“Cats, huh?”
“Well, anything like that, really. I hate seeing a big problem and feeling like I’m too small to fix it. You must be very proud of what you do, Mason. You make a difference.”
Mason’s expression turned guarded. “Sometimes.”
“Are you kidding? The water bill you’re sponsoring will have a huge impact on California.”
Mason sighed. “The vote will be close. It’s a controversial topic. The opposition is heavily funded. Change costs money, and no one likes that.”
“It’ll pass. Sometimes you have to trust that things will work out for the best.”
He looked at her for a long moment. “I’m not a big fan of trusting anyone or anything.”
Ouch.
“That’s your choice, Mason. But it’s not mine. I prefer not to look for dead fish.”
“What?”
Chelle hesitated, but only for a moment. Mason could benefit from Grandpa’s wisdom. “My grandfather used to say happiness is a choice. He’d say, ‘Take two people to a lake on a perfect day. One of them will be awed by the view and close their eyes to savor the cool breeze. The other one will spend the whole time talking about how every lake has dead fish in it.’”
Mason held up a hand as if he were smoking a joint. “Did your grandfather . . . you know?”
Chelle didn’t rise to the bait. “Laugh all you want. He was a wise man who raised a good family, and he died happy, surrounded by people who loved him. You can’t argue with a life lived like that.”
No, you can’t, Mason thought and put down money for the bill. There was a wholesomeness about Chelle that all the sex they’d shared hadn’t diminished. She had been, and still was, too good for him.
Mason had always been what some people would call vain. He preferred the term confident. He knew what women wanted. They liked money, good looks, and to be physically pampered in and out of bed. He didn’t offer them more, and they didn’t demand it. He’d been an ass to so many of them, and they’d accepted it. Maybe that was why he didn’t enjoy their company for long. He didn’t like who he was when he was with them.
Chelle was different. She knew what she wanted, and in her adorably stubborn way, she wouldn’t settle for less. “What do you see in me, Chelle?” he asked, not realizing at first that he’d asked the question aloud.
Chelle’s eyebrows rose in surprise, then her expression softened, and she gave him a smile so sweet it twisted him all up inside. “I see a man who wants the world to think he has everything but is actually very lonely. You have a wild side, but you don’t want that life anymore. I think you’re on a journey to discover who you are, just like me, only you’re more afraid of change than I am.”
Mason frowned. “I’m not afraid of anything.”
“No? Tell me one person you love. I bet you can’t even say the word.”
Mason stood. “It’s late, and I have a car picking us up early tomorrow morning.”
Chelle walked up to him and laid a hand on his shoulder. She went up on her tiptoes and kissed his lips lightly. “You’re a good man, Mason Thorne. That’s what I see.”
I hope you’re right, Chelle. Mason gathered her to him and kissed her soundly. The scent of her, the feel of her lips was all it took for him to crave her so much it hurt. He growled, “You talk too much. Let’s go home.”
“I like it when you get all bossy.”
Mason’s mood lightened. A laugh rumbled in his chest, and he felt years younger. He put an arm around her shoulder, and they walked out of the restaurant together. “You like everything.”
She tapped a finger on her chin playfully. “Not everything, but I do have a mental list of what I’m curious about.”
Mason stopped short and looked down at her. “Really?”
She stretched up and whispered a list of things into his ear that had his cock throbbing with excitement. None of the items she mentioned would have shocked anyone in his crowd, but from her lips, they sounded downright decadent. “It looks like I’ll be changing our destination for tomorrow.”
She gave him a saucy grin. “Only if you want to.”
“Oh, I want to.”
Chapter Twelve
Mason didn’t give Chelle a single hint about where they would stop on the way to her parents’. They told her family they’d be arriving late in the afternoon, and that was all Chelle knew for sure. A driver came to take them to the airport and a private plane, but not the one they had taken during their other trips. This one was much bigger.
When they boarded the plane, Chelle was curious about the rooms that were off the main cabin. She started walking in the direction of them and said, “Look at this place. I have to see what’s back there.”
“No,” Mason said firmly and turned her back to face the main cabin.
“What don’t you want me to see?” she asked, not sure she liked being denied anything so casually.
He guided her to a seat, kissed her lightly, and said, “One of your surprises.”
“Good answer.” Chelle found it impossible to stop smiling after that.
Over the next few hours, they chatted easily over breakfast. Even though Mason looked as if he were born in the jeans and cowboy boots he’d chosen for the trip, Chelle wanted to make sure he was prepared for what he was about to walk into. She’d spent enough time in his world to know how different it was from hers. “Fort Mavis has layers like an onion. Not all of them are instantly appealing, but they grow on you. If you spend time downtown, you’re sure to meet Mountain Man Mike. He walks around, even on hot days, with a long coat and a survival backpack he says he uses when he’s in the mountains. No one has ever seen him leave town. We’re pretty sure the only mountain he visits is the top of old Farmer Jones’s horse shed, but he’s harmless. His children moved away but returned to take care of him. They can’t get him to move back north with them any more than they can get him to take off his backpack.”
“Sounds like quite a character.”
