Page 89 of Mason

“Sure, baby.”

“Whipped!” Keith hollered down the hill, and Mason laughed. He was whipped and proud of it.

Jo watched him walk back up the hill, albeit much slower than Keith. She was worried about him. He’d been pushing himself so hard, harder than necessary.

“You ready?” Cara asked.

“No.”

Her friend hooked her arm in Jo’s. “I have his family hidden over in the trees.”

“This might blow up in my face.”

This was three months in the planning, and she hoped to God it didn’t blow up in her face.

“It’s going to be fine. You got this, girl.”

It wasn’t long before she spotted the guys walking back down the hill. Mason had on bellbottom jeans and a brown leather fringed vest over a flowy, white, long-sleeved shirt. Her brother was dressed along the same lines, minus the vest. She’d specifically put their clothes in the bookbag with labels on them.

Her man was sexy as hell. Seeing him strutting down the hill, especially after months of relearning to walk, gave her a boost of self-confidence. This was going to work.

He pulled her into his arms. “You gonna give me some sugar now, or do I have to go do my own rendition of “Staying Alive?””

She leaned up on tiptoes and invited him in for a kiss. That slow fire started in the pit of her stomach as soon as his lips touched hers and fanned outward, bursting into flames that licked over every inch of her skin.

A simple kiss.

She gasped and pulled back. She needed her senses right now.

“Dance with me?”

He gave her a lazy smile. “Eric Clapton, huh?”

“I love this song, don’t you?”

“What is it?”

“You know it’s Eric Clapton, but you don’t know what song it is?”

He shrugged.

“It’s called “Wonderful Tonight.” Come, on.” She took his hand and pulled him out into the mess of bodies already swaying to the music.

He pulled her close, and she looked up, suddenly bashful. “Hi.”

“Hi, baby.” He kissed her forehead. “I missed you today.”

“I missed you too.” She snuggled against him, trying to work up her courage. This was harder than she thought it was going to be.

“You do look wonderful tonight,” Mason whispered. “Beautiful.”

“It’s not night.”

“Doesn’t matter. You still look beautiful, baby.”

“Do you love me, Mason?”

He pulled back and gave her a what-the-fuck look.

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