Learning to Heal (33 page)

After a wonderful dinner together we head to Jay Jay’s. I’m happy to be out with Mason but at the same time I want to just go home to Finlee. But knowing how much we need this, I decide to stay out for a little while longer. Walking inside after not going out for so long feels strange, but that feeling quickly fades as my friends surround us for the night. The conversations held are enough to make me blush and that is no easy feat. Between sexual positions and Jamal’s male on male conversations I’m starting to feel flushed. It’s been a long thirteen weeks.

Mason gets up to grab another round, and I see Cory but Ryan isn’t with her and hasn’t been for most of the night. Looking around, I see him and he’s dancing with another girl. She’s definitely not as pretty as Cory, but she’s still working Ryan on the dance floor. I thought they were together because they’d been kissing when we first arrived. Concerned, I scoot over to my friend ready to kick some ass if she tells me to.

“Hey, sexy. Is everything okay?”

She stares at me and her expression. I notice she isn’t upset. In fact, she looks happy judging by the smile she gives me. I can’t tell if it’s fake or not. “Sure, lil’ momma. Why wouldn’t it be?”

How can she not see him grinding on a girl only twenty feet away? “Did you and Ryan break it off or get into a fight? If not then why the hell is he humping some chick over there?” My voice rises from anger, but she only smiles more and then has the nerve to laugh at me. “What is so funny? I’m seriously about to nut-punch the asshole.”

She grabs my arm as I start to stand. “Hold up, mighty midget. I see him and it’s totally fine. We’re only sleeping together. Nothing more, so he can bump and grind on her all he wants.”

I sit back down and turn in her direction. “So you’re only friends with benefits?” She nods and takes a drink of her Long Island iced tea.

The image of Mason dancing with some random girl pops in my head and catches me by surprise. My heart hurts from it. How would I have been able to do it? How could I just sit here and watch him flirt with another girl? My eyes widen while I look around the room for him. Knowing what the consequences could have been if we actually went through with it—if I stayed blind to my feelings. I wouldn’t have him beside me like I do. He could be off with someone else and eventually leave me for an actual relationship.

“How do you keep your feelings from invading? How can you watch them together? I couldn’t do it.”

“Well no shit! You and Mason are like yin and yang. Polar opposites, but together you two fit perfectly and make something intricate and beautiful. But that mushy shit isn’t for me. Not yet anyway. So instead of a cold rubber vibrator to get me howling, I was offered a warm, talented dick. And to top it off he has a mouth that likes his dessert anywhere and everywhere.” She looks at the two and scrunches her brow. “But I think it’s time to move on and from the humping going on with those two, I think he realizes it too.” She smiles and turns toward me, but keeps her eyes cast past my head. She acts like ending things with him is so easy. “And I think I found someone too. Excuse me. I found my possible meal for the night.” I watch her barely covered ass sashay over to a guy with his back turned toward me. She accidentally bumps into him and says something that has him laughing.
Go, Cory!
When he turns I see it’s Bo. I haven’t seen him since the day I passed out. From what Tru said he was warned to back off by Mason, but Mason swears he politely told him that we’re back together.

Turning back around I notice Mason is still gone and isn’t at the bar. No one seems to know where he is so I start to walk around the crowded room. I’m offered drinks and asked to dance several times but decline both. Since I’m breastfeeding and on a blood thinner I have to watch my alcohol consumption. No sense in bleeding to death from a scratch or giving my infant daughter a buzz. A few minutes pass and still no Mason. I see Ryan walking past me. I grab his arm to stop him.

“Have you seen Mason?” I yell over the crowd and he only smiles and walks to the stage. Dick.

I decide to go back to the table to get away from the hyper mob that’s coming out to the dance floor for the show. With my back turned, I hear the microphone screeching through the speakers but ignore it and continue on my way. Then I hear my name being said and unless there is another Jazz here tonight I know it’s meant for me.

This is it. “Jazz? Can you come up on stage please?” I hear Lyric call her name and watch from the side as she turns around with wide eyes. Everyone gets quiet and looks behind them for the person who’s being called on. The woman I love.

She points to her chest. “Me?” Then I walk out to the front of the stage. When she sees me her confused face scrunches up and she looks so dang cute.

After she makes her way up, I grab her small left hand and take the microphone from Lyric. “I know this is unexpected and out of character for me. You know I hate bringing attention to myself, but this is something I need to do. And I need to do it in front of the world. Since the world is busy, these fine people here tonight will do.” I look at the hundreds of faces in the crowd. “Is this okay with everyone?” I hear a lot of “fuck yeahs” and whistling. When they calm down I once again face my confused fiancée. Ryan walks over and hands me the ring. The ring I had made just for her with its many diamonds encased in white gold. All the diamonds surround one special one that’s pink and square.

