by Holly Jaymes
When he didn’t yell at me or tell me to go away, I started toward him again.
“Can I join you?”
He blinked like he didn’t think I was really there. “I don’t have my suit on.”
I wasn’t out of the woods yet, but with that quip, the one he’d always used in the hot tub, I thought I might have a chance.
I moved towards him. He scooted over, giving me room on the large towel. I sat next to him, looking over the lovely waterfall.
Then I turned to look at him. A moment later, he looked at me.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Me too.”
“Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything.”
“That may have been the problem. Maybe I should have told you that your parents couldn’t do anything to hurt me except take you from me. Maybe instead of just making love to you, I should have told you I love you.”
I swallowed as my breath caught. “Mason.”
His hand cupped my cheek. “I do love you. And the only thing your family could do to me now would be to turn you against me again.”
I shook my head. “They didn’t turn me against you. I’ve been so angry and disappointed at them. They told me they’d leave you alone if I left. I didn’t want to, Mason.” I realized I hadn’t said the most important words. “I love you. I’ve loved you for so long.”
He leaned his head forward, resting it against mine. “That’s all I need.” He tilted his head and kissed me. It was the most beautiful kiss I’d ever had. With it, I felt life flow back into my body. My heart started to beat again.
And then I cried.
“What’s wrong?” he kissed my eyelids, one and then the other.
“My parents…Mason…they’re worse than I thought.”
He pulled me close. “I’m sorry if you feel in the middle. I hate for you to choose.”
“I’m not choosing, they are.” I held his face in my hands and looked him in the eyes so he’d know the seriousness of my words. “They’re choosing their hate of you over their love for me. I love you and them, which I know you don’t like, but they’re my parents.”
“I don’t fault you for loving your parents, Willa.”
“My dad…” I cried again. “When Wyatt told him that you were a billionaire—”
“He what?”
“He came for lunch and nonchalantly started dropping hints at what a good person you were. He also brought up how you let them stay in your condo for free. My dad started seeing dollar signs. God, it makes me sick.”
Mason put his arm around me.
I sniffed. “Anyway, when my dad started planning to sue just you, Wyatt told him he’d lose everything because you had the money to go the distance in court. Then he told my dad that because the case was frivolous, my father would be responsible for all court and attorney expenses.”
He kissed my temple. “Will you love me less if I confess that I was hoping he’d try just that? I wanted to ruin him, Willa.”
“I know, but you don’t have to. I want what we used to plan. You and I being friends and not caring at all about what our parents did. We can't let them hurt us.”
“Just friends?” He pushed my hair back over my ear.
“Not this time. Not just friends. More than friends.”
“Does that mean you’ll stay?” His eyes looked at me with such earnest love it made my heart skip a beat.
“Yes.”
“Do you think you can live in Eden Lake? It’s small. There's no major newspaper. Because if you have to be in New York, I’ll go with you, Willa.”
My tears ran down my cheeks again. “I love you so much, Mason. You’re too good.”
“It’s not that I'm good. It’s me trying to have what I want, and what I want is you.”
“I want you too. I like Eden Lake. I’ll just build a freelance career. It will give me more time to spend with you.”
“I’ll turn the guest room into an office for you.”
He wanted me to live with him, even better. “What about when your parents come? I thought they stayed in the guest room.”
“They can stay at the condo. Just don’t tell them your folks stayed there.”
I laughed as I straddled his legs. “Did you ever fantasize about having sex here?”
His dark eyes flashed with excitement. “Yes.”
“With me?” I pulled his shirt over his head and ran my hands over his hard, hot chest.
“Of course. How about you?” He tugged my tank top off and unclasped my bra. His hands were immediately on my breasts, kneading and pinching them.
“Yes,” I gasped and tried to focus on getting his jeans undone while he was trying to do the same with mine.
“I think it’s time to make that fantasy a reality.”
“Absolutely.” There was some awkward finagling, but finally, our jeans were off, and I was sinking over him, taking him into my body.
“Yes, Willa.” He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. “Fucking perfection.”
“What if someone comes?” I asked as I rocked over him.
“They’ll see nature at its rawest.” He sucked on my nipple.
“I love it when you do that.”
“This?” He sucked the other nipple.
“Yes.” My hips rode him faster, harder. “Come in me, Mason. I need you to fill me.”
He groaned. “You make me so hot when you talk like that.”
“I need you,” I begged. It wasn’t just the physical release of my orgasm I was seeking, though. I needed to consummate our love. I needed to feel whole and renewed.
“Come on me, Willa.” His hand slid between our bodies, his thumb brushed over my clit, and I cried out, my voice echoing across the expanse of the woods. “Yes…I’m with you, baby…” His hips rocked against mine as he groaned, and warm liquid filled my body.
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” I chanted in his ear as we came down from pleasure.
He cradled my cheeks in his hands. “My Willa.” He smiled. “My sun.”
