Page 48 of The Ruse of Romancing

Dani

Cascade Harbor, Oregon

Two weeks later

The days following the cover reveal flew by as Mason made it his mission to prove to me his sincerity.

During that time, he hadn’t lied to me even once.

Instead, he’d shown me with both his actions and words just how sincere he’d been on that stage.

And while we’d spent some much-needed time in Utah, both of us meeting each other’s families and getting to see each other in a new setting, we’d both been eager to board a plane and return to Cascade Harbor, after a stop at the store where Poppy worked to sign some books, of course.

The sound of the waves welcomed me as I stepped onto the beach, soaking in the pinks and purples of sunset over the Pacific Ocean.

Hercules fairly danced behind me as he caught his first glimpse of the ocean.

After Mason and I had reconciled, we’d decided we needed a redo of my trip to Oregon, this time without any lies between us.

And since Avery had headed to Italy for what was supposed to be her honeymoon but had morphed into a solo vacation that she badly needed, I’d decided to bring Hercules with me.

I only felt a little bit guilty for bailing on Avery, forcing her to take her trip alone, but I hoped this trip would help her reconnect with the braver version of herself who had disappeared when she’d started dating Eric.

While Mason and I hadn’t fully decided where our future would be, I knew the Oregon coast would play a big part in our lives.

“Absolutely stunning,” Mason said from behind me.

“I know, right? This is seriously one of my favorite things about Oregon.” I looked over my shoulder to find Mason staring at me, not the breathtaking view in front of me.

“I was more impressed with the sight of you at sunset.” Mason slipped his arms around my waist as we watched Hercules frolic in the waves, splashing and getting covered in sand.

“I’ll have to remember that line for the next book I write,” I said.

I’d just finished fixing the ending of Of Fates and Ruin and I was already eager to start another project.

I was considering a complete change of genre, maybe trying my hand at contemporary retellings of favorite old movies.

I’d start with Pillow Talk , of course, though I could picture my version involving beaches and a sexy artist.

“Only if I get to help with any kissing research you need to do,” he said, pressing his lips to my shoulder.

I turned in Mason’s arms to look up at him. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Promise?” He asked, leaning down, his lips a breath away from mine.

“Promise,” I said on a sigh, anticipating the brush of his lips on mine.

Instead of making contact, Mason pulled back, and I pouted.

“Before we start any of that research, I have a gift for you,” he said, his face filled with the excitement of a kid on Christmas morning.

“You didn’t have to get me anything,” I said, thinking I’d much prefer the kiss he’d stopped to whatever he was about to give me.

“I guess it’s technically more of a return than a gift.” Mason held out his hand, a familiar orange and green stone bracelet on his palm. “I found this after you left, and it’s time I gave it back.”

I gave a small laugh as I slipped it on, the cool stones pressing against my skin as I remembered my distaste for the bracelet when Poppy had first presented it to me. While the colors still weren’t my style, the unique piece now held a special place in my heart, and I was grateful to have it back.

“You know, Poppy told me this bracelet was exactly what I needed when I’d boarded that first flight to Oregon. I had no idea just how right she would be.”

“You can tell her I’m partial to it,” Mason said, rubbing a thumb over the stones before pulling me back in for a hug. “Now where were we?”

“About to conduct some very important book research,” I said, my voice coming out husky as I eyed his lips.

“That’s right. I think it involved something like this.” He bent down, pressing his lips to mine, the familiar pressure making my heart race.

And there on the beach, wrapped in Mason’s arms with the sunset behind me and an entire world of possibilities in front of me, it felt like all this moment was missing was the words, “And they lived happily ever after.”

The End