The last two weeks had been filled with work at the Finch house during the day, incredibly hot sex at night, and a few deeper conversations that drew her just a little closer to falling into him. Truth was, she enjoyed just being with him.
She was almost glad Lula had trapped her into coming because now she could go without feeling as if she had given in. Plus, and this was a major plus, she would get to see Mason Adams in a tuxedo. Just the mental image made her itch with desire.
She finally tore herself away from her surreal reflection when Kylie called, “Knock, knock, it’s me,” from the front door.
“Bedroom,” she called back, giving her backside one more check.
“Holy cow, woman,” Kylie breathed when she entered the room. “You look stunning.”
“Thank you.” She couldn’t help beaming. She really did feel gorgeous. “You too, I knew that purple would look fabulous on you.”
Kylie spun around in her silk dress. Her beachy-yet-intricate hairstyle and expertly applied make-up made her look like Malibu Barbie. It was just very Kylie, and it made her heart feel even more full. “Do you think he’ll like it?”
She laughed. “Cruz? I think if you wore a plastic grocery bag, he would still be all over you. That man has it bad for Kylie King.”
She squealed happily and swayed her hips. “I can’t wait to show off our new dance moves.”
Gabi giggled. Since their first date, Kylie and Cruz had been nearly inseparable, and Kylie looked so happy that she made every room brighter. “I can’t wait to see them, maybe you could teach Mason and I.”
“You bet,” she said, dancing around some more. “But from what you’ve said, Mason already has pretty good moves.”
“Mmm, that he does.”
Kylie laughed and pulled on her hands. “Come on, Cruz is on his way.”
“Are you sure it’s okay if I tag along with you guys? I can drive myself.”
“Of course it’s okay, besides, I imagine you’ll be getting your own ride later, if you catch my drift.”
She caught it.
Fifteen minutes later they were speeding toward downtown in Cruz’s SUV to the hotel, where Mason had been for the last several hours taking family pictures and otherwise fulfilling his best man duties. She smiled whenever she thought of him posing with his family and only allowed herself to fantasize about being a part of that picture once, because the jolt it gave her heart was so gigantic she didn’t think she’d survive another one.
As they were pulling into the hotel parking garage, she picked up her phone to let Mason know they had arrived and found two texts.
UNKNOWN: I miss you baby, please talk to me.
She rolled her eyes and swiped the message away. She had moved so far on from that life that she couldn’t even work up enough energy to be annoyed or angry. She was just relieved to be away from him. It felt enormously freeing to not care anymore.
She was way more interested in the second text from her dad because he had never, ever, not even once sent a text before. She opened it with brimming curiosity.
DAD: Hey Ladybug, I know this is a busy night with the wedding so I won’t call but I wanted to let you know that the transfer came through! I’ll be a Chicagoan by October.
She let out a happy squeal that startled Kylie and Cruz, and instead of explaining, she handed the phone to Kylie who started squealing right along with her.
“Oh my God! It’s happening! George is coming!” Kylie cried.
“My dad’s transfer went through,” Gabi explained to a perplexed Cruz who looked like he was trying to decide if he needed to be jealous of someone named George.
“That’s awesome,” he said as he pulled into a parking spot. “I liked your dad; he’s a cool cat.”
“Gato,” Kylie said proudly. Cruz was teaching her Spanish.
“Sí, mi hermosa,” he told her, clearly proud, and kissed her on the forehead once the car was in park.
They were so cute it made her cheeks hurt. She sent a quick text to Mason and felt her heart speed up at the thought of seeing him smile at her.
The hotel was a gorgeous Art Deco masterpiece that Gabi could have spent the entire night drooling over, but Kylie pulled her toward the elevator when she stood looking at a chandelier for far too long.
“I’ve never been to the rooftop garden of any hotel, much less the Madison,” Kylie breathed. “I feel like royalty.”
She just nodded in response, completely entranced by the gold and glass inlay on the ceiling of the elevator.