Chapter 28: The Final Approval
Mason
I felt like my life started in mid-August when Willa told me she loved me and would stay with me. Her commitment to me made me feel fully complete. It was like for my whole life I was looking for something, and it turned out to be her, someone who’d been there almost the entire time.
I moved her into my house, and I tried to let her make any changes that she needed to so that she would feel like it was home. As it turned out, it wasn’t much.
I called Tucker to tell him about Willa and me, and to enlist his help in telling my parents. I felt like my mom would be okay, but I wasn’t sure my dad would take it any better than her parents.
Labor Day weekend, I invited them all to the house so I could formally announce my relationship with Willa. In fact, I planned a whole party, inviting the fire squad, and all my friends, including Wyatt, who I planned to keep my eye on, just in case he got any ideas about Willa.
When my parents arrived, I brought them to the back porch where Willa and Tucker were chatting.
“Good luck,” Tucker said to her, as my parents stepped out.
“Tucker. Don’t you have a game?” my mother asked.
“Bi-week mom. But I can’t stay long. I’m just here for moral support.”
“Moral support?” My father looked over at Willa. His brows furrowed, and I wondered if he recognized her. I also wondered if maybe I should have done this alone with just my parents. Too late now.
“I have some news,” I said.
“Oh?” My mother seemed to perk up.
I put my arm around Willa. “I’m in love with Willa, and she’s moved in with me.”
“Okay?” My father looked confused. “Good for you?”
Then I noticed the moment that my mother realized just who Willa was. She looked at my father and then to me.
“I love your son. I've loved him ever since I was five years old.” Willa’s a
rm tightened around me.
My mother’s lips began to twitch up.
“What am I missing?” my father said.
“Hallelujah, the feud is finally over.” My mother stood and came to give Willa and me a hug.
“What are you talking about?” my father stood and put his hands on his hips.
“Dad, Willa is Harrison Haynesville’s daughter,” Tucker explained.
My father’s head whipped to me, his eyes boring into mine. “Are you saying you’re living with a Haynesville?”
“Yes, sir. I’m hopelessly in love.” I kissed Willa on the temple. Then I turned deadly serious. “Nothing you say or do will change that.”
“What does Harrison say about that?” my mother asked.
“Right now, nothing,” Willa said. “But I see the silence as a step up from the ranting and raving. I expect soon there will be reluctant acceptance.”
“He’s not suing anyone, so that’s a good sign,” I said.
“It would be just like him to sue over this,” my father grumbled.
My mother laughed. “Your son is in love. Be happy for him.”
“I am happy.” My father didn’t sound happy. “Nervous, but happy.”
“I always wondered about you two,” my mother said, going over to hold my father’s hand, probably to help reassure him.
“Wondered what?” I asked, guiding Willa back to the table to sit. I took the chair next to her.
“You two were friends growing up, weren’t you?” my mother sat, tugging my father down to sit next to her.
“How’d you know?” I gaped at her.
“A mother knows these things. I was pretty sure when I saw the sun charm that you’d saved all your money to buy hanging around Willa’s neck.” She nodded toward the charm hanging there now.
“You didn’t say anything,” I said.
“The thing these dopes don’t realize,” she said, jerking a thumb toward my father, “Is that they didn’t need to carry on the fight of their forefathers. Of course, once one did something to the other, the feud continued. But you two were friends. As long as neither of you hurt the other, there was a chance to break the cycle.”
“I did hurt you,” Willa said to me. “You never retaliated.”
“I loved you.” It was as simple as that. She kissed me.
“Oh God, get a room,” Tucker said.
“This is my house. You can leave,” I grinned at Willa and gave her another quick kiss.
Getting that announcement out of the way was a relief. When our guests arrived for the party, I was completely relaxed and deliriously happy.
While the Labor Day party raged at my house, I snuck Willa out and took her up to the waterfall.
“It’s rude to leave your own party,” she said as she sat on the towel next to me.
“My mother will handle it.”
“I can’t wait until it rains, so the waterfall gets fuller.” She leaned her head on my shoulder.
“That could be a while.”
“I’ve got time.” She turned her head up to look at me. I had no choice but to kiss her.
“I think my dad is going to be okay. How do you feel about it?” I asked.
“He’s definitely doing better than my dad, as is your mom.” She sighed, and I hoped I wasn’t bringing her down.
“Do you think there’s anything we can do to help your folks along?” I asked, taking her hand.
“I doubt it.”
“What if we got married?”
Her hazel eyes jerked to mine.
“Maybe someday had a couple of kids? Would grandchildren change their minds?”
“Mason.” Her breath caught.
I could see she wasn’t sure what I was saying, so I decided to make it clear. “Marry me, Willa.” I pulled the star halo diamond and platinum ring from my pocket.
“Yes!” She threw her arms around me, nearly knocking me over.
I laughed. “Put the ring on, so it’s legit, and I don’t lose it while you accost me.” I slipped the ring on her finger. “It made me think of the sun.” I looked up into her beautiful face. “You make me think of the sun.”
“I love you so much.”
