“I love you.” I say the words without hesitation and smile as he gapes at me, his mouth opening and closing without a sound.
“Lana, I…”
“I know what you meant,” I say, brushing the hair from his eyes. I love how disheveled he looks—sleepy and sexy andmine.“But I do.”
“I don’t want you to say it just because of yesterday. I want you to mean it because you want it…want me.”
“I love you, Mase. I thought it was too soon, and maybe it is but I don’t care. Yesterday was the biggest reality check of my life, but I have no doubts, baby. I’m all in.”
He curses under his breath, his eyelids fluttering shut for a beat before opening again. “I’ve never said it. Not to a woman. Not romantically.”
“Then make sure you mean it when you’re ready,” I say quietly, placing my palm over his beating heart and holding it there.
“I do, it’s just too raw still. Yesterday—” His voice cracks and I hook my leg over his and pull him on top of me, wrapping my arms around him and holding him tight.
“Don’t rush. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Are you sure?” he murmurs into my chest, and I laugh, raking my nails along his scalp, delighting in the way he leans into my touch.
“I am; are you? You have a whole lot of crazy to look forward to here.” I wave my hand toward myself and then around the room, trying to illustrate my point.
“I want it.” Sucking my nipple into his mouth, he teases me with his tongue before letting it go with an audible pop. “I want you.” His mouth moves to the other side. “The kids.” This time when he releases the sensitive peak, he moves up my body, his mouth hovering over mine. “I want it all.”
“Well then, buckle up, Mr. Amato, because it’s yours.”
MASON
ApparentlyI wantit alltranslated to meeting Lana’s parents. They’d kept Holland and Beck overnight, and instead of Lana going to get them, she’d asked her parents if they’d come for dinner.
To meet me.
Because we wereall in.
It’s what I wanted, why I’d been so mad when she pushed me away, but it didn’t make this next step any less terrifying.
“You look great.” Lana’s voice is a purr as she wraps her arms around me, pressing her chest into my back. “Stop worrying.”
“I’ve never met anyone’s parents, Dream Girl.”
“Think of it like ripping off a Band-Aid.”
“That’s the opposite of comforting.”
She chuckles as she squeezes me tighter before sliding her way around till we’re chest to chest.
“They’re excited because they know you make me happy. The kids talk about you.Italk about you. Seriously, it’s going to be fine.” She places a kiss on my chest.
“And they know how old I am?”
She rolls her eyes like this wasn’t a sticking point she had yesterday. “Uh-huh, and they already got all theoh my God Lana do you know he’s eleven years younger than yousout of their system.”
I chuckle at her theatrics but I’m thankful for them too, because while I don’t needeveryoneto like me, I really want her parents to.
And luckily, I don’t have to wait long before John and Nancy Dalton come bustling through the door with Beck and Holland in tow.
Holland hugs her mom and then makes a beeline for me. “Missed you, kiddo.”
“I just saw you.” She giggles, and my heart aches in my chest because there was a moment there where I didn’t think I’d have this again.
