by S. J. McCoy
She visibly pulled herself together and then stood up with a smile. She surprised him by coming around the table to hug Chance. “It's so good to see you. It's been too long.” Then she turned to Mason and hugged him. It wasn't just a hug though, for a moment she clung to him. He closed his arms around her and struggled to let her go when she turned back to the others. “I'd like you to meet two of my oldest and dearest friends, Mason Remington and Chance Malone.”
Mason tipped his hat at the blonde. He smiled at the other guy before turning a stony glare on the fiancé.
Gina continued with the introductions. “This is Kaitlyn Jones and Ian Rawlings. They both work with my fiancé, Liam Woodford.”
Mason couldn't help crushing the guy's hand when he shook it, then stared him down, waiting for him to speak. He sure as hell wasn't going to say it was nice to meet him. The guy stared back, looking like a rabbit in the headlights. Pussy!
The silence lasted long enough to become awkward before Gina broke it. “It's great to see you guys. Maybe we'll catch up with you later, but Liam and I were about to dance.”
She pulled the guy to his feet and they disappeared onto the crowded dance floor. The blonde chick and the other guy followed them. Mason shrugged and went to lean on the end of the bar to watch. He wasn't in a hurry.
Shane passed him a fresh beer. “She sure didn't act like she hates you.”
Mason nodded. The way she'd hugged him so tight had surprised him—in a good way. He might not be in a hurry, but he didn't intend to waste too much time before he followed up on that hug. The way she was dancing with the guy told him that things weren't good between them. He held her stiffly and she stared out over his shoulder. Mason smiled to himself. His Gina didn't dance like that. It seemed he needed to remind her how to dance along with everything else. He handed the beer back to Shane, who grinned at him.
He made his way out onto the dance floor and enjoyed the way Gina's eyes widened when he tapped the guy on the shoulder. “May I?”
He didn't expect a no, and he didn't get one. The guy stepped away and Mason curled an arm around her waist pulling her against him, much closer than her so-called fiancé had been holding her. He didn't enjoy the look on her face when she saw the blonde woman let go of her partner and catch Liam before he left the dance floor. She pressed herself up against him, making Mason scowl and hold Gina even tighter to his chest. She was shaking in his arms. He looked down at her.
“What the hell is going on, G?”
It hurt him to see tears well up in her eyes. He didn't want her to care enough about the guy to cry over him.
She rested her cheek against his chest. “I don't want to talk about it, Mase.”
He couldn't force her to. Instead, he made the most of holding her close. It had been years since they'd danced together, but she felt as though she'd never left his arms. Their bodies moved together as if they were two parts of the same whole. He was hard as a rock being this close to her again. She must be able to feel him, but she didn't move away. She kept her face buried against him and clung to him as they moved. Whatever he'd thought might happen tonight, it certainly wasn't this.
He looked across to see Liam dancing with blondie. He didn't seem worried that his fiancée was holding onto another guy, crying into his chest. He was too busy laughing with his friend. Mason saw red.
He took hold of Gina's hand and led her off the dance floor. She must be in a state, she didn't even try to resist. He led her out of the saloon and into the little courtyard out the back. She stared up at him but said nothing.
He wrapped his arms around her again and rested his chin on the top of her head. “Tell me what's going on, babe. If he's hurting you, I will...”
“No!” Finally, she sounded like Gina again, an edge of fire tinged her voice.
“It's not his fault, Mason. It's all my fault.”
“What's your fault?”
She looked up at him. “You are the last person I should be talking to about this.”
He couldn't help smiling at her. “I was always the one you could talk to, G. Always the one you came to. I don't know what changed that, but I don't think it matters anymore. All I know is I want to change it back again.”
Her eyes almost popped out of her head. “What...what are you saying, Mase?”
“I'm saying we need to put whatever happened in the past behind us. We need to start getting on with our forever. I want you back, Gina. And this time I'm not going to give up. That guy isn't right for you. You're mine babe, always have been, always will be. It's time you admit it. Don't you think?”
