“Mason?” I called across the park, turning his head back to me. “Addison will be at Elena’s tonight. Was going to order pizza.”
“I make a much better one.” He winked and strolled out of the dog park, my eyes watching him until the last possible moment.
I already knew Marcie was right.
I was falling for him.
“Stop. Stop.” He grabbed my hips with a laugh, coming up behind me, peering over my shoulder. “What are you doing to that poor dough?”
“What?” I feigned innocence. “You told me to knead it.”
“Knead it, not punch the living crap out of it.”
“It deserved it.” I was pretty sure I had more flour in my hair than on the pizza. “It was being a naughty dough. I had to punish it.”
“Emery,” he gritted. “Do you want to eat dinner?”
“Yes.” I was starving.
“Then stop talking like that,” he rumbled in my ear, his hands running up to my breasts. “Or you’re going to be the one laid on this counter getting punished.”
I gulped down my response, wanting him to do exactly that. “Okay, then show me.”
He reached over, covering my hands with his. Our fingers massaged the dough, feeling far more sexual than it should. “You got it?”
“Y-yes.”
He kissed my temple before moving back to the sauce on the stove he made from scratch.
“You know it would be so much easier to order delivery.” I flattened out my crust, trying to copy his already on the pan.
“Not nearly as good in your mouth.” He winked over his shoulder.
I laughed, loving how easy it seemed between us. Tonight, I wanted to forget the guilt. Forget what was right or wrong. Without the influence of Addison, his age, or even Ben.
Just him and me. Nothing else.
See what was there.
“You really enjoy cooking.” I placed my dough on the pan, walking it over to him.
“I do.” He popped the sheet into the oven to cook for a bit before we put the toppings on. “I find it calming. Also, I want to know what I’m putting into my body. I had to be on a strict diet for a while. Cut out processed foods and sugars, and I didn’t go back. Need to keep as healthy as I can be.” He motioned down his body. “You’ve seen this masterpiece.”
Grinning, I wrapped my arms around his waist. “Yes, I have. I mean, if you like ripped abs, corded arms, deep V-line, a firm ass, and muscular back… it’s okay, I guess.”
“Okay, huh?” He smirked, shutting off the burner and turning to me. “Think you need to be shown how to appreciate a work of art.” He bent, his arms sweeping me up, flinging me over his shoulder as he carried me back into the living room.
“What about the pizza? I’m starving.” I draped over him, laughing.
“We’ve got ten minutes.” He slapped my ass before tossing me back onto the sofa, making me squeak. “I can do a lot of damage in ten minutes.” He pulled off my tank top, crawling between my legs, his mouth covering mine. I liquefied at his touch, forgetting all about the pizza.
When I let down my barriers, being with him was so comfortable. Fun. I didn’t stop smiling, laughing, or wanting to rip his clothes off.
He teased and taunted my body with feral expertise. He had me coming so hard I bit into his neck, drawing blood, forgetting all about dinner or anything outside of us.
The pizza ended up a little burnt, but sitting with him, naked, eating, talking, watching movies, and having unbelievable sex, I couldn’t remember being so happy.
Before, I thought I was breathing. That I was happy. Living. Tonight destroyed that standard, making me feel truly alive. The light at the end of the tunnel wasn’t the distance I had made it out to be, and I found even more on the other side than I expected.
Deep in the early hours when I sank down on Mason again, gripping the headboard as I rode him, not trying to be quiet or careful, it alarmed me to consider the idea—what if Ben hadn’t died? I wouldn’t be here with Mason. I would be with Ben, thinking I was happy and content, never knowing this. How unbelievable Mason felt inside and out. He had me smiling so much my cheeks hurt. He filled something in me I never knew was missing.
We were drawn together instantly, fate bringing me here. To him.
It wasn’t fair to play the what-if game because there wasn’t a moment I didn’t wish for Ben to be alive. But to never know this? Mason? It felt worse. If someone showed me both doors and told me to pick, I no longer could say for sure what I’d choose. Actually, I did, and that petrified me.
The connection to Mason felt like even if I didn’t know about him, still happily Mrs. Roberts, somewhere in my soul, I would be missing him.
He had been the one in my fantasies the whole time. The one I dreamed about.
Chapter 30
Mason
I couldn’t catch my breath, my release almost blinding as she swallowed me down, a guttural moan echoing through the room, my back hitching off the bed. Everything going black for a moment.
“Damn,” I breathed out, feeling the pulse of my dick and heart throbbing wildly together, making me lightheaded. My muscles went limp with sedation.
“Good morning to you too.” She sat up, grinning mischievously at me, wiping her mouth. I had woken her up to my tongue between her thighs, making her cry out in a piercing orgasm. She wanted to return my morning wakeup call.
My palm went to my heart, beating so hard against my ribs I had to close my eyes and try to relax, the world still spinning on me.
“Guess I got that free polish after all.” I muttered.
She snorted, falling next to me. My eyes opened, staring at her with awe. This woman was unbelievable. A fantasy come to life, and not merely because the sex was insane, but because of her. I had never smiled and laughed so much in my life as I had in the last twelve hours. I never thought this kind of happiness was meant for me.
It was easier when I thought it wasn’t. It was better for all if we didn’t see each other, but Emery was like a drug I couldn’t wean myself off, no matter the costs.
“Wow.” Her eyes went to my neck where she bit me the night before, her fingers grazing over it with a flinch. “That’s bruising badly. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be.” My hand cupped her cheek, my thumb dragging over her bottom lip. “I liked it.” My mouth took hers, pulling her into me, showing her the words I couldn’t say.
Last night I could feel the difference. She didn’t keep me at arm’s length. Her barriers were down, letting me glimpse what we would be like together if there were no obstacles. And I wanted it. I wanted even more.
And that actually had reality set in.
I wasn’t a fool. It was more than Addison or my age that would end this. And deep down I knew it was better to hurt now than later when we were both in far too deep.
“I better go. I need to check in on my grandma.” I kissed her again before rolling off, my legs tangled in the sheets, recalling everything that happened in this bed. I think we slept maybe three hours total. My body ached and the lack of sleep was making me feel a bit off, but it was so fucking worth it.
“And here I was hoping you’d cook me breakfast naked.”