“Are you coming back?You didn’t stay long last time,” Yasmine said, and now her expression was concerned.“You don’t have to go just because we do if you weren’t into it.”
“I… I wasn’tnotinto it…” Crap.This was awkward.How did one say ‘I didn’t like picturing you doing the things I was seeing with the man you were engaged to,’ without actually saying it?“I was really tired, of course.And I had to get up early the next day.And maybe it was a little intimidating.”
She’d rather admit it was intimidating, even though they might think less of her, than admit her crush on Mason had been the biggest problem.
“Okay, just wanted to make sure that you knew you can still come to game night and hang out and everything.The club is not a requirement to be friends with us.”Yasmine smiled as the others nodded, and Cassidy nudged Audrey with her elbow.
“I do like the books a lot.”
“If you’re up to it, you should come tomorrow.I’ve decided to go, and I could use the support.”Yasmine glanced around at all of them.
“Of course!”Cassidy was already nodding her head.“David and I can be there.You’re going to jump right back into things?”
“Might as well.”Yasmine shrugged.“While Mason and I were talking about marriage and everything, I wasn’t going to scene with someone else.But now I’m free, and so is he.”
Wait, had she just glanced at Audrey when she said Mason was free?
“Good for you.”Claudia nodded approvingly.“There’s no point in wallowing, right?”
“Right.Though I’m not looking for a relationship,” Yasmine warned her.“I’m off of those for good.That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy a good scene or some filthy hot sex, but I’ve sworn off relationships for right now.”
Claudia arched an eyebrow, but didn’t say anything.“Mmm.”
“But you still want the marriage and kids thing, right?”Cassidy asked.“You’re not just going to give up on it because this didn’t work out?Like, if you really don’t want it, that’s one thing, but I don’t want to see you give up on something you really want because you and Mason didn’t have chemistry.”
“That’s not the only reason.There is a pattern after all.”Yasmine shrugged.“Maybe it’s time I just accept the curse.I don’t need marriage to have a kid, after all.There are other options.”
“Well, that’s true.”Claudia sat back in her chair, blinking.She looked like she wanted to say something, but she couldn’t quite figure out what to say.
Neither could Audrey, but that wasn’t surprising because her own emotions were all over the place when it came to Mason, and she didn’t know Yasmine well enough to know what the right thing to say was.
“I think you’d make a great mom,” she offered up, both because it was true and because maybe that was what Yasmine needed to hear.
The other woman flashed her a smile.
“Thank you.Now, let’s get back to the game.We don’t need to talk about my cursed love life anymore because I’m just not going to have a love life at all.”
ChapterTwenty-Six
Mason
One week after his engagement had ended, he was back at the Outlands.He had not planned on coming back so soon after the breakup, but he was here tonight thanks to Claudia, who told him that both Yasmine and Audrey were coming.He told himself that he was here for Yasmine, to make sure none of the Doms were going to be worried about scening with her so soon after their arrangement ended.He wanted her to be able to scene with whoever she wanted.
Which meant he would be here tonight regardless of whether or not Audrey was going.
But yes, that was a factor, too; he couldn’t deny that.
Those protective feelings he was having for her, because of everything going on at the bakery, obviously extended outside of the bakery as well.
He got there early to make sure that he was there for when Yasmine came in.She tended to be an early arrival, because she didn’t like to stay out too late, so she could get her beauty sleep—as she said.
Mason took a perch in the bar on the main floor, so he could see people coming in.He was only having one beer tonight.Not because he intended to play—there was a two-drink maximum—but because he wanted to stay sharp.After this, he planned to swing by Cupcakes and Crumbs for a bit, just to keep an eye on things.
He liked to think that he had chased the culprit away, never to return again, but he wasn’t taking the chance he was wrong.Not yet.It had been a few days, so if something more was going to happen, he guessed it would happen soon.He’d keep watching for a while longer.
Just in case.
As he sat, he watched the various people coming through the door, meeting in the bar, or heading downstairs.He always enjoyed being in the club, watching the members interact.Everyone was so different, yet so many things remained the same.
