Page 41 of My Secret Santa Mason

MASON

Lying next to Cami felt like a slice of pure heaven. Her soft breathing, the way her body fit perfectly against mine—we were pressed together in her tiny double bed, but we didn’t need much space.

I wrapped my arm tighter around her, pulling her close, and let out a long breath. For once in my fucked-up life, things felt right. More than right. It felt like I’d finally found something that made the world make sense again.

Her cottage was warm and cozy. Different here in town, with people so much closer, nature so much further away… but I didn’t feel suffocated and trapped the way I’d imagined I would feel.

When Tanner had moved into town—on the edge, but still—I’d thought he’d lost his mind. But this wasn’t so bad.

In here, with Cami in my arms, I felt like I’d found something I’d never thought I’d have again. Warmth. Comfort. A reason to not just survive but actually live.

Things could be different. I could do a life like this. I’d never thought I would say it, but I could live this kind of life rather than being alone in the mountains.

She shifted against me, stretched, and it made me smile. She was perfect. Strong, beautiful, smart as hell. And more than anything, she made me think—think about the future. Things really could change. Maybe I didn’t have to keep running and live a life driven by regret and isolation.

“Cami,” I murmured. I loved the feel of her name on my lips and the smile in her voice when she responded to me.

“Yeah?” She nuzzled deeper into my chest.

I hesitated.

“I’ve been thinking…”

“That’s dangerous,” she said, offering me a cheeky grin.

I laughed. “Yeah, let me get this out before I sprain something.”

She giggled.

“I was thinking about us.”

She stiffened next to me. “What do you mean, ‘us’?”

I turned to look at her. “What do you mean, ‘what do I mean’? I’m not exactly doing this for you because I need regular exercise, you know.”

“Well, no,” she said, but her face had changed. Her relaxed, open expression had closed and even though she still lay against me, there could just as well have been worlds between us.

I frowned, pulling back slightly to look at her. “What’s wrong?”

My stomach twisted and my heart sank. Was this it? Was this the part where she told meshewas just fucking around—literally—and this wasn’t the same for her as it was for me?

She didn’t answer right away, her eyes darting away from mine. My gut twisted, and that warm feeling from earlier was quickly replaced by a cold knot of anxiety. The temperature in the room felt like it had plummeted, and there it was—I mightnot have felt like I was suffocating before, but I sure as shit couldn’t breathe now.

“Cami, talk to me,” I said. “What’s going on?”

“We should probably talk.” She wasn’t making eye contact.

Fuck. Here it was. That feeling in my chest got heavier, and I narrowed my eyes.

“Yeah, I was under the impression we were already doing that.” I glared at her.

“That’s not what I meant.” She sat up, clutching the covers to her chest and sighed. Her face was turned away from me now, her dark hair falling over her naked back.

“A few days ago, some guys broke into my cottage.”

I sat up instantly, the blood rushing in my ears. “What the fuck?” I growled, my mind going into overdrive. “Did they hurt you?”

My instincts were on high alert, and I was in fight-mode immediately.

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