“Design nerd,” she heard Kylie explain to Cruz, who answered with an “ah.”
When the elevator door opened on the rooftop, the smell of summer roses hit her and, like a dream, Mason was standing there waiting for her with that damn grin of his.
She felt her whole body weaken at the sight. He looked sinful—his navy tux was expertly cut across his giant shoulders to accentuate the “V” his body made, his hair was carefully styled, and his green eyes cut right to her heart.
Holy. Absolute. Fuck.
Mason
Mason shook his head, trying to imagine how he was lucky enough to have this woman here for him. To be on his arm. She was perfect. A vision in a blue dress. His heart did a strange stop-start, and he had trouble finding words to say anything at all.
“Damn, Gabi,” he said, finally stepping toward her, “you look incredible.”
She blushed the way he loved and smiled. “Thank you, Mason. You do too.”
He wanted to say more, but Cruz and Kylie burst forward to greet him, and she got shuffled a little off to the side. But instead of letting her slip away, he grabbed her hand and made sure she stayed right by him. He was not going to give her the opportunity to disappear.
He wished he could hold on to her hand for the rest of the night, but that was going to have to wait until the ceremony was over. “I’ve got to get back and get ready for the ceremony,” he told her, gently touching her cheek. “I’m so glad you’re here. Really.”
“Me too,” she said softly with a smile that made his heart melt.
Unable to resist, he tilted her chin up and gave her a quick kiss before darting back to the groom’s suite.
“So she showed up, I’d wager,” Seb said, clearly noting the change in his demeanor. He looked surprisingly grown up in his tux. “Dangerously dashing” is how he overheard one of the bridesmaids describe him. He supposed it fit.
“She’s here,” he confirmed, letting the smile spread. He couldn’t help it. She was there, she was gorgeous, and for at least tonight, she was his.
“I’m glad,” Dom said, turning around from where he was adjusting his bowtie in the mirror, “Now maybe you can get your head out of your ass.”
He laughed. “Fair enough. Consider me focused.” He patted his chest pocket. “I have the rings and the devastating looks, what else do I need?”
“A reality check?” Seb offered.
Mason ignored him and turned to his oldest brother. “You ready for this?”
He grinned. “Never been more ready for anything in my life.”
Seb groaned and Mason slapped him on his back. “Well, then”—he checked his watch—“let’s not keep the lady waiting.”
“Let’s not,” he agreed.
The rooftop ceremony was gorgeous. Greenery and flowers poured from all pots and vases, completely surrounding the small group of friends and family. The white painted arch Mason made was a striking contrast to the blue streak of Lake Michigan behind them.
Mason watched Dom fight tears when Lula walked down the aisle with their mother. She looked breath-taking in her 1950s vintage tea-length gown, her dark hair swept up into intricate curls, a bouquet of wildflowers cascading from her hands. Katherine beamed by her side in a dusty blue dress, her eyes glistening with tears as she handed Lula over to Dom.
Mason felt his heart pounding in his chest as he watched his brother eagerly go through the motions of pledging his life to Lula. They both looked so goddamn happy that Ma
son found himself fighting tears before they even got to the vows.
The vows nearly killed him.
“Lula,” Dom started, holding her hands tightly. “You are my light, my love, my reason. I promise to be by your side through everything, the good, the bad, and the boring. I promise to make you laugh, to lighten your load, and to be your shoulder. And I promise there will never be a minute in your life that you’ll ever have to wonder if you’re loved, because you are. Lula, I love you with every word I speak, every thought I have. You are a part of me for now and always.”
Brushing tears from her eyes, Lula spoke with a soft but steady voice. “Dom, you are the light in life, my reason for smiling, and the only person that can make me dance. I promise to be the same for you, your biggest fan, your solid shoulder, your safe place. I promise to love you, lift you up, and knock you down when you need it. I promise to love you in every way, every day, for the rest of my life.”
