Page 175 of Stolen Moments

“He is. He’s happy for me. Everyone is, actually. Maybe a little too happy.”

I can’t help the high-pitched laugh that comes out of me. He must have been a really grouchy asshole these past few months.

“So, what do you think?”

“I think I can’t believe it.”

He gave up his home for me. He moved here so we could makeuswork. He’s really all in.

Mason releases my neck as the car gets eerily quiet. “Shit.” Mason closes his eyes, resting his head against his seat. “I fucked up, didn’t I?”

While my insides and my brain have been throwing a parade, I forgot to let my man know just how excited I am to have him here. Every day.

I climb over the center console and crawl into his lap, cradling his face in my hands, staring into his warm hazel eyes. “You have made me the happiest girl on the planet. You didn’t fuck up at all. You made everything better. I’ve been too afraid to tell you that I want more this time around. When you left after breakfast, I was worried nothing had changed and I didn’t want to get my hopes up.” The happy tears that I’ve been holding back slide down my cheeks. My heart is beyond full. It’s overflowing with love for this man.

“Don’t cry, Em. Shh. I’m here now.” He runs his thumbs under my eyes, wiping away my tears. “I’ll take care of you.”

Mason hurt me by walking away without a word, but he’s not alone when it comes to making mistakes. I broke his heart and his trust too. I could have told him the truth long before he found out I was “engaged” the way he did. I hurt him just as badly.

And yet … here we are. Trying to dig ourselves out of the hurt. Together.

He’s here because he wants to be here. Because he wants me, and I never felt more loved than I do now. He’s offering me … everything.

“I love you, Mason. I-I’m sorry I didn’t say it before. But, I do. I love you. I never stopped loving you,” I confess between sobs.

“Shh, it’s okay, baby. Don’t cry.”

“No, it’s not okay. I let my fear win. No one has ever put me first until now. No one has ever loved me like you. You show up herewith your dinners, dog biscuits, and specialty cupcakes, and tell me you love me and that you’re selling your beautiful home in Los Angeles to move here to be closer to me. I love you, you beautiful man.” I pepper his face in kisses.

“I would have waited forever for you to say it. But please, I need to hear it again.”

“Hear what?” I tease, pulling back to look him in the eye.

“You know what I want to hear,” he grunts, digging his hands into my hair.

“Hmm. Let me see. You want me to say there is no one else but you. You’re it for me. I’m yours forever and a day, or…”

Mason growls, sending me into a fit of giggles.

“I love you, Mason Miller.”

I barely get the words out before he’s on me, kissing me like there is no end in sight. In a way, there isn’t. He can spend every day and the rest of forever kissing me, and I’d be happy.

We stay lip-locked on for minutes, maybe even hours—who knows—while we whisper I-love-yous between kisses. When we finally break apart, the car windows are foggy, and the ache between my legs is at a fever pitch. I need him so badly. But before I rip his clothes off, I need to see the house.

“Can we go inside?” I flick my head to the house.

Excitement bubbles up in my belly at the thought of him being so close by and maybe, someday, us moving in together. I’m high on all the possibilities.

Mason frowns.

Oh no.

I glance at the house and back at the frowning man, whose lap I’m still straddling. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong, per se, but the house is outdated. It has good bones, and the contractor I hired already started working on it this morning. So…” He lets his sentence linger.

“So, it’s a real fixer-upper?” I ask.

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