I open the front door, and both Wesley and Boomer run to me—our golden retrievers who have only just left the puppystage and stopped chewing up everything and shitting all over the house like they’re competing for the World’s Worst Puppy award.
Tossing my keys in the entryway bowl and dropping my bags, I crouch to fuss with their ears and get kisses, and then I glance around the dark house.
“Blaise?” I call out, listening for a TV or shower or even the fucking snores, but silence…
I stand. “Blaise? Are you home?”
Sighing, I pull the charger from my bag and plug my phone in, leaving it sitting there as I push my hands into the pockets of my sweats and hunt the house. The kitchen is dark, but a glass of wine sits on the counter, the bottle still full. The sitting room is empty, and when I check upstairs, I see the bedroom, bathroom, and spare bedrooms are all dark too.
He must be out with Tiago and Mia—they’ve been insufferable about spending time together ever since they decided to go official from their friend-with-benefits status.
I was always against it, seeing as Mia was Blaise’s ex and all, and the fact we both fucked her, but it’s not like that. She’s happy for us, and she’s happy too, so we all win.
Fuck knows what Allie is doing. Probably on her second husband by now. Jackson got bored of her real quick and they’ve been radio silent on social media since.
I sit down on the bed and lie back on the mattress, yawning again, but something out the corner of my eyes has me glancing out of the balcony doors. A flicker of orange.
Getting to my feet, I open the door to the balcony and tilt my head, leaning my elbows on the stone wall. Blaise is standing in front of a small fire, staring intently into the flames like he’s in a trance.
Even from here, I can see how handsome he is. The sharp contours of his face illuminate from the flicker of embers aroundhim, and I watch as he blows out a breath and runs his hand through his hair.
It takes me less than a minute to get to the back door, and I head into the yard. The moon lights up the expanse of it. We wanted to buy somewhere with a large area around the building, a few acres of woodlands too.
I gulp as I reach him, standing in front of the flames opposite him. And when he doesn’t look up or speak, I grow nervous. “Hey.”
Nothing. His jaw ticks, and he blinks twice.
“Is something wrong?”
His eyes snap up to mine. “You tell me.”
I huff and put my hands in my pockets again. “You’re the one sulking in the yard at three in the morning.”
“Samson had his arm around you in that picture that was posted a few hours ago. And you didn’t reply to my messages.”
A smirk pulls at my lips, and I stifle a laugh. “Is my husband jealous?”
He glares at me. “I’m not jealous.”
“No?” I say, walking around the flames until I’m in front of him. I look him up and down, loving the way he doesn’t even have on a shirt. My name is inked over his heart. “Then what are you, if not jealous?”
“I’m pissed,” he retorts. “Your phone wasoff.”
“It died.” I grab his jaw, tugging him to me. “Are you going to stand here and sulk, or are you going to kiss me and come to bed?”
“Neither,” he replies, shoving me in the chest so hard, I take a few steps back and frown at him. He opens a bag I never noticed at his feet and tosses me something.
I catch it, staring down at the blank, black face mask in my hands. I look at him in confusion, my head tilted.
My heart instantly accelerates as he grabs another mask. His eyes light up at my expression, at the way my cock hardens between my legs and rises in my sweats as he slides the mask onto his face.
A white one with a crack down the side. The same one I wore all those years ago.
Blaise
Let me ask you one thing before I chase the love of my life and fuck him into the dirt: can you think of thatonesmall moment in your life that changed the trajectory of your future. Think hard. Let’s call it yourbeforeandafter. Something happened that changed everything. Maybe it even seemed insignificant in the moment, but without that one event, however big or small, you wouldn’t be here today. It’s also known as the one moment that defined yournow.We all have one. It’s almost as if we’re dancing to an imaginary tune. Maybe that moment and every moment since seem like a random sequence of events, but looking back in the rearview mirror, you realize all those moments where you felt lost, held your hand all along.
The flickering flames dance across Cole’s sharp facial features. Time has been kind to him. If anything, he’s more handsome now than five years ago when he chased me down in the woods.
