Chapter Twelve
Savannah’s eyes flew open at the feel of a hand on her hip. It took a moment for wakefulness to provide clarity, and when it did, she smiled and rolled over.
Mason lay on his side, awake.
“Good morning beautiful.” He leaned in and kissed her softly.
“One of the best of my life.” She immediately felt uncomfortable letting that truth out so quickly. Her dad had always taught her that honesty was the best policy and she believed that, but also felt there was a time when keeping things to herself was prudent.
Relief had her smile returning when Mason’s hand cupped her face and he delivered another kiss. “Mine too. Last night was—”
“Amazing, spectacular, stupendous, amazing, breathtaking, astonishing, amazing, magnificent, extraordinary—” She laughed against his lips as he cut her off with a kiss, then rolled over onto his back and pulled her on top of him.
“All of that and more,” he agreed with a smile, then sobered. “Much more. It wasn’t just sex, Savannah.”
“No, it wasn’t.” Not for her. She’d fallen for Mason before they made love. Last night just solidified what she already knew. She was totally and completely in love with him.
“But—” she added and sat up, running her hands over his chest and down his torso. “I have to say the girls were right.”
“Pardon?”
“The girls. My friends. They all said that with the way you move when dancing, they bet you would be amazing in bed.”
It shocked her to see a flush work over his face. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
“It’s okay. Although I’m not sure I’d want to know you’d sing my praises to your friends.”
“Oh God, no,” she rushed to assure him. “That’d mean I’d have to tell them that I never had an—” Her brain caught up with her tongue and she clamped her lips closed, feeling very embarrassed. The last thing she had intended for him to find out was that she’d never had an orgasm during sex. Until last night.
But now the cat was out of the bag. Mason rolled her over onto her side. “Are you serious? You’ve never had an orgasm?”
Now would have been a good time in a book for the heroine to have a sudden fainting spell, for a sinkhole to open up, or a meteor to hit the house. None of those things seemed likely, which meant she had to answer the question.
Honesty is the best policy. Sometimes she almost wished she had not been taught well as a child because the truth was embarrassing. ”No.”
“Ever? I mean not even when you masturbate?”
“Oh yes, but never during sex.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“But yesterday?”
“Was a first.”
“And?”
“And what?” She wasn’t quite sure what he was asking.
“What did you think?”
Savannah laughed with relief. “Uh, okay, rewind…. Amazing, spectacular, stupendous, amazing, breathtaking, astonishing, amazing, magnificent, extraordinary…” She paused for a beat, then added, “And very, very addictive.”
“Addictive?”
“Addictive.”
“Well, in that case.” He rolled her onto her back and knelt above her, letting his lips and tongue work down her body.
The sudden wail coming through the baby monitor had them both stilling. “One thing my boy doesn’t have is great timing.” Mason said and climbed off Savannah to fumble around on the floor for his pants.
“Well, as much as I hate it, I have to get moving if I’m going to get to the airport on time.”
“Oh damn, I forgot, your trip to see your dad.”
“I’ll be back tomorrow midday.”
“That’s a very long time to wait.” He pulled on his pants and sat down on the bed.
“For what?”
“This.” The kiss he delivered was sweet, chaste, and the most meaningful of any she’d ever had. “Hurry home, Savannah.”
“You know I will.”
Mason smiled and rose. “We’ll be waiting.”
With that, he left the room. She remained on the bed for a few more seconds. Were it not for the way her dad looked forward to these visits, she’d be tempted to stay home. But she couldn’t do that. Not to him or herself. Besides, she wanted to tell her dad about Mason and Tommy. She needed to tell someone that after all this time, she was in love.
And just as important, she was finally healing. The old pain and loss, the anger and fear were fading. She knew they weren’t completely gone, but loving Tommy and Mason was taking away its power and she was finally walking toward freedom from her past. She wanted her dad to know, and to know that when they let him go, he would be coming home to a family.
At least she hoped so.
*****
Eight hundred and sixty-seven. That’s how many times she’d visited her father in prison. Each time the process was the same. She left her belongings locked in the trunk of the car and carried only her driver’s license, the car key, and twenty dollars for the vending machine in case her dad wanted anything.
Long ago, she’d set up an account with the prison whereby her dad could withdraw funds to spend on the things he needed. Each week, she checked the account and in the past decade had never allowed it to fall below one thousand dollars.
Not that it had ever come close to doing so. Her father spent little. Today, as she put her single car key, identification, and cash in the plastic tub and passed through security, she thought how happy she’d be when she came to pick her dad up and take him home with her.
He was waiting, seated at a metal table in a room fairly full of inmates with visitors. He stood as she entered and she hurried to him. They were allowed to hug when she arrived and again when she left. She made the most of the chance and hugged him tightly.
“Hey, Dad.”
“Hey, my baby girl.” He kissed the top of her head and released her. “I swear you get prettier every week.”
“You just like to flatter me,” she said and took her seat across the table from him.
“Maybe I do, but today…today, there’s something different.”
Savannah just smiled. How like her dad to notice. She wasn’t sure it would be visible, but God, she could feel it inside. Love. Glowing like a midday sun on the first day of spring. Bright and bold, filling the sky and warming the soul.
“I—” She wasn’t sure quite how to start, or the right words. “I’m in love.”
There. She’d said it. And God, it felt good. “I’m really in love, Daddy.”
He reached over and took her hand. “I believe you are. So tell me about this man who’s won your heart.”
Savannah felt her excitement ebb. What would her dad think about Mason being a dance teacher and the owner of a leather shop? The truth was, she didn’t care what he did, but still had a tough time fitting him with the role of a leather craftsman.
Still, she’d never lied to her dad and didn’t intend to start now, so she told him all that she knew.
“Are you sure about this, sweetheart? The baby, I’m mean. After Melody.”
“I don’t know. I love him, Dad. And I’m scared to death. What do I do?”
“Let love guide you, honey. You’ll do what’s right.”
Savannah swiped at the tears. Her dad had never steered her wrong before. But this time she was putting her sanity and her heart on the line.