Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 69025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69025 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
“No. Just myself. I’m sorry. He’s at his cousin’s birthday party today.”
“Oh, well, do you want to help us sort these baseball cards?”
“Champ, Miss Brandi and I need to talk. How about you work on those cards and I’ll be back out to help you, okay?”
“Sure.”
“Come on, Brandi, let’s go to the sitting room. Would you like something to drink?”
She shook her head. Seeing him so at ease with his son, she wondered how it was possible that Mason was all the revolting things she thought he was. She took the seat he offered. He sat across from her.
An awkward silence filled the room. Not knowing exactly where to begin, she looked down into her lap. Mason was the first to speak.
“Brandi, I’m so glad you came. This past week without you has been hell.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I want to start by saying that I’m sorry you had to find out those things about me the way you did. I should have been upfront with you about my past. I suppose I kept it from you because I was scared of losing you.”
Her eyes widened. Was he sitting there admitting what he had done? Had she wasted a trip?
“I can see your doubts, but please hear me out.”
“That’s what I came for.”
“Thanks.” He drew in a deep breath. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my past, and some of those mistakes were inexcusable. I won’t sit here and try to justify all that I’ve done because I can’t. I don’t like the man I used to be. How I even looked myself in the mirror is still a mystery, but I will say that I’ve changed. I’ve tried to make amends with the people I’ve hurt. My mother and I are working on rebuilding our relationship. I want to be a better father to Ben, and I only want one woman in my life. I was definitely no saint and I don’t think I ever will be, but I’m a different man now.”
She raised an eyebrow. More than anything she wanted to believe him, wrap her arms around him and forget the past week’s torment without him… But could she believe him?
She wanted to forget the lonely nights when she woke up with her body drenched in sweat, longing for him, wanting and needing him. Brandi had known then that she hadn’t stopped loving him, either. It was obvious from her observations of Ben that the little boy worshiped his father and vice versa.
Brandi also had to consider her source. Rodney was a man scorned. She wouldn’t put it past him to have embellished a few things, “Mason…I’m sorry for not listening to you. I was just so upset with Rodney and when you didn’t deny his words, I felt like an idiot. I can’t say that I’m not uneasy about your past and that it doesn’t give me pause, but a wise person told me that I might have been too hasty in judging you.”
Mason smiled. He stood and held his hand out to her. Brandi took it and let him pull her into his arms. She felt as if she had come home.
“Who was this wise person? I’d like to thank them.” He caressed her hair.
“Believe it or not, it was my daughter.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“That’s one smart kid. Remind me to send her flowers.”
Brandi smiled up at him. “She would be thrilled.”
“So, where do we go from here?”
She could see the worry in his eyes and she laid her hand on his face.” I would like to try again, but I want you to know that if I think you’re lying to me or if you withhold information from me again, there won’t be any more chances.”
“I understand. Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For loving me and giving me another chance,” he replied before lowering his head to hers. It was as though no one else in the world existed except her and this man.
Brandi’s lips parted under the insistent probing of his tongue. She returned his kiss enthusiastically. He tasted so good. She’d missed his warm mouth over hers. Her breasts were crushed against the hard wall of his chest and she could feel a stirring between her legs. She wanted him; oh, how she wanted him.
Mason’s tongue circled hers, sampling, teasing, worshiping. His cock pressed against her. Brandi felt a burst of lust course through her body. Mason’s hands slid up her ribcage to cup one taut breast in his palm. Brandi thought she would cream herself right then and there. She missed his intimate touch and she needed this right now, more than she needed air to breathe.
His palm rubbed the aching mound, sending shivers of delight up and down her spine. Brandi’s hands roamed down his back to cup his ass in her palms. She loved the way his hard body felt beneath her hands.