~ ~ ~
Gina stared at him. She could not believe this was happening. Mason still wanted her? Still wanted forever? Not ten minutes after Kaitlyn had told her that she didn't love Liam? She didn't know what to do with this. With any of it.
Mason was smiling at her, his eyes pleading with her. He couldn't mean it? She hadn't been his for years—because he hadn't wanted her to be.
“I don't understand.”
“I don't know how I can make it any clearer. I want you back and I'm not giving up until I get you. You can't marry that guy. He's not good enough for you.” Gina hated the pity she saw in his eyes as he added. “And I hate to say it, but if he's not messing around on you already, it won't be long before he is.”
That stung. Even though she knew exactly what he meant. Instead of pulling away from him, she sagged against him. “What makes you say that?”
“I think you already know, don't you? It looks like that friend he brought with him is more than just a friend.”
Gina heaved a big sigh and let out a sad little laugh. “She's certainly hoping to be. She just told me that she's making her play for him.”
Mason's arms tightened around her. A tiny voice in the back of her mind was yelling that she shouldn't let him hold her like that. That she shouldn't even be out here with him, but she ignored it. He felt so good. He made her feel so good, nestled against him. She felt safe, protected, in a way she hadn't felt since...well, since Mason.
He didn't say anything. He'd always known when to stay quiet and let her think. He’d always known when he could push her towards finding her own answers.
“The thing is, she also told me that she's always loved him. She doesn't think he and I belong together either. And...” Her mind was racing, replaying the conversation. When Kaitlyn had told her she didn't really love Liam, Gina had been angry. Of course, she did! But sitting in that bathroom stall pondering it all, she had started to think that perhaps she didn't. When Mason had come marching over to their table, she had known for sure that what she felt for Liam had never come anywhere close to what she felt for this man. Dancing with him, coming out here with him, had only emphasized the fact that Mason was still the man she loved. Even though he was also the man who had destroyed her.
She looked up at him. “You're right, Mase. He's not right for me. I'm not right for him, and I need to get back in there and let him know that.”
He searched her face. “And what about you and me?”
She couldn't go there. Not yet. “You broke my heart. How would we ever get past that?”
The lines around his eyes were etched with pain. “Tell me how, babe? I don't understand. I've never understood. What did I ever do to you?”
He really didn't seem to know. Maybe it was time to forget how much the boy he had been had hurt her? The man he was now seemed pretty genuine about wanting another chance. “That's not going to be a short conversation. Let me go and deal with Liam for now? We'll talk, Mase. I promise. But not tonight, okay?”
He nodded and held her close. “I'll wait, but I won't be patient. And I'm not giving up on us. Not ever again, do you hear me?” He tucked his fingers under her chin as he spoke and looked deep into her eyes.
She nodded. She wanted to believe him. Wanted more than anything in the world for him to mean it. His lips came down on hers. It was a gentle kiss, deep and tender, full of promises. Could
she even dare to hope that he might mean them this time? When their lips finally parted she smiled up at him. “I'd better get back in there.”
It felt as if they'd never been apart when he patted her ass with a grin. “Go get 'em, G. I'll be waiting for you when you're ready.”
She frowned. “Not tonight.”
He smiled. “I know, babe. I'll be waiting whenever you're ready.”
It took everything she had to leave the circle of his arms and walk back inside. For a moment there, the last ten years had disappeared and she had felt as if they were back to the way they had been. Mason and Gina, the couple who were meant to be. As she opened the door to the saloon, she turned to look back at him. Her heart melted when she met his gaze. His smile offered the promise of future happiness while at the same time stripping away all the hurt of the past and making her remember all the love and laughter they'd shared.
