Forbidden Bad Boys (Small Town Forbidden Romance Box Set) Read online

I tossed my keys in a bowl on a table and pulled my t-shirt off as I headed to my bedroom, deciding sleep was what I wanted most. I made it mid-way up the hall when the bathroom door opened, and Willa stepped out.

  I stopped short, at first, because I hadn’t expected her. But then, I realized she was in nothing but a towel. All of a sudden, my urges changed to something other than food or sleep. Now my body craved Willa.

  Chapter 3: The Past Colliding with the Present

  Willa

  Holy cow. I’d known that Mason was ripped by the way his t-shirt looked painted on him, but right now, he was shirtless, and I could see every sexy detail of his torso. He had smooth round pecs and four…no six-pack abs. From his shoulders down, he was one hard muscle after another, and it made my mouth water to touch and taste him.

  “What are you doing here?” I croaked out.

  “I live here.” He looked as surprised as I felt.

  Oh, right. Duh. “I…ah…you said I could stay.”

  “I did.” His eyes did another scan of my body, and it was then I realized I was in just a towel.

  I wondered what would happen if I dropped it. Would he press that strong body of his against mine?

  Willa! I chastised myself. Mason was my friend, or at least he had been. Right now, with the way we’d left things yesterday, I wasn’t sure if we’d made gains or were still at odds.

  He blew out a breath. “I’m exhausted. I need some sleep.”

  “Yes, of course. I’ll just…clean up and get out of your hair.” I gripped the top of the towel, now starting to feel self-conscious. I think he liked what he saw, but it was hard to tell.

  “You don’t have to go. I’m going to be out like a light here in a minute.” He started past me toward his bedroom.

  “I’m glad you’re okay,” I said as I stepped out of his way.

  “You’re welcome to stay. I’ve got food in the fridge.”

  “Thank you.”

  His eyes made yet one more journey over my body, sending tingles to all my nerve endings. He gave me a nod and then headed to his room.

  I blew out a breath and went into the guest room to dress.

  When I arrived yesterday, his neighbor, Mrs. Krasinski, didn’t recognize me when I asked about the key to Mason’s. She didn’t even ask who I was, making me wonder if having a woman show up for the key to Mason’s was commonplace. There was no doubt plenty of women that would be happy to spend a night with Mason. He was sexy perfection. But I wondered how many knew who he was deep inside? Not that I did, at least not anymore. But I once knew him very well. When he was smaller and leaner, I’d known all his secrets.

  When I first walked into the house, I realized I’d never been there. Mason and I had been best friends, practically our whole lives, but it was a secret friendship because of our families. As such, I’d never been to his house, and he hadn’t been to mine. We’d always met in secret. We often passed notes in school that I tossed on the way home to make sure no one in my family, or his, found them. I wondered if he threw his out too.

  Walking into his house, the first thing I noted was that he’d probably had it redone. Everything seemed fresh and updated from the stainless-steel appliances in the kitchen to the gleaming hardwood floors. I’d taken a tour of the home feeling a bit like I was snooping. The living area felt like a cozy cabin with earthy colors and a large leather couch. He had a floor-to-ceiling bookcase with books and knickknacks placed on the shelves, including photos of him and his brother. There was a photo of him in his military fatigues with a group of other men. All of them looked like they could kill someone with their pinky fingers. All of a sudden, I was curious about his military career. Was he ever in mortal danger? Wounded? Why was he out now? He was young and clearly capable.

  The home had three bedrooms, one of which had photos of Tucker in it, making me think it was his space when he came home for a visit. The other was more feminine done in white and pale blues. I wondered if that was where his parents stayed now when they came home. Deciding it was as close to a guest room as I’d likely find, I put my bag there.

  It was probably invasive to check out the master bedroom, but curiosity got the best of me. His room was sleek and masculine, done in slate and dark wood. The king-sized bed took up most of the space, but I imagined he needed that size to sleep comfortably. I couldn’t stop myself from wondering how many women had shared the bed with him.

