The Trouble With Lust Read online

  The Trouble With Lust

  T.M. Cromer

  THE TROUBLE WITH LUST Copyright © 2016 T.M. Cromer

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

  * * *

  ISBN-10: 0-9975322-1-1

  ISBN-13: 978-9975322-1-0 (EPUB)

  Front Cover Design: T.M. Cromer

  * * *

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

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  Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Epilogue

  Other Stonebrooke Stories

  From the Author…

  Stay Up-To-Date

  Chapter One

  Mason Sharp placed his carry-on in the overhead bin of the airplane and settled into his first class seat with a happy sigh. Not long now and he would be on his way to enjoy ten days of soaking up the sun and diving in the aqua waters of the Caribbean. He hoped whoever happened to occupy the seat next to him wasn’t a Chatty Kathy. All he wanted was to catch a few hours of shut-eye before his vacation started.

  The buzz from his cell phone caught his attention. A quick scan of the text, and he laughed. His brother Zack, who also happened to be his business partner and best friend, had sent him a text in regard to his newest client.

  “You wouldn’t believe who signed up for a membership today… ERICA SUTTON! Remember her from high school?”

  Mason had to think hard. Recalling her was difficult.

  “The mousy chick with the glasses who tutored you?”

  The phone alerted him to the second text.

  “Yep, that’s her. She isn’t mousy anymore.”

  Not quite sure where the conversation was going, Mason decided to go for practical.

  “See? I told you New Year’s Day was a great day to be open for business.”

  * * *

  “Really? I’m telling you about my HS crush and you’re getting all business on me? I thought you were in vaca mode?”

  * * *

  “Exactly, which is why I’m turning off my phone now. Go buy her a smoothie and stop bothering me.”

  * * *

  “Whatever. Have a great time, asshat.”

  * * *

  “Yeah, up yours, dickhead. And thanks, I will.”

  He’d just cleared the screen when a feminine voice said, “Excuse me. I think that’s my seat.” Mason raised his head but his process was halted at the gorgeous display of breasts in his line of vision.

  “Up here, buddy,” said a wry voice.

  Reluctantly, he tore his gaze from the luscious tatas in front of him to meet the amused moss-green eyes of the woman who owned them.

  “Pardon?” He’d never been thrown for a loop like that before.

  “Lady, you’re holding up the line,” groused a voice from behind her.

  The man voicing the complaint was issued a wilting glare. Mason found himself grinning as the guy backpedaled upon being the recipient of her displeasure.

  “Do you mind letting me by?” she asked after a moment. “I’m in the seat next to you. 3D. Says so right here on my boarding pass.”

  Feeling a bit like a dumbass, Mason made to stand and smacked his head on the compartment above.

  “Goddammit!” he swore. When were airlines going to start making airplanes to accommodate tall people? At six-four it was a downright pain in the ass to travel in these tiny tin cans.

  “Ouch. Sorry.”

  He cut her a sharp glance. She didn’t look sorry. She looked as though she found the whole situation entertaining and would break into laughter at any second. More than a little irritated, he shifted into the aisle to allow her to take her seat, then resumed his place from before the interruption.

  It wasn’t long before the boarding of the plane was complete and their flight attendant was asking for their drink requests.

  “Scotch. Neat,” he said.

  “White wine,” his new traveling companion piped up.

  After their beverages had been delivered, Mason took a large swallow. He debated the merits of conversing with the blonde bombshell seated next to him. Most days he was up for mild flirtation, but it had been a helluva week, and he just wanted to relax without any distraction. This trip was long overdue to his way of thinking.

  “I’m Shonda.”

  She took the decision away from him. His choice now was to be rude or introduce himself. And because his mother hadn’t raised him to be a jerk, he responded in kind.

  “Mason. A pleasure.”

  “Where are you heading?”

  “St. Thomas. You?”

  “St. Thomas,” she said with a breathless laugh. She had the type of sexy laugh a man felt down to his—yeah, that way of thinking would be embarrassing soon. He had to get his mind out of the gutter. His thoughts were so entrenched in what he would do to her if they ever had the chance to be naked together, he almost missed her next words.

  “So, are you part of the Mile-High Club?” she asked, an expectant smile on her face.

