Page 26 of Mason

“We’d have met, it might just have taken longer. You and I are fated to be together, baby. Written in the stars and all that shit.”

He was probably right. He wasn’t the only one who’d felt drawn. She used to stare at him in pictures on Keith’s Facebook page. She’d gotten so distracted once, she spent an entire three hours poring over her brother’s social media pages, studying images of him and Mason.

“I spent years telling Ray no, coming up with excuse after excuse. It’s not that I didn’t love him, because I did.”

“I know you did, JoJo.”

“It’s just that deep down, I knew he and I weren’t meant to be. I knew it, and I didn’t want to admit it because I felt I owed him. I told you how he was there for me after the baby and how guilty I felt because it was my fault we lost it.”

“But it wasn’t,moye dragotsennyy,” Mason argued, and she leaned down and put a finger to his lips.

“Mason, you can say that to me every day, and I’ll still believe it was my fault. It was me who decided to go hiking because I was bored when I know I can’t stand properly on my own two feet. It was me who fell down the hill. It was all me. Ray had nothing to do with it. Eventually, I hope I can forgive myself, but you’ll never make me believe it wasn’t my fault.”

“Then I’ll remind you every day it wasn’t,” Mason said, a stubborn glint in his eyes. “What happened was tragic, but it was an accident. Accidents happens to people who aren’t challenged by their own two feet every second of every day. It was an accident, baby.”

She smiled and let it go. It wasn’t something he’d ever understand, and it broke her heart to talk about her miscarriage, anyway.

“Back to the point I didn’t know I was going to make until all that spewed out.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I couldn’t marry him, not because I didn’t love him, but because I was waiting for you.”

“Moye dragotsennyy,” Mason whispered in a tone she’d never heard him use. It sounded almost broken, and she cupped his face in her hands.

“You told me you loved me, and I didn’t say it back right away, but I should have. You were patient, and you waited me out because you knew it was what I needed. You let my heart heal, you let me forgive myself, and you waited for me to tell you I loved you. I know that hurt you.” He started to shake his head, but she stopped him. “It did, Mason. I could feel it every single time you said, ‘I love you’ and I didn’t say it back. I’m so sorry for that.”

“Never be sorry, Josephine.” Mason reached up and pulled her head down until he was staring into those baby blues of hers. “I will always wait on you and love you even more because of it.”

“You are the best man I know, Mason, and the kindest, even if you have an ego bigger than this room.”

“Hey, now, watch it.” He winked at her, which made her giggle. “I love that sound.”

“What?”

“Your giggle. It’s my new favorite sound.”

She grinned, and it alleviated some of the seriousness of the moment. “I don’t giggle.”

“You do.” He nodded wisely.

“Do not.”

His fingers attacked her ribcage, and she squealed in laughter, her giggles rushing out and filling up the room. He clamped his legs around her so she couldn’t escape. “Admit you giggle.”

“No!” she gasped.

“I can tickle you mercilessly forever. Delia will verify.” He let his fingers dance up and down her sides.

“Okay, I give. I do giggle.”

“See? Was that really so hard to admit?” Mason asked when she collapsed on top of him.

“You’re awful, Mason Kincaid!”

“But you love me anyway.”

“More than anything.” She pushed up until she was basically lying on him, her elbows propping her up. “You know that, don’t you? I love you. I know it took me a long time to say, but I do. I don’t want you to ever doubt that.”

And they were back to the original point of this discussion, Mason decided. The sex issue and her leg.

“I don’t doubt it, Jo.”

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