Page 14 of A Sinful Gift

“I was an only child. I was a freshman in college when my mother died from breast cancer. My dad was gone a year later from a stroke. He was so healthy, the doctors couldn’t believe he’d died like that. Part of me—” She halted as a lump formed in her throat.

Mason sat down in the chair beside her and covered her hand with his. “You don’t have to tell me anything.”

Oh, but she did. These were things Blake knew about her, and she wanted Mason to know them too, even if it hurt to say them. Mason didn’t push her, though, and let her take her time to speak.

“It probably sounds silly, but secretly, I think he died of a broken heart. He and my mom were soulmates. I think the doctors just didn’t know what to put down on his death certificate.”

Mason’s jaw clenched briefly before he relaxed. “I hate that you lost them. It’s a crime to lose a parent so young, and you lost both of yours.”

Tears suddenly sprang from her eyes. God, she hated crying, yet here she was blubbering like an idiot.

“You lost your dad far younger than I did,” she tried to argue.

He leaned over and cupped her face in his hand. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. Those tears will wreck me forever.” He kissed her, his mouth soft and sweet, and the tears came harder as she abandoned her seat and lunged for him. He pushed his chair back and pulled her onto his lap, cradling her against his chest. He kissed her again, and like before, it was not a kiss to seduce. It was a kiss to soothe away her pain and console her. It was a kiss that held an infinite sense of something that she feared and craved all at once. It was a kiss full of love. How could that be possible? She hadn’t known him for even a full day, and yet something was growing between her and this gorgeous man. She buried her face in his shirt and fought off more tears.

“Let it out, sweetheart. These are tears that you need to shed, even if it kills me to see you cry. Someone once told me that to heal you mustfeel.” His kindness made it worse, and she felt even more wretched.

“Either the pancakes were very good or very bad...,” Blake said from behind them.

Hazel frantically rubbed her eyes to erase the evidence of her tears before she dared to meet Blake’s searching gaze.

“I didn’t even get to try them,” she muttered from Mason’s lap.

“No, you don’t get to run when you’re hurting,” Mason said firmly, even though his tone was gentle.

“He’s right. I know you like your space,” Blake added as he joined them at the table, “but when you’re hurting and need comfort? That’s when you need one or both of us to care for you.”

“I can take care of myself. I always have.”

“We’re saying you don’t have to,” Blake replied. “Right, Mason?”

“Right.” Mason reached for her plate and poured a little extra syrup over her pancakes. “I’m going to feed you these pancakes, and you are going to let me.”

“Am I?” She tried to sound argumentative, but it came out more like a tremulous question.

“Yes, because your tears hurt me, sweetheart. Holding you and feeding you will make me feel better right now.”

“It’s best not to argue with Mason,” Blake said with a soft smile. “He’s usually right.”

Hazel felt silly letting a man feed her, but there was something sweet about it and also a little arousing. Blake took a chair opposite her and Mason and watched them, his gaze impossibly soft. When she couldn’t eat another bite, Mason patted her waist.

“You up for visiting my place for a little while?”

“Your place?” she echoed, suddenly remember that he’d said his home was nearby.

“I’d like to show you.”

She shot a glance at Blake as he sipped his coffee. He merely smiled and said nothing.

“Okay.” She’d barely finished the word when Mason stood and cradled her in his arms.

“Oh!” She clutched at his neck in fear of being dropped. “Put me down. I can walk.”

“If Blake did his job properly this morning, you should be glad to have me carry you. Besides, I like holding you. You can’t run away when I do.” He grinned at her and headed for the large glass doors at the back of the kitchen that faced the lake.

Mason’s home. She was going to see where this mysterious man lived. A little thrill shot through her, but she tamped it down. Six more days. All she had to do was not fall in love in the next six days. She could manage that, right?

ChapterFive

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