“One of many,” Chelle said as she thought about the only place she’d known until recently. “I can understand why Mike doesn’t want to leave. In Fort Mavis, people take care of their own. He’s afraid if he goes to the city, doctors will lock him away somewhere they consider safe. He doesn’t hurt anyone, and more times than not, he’ll help a person out if he comes across someone in need. People in town watch out for him. They make sure he eats and gets home each night.”
“Why do I get the feeling you’re leading up to something with this?” Mason leaned back in his seat and crossed one ankle over the other, looking completely at ease.
Not at all how Chelle felt when she imagined Mason in her hometown. “I am, I guess. Fort Mavis is backward in some ways, and the people there aren’t known for keeping their opinions to themselves. But if you get past that, it’s truly a beautiful place. Most of the families have been there for so long we all feel like family even if we’re not related.”
“Charles seems to like it well enough. He’s moved his business south to spend more time there.”
“We love Charles. He’s kind of a celebrity to us. When he flies in and his limo pulls through town, people wave like the queen is passing by. It’s amusing to watch. Even Mountain Man Mike stops and smiles. He thinks Charles is James Bond, and no one can convince him differently. I think it’s those dark glasses Charles wears. Makes him look mysterious.”
Mason shook his head and laughed. “Charles probably eats that up.”
Chelle chuckled. “He might. I’m sure trying to fit in has been humbling for Charles. You should see him ride a horse.” Chelle shook her head in amusement. “Not good. Funny as all hell, but not good.”
Their lighthearted conversation carried them through the rest of the flight to Galveston. Upon landing, however, Chelle couldn’t take it anymore. She followed Mason into the backseat of the town car he’d hired and said, “Seriously, where are we going?”
He tucked her into his side and put an arm around her s
houlders. “You’re tense this morning. Usually you like to be surprised.”
Chelle gripped his jean-clad thigh. “I am tense. We’re going home to meet my parents. I didn’t realize I’d get nervous about it, but the more I think about what we’re doing, the more ways I see this possibly going wrong. What if they figure out we’re not really engaged? They’d never understand.” She closed her eyes and rested her head against his arm. “I am not a good liar.”
His breath was hot against her ear as he whispered, “You just need to relax and go with it. Luckily for you, I know the perfect way to rid you of all that tension.”
Her eyes flew open, and she turned her head toward him. “You do?”
He kissed her gently. “Oh yes. And it looks like we’re here.”
Chelle sat up. They’d stopped in front of a historic-looking three-story brick building with dark-green wooden trim, sandwiched between two bland office buildings. The large bay windows on the first floor were full of flowers and vases, but there was no sign announcing if it was a florist shop or a private home. “Are we visiting someone?”
He stepped out of the car and offered his hand to her to help her out. “You could say that.”
Mason opened the door to the building and held it for her. Chelle hesitated, but not for long. She trusted Mason. Plain and simple. She stepped into a room that looked like an odd mixture of a flower shop and a waiting room. A young woman in a cream dress suit stepped out of the back room to greet them. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a tight professional bun.
“May I help you?” she asked in an English accent.
Mason stepped forward and shook her hand. “I’m here by invitation.”
“Number, please.” The woman looked down at a computer tablet and waited.
“Five-nine-three-four-T.”
The woman used a stylus to mark something on her tablet, then smiled. “Welcome. We hope you enjoy your visit. Follow me, please.”
“I’m sure we will,” Mason answered calmly and guided Chelle with his hand on her lower back. The woman punched in a code beside a door that led behind the reception area.
Chelle sought Mason’s hand with hers. “What is this place, Mason?”
“Patience, Chelle,” Mason said with a smile. “You’re going to love this.”
The room they entered was richly decorated in off-white furniture and wallpaper. Subtle gold accents gave the room a sparkle. Each wall of the room was covered from floor to ceiling with white shelving behind glass doors. Chelle’s eyes nearly popped out of her head when she realized what the store sold.
A black woman dressed similarly to the woman who had greeted them stepped forward. Her smile reminded Chelle of the manager of the first hotel Mason had taken her to, though her accent was French. “Welcome. I would introduce myself, but we prefer not to use names here. Is this your first visit?”
Chelle’s eyes flew to Mason’s.
He didn’t hesitate with his answer. “Yes, but I’ve heard good things about your establishment.”
The woman’s smile warmed. “Our clientele maintains a high standard of discretion, but it’s always a pleasure to have someone of your caliber referred to us. Do you have anything in particular you’re looking for?”
Mason nodded in acknowledgment of the compliment, then looked down at Chelle. “My fiancée has a few ideas.”
Chelle turned bright red, then looked from Mason to the woman and back. “I do?”
Mason leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You weren’t too shy to tell me last night at the restaurant.”
Chelle waved a hand at the woman watching them and then at Mason. “That’s because it was just you and me. I can’t tell her.”
The woman’s lips pressed together as if she were holding back a smile. “Perhaps you should look around on your own first, yes? I’m here if you have any questions. All of our merchandise is made from the highest quality metals. If it looks gold, it is. The diamonds are very real, so there is no need to ask. No prices are listed. If you must inquire about the cost, you are most likely here by mistake, and we will happily offer you a list of alternative shops.”
