Page 72 of Right Number

“Answer my question, Anna. Why do you want to try to make this work?” His eyes roamed over my face like he was searching for something.

I grabbed the front of Mason’s coat with both hands, raised up on my tiptoes, and pulled him towards me as I crashed my lips into his. I poured everything into that kiss—everything I was feeling but couldn’t say. All of the reasons why I wanted to try to make this thing between us work.

Mason was surprised at first, but quickly started kissing me back. He wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me closer as our mouths moved together. It was the kind of kiss that poetry and music were written about. It was the kind of kiss that lit me on fire and took my breath away.

We stood there in the middle of the sidewalk wrapped in each other’s arms, lost in our kiss as the rain poured down around us. None of that mattered because the only thing I could feel was the racing of my heart and Mason’s lips on mine. When his tongue ran along my lips, I eagerly parted them. Mason’s tongue slipped into my mouth and I let out a soft moan. I couldn’t help it. A kiss had never felt that good before.

When we finally pulled apart, we were breathless. “Wow.” Mason reached up and gently traced my lower lip with his thumb.

“That,” I said, still breathless. “That’s why I want to try to make this work.”

Mason looked down at me with a sexy grin and I looked back up at him through my lashes as I tried to get my breath under control. Gone was any hint of conflict from his face and the only things I could see in his eyes were the same overwhelming feelings I was sure were reflected in my own. “I think we need to test that again,” he said as his fingertips danced down the side of my face.

I closed my eyes and leaned into him as I let out another soft moan. His touch felt so good. “Absolutely. For science or some shit.” Mason chuckled as my eyes opened. All I knew was that I needed his lips on mine again. Immediately.

Mason got a devilish smile on his face. “Let’s see if this one’s as good as your dreams.” He leaned forward until our lips were almost touching as he slid one hand to the small of my back; with the other, he reached behind my neck and laced his fingers through my hair. He pulled me closer to him until our entire bodies were touching and pressed tightly against each other. With a smile, Mason kissed me softly on the lips.

It was just like the kiss we’d texted about after I’d told him about kissing him in my dream. Holy fucking moly! “More, Mason,” I gasped. “I want more.”

Mason let out a husky chuckle as his grip tightened in my hair and he angled my head slightly. He leaned in all the way and aggressively claimed my mouth with his. It was so damn hot. It was by far the hottest and sexiest moment of my life. The spark and passion were there, no doubt about it.

Mason let out a small moan of his own, which dang near caused me to completely lose my mind. “How was that, Anna?” he whispered against my lips before pulling back and looking deep into my eyes.

My mind was swirling with lust as I felt Mason reach up and softly wipe raindrops away from my face. “So damn hot I can’t think straight,” I answered honestly. Mason chuckled as he wrapped his arms all the way around me and pulled me to his chest for a hug. I rested my head against his chest for a moment and couldn’t help but feel a complete thrill as I listened to the sound of his racing heart.

I pulled my head back so I could talk. “Spark, passion, compatibility, substance—it’s all there, Mason. I know you feel it too. I’ve been so scared to put myself out there…afraid of what would happen if this didn’t work. That fear is what caused me to keep you at a distance and push you away. I’m so sorry, Mason. I don’t want to be afraid anymore. I want this to work. What’s happening between us is the kind of thing people spend a lifetime looking for…and we found it.”

I searched Mason’s face for some reaction. I couldn’t read what was going on with him and it made me nervous. I reached my hand up and cupped his cheek as the rain continued to pour down around us. I wanted him to be looking directly at me and see how much I meant what I was saying. “Mason, this is me putting myself out there. I want this. I want this with you. I know it’s not going to be easy, but we’ll figure it out. This is worth figuring out and worth fighting for. I’m sorry it took me so long to see it.”

Mason remained motionless for a few moments and I was afraid it was too late… I’d officially missed my chance.

At least I’d never wonder “what if.”

Then it happened. Mason pulled me in for another kiss. Where the previous ones had been filled with lust and heat, this one was soft and tender. I completely melted into him. As our lips pulled apart, I could feel Mason smiling. “If flying across the country to see you, when I was pretty certain you were going to slam the door in my face, isn’t putting myself out there for this thing between us, then you’re going to need to give me some tips on how to up my game.”

I laughed. I was relieved. I reached my hand up to cup his face and loved the feel of his coarse stubble against the palm of my hand. “Well, it was kind of a big clue,” I said with a smile.

Mason smiled back and I could feel the flutters in my stomach as my heart continued to race. He leaned down and kissed the top of my head, which felt so intimate and perfect. “Let’s get out of this rain. I just happen to have a hotel room nearby that has fluffy robes and hot showers.” Mason wrapped his arm around me and tucked me into his side. It was a perfect fit…like I belonged there.

“I bet you tell that to all the girls,” I teased as I playfully bumped my hip against him.

Mason squeezed me a little tighter into his side as we walked. “Nah, just one.”

I hadn’t realized how far we’d walked from the hotel. The rain continued to fall and the streets were virtually empty. “I don’t think I’ve ever been out in rain like this before.”

“I guess it’s rather fitting since you told me in our first conversation you ‘liked hot coffee, rainy days, and fuzzy blankets.’” Mason leaned in and kissed the top of my head again. Him doing that was rapidly becoming one of my favorite things…ever. “In addition to fluffy robes, I think there’s some fuzzy blankets in my room, and I can get you some hot coffee,” he murmured as he pulled away from me with a smile.

“You remembered that?” I laughed as I thought of our first conversation.

“I remember every conversation we’ve ever had, Not Susan.”

“Then you will recall that Susan is a twat. Although…if I ever meet her, I’ll have to thank her.”

We were finally back to the hotel. “Oh yeah? What for?” Mason asked as he opened the front door of the lobby for me.

As I walked through, I brushed my fingers across his chest in an overly flirtatious gesture and winked at him. “For giving you the right number, Mason.”

Chapter 25

---