Chapter 18

Chapter Eighteen

Mason

"Hi." Ainse opens the door of her house, and those enigmatic green eyes remind me why I'm here and not working in another part of the country or the world.

I'm here because of the sexy, beautiful girl who has my body wanting her even when she's thousands of miles away. It's a miracle I haven't pushed her against the wall and taken her like an animal in heat. Not a day goes by that I don't have to fight my instincts. Today is no exception as she wears a short strapless white dress with a delicate flower print.

I bend to kiss her bare shoulders, making her shiver. She takes a step back and shakes her head. I wonder what this is all about. When I called her earlier to see if we could have a date, she was hesitant.I convinced her that we'd do whatever she wanted. No questions asked.

It's been a week and a day since I last tasted her.

Hawk and I went to Mexico to meet with the agents in charge of the operation to take down this new cartel. With the information they gathered, we learned the cartel is being financed by an American non-profit who thinks they're helping a third world country with necessities but are in fact investing in a small terrorist cell.

As we search for their resources, assets, connections, and ways to shut them down here in the United States, I centralized everything in Seattle. A selfish act to be close to my girl. I'm only here for a couple of days to set everything up, then I have to take off again for another week. Damn, I'm going to miss my girl.

My girl , I shouldn't call her that. Should I?

"Are you sure you don't mind about tonight?"

"Yes, I'm sure," I whisper and nibble her earlobe, kiss her jawline, and take her beautiful lips again. Fuck, I missed them so much.

Every night after hanging up the phone with her, I thought about her and wondered when we could be together so I could hold her in my arms. Maybe tonight is the night.

"Are we ordering food?" I finally release her before taking her to the couch, more like on the couch . "What's the plan?"

Ainsley

"Plan?" I scratch my head and smile at him.

"Yes, I'm hungry. Either you feed me food, or I'm eating you."

I laugh at him. Instead of saying a word, I rush to my room to grab a cardigan before my fathers send me back inside to "dress appropriately" and slip on a pair of strappy sandals. Without heels, the short length of my skirt won't grab their attention. Those two have been too protective since they learned I'm dating Mason.

"Come on, handsome," I say as I hurry to where he stands and take his hand, pulling him toward the door. "We're heading to our date—with my parents."

Mason hugs his belly, and his body leans so that it appears as if I had punched him in the stomach.

"Your parents?" He drops his head but follows me. I lead him toward the house next door that my parents own.

"You know, I deserve an offering for spending my date-night with the parents. Maybe a kiss, long, deep, and meaningful."

"A what?"

He shrugs one shoulder. "It's the least you can do to make up for the fact that I'll be setting my game back inside my trunk of tricks." He lowers his head and whispers, "Today, I had a great incentive, and now, nothing will happen. Unless…"

I'm about to suggest we skip dinner when the front door opens.

"Mason Bradley, why are you standing so close to my daughter in the dark?" Papa asks with a frown stamped on his face. "I'm watching you, Bradley."

He moves aside so we can enter.

"Where's Dad?"

"In the kitchen cooking for his little girl." He smiles at me, and I notice he's missing his wedding band. I touch his ring finger and he beams. "He's having it cleaned. I'm sure he will make some lovey-dovey-romantic gesture."

"Which you'll call lame, but you'll love and enjoy."

He smiles and nods at me. "Can you blame me? That man made me a softie, and I love him more because of that."

Things between my parents are better than ever. They now travel together. One goes where the other has to be, and they plan their schedules so that neither one sleeps alone.

I hug him. "I'm glad you two are back together and happy."

I take a few steps toward the kitchen, and Mason calls back, "Ainse, it seems this is going to take a while. I have to check on something I left in the car."

Chris follows him, and I continue on my way to see my father.

Their kitchen isn't much different from mine. Gabe has the four burners of the stove working with two pans, one pot, and a wok.

"Channeling the Wolfgang Puck in you, Dad?"

"Trying. The boyfriend is coming to visit," he says, tossing vegetables inside the wok as he shakes it. "I want him to know how he has to treat my favorite girl."

I choose not to remind him that I'm his only girl. I kiss his cheek and offer my help.

"No, I have everything under control. Chris helped me make the rice from scratch." Dad steers his eyes toward the opposite counter where the platter is filled with fried rice.

"Chinese food?" I frown. He knows better than to cook a ticking time bomb for me.

"Asian in general, with a few modifications so you can eat," he says, giving me the stink-eye for doubting him. "Where's Mason?"

"Outside, being executed by your husband. We should've waited until after… we're never going to have sex."

Dad stops everything, and his gaze turns to me. "Ainsley Janine Colthurst-Decker, consider the boy dead."

I can't help but laugh at what he says, kiss him, and scoot out of the kitchen before I open my mouth and say another bizarre comment. Once I step into the living room, I spot Mason and a gray fluffball between his large hands.

His fur is almost the color of Mason's eyes. "Who is this little one?" I stroke his soft fur.

"He has no name, yet. Any ideas?" Mason's eyes shine. There's satisfaction on that face as if he just conquered the world.

After creating a cradle with my hands, Mason deposits the tiny kitten in them. I close my hands to secure him and embrace him against my cheek.

He's adorable. "Is he mine?" I pat his small head with my thumb. The soft, whispery rumble he emits melts my heart.

"Yeah, do you like him?"

"I'm in love with him," I lift my gaze and look at Mase. His heavy-lidded, cloudy eyes have a twinkle in the corner.

My chest, I now realize, is empty. That heart of mine has left the building. Yes, we can call this love. It didn't take long. We spent last weekend together, and for the last week he's called me every night. Long calls where we don't say goodnight until we're ready to sleep. That would sum up everything we shared through the years. The moments he's been my rock. He lets me lean on him while I recover.

Hold the words, I order myself.

My parents' house isn't the place for confessions or big gesture moments to show gratitude to his awesomeness. This is huge, as Mase gave me one of the things I've always wished for the most. A kitty.

"Toby," I declare. "He looks like a Toby."

"A cat?" My father's rough voice makes me jolt.

Toby opens his tiny mouth, but no sounds come from it.

"You're making it hard to convince her she should kick you to the curb, boy." Gabe takes off his "Kiss the Cook" apron. "I might as well grab a couple of containers with food and send you back home with that beast." Gabe looks at me and points at Mason.

"But family dinner?" I stumble over my words because the real sentence is really, "Thank you. Please keep the food. Love you. Bye-bye."

My parents return to the kitchen. Finally, Mason and I are alone—with Toby.

"Thank you," I lift Toby and kiss his furry head. "He's the best present I've ever received in my life."

I stride to where Mason stands and pull his shirt with my now-free hand. Our lips meet, and as I'm about to open my mouth, the voices of my parents interrupt us.

"Not in my house," Chris yells. "A couple of feet of separation, Bradley. The cat only gave you points with her, not us."

He hands Mason a plastic bag. "Make sure she eats."

"I'll feed her well," Mason whispers in my ear, and I hope he does.