The Price of Mason (Forbidden Men 10)

With a sad sigh, she asked, “Are you upset that I let all your new friends at the bar think you’d really slept with Mrs. Garrison?”

“What?” I repeated, totally confused.

“When she showed up last week, I made it sound like you had had sex with her in September. And you played along with it.”

“Yeah,” I said slowly, “because you still don’t want Eva to know the truth.”

“That’s right.” She pointed at me, grinning. “That’s exactly why I did it, but then later…” Her smile fell. “I realized—or rather wondered—if maybe I’d embarrassed you in front of all your new coworkers. I know you like those guys, and it had to be pretty awful for you to let them think you were a cheater or something. I feel so crappy for doing that to you for my own selfish reasons. I’m sorry; I didn’t even stop to think at the time what I was doing to you. You must be so mad at me for—”

“Reese.” I took her hand to stop her flow of apology, and then I leaned in to gently press my lips to hers. “That didn’t even occur to me. Don’t worry about it. Okay?”

She nodded but still looked concerned as she bit her lip. “And then I wondered if you thought I was beginning to question the truth myself. Maybe you thought that since Mrs. Garrison showed up, trying to play off a pregnancy scare, that I was beginning to wonder if maybe you had slept with her after all.”

I sighed and focused my attention on our clasped hands. “So you didn’t waver?” I asked. “Even a little? You didn’t think maybe it might be true after all?”

“Oh, Mason.” Cupping my face in her hands, she smiled at me tenderly. “You stupid idiot. Of course I didn’t waver. I trust you. And besides, let’s not forget it wasn’t even you I heard the truth from in the first place. It was from Mrs. Garrison herself. So it wasn’t even you I had to question. Please stop being so paranoid. I love you. I haven’t stopped loving you. You are the most important person in my world. It hurts to see you doubt that.”

“Oh, God, Sweet Pea, I’m sorry,” I gushed, realizing I’d let her down in more ways than I’d originally thought. Pulling her into my lap, I buried my face in the nook of her shoulder. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to doubt you. I just… You’re my world too. And she threatened my world. I couldn’t seem to see past that enough to remember you do love me, and no matter what she tries to do to tear us apart, you’re not going to stop. Not because of her. We’re stuck together now, until death do us part.”

“Damn straight,” she murmured, kissing my chin. “So please stop apologizing. I knew you were rattled. It rattled me too. You just needed a little time to get your bearings back. I knew that.” Smiling, she traced her fingers along my jaw. “And it seems you’ve gotten them back now.”

“I have,” I assured her. “Thank you for waiting for me. I love you for it.”

“You’re welcome.” With a grin, she added, “And thank you for finally pulling your head out of your ass. It’s about freaking time.”

I laughed and tickled her. Screaming out a giggle, she squirmed on my lap before growing suddenly still. “Mason!” With an indignant gasp, she glanced around the park before sending me a stern, wide-eyed glance, silently scolding me.

“What?” I asked, honestly confused.

“We’re in public,” she hissed, beginning to blush, just before she shifted, rubbing her ass over my thigh, right where she was sitting on… Oh shit, the ring box.

“Wait! Don’t.” I tried to lift her off it, but she seemed to realize the hardness under her wasn’t what she’d originally thought it was.

“What is that?”

She popped up off me to investigate.

“Nothing,” I started, grinding my teeth. “Don’t!” I cried, panicked when she reached for the lump. “I haven’t figured out how to ask yet.”

“How to ask what?” she demanded, batting my fingers out of her way so she could plunge her hand into my pocket. “What the hell are you hiding in there?”

“Will you just—Argh!” I scowled at her and threw my hands in the air the moment she pulled the ring box free and was gaping at it in her palm. “Great,” I muttered. “Now what’re we going to tell our grandkids? No, Grandpa never even proposed. Grandma just jerked the ring straight from his pocket, and that was that. What the hell kind of interesting proposal story is that?”

“The best kind ever!” Reese screeched before shrieking in joy and throwing her arms around my neck to kiss me all over the face. “Oh my God. I love you, I love you, I love you. It’s about damn time you gave this to me. I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind.”

“About wanting to spend forever with you?” I asked incredulously. “Never.”

“Thank goodness.” Shoving the box at me, she demanded, “Put it on, put it on.”

“But, uh…” I lifted my eyebrows innocently. “I don’t think it’ll fit me.”

“Mason,” she growled, no longer playing around.

I laughed, moisture gathering in my eyes. “Okay. Fine,” I murmured, opening the box. “I’ll put it on you.” I think my hands shook as much as hers did because we were equally excited as I slipped the ring over her fingernail and slid it down toward her knuckle. “God, I can’t believe this is really happening.”

“I know,” she murmured, smiling lovingly as she pulled her newly ringed finger against her chest, holding it to her heart. “It’s too good to be true. Oh! Wait. I have just the thing to tell the grandkids. Grandpa didn’t even have to ask.” Whipping her hair over her shoulder dramatically, she sent me a smoldering look before adding, “He just looked at her, and she said yes.”

Laughing, I shook my head. God, I loved how she could make me laugh, almost as much as I loved her.