Feeling it in my hand, I take a deep breath and get on my knee. Ryan holds the mic between Jazz and so my words are heard for everyone to hear. “Jasmine Marie Coleman, I fell in love with you the first time I saw your smiling face on a photograph. And when I met you in person I knew you were too good for me, but I also knew you were meant for me. You’ve watched me dance and didn’t laugh. You built me back up when I was at my lowest. And you healed me when I was broken. I want to make you just as whole and happy as you have made me. And I promise to dedicate the rest of my life to do just that. So with that being said, will you prove to these people that you love me and become my wife?”

Tears that started after I got down on my knee keep her speechless so she nods her head. When I push the ring on her tiny finger, I feel relief. It fits perfectly.

Home is not an option tonight. Tonight calls for a stay at the best hotel in town so we have no interruptions. Tonight is also about being officially engaged and showing her the best night of her life. I knew we were already engaged, but I wanted an official proposal with witnesses … and to show everyone that the sexiest woman I know will be my wife.

When she notices we’re headed in the opposite direction of home, I tell her my plans for our night alone. Before she can freak out about staying away all night, we make a call to Mom and she tells us the girls are asleep and everything is fine. I know she still worries, and I do to, but tonight I want her all to myself. Mom is great with the baby and has been around more since she quit her job at the convenience store. I had deposited some money in her account to help her out for a while and when she refused it I told her it was an advance for the future babysitting jobs I’ll be asking of her.

I grab our bag and grunt from the weight before grabbing Jazz’s hand and making our way to check in. Since I really didn’t know what girl stuff was needed for a night away, I went to Tru. When she handed it to me I was surprised by the weight. All I had put in there were clothes for tomorrow and my toothbrush. Now it feels like a few bricks were packed.

After we get our key, we head upstairs to the honeymoon suite on the floor below the penthouse. Her eyes widened when the clerk told us which room we’d be staying in, but spoiling her is my mission in life. The closer we get to our room the more nervous I start to feel and I don’t know why. I mean sex isn’t new to the two of us, but it has been a long time. Deep down I’m terrified of hurting her. She’s been through so much already, and I don’t want her to go through anymore heart surgeries … or any surgery for that matter.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” She takes the key from me and enters it into the reader.

Before we walk in I stop her. “Are you sure about this?” Her eyes widen and I know the words come out wrong. “I mean, are you sure you’re well enough? I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Shit, Mason. You scared the hell out of me.” She exhales and then grabs my cheeks. “I’m fine and the doctor did clear me. I can get as freaky as I want. And believe me I plan on getting super freaky with you.”

She brings my face to hers and our lips touch. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her to my body. I’m sure she can feel my erection through my jeans, but I need more. Her words of getting super freaky have me ready and my nerves are gone. She isn’t one to hold back if she’s hurting, so until she tells me to stop, I’ll keep going. I let my hands slowly travel down her back to her round ass before I lift her up to straddle my body. The heat between her legs is warm against my stomach, and when she grinds against me I know it’s time to go in.

Pushing the door open with my back, I walk backwards until I hit something. Opening my eyes, I see it’s a marble countertop. Perfect! Spinning around, I reluctantly place her on it before I back away. I see her flushed cheeks, swollen lips, and dilated pupils. A strong urge to pound my chest overtakes me. Because I, Mason Fuckin’ Reed, can turn this beautiful woman on. But I resist it and distract myself with the task at hand.

“Be right back.” I kiss her lips gently before I go grab our bag and shut the door. When I go to close it, however, I see an older couple staring. By the smirks they’re wearing I’d bet they just witnessed our whole show. “Evening.” I nod politely. They just smile but the gentleman pinches the lady’s ass. I hear her laugh while the door closes behind me and I make my way back to Jazz. “I hope when we’re in our nineties we’ll still be getting it on like the couple who just got a free show in the hallway.”

She watches me intently and runs her fingers through her hair. The ring catches the light and I smile. It’s perfect on her. “Really? Well if they wanted a real show, then they should’ve stuck around.” Her voice is breathy and definitely enough to put dirty thoughts in a saint’s mind.

I slowly make my way to stand between her legs, where my body belongs. “Oh yeah?”

She bites her bottom lip and nods. Bending her knees up, she flattens her feet on the counter and I watch her legs spread open wide while she leans back on her elbows. My eyes automatically look down. Holy shit! She’s bare and beautiful. And oh so fucking wet.

“Lie back, baby.”

She does what I say before I hit my knees and bring her ass to the edge of the counter. She smells intoxicating when I get close to her core. I slowly run my tongue around her folds and barely touch her clit with my tongue, but she jumps regardless.