“Your frankness is appreciated, but not necessary,” Mason answered with a casual smile. “I’m sure we’ll find several items to fit our needs.”
As soon as the woman was out of earshot, Chelle grabbed one of Mason’s hands and exclaimed, “Oh my God. First, I didn’t know there were so many types of sex toys.” Her eyes lingered on one particular shelf while she said, “I can’t even figure out what people would do with some of these things.” She shook her head and looked back up at Mason. “And second, what kind of place won’t tell you how much something costs?” She pointed at a diamond-studded gold toy. “Why would anyone put diamonds on a vibrator?”
Mason nuzzled her neck and growled, “You’d have to try it and tell me.”
An image of Mason using the gold vibrator on her, dipping it inside her and slowly pulling it out of her, was enough to wash away all of her embarrassment. Sure, her time with Mason didn’t match the fairy tales her mother had read her as a child, but who the heck wanted a glass slipper when they could have something from this store? She pulled him toward the gold vibrator and peered at it through the glass. “What would I do with something that expensive?” Mason chuckled and Chelle quickly added, “I know what I would do with it, but I mean, where would I keep it? In a safe? I can’t let you buy me something that expensive.”
Wrapping his arms around her from behind, Mason murmured, “Trust me, the last thing I’m thinking about right now is how much anything here costs.”
A sudden idea came to her, and she spun in his arms. “Have you bought toys for other women?” She didn’t want to imagine it. She knew she was being ridiculous. He’d been with other women. Many, by his own admission.
“I’ve never considered them necessary, but if you’re curious about them, they are.”
His answer couldn’t have been more perfect. Chelle relaxed. “I’m sorry. Even if you did, it’s none of my business. It’s not like we’re really getting married.”
Mason rested his chin on her forehead and sighed. “When it comes to you, Chelle, I can honestly say I have no idea what I’m doing.” Chelle stopped breathing, not sure what he meant. He stepped back and lightened the mood by joking. “Except when it comes to toys. I have a pretty good idea what most of these items are for. And I’m confident we could figure the rest of them out.”
Chelle looked up at him, and her heart swelled with something that felt frighteningly like love. “Mason, thank you.”
He cocked his head to one side and asked, “For what? Bringing you here?”
She hugged him. “For making these last two weeks the most amazing of my life. I was worried what you would think of Fort Mavis. And I was worried about what they would think of you. But none of that matters. You make me happier than I can ever remember being. And maybe this won’t last, but I will always be grateful that I had this time with you.”
Mason looked away for a moment. He let out an audible breath. “I have failed everyone I’ve loved.”
Chelle hugged him even tighter and whispered, “Then maybe you’ve loved the wrong people.”
The blonde woman cleared her throat beside them. “Did you find something you’d like?”
Chelle nodded her head. “Yes, two weeks ago.”
Mason kissed her briefly, then stepped back and said, “We’d like that vibrator, some watermelon lubricant, and . . . do you have a waterproof vibrating glove?”
“We do. Would you like the items sent to you, or will you be taking them with you?”
Mason smiled at Chelle and shrugged. “We still have a two-hour flight.”
Chelle doubted toys would be necessary, since she was already dripping wet as she imagined how she and Mason would spend that flight.
Mason was a confident lover, but as he led Chelle back onto the plane he’d rented and into the bedroom with a built-in Jacuzzi tub, he wanted every
thing to be perfect. From the moment Chelle had whispered her fantasies into his ear, he’d wanted to make them a reality for her. Although he’d always prided himself on pleasing women, this was different. It felt important somehow.
“Wow.” Chelle took in the plane’s bedroom. “Now this is how to join the Mile-High Club.”
The packages from the store they’d visited in Galveston had already been placed on the bed. He closed the door behind him and said, “Come here.”
She pulled her shirt over her head and dropped it on the floor. “You come here.”
That brought a smile to his face. “Is that any way to say thank you?”
She unsnapped her bra and let it fall to the floor beside her shirt, proudly displaying the most perfect breasts he’d ever seen. “I don’t feel it’s appropriate to thank you for gifts until I’ve decided if I like them or not.”
“Really?” he said, unsnapping his jeans and stepping out of his shoes at the same time. “You don’t think you’ll enjoy them?”
She shed the rest of her clothing and playfully stood there as if she weren’t killing him slowly with her teasing. With a shrug, she said, “Diamonds may not be my style.”
He pulled his shirt over his head and quickly stepped out of the rest of his clothing. His cock bobbed in the air as he walked toward her. “I thought we’d start with the glove.” He walked until he stood less than a foot from her and ordered softly, “Put it on me.”
She turned away from him and bent to search through the bags for what he’d requested. He took advantage of her stance. He placed both hands on her hips and ran his cock back and forth between her parted butt cheeks. She froze.
He shifted so he grazed her wet lower lips, and kissed his way up her spine. Skillfully, he dipped the tip of his cock into her sex and moved it back and forth over her clit. She moaned and braced herself against the bed, arching her back with pleasure. “The glove, Chelle.”