Fallen Crest Forever (Fallen Crest Series Book 7)(39)

Fighting back a smirk, Mason dug for his keys.

Logan’s head hung low. “Don’t start.” He held out his hand.

Mason didn’t drop the keys, prompting Logan to look up at him.

“Just tell her the truth. She’ll understand,” he said.

“Yeah.” Logan nodded and took the keys. “I’m hoping I get the chance.”

“You’ll be fine. She loves you. You love her.” Mason patted him on the shoulder, but he was looking at me. “Check the ego, be vulnerable, and anything’s possible.”

Warmth spread inside of me. I knew he was talking about us—about my fear of marriage and his need to protect me without me even knowing. He was right, though. Everything would be fine. I believed that.

“Thanks.” Logan glanced back at me. “Don’t know what’s going on with you two, but take it easy on him. Whatever it is, Mase is trying. He’s a lot less bossy than normal.”

Mason laughed. “Okay. Leave now. Go fix your own relationship.”

Logan nodded and was out the door in the next instant. Nate and Matteo declared that they didn’t have girlfriends, and that was reason enough to go drinking, so the two took off. Since Matteo and Mason had practice the next day, I was surprised they weren’t back when we went to bed around eleven that night. They’d left in one vehicle.

“Nah. Matteo will take a cab home if he’s had too much,” Mason said when I shared my concern. He’d been changing in the walk-in closet and came back out in lounge pants. They were deliciously low on his hips, showing off all those lovely stomach muscles and the V that cut down into his pants. I pulled the covers back as my mouth began watering.

Four years and I still had this reaction to him. I felt the flutters in my stomach, and as I climbed onto the bed, I hugged my knees to my chest and hoped this feeling would never leave me.

“What?” He noticed my reaction.

I just grinned at him. “I am completely head over heels for you. That’s all.”

A soft grin lingered on his face, then slid away as his eyes sharpened. “Are you worried about this Faith girl?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know.” I hugged my knees tighter to me. “We’ve dealt with worse. I don’t know why Faith Shaw would top that list. I think we’ll be fine.”

“Then why aren’t you looking at me?”

The lump I’d felt when Logan and Nate were fighting came back. “It’s nothing.” I didn’t know why I couldn’t meet his eyes.

“Sam.”

The bed dipped under his weight as he sat next to me, resting a hand on my knee. “What’s going on?”

I shook my head. I felt so stupid. It was the night I’d left the house all over again. “Really, Mason.” My voice grew hoarse. The lump pressed on the bottom of my throat. “I’m fine.”

“Hey.”

That word was so soft, so tender. It was my undoing, and I felt the tears start. Making a frustrated sound, I used my palms to clear my face. “This is so annoying.”

He leaned closer, and his hand replaced both of mine. He began wiping the tears away. “Do you know why you’re crying?”

“No!” I cried, looking at him through a haze of tears. I pointed at them. “I hate this. I have no idea what’s going on with me. Taylor says I’m going through something, but this is what crazy girls do. They cry at the drop of a hat. I don’t do that. I have issues, and sometimes they come up and make me cry, but I don’t even feel sad. I’m just crying, and I have no fucking idea why.”

He laughed softly, sitting closer on the bed. Tugging on my arm, he pulled me over to sit on his lap. His arms came around me, like they always did, and I curled into him.

I sighed.

This feeling, being like this with him as he sheltered me was one of the most wonderful things about Mason Kade. No other girl could understand this feeling, no matter how many wished they could. It was me, all me. I tipped my head back, my eyes closed as his hand brushed down my hair and back.

“You really are wonderful,” I murmured, feeling my tears start to subside.

“Hey.” He tapped gently under my eye. “Can you look at me?”

I did. The tears were there, but I could see him.

He looked down at me, so adoringly. “I don’t care what’s going on with you. Whether you think it’s ridiculous or not, I’ll always want to know. It’ll always matter to me. You’ll always matter to me.”

I cupped the side of his face. “Why did you choose to love me? Because I was there? I was the girl who moved into your house? That could’ve been anyone.”