The car glided to a gentle stop, and a wave of questions surged within me. I pressed my lips together, resisting the urge to blurt them all out.
Raegan's house?
He appeared to be waging a war in his own mind, so I ran my fingers soothingly up and down his arm, offering reassurance. His hands tightly gripped the steering wheel as he spoke with a touch of frankness, revealing a hidden part of his past.
"While I was in the foster system I went by the name 'Dean' for my protection." he confessed. My mouth fell open in astonishment. He was the boy to who I'd given my bed all those years ago? He was the one who had given me this? I glanced down at my dog tag, holding it in my hand and rereading the engraved quote.
"True love doesn't mean being inseparable..."
"I never actively sought you out, but I always hoped I would see you again," Mason continued. "Each time I caught a glimpse of you, I discovered another piece of who you are, and I fell in love with it." With those words, he retrieved a dog tag from beneath his shirt, leaning over the glove box to present it next to mine.
"Read them together," he whispered, his voice barely audible, as an electric current seemed to charge the air.
"True love doesn't mean being inseparable..."
"It means being separated and nothing changes."
Our eyes locked, and in that moment, our worlds collided, merging into one. I knew, without a doubt, that I was exactly where I was meant to be, at the precise moment it was meant to happen. It felt like a surreal déjà vu, even though nothing like this had ever occurred before.
Mason took my hand, bringing it to his lips. I closed my eyes, savouring the sensation of his gentle kiss, the sweetness lingering in the air, and the intoxicating blend of his masculine cologne and his own unique scent. Thoughts of my financial struggles, my strained relationship with my parents, and the threat of Chris all faded into the background.
My eyelids fluttered open, meeting Mason's intense gaze. My heart skipped a beat, and I held my breath in anticipation.
"Quinn ... there's actually one more thing I have to tell you..."