He tipped his hat back and winked at her, making her smile and hurry inside. She'd once told him how much that particular little move turned her on—and he'd used it on her to great effect whenever he could after that. While part of her would love to turn around, go back to him, step into his arms and go wherever the night might take them, she couldn't. It seemed that her whole life had been turned on its head over the course of the last few days. She had to put the brakes on and sort through it all before she could let herself be swept along with it. The first thing she needed to do was talk to Liam. He was, after all, supposed to be her fiancé. Whether that was about to change or not, they needed to talk about it.
As she made her way through the bar, she had to second guess herself. Why had she forced herself to come back, to try to talk things out with Liam? He was still dancing with Kaitlyn, seemingly oblivious to the fact that she had left with Mason. Kaitlyn was laughing. She flicked her long blonde hair away from her face then rested her hand on Liam's shoulder. Gina wanted to hate her for it, but she could see the love shining in Kaitlyn's eyes as she smiled up at Liam. How could she hate her? No one could help how they felt—whom they loved. She of all people knew that. She'd tried for years to stop loving Mason, but her heart bluntly refused to let go.
As she approached the dance floor, she had no idea what she should do. She'd come back in thinking she needed to take Liam aside and talk to him. Watching him dance with Kaitlyn, she didn't want to intrude. It felt like they were the couple and she was the interloper, about to ruin their evening. She didn't need to decide what to do. Liam spotted her. He smiled and spoke a few words to Kaitlyn before letting go of her and making his way to Gina.
“Are you having a good time, Gina?” He smiled, seemingly unaware of anything amiss about the evening. He held his hand out to her. “Come dance with me? I think I'm getting the hang of it. All this country stuff is quite fun, isn’t it?”
She took his hand and followed him back out onto the dance floor, even though she was struggling to believe that he was as oblivious as he seemed to be.
“Are you okay, Gina?” he asked after they'd danced in silence for a while. “You're being a bit of a stick-in-the-mud this weekend. Do you have your period or something? It'd be nice if you could make an effort to make it fun for Ian and Kaitlyn after they came all this way to see you.”
Seriously? Gina couldn't believe her ears. Was he that clueless? And were Ian and Kaitlyn more of a concern to him than she was?
She stared at him. “Do you have any idea what's going on here, Liam?”
“No, Gina, sweetie. I don't. I got the idea there was some undercurrent with the big broody cowboy. I figured you probably used to date him, but you know I'm not the jealous type. I thought you may need to talk with him, so I left you to it.”
“And you had Kaitlyn to keep you busy anyway, right?”
Liam frowned. “I'd rather not ignore our friends the whole weekend! You're being rather rude to them, the least I can do is try to make sure they have fun.”
Wow! “I'm not being rude to them, Liam...”
“Oh, Gina, don't be ridiculous. You're hardly being the gracious hostess, are you?”
She couldn't believe this! “Well, considering I didn't even invite them, I'm not sure why you would expect me to be. I asked you to come, not them.”
“For God's sake, Gina. Do you have to be so utterly self-absorbed? I told you. We still have work to do on the Avery show. We were trying to kill two birds with one stone. Why won't you appreciate that?”
“Because I thought I meant more to you than that. I thought you might make me a priority. But apparently I’m being ridiculous! Pardon me for thinking that the guy who wants to marry me might want to put me first!”
“Grow up, Gina!”
She shook her head. “If growing up means settling for a life where I'm never a priority, then I don't want to! If you'd ever made the time to get me an engagement ring, I'd give it back to you right now.”
Liam shook his head. “Do you have your period? Is that what this is all about? You're always more unreasonable when you're hormonal.”
Gina closed her eyes, determined not to drag this out any longer. She took a deep breath before she spoke again. “No, Liam. I don't have my period. I am not hormonal. I don't think I'm being unreasonable. I'm just being myself and whenever I'm myself you don't seem to like me too much.” She shook her head sadly and met his gaze. “And you know, it's a two-way street. Kaitlyn was right, I always want you to act differently than you do. When you are yourself, I don't like you too much either. So I think it's time we call it a day.”
