Truly Yours

by Kennedy Fox

  “We’re leaving in ten minutes. I don’t want to give you any time to change your mind,” he singsongs and walks out of my room.

  I put my violin in the case, but I’ll practice again tomorrow with a clear head and be more than ready in a couple of days. The last thing I want to do is to let down my director, my colleagues, and more importantly, myself. After I change out of my work clothes, I walk out of my room, and he’s already waiting by the door.

  “Why are you dressed so nice?” I look at him from head to toe.

  “To impress the hoes,” he says matter-of-factly, causing me to snort.

  “I’m telling Maddie,” I tease as we walk out to his truck.

  “Don’t. She’s the biggest cock block out there.”

  And we all know that’s the truth. Maddie’s become more brave over the past few months, marking her territory and scaring off any girl who comes within a five-mile radius of Liam when she’s around. It’s actually pretty funny to watch.

  Instead of going to one of our regular hangouts, Liam drives us to a wine bar. We walk inside and sit, and I’m excited to try all the different wines they have. The list is a mile long.

  “I hope you’re not expecting me to put out after this.” I glance over at him after seeing how expensive everything is.

  “Nah, but maybe you could do my dirty laundry,” he jokes, but I don’t think he’s kidding.

  I order a white zinfandel, and Liam gets a Pinot Noir. Jazz music plays in the background, and light from the candles along the bar flicker against the wall. The mood is dark and quiet, not loud like most of the places we typically go to, and I’m actually grateful he brought me here. It’s relaxing.

  “You know, sometimes when I visit places like this, I like to make up stories about other people in the room. Pretend they’re millionaires who like to slum with the commonfolk or drug lords. Like that guy over there…” Liam tilts his head.

  I peek around and look. “The guy with the mustache?”

  “Yeah, he has four wives, and they all live together. Right now, he’s waiting for his girlfriend to arrive so he can propose to her and make her his fifth wife.” Liam narrows his eyes then chuckles.

  “Oh my God. You’re ridiculous,” I say, but it is funny. “So what about that woman over there?”

  “She killed her husband so she could cash in ten million dollars worth of insurance money. Her dream has always been to buy a private island, and once she gets the money, all her dreams are going to come true,” he says so confidently I almost believe the silly story.

  “And the bartender?” I ask.

  “Trust fund baby, but runs an underground drug ring and uses his inheritance to fund it all. Next.” He grins.

  “You’re way too good at this. Who would’ve thought you had such a wild imagination.” I’m laughing, smiling, having a good time, and it feels so nice.

  Liam shrugs. “I know. It’s how I occupy myself in airports, considering I’ve been traveling so much lately. There are so many people in there it’s easy to just think about how crazy their lives could be. Who knows, it could be true even though there’s like a one in a million chance.” He finishes his wine and orders another, and I get one too, but this time, I switch to a merlot. For the first time all week—hell, all month—I have a sense of calmness, and I’m grateful for Liam’s friendship, more than he even knows. It’s almost as if I feel like myself right now at this moment, and I don’t want it to end.

  “Talk to Mason today?” he asks, abruptly moving the conversation to me.

  Our new glasses are placed in front of us. Sipping my wine, I give him a nod. “Yeah, he told me he’d be home somewhat late, but that’s about it.” Before he can continue with Mason as the subject, I quickly change the subject. “So you’re coming to Maddie’s recital, right?”

  “You already know I’m going to be there. You’re trying to deflect. But I’m not gonna allow it.” He grins when I groan.

  “Then I’m going to need another glass of wine,” I bemuse, and Liam makes it happen.

  “I know you two are going through a rough patch. I know things have been rocky, but he loves you, Soph. A lot. The other night, I heard you arguing about Serena…”

  “And? I’m not crazy, right?” My heart races as I think about it.

  “You’re crazy, but not about that,” he teases. “I just want you to know that you have nothing to worry about. If you told Mason to jump, he’d ask you how high. If you wanted him to wait for you for a decade, he’d wait a decade plus a year. Hell, he’s been waiting for a woman like you for a long ass time, and he’s not going to give that up. Trust me. I’m his best friend. I know him better than he knows himself. When Mason Holt falls in love, he falls hard, and he’s not ever going to let that go. In case you haven’t noticed, in the past three years of knowing him, he’s never had another girl around. Never.”

