Page 27 of Stolen Moments

My heart pinches, thinking about that goodbye in the airport all those weeks ago. I didn’t want to say the word, but I had to. I had to push through the unfamiliar feeling of loss that formed like a lead ball in my stomach. A ball that grew heavier with every step I took away from him. It took every bit of willpower I had to keep from looking back.

Did he feel the same loss?

“Then I saw you at the airport, standing on the curb looking like a vision, staring at your phone, and I knew I had to take a chance. This is our chance. What are the odds of me finding you again?”

“Pretty good, seeing as I’m at the airport every other weekend,” I tease.

His lips turn up slightly, fighting his smile. “Smart-ass.”

“Charmer.”

Mason flashes me a wide grin, and my heart flutters.

“Only for you.” He taps my cold nose with his warm finger. “Our timing might be shit. I’m leaving for work tonight. I travel all the time. I don’t live here. All things for the cons column. But I don’t want to let you go. I want to get to know you. I want to spend whatever time I can with you. Please tell me you do too.”

“I do, but—”

“Nope. None of that,” Mason cuts me off.

I hold back my smile and bite my tongue.

“Let’s just see what happens. Let’s take a chance. Take things slow. What do you say?”

“So, you want to be casual?” I think I can do casual.

A growl rumbles in his throat at the word, and my stomach dips. Is he … jealous? We’ve been on one freaking date. Okay, two if you count this morning. Three if we count the plane.

That’s more dates than you went on last year, my brain snarks.

Visions of Mason going on dates with another woman make my stomach twist.Oh crap.Now I’m the jealous one.

“If by ‘casual’ you mean we talk and see each other when we can, then yes.” He drags the last word through gritted teeth, sounding like he’s in pain agreeing to my terms.

His eyes bore into mine before dancing to my mouth. He watches intently as I slowly swipe my tongue across my bottom lip—a plea for him to kiss me.

He returns his gaze to mine. “Just so we’re clear, my definition of casual also means you are casuallynotbringing other men to your bed.”

“Is that so?” I arch a brow his way in defiance.

If he thinks he can tell me who I can and can’t go out with while he’s off banging chicks in whatever cities he’s visiting for work, he has another thing coming. There is no way this will be a one-sided agreement. It’s not like I go out on dates and sleep with men regularly. Yes, Bog keeps me fulfilled most of the time. I’m a woman, and I have needs. So yes, I’ve had the occasional one-night stand over the years to alleviate the loneliness, just not lately.

“Does that mean you will casuallynotbe bringing other women to your bed?”

“Baby doll, the last time I brought a woman to my bed was over two years ago. So, no, I will not be bringing other women to my bed. Only you … if you let me.”

My jaw drops at his admission. He hasn’t had sex in over two years? How is that possible? Mason is freaking gorgeous. Like, “bite your lip, pick your jaw up off the floor, fan your face, and replace your wet undies” sexy.

“Okay,” I choke out.

“Okay? Like, okay, we can be casually monogamous? Or like, okay, I can take you to my bed and ravage you?”

Words escape me as I think about him ravaging my body. He chuckles at my hesitation and presses a kiss on my cheek.

“Good to know where your head’s at,” he says with a smirk.

I’m stuck frozen in place, confused by what I just agreed to and a whole lot turned on by it.

“Come on. It’s time to head down.” He grabs my hand, never letting it go as we walk down the trail back to his car.

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