  In the middle of taking another sip, he choked and sprayed the contents all
over the seat in front of him. When his throat and lungs stopped burning enough to reply, he asked, “Excuse me?”

  “The Mile-High Club. I would assume, if you fly often, you would be a member. Isn’t that what it’s called when you are a frequent flyer?”

  Her question was innocent enough. Mason could see no guile there. Still, he decided to answer her honestly.

  “Yes, I am a member of the Mile-High Club. And no, it isn’t for frequent flyers, love.”

  He wanted so badly to go a step further and offer to initiate her, but the plane had just taken off, and it was going to be a long trip. He needed the sleep.

  The flash of uncertainty he witnessed caused him to lean forward and whisper in her ear, “To be a member of the Mile-High Club means you’ve had sex during a flight.” Wait for it…ah, and it registered. Her blush, when it came, made him bite back a smile.

  “Ohmygod!” she exclaimed.

  * * *

  Shonda was completely mortified. Too late. She realized she had heard the term before. Dammit! Her only excuse was how drop-dead gorgeous the man in front of her was. With his brown-black hair, dark slashing brows, and light blue eyes, he’d scrambled her brains.

  Taking a sip of her wine, she frantically searched for another topic. Not finding one, she reached for the Sky Mall magazine in front of her and casually flipped through the pages. She could only hope he didn’t view her as a complete idiot.

  Pretending interest wasn’t difficult. As a marketing director she liked to peruse fliers, magazines, and advertisements to see what might be trending. And the doorknob security bar for only $14.99 looked like a steal!

  She whipped out her phone and snapped a pic of the ad. When she got to her destination, she might order one for her apartment.

  “You live in the bad section of town?” asked the hottie in the neighboring seat, eyes closed. How had he known what she was looking at?

  “No. But a girl can’t ever be too careful.”

  “Think that’s going to stop someone who really wants in?”

  “Aren’t you supposed to be sleeping or something?” she asked pointedly.

  He fixed her with his intense sky-blue eyes. “I’m just saying, if you think that little piece of junk is going to keep anyone out…” He trailed off with a shrug.

  Mason’s disparagement of her soon-to-be-added security measure was irritating, to say the least. If the stick could buy time for the occupant of a residence to at least get to a phone, then it did its job.

  “I’ll have my friend help me test it when I get home.”

  “Save your money. Get an alarm,” he advised, closing his eyes again, as if his word was the final say in the matter.

  “I have an alarm. I happen to think this is a brilliant product.”

  A snort was his answer.

  “You know, I don’t believe anyone asked your opinion,” she said, irrationally annoyed.

  One eyelid lifted to study her, then dropped shut again. When no comment was forthcoming, Shonda’s temper spiked. Really! Who did this arrogant jerk think he was anyway?

  “Asshole,” she muttered.

  He came alert and glared at her. “What did you say?”

  “I called you an asshole. A-S-S-H-O-L-E. Asshole,” she said as if she were speaking to the slowest of morons.

  If looks could kill, she was sure she’d be six feet under. But Shonda had taken crap from people all her life and, for whatever reason, decided it stopped here and now. Her bestie, Erica, would be proud. Together, the two women had been working on self-esteem issues and encouraged each other in all things empowering. Telling this overbearing, self-entitled, gorgeous—whoa! Wait. Damn, her mind went sideways on that one. Had to be all those manly-man pheromones he was putting off.

  She leaned in to take a subtle sniff.

  “Did you just sniff me?” Mason asked, incredulous.

  Shonda froze, eyes wide and shocked. Ohdeargod! Had she? Had her body responded to the yummy scent he was wearing and acted on animal instinct?

  “Uh, no!” she denied hotly. But she had, and they both knew it. Heat flared in her face, giving lie to her answer. As he continued to stare at her as if she’d grown a second head, she decided coming clean was the best course of action. “Okay, yes. But can I help it if you are wearing cologne designed to draw in unsuspecting women?”

  His bark of laughter turned heads. Shonda’s face flamed brighter if possible. She ducked lower in her seat. An eyeball peeped through the slot in front of her, and she felt a strong desire to poke the nosy person with her finger. Burying her head back in the shopping magazine, she did her best to ignore the curious people around her.