  Heat rushes to my cheeks, and a small smile plays on my lips. Liam’s right, which makes me feel bad for fighting with him and assuming he wasn’t going to be able to be patient with me. The alcohol seems to hit me all at once. I haven’t eaten anything since breakfast, which was probably a bad idea, but I finish my third glass of wine anyway. “I think I’ve had too much to drink.”

  A hiccup escapes me, and I giggle. “I’m a lightweight, aren’t I?” I ask, shamelessly slurring my words.

  “Oh man, drunk Sophie has come out to play, hasn’t she? Maybe we shouldn’t have ordered the eight ounce glasses?”

  Laughter overtakes me. “Can we get a pizza on the way home?”

  “I said I’d pay for your drinks. I never said anything about dinner.”

  I poke my bottom lip out. “Please? Sophie needs food.”

  “You’re lucky you’re one of the few chicks I can actually stand.” He rolls his eyes with a smirk.

  “Thanks, I think?” I snicker.

  After he closes our tab, Liam orders a pizza just the way I like it. My head is spinning, and I feel as if I’m on cloud nine as we drive home. Liam wouldn’t lie about Mason. He has no reason to, and if there’s anyone who knows him best, it’s Liam. I stare out the window, lost in my head when I start laughing.

  “What’s so funny?” Liam asks as we pull into the driveway.

  “I was just thinking about all those stupid stories you made up about those people at the bar,” I tell him, noticing Mason is home.

  Before he climbs out and gets the pizza, I grab his arm. “Thank you.”

  He laughs. “For what?”

  “For being a good friend. Albeit a stubborn one, but a good one.”

  Liam shrugs as if it’s no big deal. “Being stubborn is the easy part.”

  I snort, knowing Maddie would wholeheartedly agree.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Mason

  It’s nearly dark outside, and I’ve been staring at the computer screen for nearly twenty minutes. Instead of wasting more time, I decide to leave. Sophie agreed to watch a movie with me, and I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to spend time with her. I’ve been trying to shift us back to where we were in our friendship before the Serena argument and without all the awkwardness. It’s still a struggle, being up and down, but I won’t complain. After what she went through, I’m still so proud she’s come this far and continues her therapy to help her.

  I try to give her space and let her do things in her own time, but I also refuse to let her go through it alone. Sophie is sometimes too proud to ask for help, to ask for anything. She’s always so concerned with everyone else, she often forgets about herself, but that hasn’t changed since the first day I met her. Nothing can change her kind soul, not Weston and not his brother either.

  On the way home, I pick up a pizza, just the way Sophie likes it. There’s little to no traffic tonight, and it takes me no time to arrive, but then I notice that Liam isn’t home. While I love his company, I’m happy to spend some alone time with Sophie since he rudely interrupted our breakfast this morning.

  When I w
alk in, I see that all the lights are off. I call out Sophie’s name but don’t get a response. Setting the pizza down on the coffee table, I go to her room and knock. When I don’t get an answer, I crack open the door, but she’s not inside. Her violin case is on her bed, and her music stand has sheets on it. Knowing she played today makes me smile because I know how much joy it actually brings her when she’s not pressuring herself. Though I talked to her earlier and know she didn’t have the best day, she still came home and practiced. That’s the type of determination that can’t be taught. Some people have it, and some people don’t. It’s proof Sophie is a fighter.

  “Soph?” I call out again into the house but don’t get a response. I check the upstairs and downstairs bathrooms, but they’re both empty too. Instantly, I grow more worried, but make another walk around the house just to make sure. I let out a frustrated groan and pull my phone from my pocket. Before I can text her, the door swings open. Sophie and Liam barge in loud as fuck, laughing about God knows what, and Liam’s carrying a pizza in his hand.

  “Where the hell have you been?” I ask Sophie, and my tone comes out harsher than I intend. I try to suck in a deep breath and calm my panic because my mind went to a dark place when I couldn’t find her.

