Page 40 of What are the Chances

Her face warms and her eyes shine against the stars hanging above us. I can tell sleep is slowly overtaking her.

“Really?” she whispers. “And the other word? Mianach.”

Smirking, I shake my head and look up at the stars. I close my eyes. My heart thrums beneath my chest. I’ve never once used the word for another woman before. Only Charlotte.

Only. Charlotte.

“Mine,” I breathe out, barely above a whisper.

Charlotte sits up and pulls away from me, tipping her head with her hair brushed to the side, resting against her shoulder.

“What did you say?”

Her eyes are now wide spread and glassy. From what I’m able to tell in the shadows, her eyes are hesitant, unsure whether she heard me correctly.

I clear my throat and lean back on my hands, my damp fingers digging into the rough surface of the rock. I pause, attempting to calm my nerves.

“Mine,” I repeat. My heart beats faster if it’s possible.

Her eyes dance across my face, studying me. I study her back—from her near frightened eyes to the way her throat dips as she swallows.

I tilt my head to the side. “Char, I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

“No,” she shakes her head. She reaches for my hand and holds it between us. “It’s not that, Mase. I just...” Her eyes dart to the side, away from me.

“It’s fine.” I stand up, unsure of what just happened. Now it’s awkward. Did I just fuck everything up? I shouldn’t have told her. I should have just made something up. I could have told her it meant sweet or honey. I don’t know any other word that would have prevented the reaction she’s giving me now.

I rake my fingers through my hair and slowly take a few steps forward, away from Charlotte and the rock. I can sense she hasn’t moved. She hasn’t come after me, and she hasn’t pushed me any further. She hasn’t said a word.

Turning around, I plant my hands on my hips and look at Charlotte. She’s still sitting on Alma’s gigantic rock, one leg crossed over the other, smoothing the fabric of her sundress over her thigh, unwilling to glance in my direction.

“Alma said I could stay with her tonight and for the rest of my trip.”

I feel my heart drop and splash into the pit of my stomach. I grit my teeth, forcing myself to remain calm. It makes sense. For one, Alma is Charlotte’s great aunt. They’re family, and from what I’ve learned from Charlotte in the days I’ve known her, she’s wanted nothing more. Hell, that’s the whole reason she came to Ireland, in the first place. I have to remind myself she didn’t come here for vacation like every other tourist. And she sure as shit didn’t come here for me. What kind of man would that make me if I were to argue with her?

“Okay,” I nod. “I’ll go home. I can bring you your stuff tomorrow.”

“Huh?” Standing up, she walks toward me. She stops in front of me and tips her head up, her eyes searching mine. “What do you mean? Don’t you want me to stay with you anymore?”

“Now, I’m confused,” I smirk.

“Alma offered for me to stay with her, but I told her I already had a place to stay.” She shrugs then raises her hand, pressing her palm against my cheek. “You can’t get rid of me that easily, Mason McConnell.”

“Oh, yeah?” Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pull her against me.

Draping her arms around my neck, she runs her fingers through my hair. Standing on her toes, she brushes her nose against mine.

“Yeah.”

Pressing my fingers into her lower back, I urge her closer when she presses her lips to mine. Her lips mold against mine, and my stomach dips once again, not like before, but because of the feeling she gives me when her body presses against mine. I slide my hands farther down her back to the top of her round bottom, pressing my fingers into her soft flesh. Moaning against me, she parts her lips, allowing my tongue to slide against hers, the taste of Peppermint tea lingering on her mouth.

Pulling away, she keeps her hands wrapped around the back of my head, her fingers woven through my hair.

“Mase,” she whispers into the dark. I can tell sleep is beginning to overtake her as it had earlier. Her eyes roam over me lazily.

“We can stay here tonight, if you like,” I offer.

Grinning, she places another kiss on my lips.

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