Page 80 of A Little More Hope

“What a pity.” He twisted his hand around my head a few times, causing me to jerk erratically as pleasure-pain flooded my overused body, causing the faintest trace of precum to leak on his fingers. He removed his hand, bringing his fingers to his lips, causing me to release a moan as he licked them clean, his eyes closing in pleasure. “Hmm, you taste good.”

I marveled at how comfortable he’d become being intimate with a man, with me, in such a short amount of time. Happy he was so relaxed and content with this new aspect of himself, my heart began to thud heavy in my chest as a future I’d never dared contemplate unfurled before my eyes. The house, the white picket fence, the SUV, and maybe even the kids were all within my grasp because this man really was mine and he loved me.

Mason was mine, and he fucking loved me!

Oh my God. My pulse rate sped up, my heart beating faster, my lungs squeezing my chest tight as my whole world tilted and fell into place.

“Ash?” Mason’s panicked voice instantly brought me out of my daydream to reassure him I was okay.

“I’m fine,” I croaked. “Honest.” I sucked in a steadying gulp of air. “It’s only just hitting me I’m not in a dream; that this is all real.” I gazed into his eyes. “That you’re real and you do love me.” I smiled through the tears forming.

His muscular arms pulled me to his chest until my head settled over his heart, the strong, steady beat comforting. His firm body providing additional proof he wasn’t a dream and some figment of my overactive imagination.

Gentle fingers stroked along my face. “I am real, and I do love you, very, very much.” He pressed a kiss to my lips, his caress achingly tender.

Settled in his arms, I speculated again about how my future life might look, but exactly where we’d put down roots, I had no idea. With Mason returning to work in a couple weeks, he’d be in New York while I remained here in Melrose Bay. The city was a nice enough place for a visit, I suppose, but given a choice, I didn’t see myself living there permanently. I adored the open spaces here, not to mention the peace and tranquility, the beach and ocean a stone’s throw from my door, the vast forest encompassing the town. My life and outlook were so different to Mason’s. By the way he spoke, he absolutely adored the city and reveled in all the hustle and bustle, the arts and nightlife, the constant movement. Well, he used to anyway. Currently, I wasn't sure how he’d feel about returning to New York since being here.

“How is this going to work—you and me?” I asked him, deciding there was no point in stalling. If we were to have a life together, I needed a firm base. Worrying about things and not speaking about them wouldn’t cut it.

“With?”

“I live here. You live in, and are soon going back to work in, Manhattan.” Raising my head, I surveyed his handsome and serious face. “How will our relationship work?” This was my biggest fear. With the amount of time we’d have to spend apart when he was in New York, was it too great a distance for us to sustain any meaningful connection?

He didn't answer straight away, his brain processing, mulling over the question. “I’m considering quitting work and staying here in Melrose Bay, with you.”

My jaw dropped to the floor. “What? Why? You can’t do that. I’d never ask you to leave your company for me.”

He shook his head. “You’re not asking me to. I’m making the decision on my own.”

“Mason, no.” It was thoroughly unthinkable for him to be contemplating giving up his whole life and career to stay with me. “There must be other options.” Scrambling to my knees, I turned to face him. The sheet covering us had slipped down when I moved and, presently draped low over his hips, revealed way too much of his chiseled hairy chest and lickable abs. I hastily covered him, ignoring his amused grin, before I got too distracted and lost my train of thought. “You love your job,” I continued. “Making a difference to your guests, to other people’s lives, giving back to local communities is the most satisfying part for you. Why give all that up?”

“There are other ways to make a difference. Setting up a charitable foundation, for instance, to help regional economies and the people they affect become more self-sufficient, more independent.”

“What about your business partners, your friends? What do they think?” I hadn’t noticed, in my haste to sit up and talk, the sheet no longer covered me. Mason’s gaze raked over my body, the heat in his eyes burning me everywhere. “Mason, focus.”

“I am. I’m just focusing on something far more interesting.”

“Please. This is important.” He huffed out a grunt and brought his gaze up to meet mine. “Thank you. Your friends. What did they say?”

“They don’t want me to leave.” I agreed with them. I’d only met Gabe so far but from what I’d managed to glean, they were all extremely close. The four of them had built their company together, so even to contemplate Mason, their friend and partner, wanting to leave must surely be disconcerting and troubling and hugely upsetting for them, not to mention their employees when word got out.

Fuck, they’d hate me if he did.

“Then stay, please. I’d never forgive myself if you left. We must be able to sort out another way benefitting us both.” Reaching for him, I linked our hands together, his fingers in mine sending warm tingles up my arm. “Apart from wanting to complete the reno, I don’t have any other job, so I could move to the city with you.”

The look he gave me, so full of love, filled my heart. “You’d do that for me?” he asked softly.

“In a heartbeat.” I didn’t care how much I disliked the city; if that’s where Mason wanted to be, and it was our only option, despite my aversion to moving there, I’d go in a minute to remain close to him.

“You’d move away from here, leave your life, your friends, to be with me?”

“Yes.” Tensing his hand, he pulled me down until I lay on top of him, and his arms were wrapped tightly around me. His lips met mine, moving tenderly, his tongue caressing, I opened for him, falling into his kiss. One hand moving up to hold my head in place, he deepened our connection, plundering my mouth and leaving me weak and panting, before returning to the sweetness he’d started with.

“I would never ask you to live full time in New York. You’d go out of your mind in days, so how about a compromise?”

“Huh?” Had he asked me a question? He’d spoken some words, but my brain had completely shut down from the bone-melting kiss he’d given me. The grin spreading wide across his face was way too smug.

“How about a compromise?” he repeated. “We spend most of our time here in your beach house.”

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