  She looks at me and snorts. Liam shakes his head and sets the pizza on the table next to the one I picked up.

  “Pizza?” Sophie asks, giggling. “Great minds.”

  I narrow my eyes at her as she plops down on the couch. “Are you drunk?”

  “Oh, Mason,” she singsongs. Opening the box, she grabs a slice, then takes a large bite . “Oh my God, this pizza is giving me so much life.”

  I look at Liam. “What the actual fuck, dude?”

  He shrugs and stuffs his face with a piece, then sits in his recliner. “You shoulda told us you were grabbing dinner. I wouldn’t have stopped.”

  Sophie laughs and grabs my arm, pulling me down next to her. “Chill out. There’s no such thing as too much pizza.”

  I can’t help but notice the way her head falls back on her shoulders and how free she seems right now. It makes me miss her so goddamn much. I can’t even put it into words how seeing her like this makes me feel, but I know it’s nothing more than a façade, a mask she’s currently wearing behind the alcohol.

  “So you get my girlfriend drunk, then bring her home?” I direct to Liam.

  He gives me a smirk at my slipup.

  Sophie shakes her head, but she’s grinning wide. With a mouthful, she speaks, “I’m not drunk, scout’s honor.” Then she attempts to do the salute and fails when she can’t figure out if it’s two fingers or three.

  “Listen, I just offered to buy her a drink, not my fault she drank an entire bottle of wine in an hour,” Liam says, then grabs another piece.

  “Seriously? In an hour?” My eyes grow wide with annoyance. She’s going to be sick as hell tomorrow. She hasn’t drunk like that in forever.

  “Are you trying to parent me, Mason?” Sophie lifts her eyebrows as if she’s daring me to keep talking. “Should I call you daddy now?” She snickers, and I give Liam the biggest you-motherfucker glare.

  He bursts out laughing as I hold back a groan. “Jesus fuck, Soph. Don’t say shit like that.” I brush a hand through my hair, then decide if I can’t beat ’em, I might as well eat too.

  Liam and Sophie practically destroy an entire pizza by themselves, and I have a few slices too, but I’m not in the giddiest state of mind like they are. Eventually, Liam decides to go upstairs. When the house is quiet, I look at Sophie who looks like she’s dreaming of rainbows and unicorns.

  Her hair falls into her eyes, and I can’t stop staring at how damn beautiful she is. Looking at her right now, I know without a doubt how I feel about this woman. I’d give her the whole world if she’d allow me to, and while I know she won’t right now, I’ll always be waiting.

  As if she reads my mind, she stands, then falls into my lap. I hold her close to my chest, smelling the freshness of her hair and feeling the warmth of her soft body pressed against mine. I want to be this close to her for the rest of my life, and it nearly pains me when she pulls away to sit next to me. Instantly, I miss her touch even though we’re still close.

  “I was worried about you,” I admit, staring at her.

  She looks up at me, and I notice the way her tongue slides out of her mouth and swipes across her bottom lip, and I’ve never been so damn jealous of that tongue. I just want to taste her again so fucking badly.

  “I’m okay, Mason. I am. I promise.” The small smile plays across her lips, and it teases me in ways she doesn’t even know. “Liam wanted me to break away from playing because I wouldn’t stop. I needed tonight.”

  I nod. “I understand. I just…I thought something happened.” Perhaps I have PTSD from almost losing her. I worry every damn time she leaves the house, but I can’t exactly ask her to check in with me every second of the day, not if she doesn’t want to.

  “The only tragedy that happened tonight was I didn’t get a glass of champagne. Liam cut me off,” she says with an adorable pout as she shifts closer.

  She’s being overly flirty, and I have to remind myself it’s the alcohol loosening all of her inhibitions. I tuck her hair behind her ear, and she leans into my touch.

  “I’ve missed you,” she admits, and it causes my heart to lurch forward. “So damn much.”

  “I’ve missed you too. But you know I’m always here for you, sweetheart. Right?”

  Her hand rests on my leg, and I take any part of her that she’s willing to give me. Just being this close to her is driving me absolutely crazy.

