Mason (Carter Brothers #2) - Lisa Helen Gray Page 0,43

It took a toll on me, not only physically, but emotionally too.

I honestly didn’t believe Mason when he told me they’d have my stuff still. But when we got there and my mother wasn’t there, only my dad, he told us he shifted the boxes into the cellar so my mother wouldn’t find them. Turned out she wanted them binned.

Totally not surprised that she wanted that, but what did surprise me was her not burning them the second I left the house. It’s something I could totally see my mother doing, or well, getting someone else to do the dirty work for her.

We managed to get most of it in the trunk of Mason’s car when she pulled up in her flashy car, wearing her over the top fancy clothes. She immediately went crazy at us all as soon as she got out of the car. She even threatened to phone the police on us. Dad had talked her down and pleaded with me to leave before things got out of hand. He didn’t even need to give me the look; I had already decided to hightail it out of there. I didn’t want to argue with her after everything that has been going on.

The rest of my stuff is at my Nan’s, who surprised me when she informed me it was already boxed and ready to go. Best part is that she is moving to town to be closer to me. She told me she doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life miles away from her granddaughter.

That was two weeks after the break-in, just when I finally agreed to move in with Mason in the new house on his granddads property. He pleaded, begged, guilt tripped me until I relented. It’s now been three weeks since the break-in and today I move into the new house, with Mason.

I’ve been sleeping in Malik’s old bedroom until they had the new one sorted, and I don’t know whether it’s because he was being a gentleman or because he knew I wasn’t ready to share that personal space just yet, but not once since I moved in here has he tried to sleep in the same bed as me. As from tonight though, that is going to be another matter. Tonight we will be sharing a bed and I’m afraid I won’t be able to control myself when I’m around him. Every minute I spend with him is another minute of torture. My body is burning for him, craving for him so deeply that it’s gone beyond what people would call, healthy.

“Oh, hey, you’re awake,’’ Mason says startling me as he moves into the room.

I cover myself up; conscious of the fact I’m only wearing knickers and one of his t-shirts that I robbed off him the night he brought me home from the hospital three weeks ago. Don’t worry. I washed it. Then I made him wear it again so it smelled like him.

“Um, yeah, why wouldn’t I be?’’

“I thought you’d sleep longer. Want to come over to the new house when you get dressed? Max has just gone to the chippy, so if you want some I’d hurry up,’’ he grins.

“I could eat. What time is it?’’ I ask trying to look around for my phone. It seems too early to eat fish and chips.

“Half twelve.’’

“Half twelve? Are you kidding me? I’ve been asleep for fourteen hours?’’ I grumble getting out of bed.

“It’s fine. Joan told us to leave you to get some rest when Max started moaning about you getting to sleep in and not him. She had to remind him that in a few months it will be you not able to have a lie in.’’

“She could be a good baby,’’ I defend rubbing my stomach.

Grabbing my clothes I turn to look for my boots. When I see them over on the chair, I lean over to grab them when Mason starts choking, startling me. Turning around I find his eyes glued to my ass and I blush knowing he’s staring at my red lace maternity knickers.

“I’ll um... I’ll go wait at ours and I’ll see you over there,’’ he stutters, his eyes giving my ass one more glance before he stumbles out of the door. I want to laugh at his quick retreat, but then it has me wondering if it turns him off. I’ve been putting on a lot of weight on the past week and maybe he’s not into big girls. The weight