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” I said, shaking my head and leaving his room. What was wrong with me? Even if we hadn’t just had an argument on the sidewalk in town, he was my friend. I shouldn’t be having sexual thoughts about him.

  Off the kitchen was a large room that I suspected had been added on. It had huge windows letting in natural light. He had two desks. One desk was with a computer and several monitors, and the other had neat stacks of paper on it. There were several bookcases and an area with a couch and a couple of chairs. I tried to figure out what sort of work he did there, but except for some exercise equipment in a corner, there wasn’t anything to give away what he did.

  Once I was settled in, I checked out his kitchen but decided to go out to eat instead of raiding his place. I headed to Giovanni’s, hoping it was still there as it was the best Italian food I’d ever had.

  I took a seat at a table with a view of the lake. I had just ordered when someone stepped up to the table.

  “You’re not eating alone, are you?”

  I looked up at the deep voice. Wyatt Dalton, former high school all-star athlete and who I’d had a secret crush on for a few months, stood smiling at me.

  “I am,” I said as I realized he didn’t know who I was.

  “That's a crime. I should know because I’m with the sheriff’s department.”

  I could see that his way with the ladies hadn’t changed. He’d always been handsome and muscular.

  “You’re not out at the fire?” I asked.

  “Someone has got to make sure the town stays protected.” He held out his hand. “Wyatt Dalton.”

  I shook it. “Willa Haynesville.”

  His head jerked as his brows pulled together until he had a single eyebrow. “Willa?”

  I nodded. “Yep.”

  His eyes scanned my body and then returned to my face. “Wow. You’ve…ah…changed. You look great.”

  “Ugly duckling to swan.”

  “Jesus, I sound like a moron.” His cheeks reddened. “I see it now. Yes, of course. You’re Willa. How are you?”

  “Good. And you?”

  “Can’t complain.” He motioned to the chair opposite me. “Can I join you?”

  “Sure.”

  He sat. “Are you in town for the reunion?”

  “I didn’t know about it until I arrived earlier today.”

  “You should stay for it. Many people never left Eden Lake, and I've run into some others who are back.” He grinned. “It’s been a long time since both a Haynesville and a McLean have been in town at the same time. Wonder if any sparks will fly?”

  There had been a few people who’d known Mason and I were friendly, but as a matter of course and to make sure our families never found out, most of our classmates didn’t know Mason, and I had been friends.

  “I’m surprised anyone cares about that anymore,” I said.

  He shrugged. “To be honest, I’m not sure anyone but your folks did. That and the tourism board that likes to tell some of the old stories about your ancestors. How is your family?”

  “Good. My parents live in Sedona now.”

  “The McLeans took off too, although their oldest, Mason, he was in our grade. He’s back, and he retired from the SEALs. He’s another one that changed a lot. I think he can bench press a Mack truck.”

  I laughed and thought he was probably right.

  “What about you? What are you doing these days?” He sat back as a waitress brought us water and we ordered drinks, him a beer and me, red wine.

  “I’m a freelance writer.”

  �
��You were always a bookworm.”

  “I’m surprised you noticed.” I’d always felt invisible at school except with Mason.

  “Our class wasn’t that big, so sure I noticed. Plus, you were a Haynesville. Everybody knew them.” He took a sip of water. “Are you here about the fire? It’s come over the ridge toward Haynesville Ridge.”

  “My parents are thinking of selling it, so I was in town to see what work it needed.”

  “Hopefully, the fire won’t get to it.”

  We had a lovely dinner. His introduction may have been a bit cheesy, but he turned out to be quite charming. He caught me up on local gossip and shared how he planned to run for mayor.

  Afterward, he walked me to my car. “If you’re staying in town, maybe we can get together again.”

  There was a part of me, that young invisible teenager part, that liked his attention. “Maybe. I guess it depends on how the house fairs.” I looked toward the north where smoke was blooming up from the mountainside. The air was filled with the scent of smoke, and I suspected by morning it might look like there had been a dusting of snow made by the ash.

