Page 29 of Forever Your Touch (Manwhore #4)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

“I don’t know about this.”

Mason hid a grin as he wheeled her out into the middle of central park. It was about damn time she got out and saw some of the nicer aspects of New York. Since it was Saturday, the place was full of kids and dogs and families as well as the usual runners.

“What’s not to know?” He parked her chair and sat down in the grass beside her. “We’re surrounded by nature.”

“Exactly,” she said dryly. “Nature and I are not BFF’s. It tries to murder me on the regular.”

“No, your own two feet try to do that, not the great outdoors.”

Someone snickered as they went past and heard his comment. Jo’s face flamed the cutest shade of pink.

“It’s cold, Mason.”

“Got you covered, moye dragotsennyy.” He reached into the book bag he’d brought and pulled out a warm fuzzy throw and covered her legs.

Honestly, it wasn’t that cold. October was starting to bleed into November and while it was cooler, the days were still fairly warm with the evenings turning colder.

“You can’t tell me you don’t think it’s gorgeous out here with all the leaves changing colors.”

“No, it’s beautiful, but I’m still worried. What if I trip?”

“Woman, your ass is parked in a wheel chair. You’re not tripping.”

“Do you know me?”

She had a fair point. The woman could trip in anything.

“That’s why I’m here. FIBB on duty!”

Mason pulled out his phone and started snapping photos and then took a selfie with her. It went up on Instagram a second later with the message “Will she survive her own two feet in a wheelchair?”

“That is not funny.”

“Sugar that is funny as shit.”

Jo sighed and he felt contrite. “Sorry, I’m not making fun of you. I swear.”

“Uh huh.”

Well hell, now he did feel bad. He’d wanted to make her laugh, not upset her. She’d been in a mood since he picked her up.

Squatting in front of her, he tucked the blanket around her legs. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“You can’t lie to your FIBB. I know you to well. Something’s definitely wrong so you might as well fess up.”

Jo sighed. Of course he knew something was wrong. Mason knew her better than anyone, including her brother. Which was odd considering she’d only known him a few months. It was still true though.

“It’s Ray.”

His expression went blank. He did his best to keep his anger and hate of her ex to himself because he knew it upset her. She appreciated that. More than she could ever tell him.

“What’s Ray done now?”

“He keeps calling and leaving me messages and texting me. I’m starting to get a little worried about him.”

“Worried?”

“I don’t know. He sounds almost desperate. I have this urge to pick up the phone when he calls.”

“Give me your phone, Josephine.”

She handed it to him.

“Unlock it please.”

She did and handed it back to him. He did something and gave it back to her.

“He won’t call you again.”

“What did you do?”

“I blocked his number.”

He did what? Oh, hell no.

“Mason, you had no right…”

He put a finger to her lips. “Jojo, tell me how you feel. How you’ve been feeling since leaving him.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Have you spent a single day feeling less than worthwhile or not appreciated?”

“No.”

“Have you enjoyed being independent, being able to do what you want, and not worrying about what he’ll think or say or do?”

“I have.”

“Does that mean you’re happy right now?”

“I…” she trailed off and actually thought about it.

Since leaving Ray, she had been happy. She was sad too because she missed him.

The first week was the worst. She missed his smell, the sound of his laugh, she’d even missed his nasty habit of leaving his dirty underwear laying in the bathroom floor.

She missed hearing him breathe at night and snore when he was dead tired. She missed feeling him beside her.

But as the weeks passed some of the hurt eased and she started to come out of her funk and depression.

Mason made sure she was able to do anything she wanted even stuck in this wheelchair.

He’d taken her shopping for warmer clothes.

He’d even modeled some of the things she was thinking about to make her laugh.

He’d taken her to the movies. He’d taken her to a concert in the park.

He’d come by every morning to bring her coffee.

Well his “mornings” which ranged from around nine to noon.

He kept her busy and it helped her to forget her pain.

He helped her learn to start to put her first.

Did that mean she was happy?

Yeah, maybe it did. Right now, she wasn’t hurting. That meant a lot in the grand scheme of feelings.

“I think I’m learning to be happy, Mason. It doesn’t hurt so much anymore, and I can get through days without thinking about him. Except for those phone calls.”

“And those phone calls and text messages are going to keep you from finishing your journey of self-love.”

“Self-love?” She laughed at the thought.

“Yeah, Josephine. When I first met you, I understood that right away. You didn’t love yourself.

You let Ray beat you down with his apathy until you got lost and it was just about him.

Now, you’re learning to be the woman you were without him.

You’re learning the value of your own self-worth and you’re starting to love the girl that’s picked herself up out of the ashes of heartbreak.

She’s learning to fly and loving every second of it. ”

Wow. She didn’t think Mason had it in him to sound so…so…beautiful.

“I…” He put a finger to her lips again. “Listen to me, Josephine. I know you’re pissed, but I know you. You wouldn’t have done it and you might have called him back. I don’t want to see you sucked back down into his darkness. You’re getting better and that’s what’s most important to me.”

“I’d forgotten how to be me. The clumsy, sassy girl who smiled all the time and laughed at herself. I like me.”

