Page 33 of Forever Your Touch

“You seriously arenotcalling me ‘my precious’ like Sméagol does inLord of the Rings,are you?”

She sounded so outraged, he bent over laughing. He hadn’t even thought of that movie when he started calling her that.

“My precious,” he said, mimicking Sméagol perfectly.

Her gasp almost made him drop the phone, he laughed so hard.

“This is not funny, Mason.”

Anger burned in her words, and it only set off another fit of laughter.

“I’m hanging up.”

He brushed tears from his eyes. God, he hadn’t laughed like that in a while. “No, JoJo, don’t hang up.”

“Don’t call me that, then.”

“It’s meant as a term of endearment. I never even thought of the little ugly guy. Really.”

“I still don’t like it.”

“You don’t like someone thinking you’re the most precious thing in the world?”

“I…you really think that?”

“Sure do, my borrowed sister. You’re my only friend who’s a girl, outside of my family, so that makes you precious to me.”

“That’s actually kinda sweet.”

“What can I say? I have a way with all the girls. They can’t resist me.”

“Is that so?”

“Yup, baby, it’s a fact.”

“Now you’re getting cocky.”

“That’s not a bad thing.” He drained his beer. “Shit, I’m outta beer, but I don’t wanna go back inside.”

“If you weren’t drunk, I’d tell you to come over.”

Damn. Why had he decided to get drunk?

“Ray left and didn’t even say goodbye.” The hurt in her voice sobered him like nothing else could.

“That’s because of me. I’m so sorry, Josephine.”

“He’s never left like that before. I even texted him to be safe, and he hasn’t texted back. How hard is it to take two seconds and reply? You called, even though I know you were mad. Why hasn’t Ray called?”

Because he was a selfish bastard, but he didn’t say that out loud.

“I’m sure he’ll call in the morning. Hard to know if he’s within cell reception. Probably late when he got to the hotel too, and he didn’t want to wake you up.”

Why the hell he was defending the bastard was beyond him, but he hated her hurting.

“You’re a good friend, Mason.”

He wanted to be more than a good friend, but as long as Ray was around, it was all he could be. And he’d have to settle for that or risk losing her.

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