With several wiped tears, the couple exchanged rings and the officiant declared them Mr. and Mrs. Adams. During the kiss, Mason’s eyes slipped to Gabi.
She was sitting just at the edge of his periphery, totally engrossed, dotting her eyes with a Kleenex. It touched him that she was moved by the wedding of a couple she barely knew. It said a lot about her, and for a brief moment, he imagined her in a white dress. To his surprise, instead of terrifying him, he felt intrigued and hopeful.
When the recessional music began and he headed back down the aisle, he gave her a wink that made her blush like a school-girl. It instantly made him start counting the minutes until he could be alone with her.
He caught up with her as soon as he could and made a point to introduce her to his entire family. Distant cousins included. He didn’t want her to be able to extract herself easily anytime soon.
She was charming and sweet, and he couldn’t help the pride that welled inside of him when he introduced her to his mother.
“Hey, Mom,” he said after the receiving line had broken up. He nodded toward Gabi who was clinging tightly onto his arm. “I wanted to introduce you to my date. This is Gabi Turner. Gabi, this is my mother, Katherine.”
His mother smiled. “Gabi, it’s so nice to meet you.”
“You too,” Gabi answered. She held her hand out to shake, but instead of taking it, his mother crushed her into a hug that made Gabi gasp in surprise.
“Steve.” Katherine waved him over. “This is Mason’s girl, Gabi. Gabi, this is Steve.”
Gabi reddened but took Steve’s hand while Mason tried to figure out why he liked the phrase “Mason’s girl” so much. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”
“You too, Gabi, thank you for coming. You make sure you keep an eye on this one,” he answered, punching Mason playfully on the shoulder.
Mason gave him a dry smile and Katherine shooed them on. “Go have fun, eat, dance, drink.”
Grateful for the permission to enjoy the evening, Mason kissed his mother on the cheek and held Gabi’s hand as they dove into the evening.
They giggled and laughed all the way through dinner with Cruz and Kylie and then swung around the dancefloor until they were both exhausted. It was exactly as amazing to be out and enjoying life with her as he thought it would be.
And as the night went on, the looks she gave him became more and more tender, their dances closer and closer. He could feel her letting go, letting him in, and he held his breath lest he ruin it somehow.
“You ready to get out of here?” he asked her as they spun around the floor one last time. Most of the guests were gone, Kylie and Cruz had left a while ago, and his mother was sitting at a table trying to cover her yawn as demurely as she could. Steve was rubbing her shoulders.
Gabi lifted her head off his chest and smiled at him. “I’d pay a thousand dollars to take these shoes off.”
He laughed and kissed her forehead. “Deal, let’s say good-bye and get out of here.”
He pulled her quickly through good-byes with his family, pausing to give Dom an extra-long hug. “Love you, man. I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks, I love you too.” He nodded at Gabi. “I can see why you like her,” he said softly. “Try not to fuck this up.”
“That’s exactly what I said,” Lula piped up.
Dom squeezed her. “And that’s why we’re perfect for each other.”
“I’m working on it,” he told them both and looked at where his mother was crushing Gabi to her chest again. “Just about as hard as I can.”
“Don’t worry,” Lula whispered. “She’s in love too, she just doesn’t know it yet.”
He let out a weird laugh, taken aback by the words “in love.” And even more so by realization that he might just be.
Shit.
But once again, it didn’t fill him with terror. Just warmth. He smiled at Gabi as she came toward them.
“Thank you so much for having me; it was such a beautiful wedding,” she told Lula and Dom.
“Don’t be silly, thank you for coming,” Lu answered, pulling her in for a hug. “I hope we see you again soon.”
Gabi blushed but didn’t look uncomfortable. “That would be nice.”
Impatient to be alone with her, Mason slipped his arm through hers and nodded at the couple. “We are out of here, congratulations.”
And with that, he spun Gabi on her heels and hurried her toward the elevator. He could hear Dom and Lula laugh behind him. But he didn’t care, all he cared about was taking Gabi home and making love to her for the rest of the night.
