Free Taken Home (Lone Star Burn) by Ruth Cardello Page B

of role-playing in public. No one would need to know. If I let myself go, I could step into his life. Roll onto that bed with him. Or onto that couch.
    The couch he shared with countless other women.
    No.
    Chelle broke free and stepped away. “Coming here was a mistake.” She went to pull off the engagement ring.
    “Wait,” he said firmly.
    Chelle froze.
    He held her hands in his again, and a dark storm raged in his eyes. “I handled this badly. Don’t leave.”
    Chelle searched his face and said earnestly, “What are we doing? We have nothing in common. We can barely say two sentences to each other without arguing. Just when I think I know what I’m doing here, you look at me, and I get all confused. I thought you needed a fake fiancée.”
    A battle appeared to rage within him. “I should have been more honest. I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since we met. I want you, Chelle.”
    Her breath left her in a whoosh. Part of her rejoiced at the news, but another part clung to anger as a last line of defense. “I suppose I should be flattered, but that adds my name to what sounds like a not-very-exclusive list.” She pursed her lips, then asked, “Is there even a charity event?”
    He sighed. “Yes, and having you there would help me, but it’s not why I invited you. I would make your first time good, Chelle. So good.”
    Chelle closed her eyes for a moment and gathered her thoughts. I want him. He wants me. God knows I’m old enough. What is stopping me? A little voice inside her whispered, You don’t want to be blended in with all the other women he had here. You want to matter. When she opened her eyes again, she said, “Chasing you around a wedding with a condom might have given you the wrong idea about me. I’m not that wild. There has to be at least a chance the man I finally sleep with could be the one. I don’t want to be just another woman on that couch.”
    “Okay.”
    Chelle’s eyes snapped to his. Wow, he agreed to that easily. Disappointingly so. “So I should probably fly home tonight.”
    “No. You came all this way. We’ll find you a hotel you like, and then I’ll take you to dinner.”
    Her mind was running in circles. He’s agreeing with me and being nice about it. So why do I want to kick him in the shin? “If I leave now, you could find another date for tonight. I’d hate to think of you spending the night alone on my account.”
    “I have enough women to text that it shouldn’t be a problem.”
    Chelle gasped, and Mason laughed.
    “Chelle, I’m joking.”
    She glared at him, not enjoying how easy it was to imagine him with another woman or how painful it was. “It’s not funny.”
    He ducked down, kissed her briefly, and pulled her gently into his arms. She could feel his arousal. He’d said he wanted her, and his proof was hard and throbbing against her. “No, but your expression is. You’re adorable.”
    She met his eyes. “I don’t want to be adorable.”
    He bent and kissed her just below her ear. “What do you want to be?”
    Chelle placed her hands on his shoulders to support herself. She felt as if she were melting into him. “Irresistible.”
    His breath was hot on her ear. “You are.”
    She tightened her grip on him. Am I? Or am I merely convenient? “I want to say yes, Mason. Part of me says I should just let go and do this. Part of me is scared. I’m sorry I’m sending you mixed signals.”
    There was an expression in his eyes she couldn’t decipher. “What are you afraid of?”
    “I always imagined my first time would be with a man who loved me. It’s strange letting go of that dream.” She cringed as she said it. “I sound like an idiot.”
    Mason hugged her to his chest and rested his chin lightly against her forehead. “No. I’m the idiot. We need to get out of this hotel. Let’s go.”
    She stepped back and glanced around. “What are they going to think when we ask to have my things packed up again, and they see drops of