Elle walks by, stops and cocks her head to the side looking in Mason’s direction. My eyebrows scrunch together. “What’s wrong?” I ask her.

Mason picks up Ryder and comes over to us. “Mom?” Mason asks.

She shakes her head, clearing whatever she was thinking. “It’s nothing sweetie.” Elle answers Mason and I.

We all stand around chatting and Elle announces dinner is ready. Gathering in the kitchen we eat dinner and then move on to presents for Cooper and Mason, followed by cake. I didn’t have time to get them anything so I chose to just do gift cards to their favorite places to eat. I know they don’t get good food a lot because they are constantly on the road.

The girls are all in the kitchen cleaning up when Mason comes up behind me and whispers in my ear, “Come with me for a bit.”

I damn near drop the glass that I’m rinsing out. I start to shake my head no when MacKenzie bumps my hip with hers. “Go.”

I beg MacKenzie with my eyes to help me. I can’t do that. I can’t be alone with him. My heart is almost back together and I don’t want to have to pick up the pieces again. I’m stronger than I was before but when Mason Cahill is involved I turn into mush.

MacKenzie grabs the glass and repeats herself, “Go. Please, for me.”

I sigh in defeat. I let go of the glass and dry my hands with the towel. I nod to Mason and follow behind him. I do want to go, I need to prove that I can still be around Mason and not be in a relationship with him. But then a part of me aches to be with him. I don’t just miss him emotionally, I miss him physically too.

Please don’t break me again.

30

I grab Hailey’s hand and walk out through the garage with her to get my bike. It’s a stifling hot August night.

“Come for a ride with me?” I ask Hailey as I grab my helmet and slide it over my head. I’m leaving regardless if she comes or not.

She turns and goes into the garage to where she knows I’ve left her helmet; where it always has been. I turn on the bike and wait for Hailey to climb on behind me. Her arms feel smaller than they were a few months ago. She locks her fingers around my stomach and squeezes my h*ps with the inside of her legs, giving me the signal that she’s ready.

I pull out of the driveway and turn the opposite direction of my house with Cooper. I pull into MacKenzie and Hunter’s development. Hailey’s hands shift, probably thinking I’m dropping her off since that’s where she is staying. I get to the end of their street and turn right. The houses get bigger and bigger the further you drive down the street. My house is in the center of the cul-de-sac, you can barely tell there is a house there with all the willow trees surrounding it. The “for sale” sign has a giant sold sign across it. I stop in front of the house and steady the bike with my feet; positioning us in direct sight of the house.

Hailey flips the visor up on her helmet so I can hear her, “What are we doing?”

I raise mine to answer back. “Just looking.”

“Uh, Mase isn’t this a little creepy?”

I chuckle. I guess she hasn’t seen the sold sign yet. “Yeah a little, but I know the owner.”

“Mason let’s get the hell out of here. Take me home.”

I smile, if she only knew that I want this to be her home. I give the bike a little gas and she grabs me around the waist again. I pull up the driveway and hit the garage keypad on my bike. Hailey’s legs squeeze my hips. I pull into the garage and it shuts behind me. My car is parked next to me; this has to be a giveaway now.

I pull off my helmet and wait as Hailey gets off the bike. “Mason, why is your car here?”

I place my helmet on the work bench near the door that leads into the mud room. “I told you I know the owner.”

Hailey follows closely behind me. “Does my hair look alright?” She asks as she fixes her hair back into a ponytail.

I stop and turn to face her. Clearly she hasn’t put two and two together. “Stop. Leave it. You’re at my house.” I turn back around and open the door.

Hailey gasps behind me and I silently chuckle. Silly girl really had no idea.

I take off my shoes, go into the kitchen and grab a bottle of water. Hailey’s eyes are darting all around, taking in the house. “Wow Mase.”

She isn’t paying attention to where she is walking and bumps right into me. She stumbles back a step but I’m there to steady her. I pull her to me. I take a deep breath when I get a whiff of her perfume, I miss that smell.

She looks up at me, “Why would you bring me here?”

I tell her the truth, “I want my girl back.” She starts to protest and pull away but I stop her. “It might not happen right this second, maybe not tomorrow but it will happen, I love you Hailey.”

Hailey looks at me with wide eyes and she starts swaying. “We’re over, Mase.”

“Shush.” I capture her lips before she can say anything else, she is stiff as a board at first and then it’s all hands after that. I reach down and pick her up. We bump into counters a few times as I try to make it to the living room. I can’t take her upstairs to my bedroom because I don’t have any furniture yet. The only room that is furnished is the living room.

“Mase,” Hailey’s breath tickles my ear. “This doesn’t change anything for us. We’ve hurt each other too much.”

I rest my head on her shoulder, “I know, but that didn’t change things for me Hailey. I can’t function when we’re apart; I’m barely living day to day without you.”

Hailey kisses my neck, she’s wavering. “I know what you mean.”

I gently lay her on the plush, living room area rug. The couch isn’t going to be big enough for us tonight. I pin her underneath me. Hailey’s legs part and I rock into her, she is warm and it’s inviting. She moans when I rock again. I can’t believe she is letting this happen so easily. This isn’t what I had planned for us but I’ll take it.

“Boo,” I whisper in her ear before biting on it gently.

“Hmm?” Hailey moans and shifts her hips.

I roll off her and start removing her clothes. Once I’ve got her shirt off I stop and stare at her tattoos.

I bend and kiss the flower with the piercing in the middle, “This is sexy as f**k.” I look into her eyes, “I love these on you.” I kiss the flower on her hip, run my tongue along the lines to the next one and kiss that and then do the same with the other two flowers. I take one of her ni**les in my mouth. She starts panting hard and her cheeks flush as she watches me lick, bite and suck. I release her right and drag my tongue to her left and give it the same attention. Hailey’s back arches.