Finding Love in Forgotten Cove (Island County Series Book 1) (21 page)

His grin widened. “I love your attitude. You know, some might be offended. I happen to know it’s because you’re so enamored with me.”

“Could be.” I smiled and looked out at the view, taking in the natural beauty of the islands that speckled our journey back to the mainland. The Douglas firs and western red cedars jutted from the jagged cliffs. The red trunks of the madrona shot through the sprays of green. The scenery was nothing less than spectacular. I felt Mason’s eyes on me and turned to meet his stare, his gaze pleading.

“Give me a little bit longer. I’ll know by then. I promise,” I whispered.

“If you listened to your heart, you’d know this very second. I guarantee it. Quit listening to your mind. Matters of the heart aren’t logical. In fact everything about love is illogical. It’s one of the few emotions that makes a brain scan light up like we’re on hard drugs.”

“Says who?” I narrowed my eyes, trying not to focus on the word “love”. He was only trying to make a point. It didn’t mean he was in love with me.

“Everyone knows,” he joked, shrugging his shoulders. “Seriously though, Tori, the reservations you have aren’t because you don’t have feelings for me.”

“True,” I agreed. This time I squeezed his hand and let out a sigh. “Just give me a few more days and the right answer will come to me.”

Mason shook his head. “I think it already has and you’re afraid of what it might mean.”

“Know-it-all.”

He laughed as the ferry pulled up to the dock. The last of the announcements were read over the loud speakers, and people scurried to their cars.

“I didn’t mean to make it complicated,” I told him as he removed his hand.

He flashed a wry grin and put the truck in drive. I gave a quick wave to the ferry worker, and we drove around the lines of waiting cars that were readying to start the weekend on the island. I watched Mason out of the corner of my eye and wondered if he was right. Was it fear that wouldn’t let me choose the obvious?

As we pulled onto the freeway to his parents’ house, the music serenaded us as he filled me in on his mom and dad. I knew the basics. His dad owned the construction firm and partnered with Mason. His dad recently brought him in as an owner. Mason’s mother was an attorney. I assumed she worked at a firm but was surprised to find out she actually had started a nonprofit agency that helped disadvantaged clients with all types of law services. It gave me yet another reason to have the warm fuzzies over the Rhodes family, and I hadn’t even met them yet.

Mason’s phone buzzed. “Can you see who that’s from?”

“Where’s it at?” I asked.

“In my pocket.”

“I thought you were just happy to see me.”

“Well, you can never again make fun of me for my corny or overused jokes,” he snickered.

“What do you mean? That was a complete original,” I gritted my teeth as I tugged the phone out of his pocket. I was also secretly pleased that he didn’t mind that I saw who the text might be coming from. It so happened it was from his parents.

“Your parents wanted an ETA.”

“My code’s 4209. Can you text them we’ll be there in ten?”

“Uh, sure.” I entered in the code and quickly texted his parents as amazement filled my veins.

One of the most annoying things about Tanner was his lack of openness. It wasn’t that I expected to have someone’s code to their phone or access to their email—so this was a whole other level—but when things were so locked down and attitudes and behaviors changed surrounding these wonderful devices, I might be known to get a little apprehensive, okay possibly paranoid. However, that trait only shifted in my life because I found some suspicious texts and emails from Tanner to other women, and no, none of them had been my friend, which led me to wonder how many others had there been?

We turned into a lovely neighborhood and passed several homes until he slowed the truck down. A man and woman stood hand in hand with boxes and bags of food surrounding them, and luggage behind them. Mason looked like a complete combination of the two. Their expressions were kind as they stood patiently waiting for their son. As we pulled into the driveway, every hint of nervousness faded away when his mother gave me a huge grin and waved.

“And for the record, we’re engaged.” Mason winked and opened the door, leaving me shell-shocked in the cab as his mother gave him a big hug.

We arrived at the lake and the cabin was absolutely charming. A welcoming front porch housed several coolers and a couple of outdoor couches and a table. The excitement running through Mason was contagious, and I wasn’t even sure why.

“Since I don’t see my brother, let me make sure everything is ready before you come in,” Mason said, jogging up the steps, bag in hand.

“Okay,” I called after him.

I’d stopped stewing and had somewhat recovered after finding out he was kidding about the engagement thing. I’d been a nervous wreck the first half of the road trip, not wanting to lie to his parents or say anything that could be misconstrued.

Mason came hopping down the steps. “Fun is the operative word for the weekend.”

He stood at the base of the steps, and smiled as he opened his hand for mine. “You never cease to take my breath away.”

“Your eyesight needs to be checked then,” I teased.

We stepped into a large room with a wood fireplace and a nice seating area with over-stuffed couches. Exposed wood beams framed the room and a pile of pillows had been shoved against a wall.

“This way to the kitchen and stairs.”

I didn’t see any sign of Gabby, Lily, Jason, or Ayden, but their car was parked out front so I wasn’t sure where they were. We walked into the kitchen, which was quite cozy with its stone counters and slate backsplash.

“We redid the kitchen over the winter.”

“I love it. The whole place is so welcoming. I can only imagine what it’s like with snow on the ground.”

“It’s pretty great, but it would be even better if you were here to see it,” Mason said, dipping his mouth next to my ear, sending a pure wave of shivers down my spine. “Ready to see the second floor?”

I nodded and followed Mason up the stairs to find a large hallway with built-in cabinets. It really paid to know a contractor.

“I assumed you’d probably want your own room with everything…” his voice trailed off.

“Doesn’t it get cold around here?”

His brow arched at my response.

“Freezing.”

“Maybe I should have someone to heat up the bed.”

“So that’s all I’m good for? A bed heater?”

“There are some other things I could add to that list. So whose tents are those out front?”

