Page 64 of Mase
He lifts a shoulder. “Helping me know I can be who Iwant to be.” His words have a meaning behind them he couldn’t possibly know. Being here has allowed me to be who I want to be too.
I smile down at him. Something tells me we’re going to be seeing a lot more of him.
“Welcome to the family, kid.” I smirk, then chuckle at his shocked reaction.
Looks like this family is getting a whole lot bigger, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
THIRTY-EIGHT
SUMMER
Throughout the night,Mase barely let go of me, only releasing me enough to pull the sheets over us and create our very own little sense of solace.
Last night his friends headed out, and Trav headed home, and now the house feels empty once again.
“Good morning, Miss.” Hugh smiles warmly and steps into the kitchen.
Mase made me a slice of toast this morning before giving me strict instructions not to eat much more because we have breakfast plans.
“Morning,” I mumble, averting my gaze from his intrusive one.
“Apparently, you have plans this morning.” Hugh smiles in my direction, and the sight is so unfamiliar I find myself smiling back.
For some reason, I’ve always felt like he’s seen me as a nuisance, but since Jeff passed away, he’s been much less intense. Maybe his death was not just good for me but others around him too.
Maybe that’s what I have to tell myself to survive.
“Mase is taking me out for breakfast,” I say through munching on the toast.
Hugh watches me closely. “Any idea what time you’ll be back?”
“No. Why?”
He lifts his shoulder. “I wondered if Mase would mind me finishing early today. I’ll message and ask him.”
Hugh never talks about his shifts with me or finishing early. Truth be told, I never took notice of his hours; he was just always here. “I don’t see why not. You work a lot of hours, Hugh.”
“Well, I have to find another job, don’t I.” He gapes, and his words slice through me like an accusation, all smiles banished as if they were never there at all. Odd.
“You ready, Sum?” Mase bounds into the room, rubbing his damp hair with a towel, and I turn on the kitchen stool to face him.
Jesus, he’s hot.
The tattoos that creep up his neck make me want to lick the droplets of water from him.
With a chuckle, he shifts on his feet, then holds his hand out for me. “Come on, let’s get out of here before you eat me.” He tugs me toward him and nips at my ear playfully.
It’s not until we head out the door, I wonder why Hugh didn’t ask Mase about finishing early.
THIRTY-NINE
MASE
Summer’s hairblows in the morning breeze as she sits between my open legs, resting against my solid chest. I breathe in her floral scent, basking in our embrace and willing today to last forever.
We’ve been up on the cliff all morning. Looking out to the national park, where there’s nothing but trees and the sound of wildlife coupled with the steady stream of water from the nearby waterfall, while eating the breakfast picnic I packed for us.
Knowing Summer suffers with morning sickness, I made sure she ate before we left, to keep the traveling from upsetting her stomach, then we shared a platter of fresh fruit, pastries, and juice.
