Return to Her by Alexandra O'Hurley Page B

with no reasons why. What
happened?”
    Cassie looked down at her hands,
tugging on the edge of her sweater. “He’s been cheating with some
girl at his job. I caught him in bed with her today,” Cassie said,
her voice sounding like a separate entity. The words came out
emotionless, almost robotic. It stung that Dave had cheated, that
she’d been duped for however long he’d been unfaithful.
    But it was also her way
out.
    It had been months since she’d been
happy with Dave. She had no idea why she’d stayed as long as she
had.
    Her gaze drifted up and she looked at
Mason. Now she wouldn’t be spending time at Mason’s apartment,
getting to see him almost every single day. Her breath caught in
her chest. Cassie suddenly knew why she’d stayed well past the
expiration date of her relationship.
    And he was sitting across from
her.
    “ I’m so sorry, Cassie.
He’s an asshole.”
    She averted her gaze, shocked that the
first thought she had after Dave leaving was how much she’d miss
her time with Mason. “Yeah, he is that.”
    Mason rose and crossed the gap,
kneeling before her. Cassie’s heart sped a little faster as she
looked into his deep chocolate gaze. The frown contorting his brow
showed deep concern, more concern than her ex-boyfriend had shown
earlier that day.
    “ You deserve
better.”
    Cassie smiled, wondering if he really
meant it. For all his womanizing and smooth charm, she knew there
was a good man deep inside him. She’d sensed it from the moment
she’d met him. He talked a good game, but the man had a heart.
Mason was a hero, a soldier who ran into danger to protect his
country, but there was more to him than just that.
    Early on in her relationship with
Dave, she’d assumed Mason was all pretty and no soul. When her
women’s group had decided to volunteer at a local soup kitchen,
she’d been surprised to see Mason there. She’d joked, asking him
what he’d done to deserve community service, and had apparently
wounded him. The look he gave her had spoken volumes. Later that
day, she’d learned from the chaplain who ran the kitchen that Mason
volunteered twice a month, every month for the past
year.
    At that moment, she’d realized that
she’d assumed the worst and she’d felt terrible. There was another
man hidden inside the Mason everyone else saw, one she saw glimpses
of here and there that made her heart beat faster and her body
stand up and take notice.
    “ Hindsight is
twenty–twenty,” she said, smiling.
    When he took her hand in his, she
could feel a spark of electricity between them. She looked up and
he caught her gaze. “I don’t think you should be alone tonight,” he
said, his voice low and steady.
    A soft sigh left her lips.
“It’s Saturday night. I’m sure you’ve got plans with the ladies.
I’ll be fine.” With the ladies came out a little more sarcastically than she’d
anticipated.
    Mason shook his head. “No. You’re more
important than all that. Tonight you need a friend.”
    More important?
Her? Cassie swallowed the lump in her
throat. Which Mason was she seeing right now? The Casanova or the
other, hidden one? The Casanova? No, he
doesn’t see me like that. Why couldn’t she
be that girl? “A
friend would be great.”
    For the first time all night, tears
threatened. Not because of Dave, but how considerate Mason was
being. A friend. He was only being a friend.
    Mason grinned, and it did wicked
things to her body. “How about we make some popcorn, find a funny
movie to make you laugh, and sit here until you’re ready for bed?
I’ll sleep on the couch and in the morning, I’ll make some
breakfast.”
    That sounded amazing. “If you’re
sure.”
    “ I’m sure,” he grinned and
leaned in to hug her.
    Cassie was shocked by the embrace, but
quickly took advantage of it. She wrapped her arms around his neck,
inhaling a little of his scent. His heat invaded her body and his
muscular arms felt so good. Her knight in shining armor had
arrived,