Page 109 of Beautiful Disaster

“She can stay on Sugar-Sweet Ranch. I can pay them to train her and send her our way when she’s done. I’ll have to sell the other horses. It’s just too much to bring that many with us.” I tug him onto my lap, and he rests his head on my shoulder. Progress. He’s listening and thinking about it. “I won’t make you uproot your life for me. We’d both be giving up a lot, but only if you want to. If you choose to stay, then I’ll stay as well. But I can’t live in secret, Precious. I’m not giving you an ultimatum, but I don’t ever want that for us. Hell, we don’t even have to live in Italy. It can be anywhere. It’s just that you loved that estate so much…”

“You’d… really do that? Give it all up?”

“Yes. We can start over together. We don’t have to do this alone. But if you agree, I have one rule that I won’t deviate from.”

“What’s that?”

“We do everything together. We talk about everything. No more running off and making decisions for each other. You and I are going to talk through the things that are bothering us. Period. Even if it’s uncomfortable.”

He nods and rests his hand on my chest. “I can do that.”

“Anyway, think about it. It’s a big decision.”

“They’d better pay you a lot.”

I chuckle and kiss his head. “It’s a generous offer.”

That sounds like he’s willing to do this. Or taking my offer seriously.

“Now, we’re going to go over to my house, and we're going to make love.”

“No punishment?”

“Later. Right now, I just need you.” I cup his jaw tightly and kiss him. “I love you, Jinx Tyler Grigore.”

“And I regret telling you my name,” he says, but he has a small smile on his lips. “I love you, too. So fucking much.”

Chapter 31

Jinx

The fire is roaring, the stars outside are twinkling, and Mason and I are standing naked in the middle of his bedroom. He takes my hands and looks down at me. My eyes water again at the thought that I almost lost him because of my own stupidity and stubbornness. Lesson fucking learned.

“What’s wrong, Precious?”

I shake my head. “Nothing. Everything.”

He smiles and chuckles. “I get that.”

Mason drops my hands and lifts me up. I wrap my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. He carries me over to the bed and eases me onto my back.

I still haven’t decided which is better: Mason making love to me or punishing me. I feel heavier when he makes love, but also freer, like each time, the poison oozes out of me. But punishing me is hot and clears my mind.

As he hovers over me, he presses his finger to my mouth. “Don’t speak yet. Let me get this out.”

When I nod, he removes his finger. “We’ve talked about this, and I know you’re hesitant, but I’d like you to try. I would like you inside me.”

I swallow my nerves, but my mouth’s gone dry. “N-now?”

“Yes, tonight.”

“But I thought you were going to make love to me.”

“I was up in the air about it.”

“I mean, did you even prep?”

“Yes, Jinx. I’d have to, considering I’ve never had a man inside me.”