“You’ve seen me in jeans and a t-shirt,”
“Yeah, but even your jeans make you look like you’re stepping off a runway. You look so homey.” He kissed my cheek, flashing me a genuine smile for the first time all night.
“Come on, baby, cuddle with me.” He pulled me into his arms and back onto his bed. I snuggled into his chest and let the comforting scent of him fill me, “You’re safe here.”
“I’m not sure I’m safe anywhere,” I disagreed.
“You are! Everything your little apartment lacks in security, this house has in spades.” He chaffed his hand against my arm, trying to warm me, but the goosebumps had nothing to do with the temperature.
“This is not a house, Mason. This is an estate.”
He made a dismissive noise, “This is only a big house; don’t be silly.” He reached over, grabbing the duvet and wrapping me up.
“Is Rochelle your housekeeper?”
“Yes, she is. Rochelle has worked for me since I bought the place.” He pressed his nose to my hair, and I wondered if he liked the way I smelled.
“Does she live here?”
“Yes, she does. Does that bother you?”
“No, but I don’t think big houses usually have live-in staff. That’s more of an estate thing.”
“Would you know a lot about estates?” He knew as well as I didthat I didn’t. So, I ignored him.
“How do you afford a place like this?”
“I told you before, I make good money, and my mother left me quite a bit when she died.”
“Thismuch money?” I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea.
He let out an annoyed sigh, “I don’t particularly want to talk about money, but I have enough that I never have to work a day in my life if I’d prefer not to.”
The same shock that made me deathly quiet now had questions spilling out, unable to stop myself even if I wanted to.
“Do you always carry a gun?”
“Yes. Does it bother you?”
“It would have before tonight, but now it doesn’t.” He stroked my hair and planted kisses over my face. “Why didn’t you call the cops?”
“What do you mean?” The false innocence would have made me laugh any other time.
“Those men you called were not cops, Mason. Why didn’t you call the cops to deal with it?”
“You’re too important to me to let some beat cop try to blame you for whatever’s happening,”
“I thought you left all that behind. Is my apartment worth opening that door again? Am I?” I gestured vaguely, his arms wrapped around me restricted my movement.
He grabbed my chin, turning my face to his. The intensity in his eyes distracted me, and I drew in a ragged breath.
“I left it as far behind me as possible, but like I told you not so long ago, the darkness has a way of clinging to you. There is nothing on this earth worthy of opening that door for, aside from you.” If that wasn’t an admission of love, I didn’t know what was. My mouth fell open as I tried to understand. I wanted to ask him more, get more specific answers about what the favors he was asking would mean from now on, but I was too tired, worn down to my bones, and when his lips crashed into mine all I could do was kiss him back.