Page 76 of Not Another Dark Romance

Well, he still insists I never would have, but for a while there I was definitely considering it. Now I never want him to leave.

I’m able to reach my phone on the nightstand, and when I check the time, it’s almost noon. Which means the package I’ve been impatiently waiting for should have arrived already. Maybe I should let Mason sleep, but I’m far too eager to give him his latest gift, and I think he’ll forgive me once he knows what it is.

I run my hands through his soft hair, petting him a few times as I kiss his forehead. “Good morning, Pet.”

He tightens his grip around my waist, muttering, “Five more minutes,” without even opening his eyes.

“You have to at least let me get up if you want your present.”

That has him immediately pushing me away even though his eyes are still half closed. “Go ahead. I’ll be here waiting for you to spoil me.”

I let out a laugh and lean in to place another kiss on his forehead. “Come on, Pete. I’ll take you out, and then I’ll bring your gift back up in a few, Mason.”

I brush my teeth and throw on a sweatshirt so I’m not too cold when I take the dog out. The package is waiting on my front porch, and I quickly open it to confirm everything is there before setting it on the counter and taking Pete outside. He heads directly for the couch when we’re back inside, and I smirk at how lazy he is.

I don’t have a gift bag or anything, so I carry the sleek black box up the stairs, glad that the packaging is discreet and won’t give it away. Mason is sitting up in bed now, leaning against a pile of pillows he has positioned against the headboard.

When he sees the gift, his eyes go wide, and a big smile stretches across his face. “We love a plain black package. Did you get me a sex toy?”

I smirk, joining him on the bed. “No. It’s much better than that.”

He scoffs in disbelief. “Well, that’s a pretty high bar to set.”

“I’m confident,” I assure him with a wink. I turn on the bed to face him fully, putting the box down between us, and take his hand in mine. He shifts so he’s facing me too, his smile more cautious now as I continue. “But that doesn’t mean you have to accept it.”

“Obviously, I will,” he insists, but I hold up my other hand to stop him.

“No, don’t assume or answer right away. I want us to talk about something, and then I’ll give it to you, but there’s no obligation for you to accept. Understand?”

“Yes, I understand,” he agrees more seriously. “What do you want to talk about?”

I take a deep breath and try to sound more confident than I feel. “Mason, I love having you here every day. I love waking up with you in my arms, and I love knowing that you’ll be waiting for me when I get home.”

His smile relaxes, and he stares at me adoringly. “I love being here.”

The confirmation settles some of my nerves, encouraging me to continue. “The time with you here has been the absolute wildest of my life, but I never want you to leave. I love having you as my pet. I love being your master. But I’ve also loved getting to know you, Mason. You’re funny, sweet, and I can honestly say I’ve never met anyone whose mind works quite like yours. Every moment we spend together feels like a gift I didn’t even know to ask for. You’ve helped me figure out so much about myself, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been. Getting to witness you paint, create incredible art from nothing, and then help other people appreciate it online has also been such a joy. I’m so proud of everything you built for yourself, and I’m so glad I get to be a part of it now, helping with your sales.”

His eyes look a bit glassy now, as though he’s holding back tears, so I try to get to the point. “Mason, I love you. I’m in love with you, and I need you to know that before I get to the next part.”

A sob bursts from his throat as a tear escapes, running down his cheek. I get up on my knees so I can lean in, grab his jaw to hold him steady, and lick the tear away. He lets out a surprised laugh, and I move to his lips next, kissing him deeply as I let my words sink in. After a few long moments of enjoying the kiss, he pushes against my chest, and I pull away.

“I love you, too!” he blurts out, and my chest swells in response to his words. “Sorry, I needed to say that before I got too distracted kissing you. But of course I love you, Zane. I’ve dreamed about a relationship like this for years, but I never thought I’d actually find it. And to like you as much as I do on top of all the fantasies you’ve brought to life is just unbelievable. You’re so much better than any of my book-boyfriends. I didn’t think that was even possible, but it’s true. I really feel like we’re meant to be together.”

A smile lights up my face. I’d hoped he felt the same way I do, but hearing him say the words fills me with a kind of happiness I’ve only ever really experienced with him.

I lean in again, placing another quick kiss on his lips before I force my face into a serious expression. “No more book-boyfriends. You don’t need them when you have me. They can be inspiration for your fantasies, Little Psycho, but I’ll be the one who makes them come true.”

“Yes, please,” he agrees quickly, then he glances down at the box. “Is it time for my present yet?”

“Almost. Patience, Pet.” He sits up a little straighter, nodding as he stares up at me. Fuck, I love his attention on me like this, the way he’s waiting for whatever I have to say, looking at me like I’m the most important person in the world and all he wants to do is make me happy. It makes my next question so much easier. “Will you move in with me? For real this time. I’m not forcing you. You can say no or that you’re not ready. But I want you here always, and if you don’t need your own place, I’d like you to officially move in with me.”

He’s nodding before I even finish asking. “Obviously, yes. I haven’t even wanted to go back there because I didn’t want to look back.”

I let out a huge sigh in relief. That was arguably the more important question, logistically speaking, even though the next one is actually the most important to me. “Great, we can work on getting you out of your lease and get anything you want moved over here.”

“I’d like to help with the bills here, too.”

I shake my head. “You don’t have to⁠—”