au chocolat and macarons, arranged artfully on white platters designed to bring out their vivid colours. Saliva pooled in her mouth and she swallowed. If Mason thought the way to a woman’s heart was through her stomach, he was damn right.
He propelled her forwards and when they reached the table he pulled out a chair for her, waited until she sat, then pulled up a chair next to her, so close their knees touched. ‘I wanted you to see what you’d be missing out on.’ His gaze locked on hers, challenging.
She sighed. ‘We’re not just talking about pastries, are we?’
‘Of course not.’ Mason gripped her hand and, rather than snatch it away, she savoured one last touch. ‘I understand your need to leave Brockenridge, I truly do, but I think we’ve got something special I’d like to explore. Why don’t you take a trip? However long you want, but come back to Brockenridge to live—’
‘I can’t.’
When his jaw went rigid with tension, she knew she’d have to give him something to get him to back off. ‘You saw what happened at the roadhouse with those two sleazes? That’s what I’m known for in this town.’ She flung the truth at him, tilting her chin in defiance to stare him down.
To his credit he didn’t flinch but his eyebrows rose a fraction. ‘Yet you’ve lived here for over a decade since school finished when you could’ve left at any time?’
‘You’re not judging me?’
He shook his head. ‘Whatever you’ve done, it’s in the past—’
‘People have long memories. You know the small-town mentality of a place like this.’
‘Then we’ll create new memories.’ He shuffled a little closer, until their thighs aligned and she could feel the heat radiating off him. ‘You wouldn’t be afraid of a little gossip otherwise you would’ve left years ago, so tell me why you’re really leaving now?’
‘Be careful what you wish for,’ she murmured, trying to extract her hand from his but he wouldn’t let her. ‘My dad died when I was nineteen after a major blowout with my mum. I overheard some of it. She didn’t want a child, only had me to get my dad’s wealth, that kind of thing. The argument escalated and she ended up saying she wished he was dead. He got in the car and hit a tree …’ She blinked back the tears burning her eyes. ‘The lack of skid marks suggested it was deliberate.’
‘Shit, Jane, I had no idea, I’m sorry.’
‘I blamed Mum. I expected her to grieve like I did. Instead, when I asked her about it, she shut me out. Which was nothing new, considering she’d treated me like a hindrance my entire life, but I thought after Dad died things might be different, she’d feel guilty or something and reach out …’ She shook her head. ‘Instead, in her warped way, she resented me more, so I stayed in town and did some dumb-arse things to shame her. None of it worked, of course, and we ended up avoiding each other. She’s done some hateful stuff I can’t fathom.’ She blew out a breath. ‘I’ve confronted her, and she came clean about a lot. She wants us to forgive and forget, but I’m not ready for that yet.’
She looked him in the eye. ‘I need to get away, gain a new perspective, discover who I am beyond this town.’
‘Then I’m coming with you.’ He took her other hand and pulled her to her feet. ‘Do you want to know why I didn’t renew the lease on my apartment in Paris? Because you’re here and I thought this was where you wanted to be. I did it to prove to you how invested I am in us.’
‘But why?’
They’d barely dated and hadn’t even had sex. Why would a guy like him give up so much to be with a girl like her?
‘Because I’ve fallen for you,’ he murmured, before brushing a soft kiss across her lips. ‘Every obstinate, stunning inch of you, and I want to explore what this spark between us could turn into.’
In that moment, Jane understood the meaning of having a lightbulb moment. She’d been blessed in the looks and body department, and had wielded her sexuality since she’d hit her teens. Yet here was this amazing, thoughtful, gorgeous guy wanting a relationship with her even though she hadn’t used her body to get what she wanted. How much more proof did she need he could be a keeper? Joy filled her chest and she