Free GRUDGE MATCH (Love Challenge) by Pamela Bouvier Page B

the counter.  “She’s matured.  Her hips and breasts are fuller.”
                  “And look at that ass.”  Male appreciation hummed in Justin’s voice.
                  “I won’t share her.  She’s mine.” 
                  With a mocking smile, Justin shook his head.  “You have it bad.  When did this relapse come on?”
                  “Right now.”
                  “Because she’s not expressing her love for you, if I’m not mistaken, she looks like she’d rather take the pizza cutter to your dangly parts.”
                  Mason’s brows rose and then realigned to a feral look as he took up the challenge, feeling the urge to rub his hands together in anticipation.  “Yeah, how about that?  Been a while since I chased her down.”
                  “As fun and exhausting as all that sounds, I’ll leave it to you.  I may have to find one of my own some day.  Let me know how it goes.”  Justin rose and turned to leave when Mason stopped him.
                  Peering directly into Justin’s eyes, Mason nodded, “Thanks for your faith.”
                  “You got it.  My money’s on you, but I think you will get bloody and bruised before she gives in.”  He lifted his mug toward Mason.
                  “Looking forward to it,” he clanked his beer mug against Justin’s.  Mason settled back to watch his future pace from taking pizza orders to delivering drinks and working the register. 
    * * *
    Nearly eleven, the pizzeria slowed.  Holly flipped the sign closed and bussed the table next to Mason.
                  “You can leave now,” she said, her words clipped.
                  “Could.”
                  “Leave.”  Holly tried the more direct route since his hard head wasn’t getting her message.
                  “Come home with me,” he said.
                  Wiping the table slowly, gripping the course rag firmly while concentrating on the smell of the degreaser instead of the sudden beat of her heart and the sudden difficulty getting air into her lungs, she swore softly and told herself to stand firm, “No.”
                  “You still want me.”
                  “I want a chocolate brownie sundae too, but it’s not good for me.”
                  “Mmm.  I think you spread out for me would make a great sundae.”
                  A groan nearly escaped her tight throat as the sudden image his words created.  “You weren’t all that before, why would I sample again?  Sounds like meatloaf leftovers to me.”
                  Ignoring her insult, “We are not the same as before.  We’ve both changed, grown into adults.”
                  “You were twenty-seven, how adult was that?”
                  A chagrined look crossed his face, making him look adorable.  “I’m a late bloomer, sincerity poured off him.  “Really.”  He reached out, grasped her wrist and with his other hand, he pulled her to him, fitting the hard ridge of his erection to her belly. 
                  Her nostrils flared as the feel of him pushed against her.  He ran one hand over her back, then slowly down lifting her butt cheek to fit her tighter against him. His lips found the pulse at the base of her throat and his tongue flicked out and tasted her.  Holly’s knees nearly buckled with a drowning rush of desire.  Eyes closed, her head tilted to the side allowing him greater access.  The hand grasping her wrist slipped down to cup her breast, his thumb strummed her hard nipple.
                  His groan forced reality back to Holly’s fogged brain.  Where was her insult and anger now?  “Sunny’s here.”  Angry at herself she swore.  “Stop!”