  “At least come to the reunion,” he said.

  “I'll think about it. Thank you for dinner, Wyatt.”

  “Of course. I enjoyed it, Willa.” He helped me into the car. I drove off, looking into the rearview mirror where Wyatt was watching me. Interesting. In high school, I’d have done anything for his attention, but I was a gawky plain girl then. In fact, I was so awkward, even Mason, who was as nerdy as me, didn’t notice me. Yes, we were friends, but if I’d ever let on the times that I liked him more than a friend, he’d have probably thought I was joking. I wasn’t a girl that boys noticed in a romantic way back then. While I didn’t want to be seen as only a pretty face, I had to admit it was nice to be noticed now.

  When I got back to Mason’s, I parked on the street and went inside. I wondered how he was doing and if he was okay. SEAL? Is that what Wyatt said Mason had become?

  I’d remembered in high school when he decided to join the military. He was smart enough to get scholarships to college, but for some reason, he chose not to go. He knew military boot camp would be tough, so during our senior year, he started working out with his brother, who was his opposite. Tucker was like Wyatt. He was athletic and handsome and full of himself. Despite Tucker's and Mason’s differences in personality, they were close.

  Within a few months of starting his workout program, Mason was filling out. I remember when Tara Lipton first started noticing and began to hang around him. I’d been so jealous and angry. All the time he’d once spent with me was now with her. I remember the day she came into English class and told her clique that she and Mason had done the deed. My heart had broken as I’d always had this secret idea that he and I would be each other’s firsts. Mason and I didn’t talk about sex, but I was pretty sure that until Tara, he’d been a virgin. Now he wasn’t.

  I pushed all those old memories away as I pulled out my laptop and worked on my freelance projects. I tried to wait up for Mason, but by eleven, I was too tired to stay awake, and so I went to bed.

  The next morning, he still wasn’t back, so I decided I’d take a shower and do some work until I could find out about my house.

  When I stepped out of the shower in the guest bathroom, I realized I hadn’t brought my clothes with me, so I wrapped a towel around me and picked up my folded pajamas.

  I walked out into the hall just in time to see Mason striding toward me, pulling his shirt off, and my mouth went dry.

  Chapter 4: A New Kind of Heat

  Mason

  I woke with a start, feeling disoriented, which was a typical result of going to bed in the morning instead of night. The afternoon sun shone through my window. My stomach growled, reminding me that I’d opted for sleep over food.

  I swung my feet out of bed and tossed on a pair of jeans and the closest t-shirt I could find, which was an L.A. Blaze t-shirt my brother had given me.

  Barefoot, I made a b-line for my kitchen. I had my face stuffed with lunch meat turkey before I realized I wasn’t alone. I whipped around to see Willa at the kitchen table with her laptop.

  She gave me a sheepish smile. “You look like a man on a mission.”

  I quickly chewed and swallowed. “I’m starving. I probably should have eaten before I went to sleep, but I was dead on my feet.”

  “I can’t imagine the hard work and courage that fire fighting requires.”

  It reminded me that I hadn’t told her about her family house. “Listen, Haynesville Ridge…”

  “Did the house survive?”

  I shook my head. “I’m sorry, Willa.”

  “Any of it?”

  “No. It’s all destroyed. Nearly everything in the neighborhood is destroyed.” I remembered the charm I picked up, but my brain was too fogged up with sleep and hunger to remember what I did with it. Was it still in my other pants’ pocket?

  “Thank you for checking.”

  “Of course. I hope you or your parents have your insurance information.”

  She nodded. “My parents do. I’d like to see it sometime. When I can, just to let them know how bad it is.”

  I’d told her there was nothing left, but I suppose it was hard to imagine a house as immense as their’s was, gone. Much like the Haynesville family itself, it was difficult to think of Eden Lake without it.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked as I pulled out sandwich makings.