I pulled her to me. “Good.”
“Get naked, I want to show you.” She slipped her hands under my shirt.
I grinned. “Even better.”
Epilogue
Willa
If I had my way, Mason and I would have been married the weekend after Labor Day. Las Vegas wasn’t that far away. We could have gone and gotten hitched right away. However, his mother suggested we wait until my family was on board.
“I’m not waiting for Harrison Hayneville to give me his blessing,” Mason said to her.
“No. But you could wait a little bit to see if he comes around,” she’d explained.
“Your wedding day is important, and I’m sure Willa wants to share it with her parents too.”
I nodded. “I do. But if I have to get married without them, I will.”
“Give them a little time,” Mason’s dad said.
Now, in the beautiful May afternoon, as I stood near the pavilion at the lake, ready
to join my life with Mason’s, there was hope. My parents weren’t entirely on board, but they were able to be civil. In fact, the day before our wedding, the paper ran a story about the end of the feud. It explained how, after a hundred and fifty years, the Haynesville- Mclean feud was now over. Mason and I encouraged the writer to attribute the end of the feud to our parents.
“You ready?” my father asked as he prepared to walk me down the aisle.
“Past ready.” I was about to run-up to the altar to launch myself at Mason.
“Your mother told me not to tell you that you can still change your mind.”
“She’s a smart woman.” I kissed my dad on the cheek. “Thank you for putting aside
the feud.”
His cheeks heated slightly. “Well, someone had to do it. It’s been going on long
enough.”
I rolled my eyes.
A few minutes later, I was standing with Mason, and another dream was coming true. We didn’t want a long ceremony, so we planned our own, including our own vows.
“When I was five years old, I walked into kindergarten feeling lost and afraid,” Mason started. “And in the corner of the room stood the sun.” He reached out and touched a tendril of my hair. “From that day on, you were my sun, Willa. And from this day forward, I’ll do everything I can to make you shine.” He sighed. “I love you so much. Everything I am is yours.”
I was glad I wore waterproof mascara because tears fell from the overwhelming emotion welling inside me.
“You’ve been my best friend since kindergarten, Mason. When we were eight, I planned our wedding. It was going to be at the park, you in one swing and me in the other.”
There was laughter from our guests.
“When we were eleven, I changed my plans and decided we’d be married at our special place.” I purposefully didn’t say where because I didn’t want anyone to find our waterfall spot.
“Here, at the lake, with our friends and family is perfect. The truth is, anywhere would be perfect as long as you and I are together. I nearly lost that, but I promise you, Mason, I’ll always love you. I’ll always have faith in you and us.”
He wiped away a tear on his cheek. We finished the ceremony, and Mason was kissing his wife before the minister had the chance to finish telling him he could.
“Happy?” he asked as we later danced under the stars at our outside reception. “Blissfully happy. You?”
“Perfectly. Well, mostly.”
I frowned. “What’s wrong.”
He leaned toward me and whispered. “I want to make love to my wife.”
My body heated.
“Get a room,” Tucker’s voice called out.
“Football players are cavemen,” Mason echoed back. He took my hand and led me
off the dance floor
.
Tucker met us at the edge of the dance area. “Heading out so soon?”
“You recommended a room.”
“I did.” He smiled. “I’m happy for you, bro. You too, Willa.”
“Thank you, Tucker.”
“Listen, you can have the house, but if you bring a friend home, no sex in my bed
or the hot tub,” Mason told Tucker.
Tucker frowned. “What’s left?”
“You’re creative. You’ll figure it out.”
He sighed. “May not matter.”
“Oh, come on, you’re not telling me Tucker McLean can’t get laid,” Mason joked. “See that woman over there?” Tucker nodded toward the crowd.
“Emma?” Mason asked.
“Is that her name? She works at the coffee place.”
Mason frowned. “She’s a nice person, Tucker. Don’t fuck with her, literally or
otherwise.”
“She doesn’t know who I am. I’m Tucker fucking McLean, quarterback of the—” “We know who you are,” Mason laughed. “Find someone else, Tuck.”
Tucker got a dreamy smile on his face. “She’s cute. Prickly, but cute.” “Tucker—”
“Yeah, yeah, find someone else.” He grinned. “Your husband is a grump.”
“I think he’s horny.”
Tucker let out a loud laugh as Mason blushed. “Well, then, get on your way.” “I’ll be back in two weeks to start you on your rehab training before training
camp,” Mason told him as he took my hand and led me off.
“I’ll be here.” He waved. “Go consummate your marriage.”
We said quick goodbyes to our family, and then Mason loaded me into his SUV. “Where are we going?” I asked.
“First stop, a secluded hideaway at Bear Gulch for tonight, and then tomorrow we
fly to Mexico, where if you’re not naked, you should be in a bikini.”
I grinned at him as we sped off in the moonlit night. “I don’t have my suit.”
He took my hand and kissed it. “I don’t either. I guess all we need is each other.”
Introduction: Forbidden Player