“I like you too, Josephine, just the way you are.” He couldn’t stop the smile if he’d wanted to.

“You’re mostly the reason I’m so happy. If it weren’t for you, I’m not sure I could have found my way back to myself.”

“You’re stronger than you think you. You would have found your way back, but I will take all the credit because I’m just that damn awesome.”

“You’re just that damn cocky.” Jo laughed. “But I like you anyway.”

Mason studied her, gauging her mood. He wanted to kiss her so bad, but if she wasn’t ready for that, then she’d be pissed as hell.

“Jo?”

She cocked her head curiously. He’d never called her Jo before and she had to be wondering what was up.

“Yeah?”

“I uh…” He pressed his lips together, afraid to let the words tumble out for fear of her rejection.

“You, uh, what?”

“How mad would you be if I kissed you?”

Her eyes widened, the pupils all but blowing. “You want to what?”

“I understand if you’re not ready, moye dragotsennyy .”

He wanted to kiss her? Was she ready to be kissed by anyone? Or was she nervous because it was Mason, someone who meant more to her than almost anyone.

She swallowed. “I uh, I’m not sure, Mason.”

“It’s okay, Josephine. It’s just a question. I love you and I’m a patient man. I can wait until you’re ready to try to handle all of this.” He waved to himself and winked. “Until then I’ll be your FIBB with no strings attached.”

“You love me?”

He smiled. “Don’t freak out, moye dragotsennyy. You’re not ready to hear that any more than you’re for me to kiss you. It’s okay. There will never be any pressure for you to say it back to me until you mean it.”

“You’re not mad?”

He grinned and tweaked her nose. “I could never be mad at you, sugar. My only goal is to get you whole and happy. I can put myself on the backburner until you’re ready for me.”

“Thank you, Mason.”

“You’re very welcome. Now, hush, they’re setting up.” He pointed to the left and she saw that indeed a small stage of some sort had gone up while they were talking.

“What’s that?”

“Today’s surprise.” His eyes twinkled. “Puppets.”

“Puppets?” She glanced at the stage again and back to him. No wonder there were so many families here setting up on the grass. “You mean like a puppet show? That’s a stage though, not one of those little box things they’re usually in.”

“Look up top, see the people moving around? They’ll be moving them from up there.”

She’d seen something like that once in fourth grade when a puppet show had come to their school. She’d fallen in love with it.

“What story are they performing?”

“Romeo and Juliet, only dumbed down for the kiddos.”

“Really?” Jo gasped. “I love Romeo and Juliet!”

“I know, baby. I told you, each of my surprises were well thought out and things you’d love.”

She squealed when she saw the first of the puppets appear on stage, clapping her hands. This was the best surprise ever.

Mason stood and walked over to a food vendor. He came back with hotdogs and sodas.

“Here you go.” He handed her food to her and sat down beside her, leaning his head against her knee. “Are you happy, Jo?”

It was the same question Ray had asked her the day she met Mason. She’d been happy then, or she thought she had. Sitting here, wheelchair and all, with this man who had spent every waking minute doing everything he could to make her happy, she realized the difference.

“Yeah, Mason, I’m very happy.”

She tapped his head and he looked up at her.

Taking a deep breath, she did something she didn’t think she had the courage to do. She leaned down and kissed him.

A slow burn set in, and she let herself get lost in it. Heat pooled in her belly when he deepened the kiss, and she groaned, her hands tangling in his slightly too long hair. Her tongue snaked out to duel with his when he came to his knees and she wrapped herself around him.

Mason had kissed a lot of women. Enjoyed it too. But none of them was Josephine Maxwell.

When his lips met hers, fire licked across his skin, and the most euphoric feeling captured him. Kissing Jo was like coming home. He deepened the kiss when she didn’t pull away. He’d wanted this for so very long, and now that he had it, he couldn’t get enough.

The sound of giggles broke them apart. Mason looked over to see his niece laughing. Delia was standing beside Mateo who didn’t even look interested. He was too busy watching the puppets being set up.

“About time you did that.” Viktor slapped him on the back.

“I didn’t. She did.”

“Well, it’s about time either way.” Viktor spread a blanket out for Sara and the kids.

“Where are the twins?” Jo asked.

“Lily agreed to watch them while we brought the kids to the puppet show.” Sara came over, carrying food and drinks. “I told Viktor we shouldn’t crash your surprise, but he was insistent and Mateo was so excited.”

Mason’s eyes swung back to his nephew. The kid wasn’t paying attention to anyone except for those puppets. He had the biggest smile on his face, though. It was rare and Mason wouldn’t be mad about his family crashing his and Jo’s party. That smile was worth it all.

Jo nudged his shoulder. “He looks so happy.”

“Yeah.” His lips tilted in a half-smile. “As much as I want to spend the entire show kissing you, that smile is worth missing out.”

“We got a lifetime of kissing to do.” She kissed his temple. “Right now, let’s focus on him and just be happy he’s happy.”

That right there was why he loved this girl so much.

And she was right, they did have a lifetime to finish this.

A lifetime he was going to look forward to and cherish every single day.