Page 141 of City of Sin (Men of Manhattan 1)

"Have you done this before?"

"Blindfolded a woman and lead her toward the icy waters of the East River? Only a dozen times."

I meant to shove his chest but my hand landed on his abs. God I loved his abs.

"You're getting a little ahead of yourself there. That's the after party."

I laughed, but kept my hand on his abs. It helped me walk forward a little less shakily.

"Whatever it is we're actually doing, have you done it before?"

"I've been here before, yes. Not like this, though."

I heard something ding and then suddenly I wasn't cold anymore. We must have stepped inside a building. "Are we just back at your place?"

"So eager." He lead me farther into the building and then we stopped.

"Ah!" I almost fell over when the floor started moving.

Mason laughed. "It's just an elevator, Bee. You're okay." He had pressed my back against the side of the elevator.

My fingers were gripping his shirt tightly. I tilted my head up even though I couldn't see him.

"You know?" He kissed the side of my neck.

It felt like I could melt onto the elevator floor.

"The last time I had you in this dress, I had pictured doing all sorts of unspeakable things to you." He kissed my neck a little lower.

"Unspeakable?"

"Your favorite." He lightly bit my earlobe.

A small moan escaped from my lips.

"But not yet, baby. Not until you're a real New Yorker."

"You don't want me right now?"

"You should see the way the other people in the elevator are looking at you right now."

"What? Mason!"

He silenced me with a kiss. A kiss that made the tips of my fingers and toes tingle. He pulled away far too soon.

"We're alone." His voice was low. He had missed this too. "But we still have a few things to talk about."

The elevator doors dinged and I felt a blast of cold air hit me. Mason quickly wrapped his arms around me again.

"Where are we?" It was freezing. Way colder than it had been before. The wind whipped through my hair. We had to be up high somewhere.

"Bee." Mason pulled us to a stop and put his hands on either of my shoulders. "I could say all that cliché stuff about you being the other half of me and all that. And it is true in a sense. I'm a better version of myself when you're around. I'm not even sure I like the guy who I am without you in my life. But all of this is new to me. This feeling is new."

Holy shit, is he going to propose? I didn't

want him to propose. I wanted to enjoy where we were. I didn't want to rush this feeling. We had our whole lives for that. I did want him in every way possible. But not like this. Not because he was scared I'd walk away again. I wasn't going to do that. "Mason..."

"But it's a little of an understatement to say I have commitment issues. I know you want the whole white dress and a ring thing, but I'm not ready for that. And I 'd be lying if I said I was. I know how I feel. And I'm hoping that's enough. I'm never letting go of this feeling. You're all that I think about. But I need more time for all that. I want to take things slowly with you. I like taking things slow."

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