  The problem was now Mr. Egotistical had decided it would be fun to tease her.

  “So, you like the way I smell,” he stated with a smirk.

  “Yeah, well I like the way cupcakes smell, but I don’t indulge.”

  “Pity.”

  “That I don’t eat cupcakes?”

  “That you don’t… indulge.”

  “I didn’t say I don’t indulge, indulge.”

  “Indulge, indulge? Code for sex?” he taunted.

  “What else would it be code for?” she demanded. “As if you didn’t start it with your sexy, bedroom eyes and your suggestive—” Jesus, Mary, and Joseph she’d done it again! What the hell was this man doing to her brain? Melting it, that’s what! “Can you stop talking to me now? Please?”

  His chuckle hit her in the gut.

  He trailed a finger over her forearm. “If you change your mind about… indulging, I would be happy to make you a Mile-High member.”

  She knew she shouldn’t wish for the plane to go down in a fiery crash right then, but she couldn’t live with the embarrassment of this stupid conversation. It would come back to haunt her when she least suspected it. Such was her life.

  Shonda opened her mouth to speak. What would have come out, she was never to know because at that moment the announcement warned passengers to return to their seats and fasten their safety belts. The flight attendant made haste to collect cups and other items she’d passed out earlier, then urged everyone to put their tray in the upright position.

  “What’s happening?” Mason’s question had the already nervous airline employee more agitated.

  “Just some turbulence, I’m sure.” Her reassurance gave way to a slight yelp as the plane dipped, and she almost lost her footing.

  A second announcement sounded over the intercom to direct the crew to find their seats and buckle up immediately. Once again, the plane dipped and righted itself. Gasps could be heard from among the first-class passengers. Without conscious thought, Shonda reached to grip Mason’s hand.

  A third speech from the captain informed passengers and crew alike one of the engines was experiencing difficulty. An emergency landing was necessary.

  “Okay,” Shonda blurted.

  “Okay, what?” Mason asked her, clearly confused.

  “Okay, let’s do the Mile-High member thing. If we’re going to die anyway, we might as well go out with a bang,” she reasoned.

  For the longest minute he stared at her. Unspeaking. Unmoving. The next instant, he had the divider between their seat raised and had captured her mouth with his own. Shonda was sure if this was to be her last moment on earth, or in the air as the case may be, she would die happy. Damn, the things that man could do with his mouth!

  Chapter Two

  Mason had never tasted anything as sweet as Shonda. Her soft moan and the mewling sounds she made as he explored her mouth had him rock hard and fighting the desire to fuck her where they sat. Oh, to have her straddle him and take him into her tight—

  The plane lurched again, breaking them apart. Her soft cry of fright caused him to grip her hand tighter in his own.

  “It’s okay, love.” Her concerned eyes found his reassuring gaze. A quick wink eased some of her fear. “Let’s re-address the club membership when it’s safer to do so.”

  She fought back a smal
l smile and shook her head. “You’re incorrigible.”

  “So I’ve been told.”

  He traced small circles on the hand in his with his thumb. She locked on to the small gesture and swallowed. A shift of her legs told him she was receptive to the idea of sex when they changed planes. Maybe they could hook up and enjoy a few days in the islands. It was exactly the kind of R&R he needed.

  Of course, he’d need to make it clear from the onset there would be no strings attached. He didn’t do relationships. He’d been cured of his romantic delusions long ago.

  Another pocket of turbulence produced a second squeak from Shonda, and a few screams from the rear of the cabin. The little flip-flop of his own stomach didn’t feel too comfortable. If they survived, a strongly worded letter to the airline was in order.

  By the time the passengers were hustled off the plane, Mason had to admit all amorous thoughts had fled. He had a headache the size of Mount Olympus, and his ears were still ringing from the piercing cries of the woman seated in the row behind theirs.

  His “shut the hell up, or I’ll open the damn door and toss your sorry ass out!” was met with stunned disbelief by his fellow travelers. Although, he might have seen hero-worship in Shonda’s eyes. He’d gotten the impression she’d been ready to do bodily harm to the screaming traveler as well.