He looked thoroughly shocked for a moment. Then he smiled reassuringly. “You don't mean that, Gina. It's a stressful time, what with your dad and everything. I'm sorry I haven't been more understanding, but there's no need to overreact. Let's just forget this. When we get home and everything is back to normal, you'll see.”
He wasn't even taking her seriously now! Gina suddenly understood how right Kaitlyn had been. She'd told Gina that she loved the man she wanted to Liam to be. Now she realized that Liam loved the woman he wanted her to be. Whatever the practical realities of breaking up with him might be, she'd rather face them than face a marriage and a life with him that would only make them both miserable. She touched his cheek with a sad smile. “I am home, Liam. And when everything is back to normal, you'll see and probably be grateful to me, or at least relieved. I'm going back to my dad's. I'll drive you all to the airport tomorrow. But we're through.”
As she pushed her way off the dance floor and out through the crowded bar, she could feel the relief flooding through her. She may not know what she was going to do about her career or her life, but she knew that she couldn't marry Liam. The fact that she'd done them both a big favor was enough to make her smile as climbed into the truck and headed back down the valley. She might not be sure of too much of anything right now, but she did know one thing. She'd told Liam that she was home and as she headed south under the big starry sky, the moonlight reflecting off the river to her right, snow-capped peaks shining to her left, she knew that much was true.
Chapter Eight
Mason smiled at the girl sitting in the passenger seat of his truck. He was glad she and her friends were leaving. The guests staying at Shane's dude ranch didn't normally bother him too much. He didn't like having strangers on the property, but he mostly managed to stay out of their way. He admired the business his littlest brother was building and was glad that he'd chosen to come home. After his stint in the Navy, Shane had been determined to make a go of some kind of business on his own. For a while, it had seemed that he would head out in the world in order to make it. Then he'd had the idea of the dude ranch and he'd gone to work. He worked hard and was making it a big success. If a few city types wandering around the place was the price Mason had to pay to have Shane back, then it was worth it.
The girl handed him her business card. “We won't be able to make it back out here until the fall, but if you're ever in San Diego, call me. I'd love to show you how we do it in the city.” Her smiled cl
arified the innuendo in her words.
Mason tipped his hat. “Thanks, but I'm not into city living.”
She wasn't going to give up so easily. “It's not the living I want to show you.”
He shook his head and opened the truck door. He wanted to get her, her friends, and their luggage out of his truck, out of town and be on his way.
She reached over and put a hand on his arm. “I'll have to wait until we come back in the fall then. You can show me how cowboys do it.”
Mason couldn't help but smirk at her as he climbed out. “You couldn't handle it, sweetheart.”
He started pulling bags and suitcases down, regretting that he'd allowed himself to be roped into dropping the guests off at the airport. The other girls were collecting their bags and thanking him for the ride.
The persistent one stood before him as he straightened up. “Thanks for the ride, cowboy. My flight doesn't leave until an hour after the others, do you want to give me another ride before I go?”
Mason looked her over. Would he have done it if Gina hadn't come back? He might have, she was hot, willing, hell she was begging! Her pouty little smile as she moistened her lips, the way she leaned back so her breasts stuck out at him, everything about her was begging him to ride her hard. Whatever he might have done before, he had no interest now. Every woman he'd had sex with over the last ten years had been a way to try to forget Gina. But Gina was back, and the only place he wanted to be was back in her arms—well, that and between her legs.
“Sorry, sweetheart. No can do. You travel safely.” He climbed back into his truck and turned the ignition, but he didn’t pull away. He was supposed to go in with them, make sure they were checked in for their flights and that there were no delays that would leave them stranded here in Bozeman. He couldn't bring himself to do it. He wanted to get away from her. Whatever he might have been in the past, the thought of cheap sex with a stranger repulsed him now. He wanted meaningful sex with the woman who had been his best friend for years, and the best lover he'd ever had.