Chapter 24
Gabi
Gabi’s head was swimming happily from champagne as Mason drove her through the city with the windows down. She felt like a princess. The wedding had been absolutely perfect, from Lula’s fifties-inspired gown to the twinkle lights above the dance floor. And Mason. Mason, Mason, Mason. He was a dream that she never wanted to wake up from.
Being with him had been the most fun she had ever had. Not only did he make her feel beautiful, he made her feel important. So much so, it made her heart clench whenever she thought of her life without him.
The buzz of her phone pulled her out of her reverie and she fumbled as she dug it out of her clutch.
“Kylie,” she told Mason.
KYLIE: I’ll be at Cruz’s for the rest of the night. Or eternity. I don’t care!
She laughed and dropped her phone again. She typed back quickly.
GABI: Yay! I’ll be at Mason’s, probably for the weekend. Have fun!
“Checking in?” Mason asked.
“Always,” she answered. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Neither would I,” he said and took her hand in his.
For such a simple move, it made her heart shift significantly. It felt comfortable. Right. “I had fun tonight,” she said, snuggling into the seat and gazing at him. “Thank you for making me be your date.”
He laughed and squeezed her hand a little tighter. “You’re welcome, gorgeous. I had fun too.”
She smiled and gazed out at the lights of Downtown flying by her window. “It was such a beautiful wedding.”
“Was it?” he asked. “I couldn’t tell you, I was too busy watching this hot redhead in a blue dress.”
“Is that so?” she asked, fully enjoying his flattery. It was getting him everywhere. “Hot, was she?”
“A fucking knock-out,” he answered, giving her a grin that made her heart pound and her lady parts twinge in anticipation. “I’m hoping she’ll stay the rest of the weekend with me.”
It was hard to keep in the squeal, but she managed. “I think your chances are good. She told me she thought you were so fucking sexy that she wanted to peel that tux off of you one piece at a time.”
He let out a groan and pushed the accelerator, making her laugh. “I can make that happen, I can definitely make that happen.”
Mason
Mason got her home as fast as he could, slung her over his shoulder, and carried her straight to his bedroom. “All rig
ht,” he said, after gathering her up in a sultry kiss, “I’m ready for my hot redhead to undress me now.”
She grinned at him and gave him the hottest look he had ever seen. “Finally.” She sighed and then slid her hands underneath his jacket straight up to his stomach and chest.
“Fuck,” he grumbled, “you’re going to take your time, aren’t you?”
“Damn straight,” she said. “It’s not every day I get to undress the sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”
He couldn’t help but puff up a little at that one. He smiled at her. “For the record, I’m honored that you think that.”
“Like you don’t know,” she said cutely, and slipped his jacket down his arms.
“I’ve heard a thing or two but, Gabi, I really only care what you think.”
She paused from where she had been working on his top button and met his eyes. He saw something he had never seen before in her expression: hope and maybe, just maybe, something deeper. It made his heart thunder to life.
“Really?” she asked, her voice was raw and exposed, as if his response meant everything.
He smiled at her, his most devastating smile. “Yes, Gabi, really,” and then kissed her so fucking hard, she crumpled into his arms. He didn’t care that he had promised she could undress him, he’d put the fucking tux back on later if she wanted. Right now, he just needed his skin against hers. To feel her body clinging to his, her legs wrapping around his waist.
She didn’t complain when he had them both undressed in seconds, just giggled when he threw her down on the bed and growled as he crawled toward her. He was going to devour her, make her feel so fucking good, she’d never leave. Because after having her with him tonight at the wedding, around his family and friends, he couldn’t stomach the thought of her being anything other than his girl.
They made love slowly, languorously. Somehow this time was different than all the times that came before. He could feel their souls moving together, not just their bodies. And he knew that he was gone forever where Gabi was concerned. There would never be another woman for him.
Was it love? He wasn’t sure; he’d never felt it before, but whatever it was, was damn important.
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