"Hey." He reaches across the table, running his thumb across my bottom lip. "I could never hate you, Rebel."
I smile in response, my heart ready to burst.
"Can I ask what happened to your mom?" I ask, peeking up at him as we stroll down the pier after dinner, our fingers laced together. A few people are scattered around on benches or jogging, but most are at the carnival near the parking area. It feels a little like we're the only two in the world out here.
"She had an aneurysm," he says. "By the time they got her to the hospital, she was gone."
"Oh, Mason." I wrap an arm around his waist in a one-armed hug. "I'm so sorry."
"Me too, Rebel." He leans down, brushing his lips across my crown. "She was an incredible woman."
"She had to be. She raised you."
He tips my head back, kissing me softly. His lips taste like wine and something else—something that's uniquely him. I groan, burrowing into him as he nips my bottom lip and ruins me for any other kiss.
"You're awfully good at that," I whisper when he finally lets me up.
"Glad you think so," he rasps. "I intend to do it a lot."
"Do you?"
"I do."
"We'll see."
I love the way he smiles at me like I'm the most important thing in the world. When he does it, Ifeellike the most important thing in the world. I can't remember the last time anyone made me feel that way. Actually, that isn't true. No one has ever made me feel that way.
"Come on," he murmurs, wrapping an arm around my waist to get me moving again.
We walk along in silence for a long moment before I feel compelled to speak again. "You said Paulina was your mom's bird?"
"Yeah. Mom loved her, and she loved Mom. I didn't have the heart to rehome her after Mom passed, so I brought her home with me. She mourned for months before she finally decided to give me a chance." He chuckles ruefully. "She still gets pissed any time anything in her world changes, though."
"Hence why you're an asshole."
"Hey now," he says.
"She said it, not me."
He narrows his eyes at me, making me laugh out loud. He doesn't give me a hard time, though. At least, not vocally. Instead, he just pulls me along until we reach the little carnival at the end of the pier.
"No way!" I cry, stopping in my tracks when I see where he's heading.
"You scared?"
"Uh, yes. Absolutely, yes."
"Too bad." His eyes glint with humor as he practically hauls me the last few feet and then buys two tickets. I protest, but he just chuckles, practically carrying me onto the Ferris Wheel.
"I take back everything I said earlier," I grumble while he buckles me in. "You absolutely are trying to kill me."
"Nah, baby," he says, laughing. "I'm just trying to kiss you on top of the world."
"You…I…you… Not fair," I huff, my protests dying.
"Who said I had to play fair?" he asks, wrapping an arm around me and tugging me up against his side until we're pressed together in one long line. "I certainly don't remember hearing that rule."
His hand brushes my thigh before he just places it there, six inches above my knee. My core instantly ignites, my whole body quivering. He doesn't try to move it higher, though…at least not until we're slowly spinning into the air.