  Sophie clears her throat as if she has something serious to say. “Listen, I’m really sorry about last week when we fought about Serena. I should’ve been more understanding of your friendship. I can’t say I’m not jealous because I am, but I should trust you enough not to let my insecurities get the best of me.”

  I let out a deep breath and place my hand on top of hers, relieved to hear those words. The last thing I want to do is fight with her, especially when the undeniable electricity streams between us. “I am too. I should’ve also understood where you were coming from.”

  “Mason, you didn’t do anything wrong. I feel guilty for ruining your celebration dinner. I acted like a jealous ex-girlfriend when I had no right to.” Her breath hitches when she realizes the words she said, and I notice the way her chest rises and falls with every ragged breath.

  “You didn’t ruin anything,” I reassure her before continuing, “and you technically can’t be a jealous ex-girlfriend. If you ever take the girlfriend tag, trust me when I say there will never be an ex in front of it, only a Mrs.” I wink, though I’m being one hundred percent honest. Our relationship being on pause or limbo—or whatever the hell it is—wouldn’t stop me from marrying her tomorrow.

  Sophie playfully rolls her eyes, not taking me seriously. “For real though, I’m sorry for getting upset about Serena.” She chews on the corner of her lip, and I have to remind myself not to lean in and kiss her, but resisting the temptation has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do.

  “You have nothing to worry about, ever. Serena and I are just friends, and that’s it. I promise.”

  “That’s good to know. I just hope she knows.” She blushes, then yawns. “I think I’m going to go to bed, so I can be somewhat functional tomorrow. I’ve had a long day.” She stands, then takes a few steps away, and when I think our time is up, she turns and looks over her shoulder at me. “Coming?”

  I raise my brows and give her a small grin when she holds out her hand for me to take. It’s hard for me to tell her no, and she’s testing every bit of willpower I have left. If I’m not careful, it’s going to fucking snap.

  Slowly and wobbly, she leads me through the living room and to her bedroom. She closes the door and looks up at me with a sexy little smirk playing on her lips.

  “I need you, Mason,” she whispers, then sucks in her lower l
ip like a temptress.

  Fuck. Me.

  “Soph,” I say cautiously, cupping her cheek and rubbing my thumb over it like I’ve done dozens of times before.

  “Please?” she asks, nearly begging.

  “I can’t,” I begrudgingly say.

  Not taking no for an answer, she begins to take off her clothes. Carefully, she pulls off her shirt and drops it to the floor. Not waiting another second, she unbuttons and unzips her shorts, then kicks them away while keeping her eyes locked with mine. She stands in only her bra and panties, and my hands ball into fists to keep myself from reaching out and touching her. I bite down on my bottom lip and swallow hard as I study every soft curve of her body and grow harder with each passing second.

  “Soph,” I growl. “We can’t.”

  She walks around me, and I watch as she pulls back the sheets, then lies down on the bed, batting her lashes at me. When I move closer toward her, she crawls under the blankets and curls her finger at me to join her. I swallow down the lump in my throat, knowing this is not her right now. As if she sees my hesitation, she goes a step further and takes off her bra, then dangles it outside the covers with a sultry grin, teasing the shit out of me. I close my eyes tight and tell myself to get the fuck out of there. I’d never take advantage of her after she’s been drinking, but she’s seriously testing me right now.

  “Coming in?” she asks.

  “No.”

  She pouts out her lower lip, giving me her best sad eyes. “Why? Are you out of condoms?” She asks the question so innocently, I bark out a laugh that’s mostly strained with a fuck my life groan as I pinch the back of my neck. “I can’t, Soph. You’ve been drinking.”

  The words nearly cause me physical pain because if she weren’t drunk, she wouldn’t have to ask twice.

  “Will you at least hold me then?”

  Sucking in a breath, I nod, and she scoots over for me to climb in behind her. She presses her ass against my erection that obviously has no shame or willpower. Her breath hitches when I nuzzle my nose and lips against the softness of her neck. She reaches for my hand and interlocks her fingers with mine, then rests it against her stomach, which is way too close to both her pussy and bare tits. Forcing myself to close my eyes, I take in this moment, the way she smells and how she feels, until we both fall asleep.