lover.
    Never in a million years had she thought Mason felt any true desire for her. The sense of security she’d always felt with him suddenly disappeared, yanked out from under her minutes before their wedding. Relaxing into his kiss was impossible.
    She wrenched away and gaped at him, so many thoughts and conflicting feelings bombarding her that she hardly knew where to start.
    Mason’s breath was choppy. His hands shook. Desire flushed his cheeks as he pressed his forehead against hers. “I’ve wanted to do that for a very long time.”
    Seriously?
    Yes.
    All her life, she’d had the uncanny ability to sense lies. For her, they had an acrid smell that made her slightly queasy. No terrible scent lingered to indicate that Mason had been anything but bluntly honest.
    Felicia recoiled.
    “This isn’t what we discussed. We’re … friends, Mason,” she cried as she tried to pull away, form a coherent reply. “We’ve always been friends. I … I—”
    “We will always be friends. But we’re about to be more. I’m sorry if that was too much, too suddenly. We have our whole lives to be together. I won’t push you, darling. I know how you feel about love after what happened to Deirdre. But you’re no more like her than I am like that bastard she fell for. Let yourself fall in love with me, Felicia.” He cupped her shoulders in his hands and stared right into her eyes. “It won’t hurt, I promise.”
    Anger, as fast and hot as lightning, thawed her chill. The last thing she wanted to do today was talk about Alexei, the scum who had destroyed her sister. The fact Mason had even mentioned falling in love ten minutes before she pledged her life to him, when Deirdre weighed so heavily on her heart, ratcheted up her fury—and her fear.
    “No. We are
friends,”
she insisted.
    “We still are. But Felicia, we’re about to become spouses, as well.” He caressed her cheek. “I should be able to tell you that I love you.”
    Felicia’s heart stopped. He
love-loved
her? She sniffed, praying to scent his lie. Nothing but the slight burn of gas from the furnace. Even without her unusual gift, one look in his melting chocolate eyes told her the answer.
    Mason was in love with her.
    Bloody hell!
How had she missed it?
    The air was suddenly gone from her lungs, and she tried to gasp for a breath. “H-how long have