Price of a Kiss (Forbidden Men 1)

But I had to see if he was really going to go to her. I just had to.

Keeping close to the shadows, I stole into his back yard. I almost threw up when I saw his back door open.

A Mason-shaped figure darted to the gate separating his yard from hers.

I couldn’t believe it. He was going to her. After everything he’d just confessed to me—

“Can you make this little talk quick?” Mason snapped. “My sister is home alone.”

I tiptoed closer to the gate and kept just out of sight.

“Well, it looks like you’re already worked up and ready to go,” the evil voice of Patricia Garrison cooed back. “So, don’t worry. I doubt it’ll take us long at all.”

“It’s not going to happen.” Mason’s voice was hard and unforgiving. “And do you mind never spying on me again? Your rude-creepy vibe just went through the roof.”

“I thought you said the little babysitter was just your friend.”

“And I thought I said it was none of your damn business. That part’s still true.”

“Tsk, tsk. There’s no reason to be insolent, Mason.”

“Jesus, why do you care if I get a girlfriend or not? What do you care if I have sex with every female in Florida? You're the one who sent me to other women in the first place.”

“But, darling, sex is not the problem. Everything would’ve been perfectly fine if you’d only screwed her and moved on. It’s you falling in love with her that’s the problem. Because once you fall in love, you’ll want to be all monogamous or some such horseshit. I know you, you will. And judging by the way you look at her, you already have. But I can’t allow it. I can’t allow some silly little twit cheerleader of a girl to play havoc on my extracurricular activities. I’m not finished with you yet.”

“Well, I assumed you were. You brought your fiancé over to Sarah’s party and paraded him around in front of my mother like you were taunting her for not having her own man. You don’t need me anymore.”

“Mason, Mason, Mason, you poor deluded boy. You couldn’t be further from the truth. Ted is a dear, sweet man. Rich, charming, handsome. In fact, I will love being married to him.”

“Then you probably shouldn’t cheat on him.”

“But, sweetie. I won’t be able to help it. He just doesn’t do it for me in the bedroom. Not the way I’ve trained you to. I need you more than you realize.”

“Well, that’s too bad, because I’m never touching you again. We haven’t been behind on our rent in over a year.”

“Well…with inflation and the economy the way it is, I’m afraid I might have to raise your rent.”

“I don’t care. We’ll pay it. Whatever it is. And if it gets too ridiculous, we’ll just move. You have no hold over me whatsoever.”

From the shadows, I fisted my hand and pumped it into the air, silently cheering him on. You go, Lowe! Keep it up.

“Is that so?” Mrs. Garrison gave a small, amused laugh. “And what if I called a certain police officer I know to tell him about an illegal prostitution scandal going on over at the country club?”

Mason’s return chuckle was low and hard. “Go ahead, Patricia. I don’t give a damn. I’ve already stopped taking clients anyway. No one is going to arrest me for speculation and since I’m finished, no one can catch me in the act.”

“Wow, you think you have it all figured out, don’t you?”

“Yeah, for once, I do. Now when are you going to get it through your thick head that it’s over? I will never have sex with you again. There’s nothing you can say or do to get me to walk back into your house.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. Really. Because I was just about to tell you I know your girlfriend’s little secret.”

Say what?

My skin went ice cold as I crept closer to the gate, peeking through the cracks to see Mason’s stiff back as he faced the half-opened back door, unintentionally blocking his landlady from my view.

He sounded suspicious and leery when he demanded, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Nothing, really. I mean, I’m sure she’s told you all about Teresa Margaret Nolan. Hasn’t she?”