Price of a Kiss (Forbidden Men 1)

I slumped against Mason, and he gathered me close, kissing my forehead.

His ex-client glanced curiously between us before returning to business. “You can see her in a couple minutes. Once they have her in a private room, I’ll have a nurse come back and take you to her.”

“Thank you,” Mason said, since it seemed obvious I wasn’t going to speak to her again.

She nodded and gave us a tight smile. “At least now I know why my call was never returned.” Gaze settling on me, she added, “Nice nose ring.”

I turned to pin Mason with a scowl as she hurried off. “Why do all your ex-clients remark on my nose ring?” Even Dr. Janison had said something after class one day when I’d been walking by to leave her Brit Lit lecture.

Mason smiled faintly as he tapped my nose. “Because it reminds them how young they no longer are.”

I frowned, bewildered. That made no sense. “Younger people do not have a monopoly on nose rings, you know. I’ve seen plenty of them on women—and men—of all ages.”

“Ahh, but it looks hot on you.” He paused to nod his head after the departing doctor. “It makes them look grasping and old.”

Though his words pacified me a little, I still wanted to be pissed. I slugged him in the arm again. “And I thought you said all your clients were bored, rich housewives. Successful doctors, college professors, and landladies don’t exactly fit into that category.”

Mason flushed and glanced around as if I’d screamed the accusation. “I said most of them were,” he muttered under his breath. “Not all.”

Realizing this wasn’t the place to make a scene, I fell moody and silent.

I thought about Mason’s shady past and how many freaking horny women there were in Waterford panting after him and thinking they owned him. Then I thought about Eva and her baby, Jeremy and his prison sentence, Alec and his impending fatherhood. Actually, I don’t think there was a thought that didn’t swirl through my busy, muddled head.

Mason stayed quiet beside me, holding my hand and smoothing his thumb over my knuckles. He remained my one constant. Despite what had just happened, the assurance of his love steadied me, and by the time the nurse arrived to lead us back to Eva, I was doing okay, breathing easily and ready to see my cousin.

She was awake and sitting up in bed, cognizant and cracking jokes the minute we walked into the room.

After taking one look at the companion at my side, she set her hand over her heart. “Aww. A get-well-soon present already? ReeRee, you shouldn’t have. Is he going to strip and do a little dance for us, or what?”

Mason’s hand tightened in mine, but I only tugged him closer. “Sorry, E. But Mason is retired from all that.”

“Is he?” Her blue eyes narrowed on him with suspicion. “Well, he better stay that way if he’s going to keep hanging around you. I didn’t get shot for you by one douche just so you could get your heart broken by another.”

“It’s too bad the first douche didn’t shoot your sunny personality right out of you,” Mason muttered.

“Okay, okay.” I held up my hands, playing referee. “No more mudslinging. On any other day, I might be able to handle two people I love absolutely hating each other but…not today. All right? Truce?”

Mason winced and had the grace to look regretful. “Truce,” he grumbled, glancing away.

Eva, on the other hand, lifted her eyebrows. “Did you just say the l-word…in reference to the gigolo?”

“She did.” Mason sent her a challenging, hard look. “And for your information, I will be better for her than the last douche. I would rather die than hurt Reese.”

Eva eyed him for a long, scrutinizing moment before she sighed and relaxed back against her pillow. “If you lie, I’ll be putting a bullet hole in you, buddy. And trust me, they’re not fun.” She winced, suddenly bringing it to my attention how pale she was. “I swear to God, this pain reliever they gave me isn’t working at all.” She shouted the last two words toward the doorway as if she wanted everyone in the hospital to hear how miserable she was.

I panicked. “Do you want me to find a nurse? I’m sure they can give you some more—”

“No.” E. set her hand protectively over her stomach. “The less drugs they pump into me, the better it will be for the baby.” Then she sliced a wide-eyed look toward Mason and narrowed her gaze threateningly. “You didn’t hear that.”

He shrugged—the good man. “Hear what?”

The mention of her baby made me think of its asshole father. “I didn’t call Alec. I didn’t know what you wanted done there.”

“Don’t.” She reached for my hand. “I don’t want him here.” Her chilly fingers wrapped around mine. “I just want you…and I guess your gigolo boyfriend can stick around too, if he behaves.”

I smiled and rolled my eyes. It was going to be useless to tell her to quit calling him that, wasn’t it?

“I mean it, Reese. I know I can be a total bitch, and…and pretty full of myself.”