  “I ate a little bit ago. I bought stuff for dinner too. I thought I could cook for you as a thank you for letting me stay.”

  With her house gone, I wondered how long she’d continued to need a place. “You can stay as long as you need.”

  She smiled up at me, and I had a memory of a time when I imagined us just like this. We were seniors in high school, and I had the crazy thought that she and I’d end up together. At the time, she was pining for Wyatt, who probably never gave her a second look. Today, I was sure he’d give her all the looks she wanted. I had been her friend up close and loved her from afar, but she didn’t have any interest in me. I’d tried to repress my feelings, first by dating a girl when I was about 14. Then in my senior year, after I started working out with Tucker to get fit for Bootcamp, Tara Lipton noticed me. Since Willa was still mooning over Wyatt, I started dating Tara.

  I lost my virginity to Tara. It was satisfying, and at the same time, I felt guilty because I’d long thought Willa would be my first.

  As I finished putting my sandwich together and sat at the table with her, I wondered who was her first. We talked about a lot of things as friends, but sex hadn’t been one of them. Even so, I’d been pretty sure she left Eden Lake as a virgin when she headed to college.

  “I don’t want to be in your way,” she said in reply to my comment.

  “You’re not. I haven’t seen you until today, and you’re not in the way right now.”

  She looked down at her papers. “I missed you, Mason.”

  My heart did a little roll in my chest, which was strange because it had been ten years. I thought I’d let all that go. Maybe the emotion was because I was thinking about what we’d been like before or what I’d hoped we’d have back then.

  “We were good friends,” she finished.

  “We were.” I took a bite of my sandwich to stop myself from admitting I’d once loved her. Based on how my heart was hammering in my chest, and the way my dick had responded to her when I found her in her towel, it was possible I still loved her. I needed to remember that both she and I were different now. I was still a bit introverted, but I wasn’t a pussy. The Wyatt Daltons of the world couldn’t walk over me now like they had when we were growing up.

  “Back then you were about my only friend. Do you remember how homely I was?”

  I shook my head. “No.”

  She pursed her lips at me. “Don’t lie to me, Mason. I know what I was like.”

  “You weren’t homely. Shy, maybe a little plain. Everything you
have now you had then, though.”

  She smiled. “Really?”

  I felt a little bit like I was revealing too much of myself and my feelings towards her by admitting I thought she was pretty then, but I didn’t want her thinking she was ugly.

  I nodded. “I was the homely one.”

  She laughed. “Shy and scrawny, not homely. Did people recognize you when you came home?”

  I laughed too because they hadn’t. “No. Wyatt Dalton stopped me at the house once, asking what my business was here. It was before my parents sold it to me. When he realized who I was, he acted all impressed. I will say he didn’t try to take my lunch money.”

  “He never did that, did he?”

  “For most of the fourth grade. I should collect. Maybe I’ll call the cops. Wyatt’s a sheriff’s deputy now. Better yet, I’ll run for mayor against him.”

  “That would show him. He didn’t recognize me either.”

  Fuck, when did she see him?

  “I went to Giorgio’s for dinner, and he was there. We had dinner together. He hasn’t changed much except he seems more grown-up and mature.”

  I nodded. “He’s alright.” Still, I had an overwhelming urge to hunt Wyatt down and pummel him. “I recognized you right away.”

  “I recognized you too.”

  I remember thinking it was like my soul recognized hers even though our packaging was different. Our gazes held for a moment, and I wondered if she felt the same thing. But then I remembered she saw Wyatt at Giorgio’s. Was she attracted to him again? Ten years ago, we often talked about this stuff. She regularly asked me for advice about him, and I gave it while inside my heart was breaking. I wasn’t going to go through that again.

  I stood and took my plate to the kitchen. “I have to check on some work.”

  “What is it you do? I noticed your office. Is that where you work? Do you work from home?”

  “Yes, mostly. Sometimes I have to travel. But with the Internet and all the tech stuff now, I’m able to run things from here.”

  “So, you own your own business?”