Page 151 of Stolen Moments

He frowns at my response. “You doubt I missed you?”

Baiting him, I shrug.

With hooded eyes, Mason closes the distance between us, caging me in with his arms as he towers over me, bringing us chest to chest. My breath hitches, and my heart races behind my ribcage at the heat of his body pressed flush to mine.

“It appears that I have my work cut out for me.” He dips his head, brushing his mouth over mine.

My lips tingle at the slight yet sensual touch.

“I missed you. Every second, of every minute, of every day. Even when I didn’t want to, I missed you. These past months, I have thrown myself into work trying to drown the pain of your loss. I have wasted too much time, too many precious moments, that we could have had together, by walking away from you. I will do anything and everything I can to rebuild your faith in me. In us. You’re it for me, baby doll.” He presses a kiss to my cheek and steps back, taking his heat with him.

“O—” I croak out. Clearing my dry-as-the-Sahara throat, I jerk my head up and down like a bobble head. “Okay, then.”

He blasts me with a devastatingly wide grin, soaking my panties. My thighs clench, desperate for friction.

“I need to head back to the inn.”

“You’re leaving?”

“For now. But I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“You will?”

“I will. I suggest you get some rest. You’re going to need it for what I have planned.”

My blood turns to lava in my veins with all the possibilities. “Why? Are you going to try getting into my pants?” I tease.

Mason throws his head back and barks a laugh. The gruff sound is like a straight shot of whiskey to my heart, warming me from the inside out. My eyes land on his exposed neck as his Adam’s apple bobs, beckoning me to lick it.

His eyes collide with mine as he flashes me a knowing smile, and I don’t know if I want to smack him for being charming or kiss the heck out of him because I missed him terribly.

He steps close to me, his heat enveloping me, suffocating me in the most delicious way. “To answer your question, no. At least, not tonight, baby. Maybe one day, when I deserve to be back in your bed. One step at a time. I’m in this with you for the long haul. Understand?”

“Yes.”

“Besides, you’re not ready yet.”

“Ready for what?”

“For me. Because when I do finally get to bury my cock inside your tight pussy again and ruin you for all other men—because I will ruin you—I want you to be sure that my cock is the only one you want to be riding for the rest of your life.”

Done.

He ruined me ages ago, and tonight is yet another reminder of how badly he’s done so. The way he wraps his sweet declaration in pure sex is like a bolt of liquid lust to my center. He’s got me hypnotized, and my mind is conjuring up images of all the ways he can wreck my body. If I were a lesser woman, I would drag him into my room and ride him until dawn.

I won’t, though. He’s right, I’m not ready. I need to be confident in us before I let him back into my heart, let alone my bed, no matter what my slutty vagina wants.

My brain is broken because all I can do is stare at his back as he strolls to the front door.

Opening the door, he turns to face me. “Lock up, beautiful. I can’t drive off until I know you’re safe.”

My feet move before my brain kicks in, grasping onto the tether Mason has on my heart, leading me straight to him. “Good night, Mason.”

“Good night, baby doll. Happy New Year.”

Mason slips out the door into the night, and as ordered, I turn the lock. Spinning around, I rest my back against the door, listening to his footsteps fade, his car start, and drive away.

I suck in a deep breath and hope—with every fiber of my being—that opening my heart again to Mason doesn’t backfire.

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