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Mason laid his head upon her chest, listening to the rapid thrum of her heartbeat. He watched the colors of the books before him blur as he dozed off to sleep. They slept there for almost an hour, the sun falling below the horizon and welcoming a glitter of stars.
Mason woke before Ellie, got dressed, and looked down at her. She lay on the couch with her arms tucked against her chest, breathing softly. She looked so serene and comfortable that Mason didn’t want to wake her. But they had to return home and start making plans to move.
He sat on the side of the couch, then sweetly kissed each eyelid. She fluttered her eyes open, already dazzling with love.
“Mmm, baby,” she said. “That was so romantic.”
Mason didn’t ask her to clarify. All he knew was that he was living a dream that he never dared to dream … spending the rest of his life with an astounding woman.
TWENTY-ONE
ELLIE
Acool breeze swept across the back of Ellie’s neck, lifting her hair and teasing it across her shoulders. It carried the aroma of sweet sea spray and the delicate hint of tropical flowers.
Ellie looked out over the ocean, her hands resting on the railing around the deck. The sound of the waves sighing against the shore sang an accompaniment to the vision of the setting sun. The great golden disc hung over the horizon, painting the sky a rich ocher and drizzling the dark water with a hazy pink glow.
As she watched the foamy break of the waves, Ellie saw Mason swimming toward the shore. His muscular, sleek body rippled against the water, a sight so magnificent it caught her breath and stole her mind away.
As he ran up onto the sand, he shifted into his tiger and loped toward her, his massive paws plowing through the sand. Ellie hurried down the wooden steps, joy lighting her face with a radiant smile.
When they reached each other, Mason ran around her legs, pressing his big, furry body against her. Ellie reached out and let his sleek, fluffy coat run against her palms. When he bounced up to rub his face on her chin, Ellie laughed in delight, catching him around the neck and hugging him tightly.
With her arms around his neck, Mason shifted back to his human shape, his arms slipping around her waist to lift her partially off the ground and spin her in a circle. She stumbled when he set her on her feet, but Mason was ready and didn’t let her fall.
Ellie let Mason pull her down onto the sand, and he wrapped an arm around her shoulders, both of them looking out over the ocean to watch the sun sink slowly past the horizon. With every second, the colors of the sky shifted, the shadows lengthening as the stars glinted like diamonds in the slowly deepening dark.
Mason reached over and put a hand on her huge, tight belly, bending down to put his cheek against her body.
“How are you in there?” he asked softly.
“What about me?” Ellie laughed. “Don’t you want to know how I am?”
“I can see you,” Mason said, stroking her cheek. “You’re gorgeous, glowing, a picture of transcendent beauty. I have no idea how the baby is.”
“I’d say she’s just fine since she’s been kicking me relentlessly for the last few hours.”
“Good kid,” he muttered, rubbing Ellie’s belly. “Keep fit in there. Even though your mother refuses to admit it, I know that you might be a boy.”
“Sorry, Mason,” Ellie laughed. “I’ve just got a feeling.”
Mason shrugged. “I can’t wait to meet my little cub. I won’t mind if it’s a boy or a girl, just so long as they are healthy. It wouldn’t hurt if our baby has your good looks too.”
Ellie giggled. “I know. It would be such a shame if the kid looked like you.”
Mason leaned forward and kissed her, pushing her back on the sand. Ellie luxuriated in the soft warmth, feeling the pleasure of Mason’s kiss echoing through her body, all the way to her bones.
“Seriously, though,” Mason said, pulling back. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, my love,” she said. “I’m fine. I just didn’t feel like swimming today.”
“If you’d like to go in, I can hold on to you. Even just to wade a bit.”
Ellie shook her head, yawning. “No, thank you. I just want to eat a big dinner and stretch out on the couch.”
“Sounds good. I’ll order some food as soon as we get in. What do you feel like?”
Ellie’s stomach growled fiercely, and they both laughed. "Everything,” she said. “I can’t stop thinking about food.”
