“I want you to get better at spotting them. That way, you'll know if a shifter with bad motives rolls into town.”
“Oh. That’s actually a really good point. So that means shifters are trouble, huh?”
He laughed again. “Yeah, something like that. Not that we’re bad people or anything, but we do tend to be an intense bunch.”
“You don’t say. Are we gonna have some Cohen-related drama next?”
“What?” Mason laughed. “No way. My brother doesn’t have drama. Not like that, anyway. He’s too much on the straight and narrow for that.”
“Huh. Do you think he’ll ever find his mate?”
“Out here in Half Moon Key? I doubt it. It would have to be a local. Not many visitors out here, and he doesn’t want to leave. Ever.”
“Do you think that’s the point?” she asked. “That’s why he chose this town? Because he knew he could never find love?”
Mason’s smile turned sad. “I think that’s exactly it. Very perceptive of you, darling.”
“Maybe we should try to find him someone. If not a mate, then at least a companion.”
“You are trying to set up my brother already?” he chuckled. “Woman, we’ve only just gotten together.”
She giggled. “I’m happy, and I wanna spread that happiness around.”
“That’s very sweet, darling. Did I tell you I love you?”
“You didn’t, no. Must’ve missed it. Mind telling me now?”
He kissed her, ending the embrace with a nip of her lower lip. “I love you, Lila Ford. You vixen. You know what you do to me when you play coy.”
She nodded. “Oh, yeah. Why do you think I gave you such a hard time? I told you it was because you were too hot. Too charming. I also knew you would respond to coyness.”
His jaw dropped. “Is that true?”
She giggled and shrugged. “You will never know.” She added a wink.
“Oh, you are so gonna pay for that.”
“Yeah? How?” She was breathless. The sheer joy at having been found … not just in the woods after the panthers took her, but found as a woman. Loved as one. That was heady for her. She knew he liked being teased. She also knew it meant he was going to tease her right back.
He would make her come a bunch of times,butonly after teasing her to the brink of madness.
“You know how.” Mason picked her up off the ground just as they arrived at the edge of her home’s driveway.
He carried her inside and set her on the sofa. If he had any plans to take her to the bedroom, they were thwarted by Nana. She had no idea what had just happened, but shedidwant a snack.
“I’ve got you covered, Nana,” Mason assured her. He winked at Lila. “Later,” he mouthed to her.
She blushed deep and hard in anticipation. Mason went to the kitchen and prepared a snack for Nana. He also got some cookies for Lila. “You need to eat a bit after such a shock, darling. This is good for you.”
“Always taking care of me,” she whispered between bites of her cookie.
“He is a very good man,” Nana said. “I like him. You should date my Lila.” She nodded like it was a stroke of genius.
“You know, I will always date your Lila. Even when we’re married with a couple of kids running around. I’ll always ask her to dance in the kitchen. I’ll always kiss her goodnight, and I will always be grateful that she came into my life.” He kissed Lila’s hand before kissing her lips softly.
“I’m tired, and I’m going to bed.” Nana pulled out her hearing aids and made a big show of placing them on the coffee table. “I can’t hear shit!” she shouted with a grin.
Mason and Lila exchanged a look before dissolving into laughter. Nana raced off as fast as her body could go, and it made them laugh again.