I moisten my lips and kiss him again, a butterfly nest alive and zinging in my belly.
“Our fight is definitely over,” he says, then lifts me up, about to deposit me back onto the other seat, I guess, but I immediately leak cum all over his jeans, so he sits me back on his lap and as I grumble, “Ew,” he’s reaching up into his sun visor and pulling out a fat wad of Kleenex.
He dabs at the both of us and I then scoot back to the passenger side, pull my jeans on and buckle up.
“Definitely need a shower when we get home,” I mutter, buckling up my seatbelt.
It occurs he’s still, despite that the car is now running. I look over at him.
His eyes are on me.
“You said home,” he says.
My body goes stiff.
Mason smiles. His smile is so wide and so beautiful, I feel like I’m about to burst into tears at the sight of it. Because wow… the idea that I, Amelia Brennan, can make someone smile like that? It feels good.
My chin trembles. He leans over and sweetly kisses me, making me melt.
He purrs for just a moment before rasping, “I love you, baby. I really love that you just called it home. That’s what it is. I want you there, with me, forever. Building our life together.” He caresses my cheekbones with his thumb. “I know… I know this frightens you but the last day or so of you opening up to me – keep doin’ it, okay? It’s fucking beautiful. I’m so fucking happy. I will bust my ass to make sure you’re never sorry for opening up, baby, I mean that.”
I swallow and bite my lip, tingles trilling their way up and down my body. I say nothing, because if I try to talk I not only have no earthly idea what might come out of my mouth, but I suspect it would be mostly indecipherable ugly-crying sounds.
He clicks his seatbelt on and shifts the truck into drive, taking us back to his house. Taking us home.
***
After a shower for two that resulted in – yep – more sex, I’m in the closet in a bra and undies while pulling clothes out of my bag and deducing it’s almost time for me to either do laundry or unpack some of my things, which are all stacked in front of me (Mason brought them upstairs at some stage, escaping my attention). I then remember I left bedding in the washing machine and that I’ll have to re-wash it. This thought is interrupted by an unfamiliar ringtone. Oh. My new phone.
I fetch it from my bag in the bedroom.
Ivy calling.
“Hey,” I greet excitedly.
God, I miss my sister.
“Hey,” she returns. “How are you?”
“I’m… good,” I say. “Hang on, I need to put clothes on. I’ll be super-fast.”
I dash into the closet and set the phone down before I pull on the last pair of clean jeans and throw on a clingy low-cut black top with thumb loops. I grab the phone and put it to my ear.
“I’m back; sorry about that.”
I head for the stairs so I can go down and get something to drink.
“I just talked to Mom,” Ivy says. “She said things seem good with you and Mason.”
I snicker. “Well, let’s just say we argue a lot. He ends arguments with orgasms. And this might be why we argue a lot.”
She giggles, then asks, “Because?”
“Because I’ve been fighting this tooth and nail, not believing it can possibly be real. I mean, c’mon… voodoo sex magic?”
She laughs.
I keep going, “And he’s been fighting hard to show me that it is. Real, I mean. It’s been a lot. A lot of me running and fighting and a lot of him chasing and then … ending those arguments with O’s. This guy does not give up. He’s so bossy. And you know me. I’m bossy, too.”
“I hear that,” she replies, and I don’t know how different her shifter is from mine, but I’d wager that there are likely some similarities. “I can entirely relate. So, are you giving it a chance, then?”
“Um, I’m giving it … day by day,” I grumble. “I don’t think I have much choice.”
She laughs.
“How are you?” I ask as I reach into the fridge and get a bottle of water.
“This whole thing is crazy, right? But honestly, Amie, it’s amazing,” she says. “And for me, things are good now. It was a shaky start. Some tough things happened.” She pauses for a few breaths and then continues, voice softer, “We’re working together to… you know… find whatever our new normal will be. I’m just enjoying my time with Ty. We’ve been getting settled in the house he should’ve grown up in, long story but he was abducted as a baby and raised by a very not-nice uncle who murdered his father and lied about his family, and… like I said, long story. Tyson has a bit of a Tarzan personality. He’s learning to be a person, learning to be in a pack. It’s really amazing to watch him build bonds with all these people that have mourned him for years. He’s getting acclimated to life around people, around other shifters, and me… and… we’re thinking we should make plans for a wedding ceremony here in the back yard. Have everyone in the pack over. Something to signify a new beginning. For me and Ty. For the whole pack. Maybe soon.”