“Jason and Gabby have one and Lily and Ayden have the other. My parents haven’t set theirs up yet.”

“Why aren’t they staying inside the cabin? It’s plenty big enough.”

“They like roughing it, and my parents love camping the old-fashioned way so they’ll be setting up a tent.”

I narrowed my eyes at Mason. I didn’t believe him.

“So that leaves you and me in a cabin that could hold us all.”

Mason brought me to a bedroom that had a white pine four-poster bed and two matching nightstands. Opposite the bed there was a dresser with a huge bouquet of red roses. My gaze flashed to Mason’s before I rushed to the flowers. I bent over and took a deep breath in. The rose scent was intoxicating. There had to be at least three-dozen roses. I took in another deep breath of the heavenly scent.

Mason had come up behind me and I turned around slowly.

“These are beautiful.”

“You deserve an entire room full, but my brother’s car could only hold this arrangement with all of their luggage. I tried to get one of them to stay home, but they wouldn’t hear of it.”

I giggled and felt my entire body warm next to his.

“I don’t deserve anything… but thank you for thinking otherwise. What’s the real reason everyone is camping outside?” I asked.

“Believe it or not, it wasn’t me. I told them their idea would actually make you feel uncomfortable since we’re supposed to be “only friends”.” He motioned with his fingers.

“If you gestured with your fingers that probably didn’t help the credibility.” I flashed a wry grin. “But seriously I feel horrible that your parents are outside while I’m inside this cozy cabin.”

“Actually, they probably would’ve been in the tent anyway. They think Ayden and I are too rowdy, and they can never get to sleep when they stay inside the cabin.”

“Are you just saying that?”

Mason shook his head. “Promise. I don’t think they’ve slept in the cabin for years, unless they come up by themselves.”

“Why don’t you tell her why that is?” I heard a voice almost identical to Mason’s near the door. I brought my gaze to meet the person behind the sound and was shocked. I knew they were identical twins, but I didn’t expect them to be this identical. Even the kindness in their eyes was duplicated.

“Ayden, this is my friend, Tori.”

Ayden took a few steps into the room and gave me a bear hug.

“I was so relieved those roses made it up here. Lily had an incident with them, and I thought they were goners.” Ayden grinned.

“What kind of incident?” Mason asked.

“She fell asleep in the backseat and when she woke up, the vase was on its side and the roses were pressed into the window.”

I laughed and nodded. “Then that makes them extra special. They’ve been through a lot to get up here.”

“I told Mason roses were overkill for a friend, but he didn’t take my advice.” Ayden’s lip curled slightly and I laughed.

“It was smart of Mason to trust his gut.”

Ayden tapped the doorframe and grinned. “Well, just wanted to let you know that the bratwursts are on the grill. They should be ready in about fifteen minutes. Might be enough time—”

“Okay, and that is why they are staying outside,” Mason laughed, pretending to shove his brother out the door. Seeing two Masons struggle was quite a sight and I loved every second of it.

“It was nice to meet you,” Ayden hollered over his shoulder as he walked into the hallway.

“You too,” I yelled back, sniffing the roses once again.

Mason closed the door and charged over to me. My pulse raced when I looked into his eyes. They were pleading as he wrapped his arms around me and slowly moved me to the bed. Lifting me onto the high mattress, he shoved my shirt up and began kissing my stomach. His touch became more tender with every kiss and caress, and my fantasies for the weekend began.

He led his tongue slowly up my stomach, making my body tremble with every lick and kiss in his journey. I propped myself on my elbows as he worked his way up my body. Our eyes locked and my heart filled with nothing more than love for this man. I felt him release the clip in my hair and the strands tumbled around my shoulders.

 “Imagine what I could do with whipped cream and chocolate syrup,” he murmured, his hands skating across my stomach and my body ached for more.

I giggled and my head fell back. “I think I’ll do that this very second.”

His lips tickled my throat as he hovered over me.

“I’m done playing by your rules, Tori Aickens. You aren’t casual to me. I see a future with you, and I want you to see that too. I want you to imagine us together.”

I lifted my head back up and his gaze connected with mine. Seeing the desire in his eyes filled my body with an uncontrollable yearning to be his, not only now, but forever. I bit my lip and his eyes quickly fell to my mouth before bringing them back to meet mine.

“In fact, I think you already do.” The heat behind his gaze made my worries seem small and insignificant. It would be a crime to turn my back on this kind of passion so I did what any normal human being would do.

I gave in.

I tilted my head and ran my tongue along my lips, smiling as his mouth connected with mine, his tongue teasing and provoking a response from my body that was anything but controlled. He tasted so good. I wanted—needed—more of him. I let out a quiet request in the form of a moan, and his tongue stirred against mine in a slow and deliberate kiss. His hand slid along the waist of my jeans, quickly unbuttoning them as his touch sent my body soaring. Mason’s fingers slid down my panties, and he propped his weight on his other elbow as his mouth slowly released from mine. Mason studied me, teasing me into a world built on something I didn’t think I needed. His beautiful eyes centered on mine, my heart pounding in my chest, as he claimed me with slow and deliberate flicks of his fingers.

His movements were calculated and his stare intense as his strokes quickened, demanding a response from me that I refused to give. I didn’t want this to end. But his gaze was scorching as his mouth cupped the tip of my breast, his tongue working to break down my barriers and within seconds, I’d succumbed to everything Mason had asked of me. His other hand cradled my neck as my body arched in ecstasy, my breathing ragged with satisfaction and the desire for more, overwhelming my world.

I opened my eyes to see him watching me, studying me, as my body succumbed to his touch.

“What about you?” I asked, my voice hoarse.

He shook his head. “That was for me.”