When Its Least Expected (42 page)

Turning to ride in, he went immediately onto his feet. His arms outstretched to the
side,

and his smile etched across his cheeks.

“Hell yeah,” he mumbled to himself. He was on freaking fire!

The high of the moment was perfect like always, but after a few seconds, he realized
that

something felt off, uncomfortable. Then his legs began to shake and wobble. His body
rocked back and forth just as his calves began to burn.

Dammit, he was cramping up!

He was losing his balance, and he was tired too, most likely from not taking a break.

Those two things were not a good combination. There was no way he’d right his body
on the

board now. His right leg slipped, and the nose of his board went forward. He fell
flat on his stomach, and just as his chin smacked down, the cruncher blew over his
head in full force,

stealing his board out from underneath him.

He was pulled under completely. He fought against the pressure of the overpowering

wave. His body was flung in frantic circles, and he struggled to fight towards the
surface. The water was too overpowering, and it sucked him under even more. The sounds
of bubbles and the raging water filled both his ears and his lungs. His nose burned.
He couldn’t hold the air in much longer, and panic rose in his throat. Somehow or
another he found himself coming into contact with the sea bed. Then something sharp
cut deep into his calf, and an unbearable pain surged throughout the back of his leg.

Holy mother of God. That burned!

His eyes shut. He couldn’t fight to stay conscious much longer. Blackness accompanied

his vision, and he let it. There was something peaceful knowing that he’d go like
that, but then Harley’s brown eyes popped into his head. He started to fight back
against the surface again, needing to live if only to see her face again.

Unfortunately, he was too late to win this fight.

* * *

two tiny slits, but on the upside, he didn’t feel a lick of pain.

“The drugs they gave him were pretty potent, Maisy. Give him time. He’ll wake up

soon.”

“But mom, he’s been out for like, eighteen hours now! How is that normal recovery

time?”

“Maisy, I told you. He is going to be just fine. The doctor said that sleeping was

important, especially since the infection consumed him quickly. It’s just his way
of fighting it off. ”

Ah, shit. The slice of his leg, the water over taking him … Nope, he wasn’t dead.
He was

in the hospital. What puzzled Mason the most though, was that his mom wasn’t the one
freaking out. It was Maisy instead.

“Well, I’m getting frustrated here, and if he doesn’t get up soon then I’m –“

“Come on, little sister, pipe the freak down. I’m trying to sleep here!” he growled
through their argument.

His sister squealed as she heaved herself on top of Mason’s chest. Her tears soaked

through the gown someone had dressed him in. He grunted as his chest collapsed.

“Jesus, Mase, you scared us! I’m so glad you’re okay.” She leaned back. He could see

that her eyes were glazed from exhaustion.

Mason smiled, pausing half way to look around the tiny hospital room. His mouth

snapped shut. Harley wasn’t there. “Where is she? Where’s Harley? She didn’t leave.
Oh God, please tell me she didn’t leave!” He grabbed at the wires hanging from his
arms and yanked on them, feeling the panic build up in his chest and threatening to
explode from the inside out.

He wasn’t the type of guy that prayed, but in that instance he changed his ways. He

prayed to God himself that she didn’t get scared off and leave him. He’d just gotten
her back!

“I’m right here, Mase. Simmer down, would you?” His breath hitched in his throat,
and

he tensed, only to relax when he took in her beautiful frame leaning against the door
well.

There, in a perfect vision of her white cotton sun dress stood a very red eyed looking

Harley. “Besides they had pizza in the cafeteria, and you knew how I feel about pizza,”
she winked. Damn her. He thought she left, and here she was, joking about it.

Maybe he could send his mother and Maisy away, lock the doors, and pull her down next

to his body. He licked his dry lips. He could strip that white cotton thing away from
her

delectable body and… He groaned, rubbing a hand over his eyes. Jesus, he was either
desperate or too hyped up on meds to think straight.

Then again, was he just hyped up on the love he felt for her? He was turning into
one

corny ass bastard.

He motioned her over, needing to be as close to her as possible. He tried to move
his

injured left leg, but a ripping feeling trailed down his calf. He winced. That damn,
jagged rock; the thing just about tore his leg off. Harley must have seen the grimace
in his face because she immediately went into nurse maid mode, rubbing his arms, pulling
the covers up tight over his chest. Now all she needed was a naughty nurse costume
to complete the idea. He almost grinned, but that burned too. He needed to touch her
badly though. She’d make the ache bearable. He

grabbed her hands pulling her down next to him on the bed. She squeaked, wiggling
to move, but he wasn’t letting her go anywhere. She was right where she belonged.

“Come on, Maisy. Let’s leave these two love kittens alone, shall we? Besides Mason’s

going to need some more medicine soon, so I’ve gotta grab a nurse for him.” Mason’s
mom

yanked his sister’s arm to keep her moving towards the door.

Mason sighed, partially from pain but mostly contentment right as Harley tucked her

head under his chin and relaxed onto his chest. She was the only person Mason wanted
there

with him in that moment. He loved his family, but he needed her there just a little
bit more.

“God, Mase, you scared me to death yesterday. I seriously thought you were done for.

Don’t you
ever
do that to me again, do you hear me?” She shuddered, and he gripped her tighter.

It was her turn to sigh. “You took at least ten years off my life after that little
stunt.”

“And you are still as beautiful as ever,” he smiled, brushing his hand over her hair
with

one hand, interlocking their other hands onto his stomach. They were gripping each
other so tightly that his knuckles throbbed. But neither of them let go.

He closed his eyes. He knew how she was feeling. He’d felt that same way six months

ago when she was lying in a hospital herself, but there was no point in bringing up
those painful memories. With Harley, Mason only wanted to think about the future,
their future together.

It was definitely not a pipe dream anymore.

Running his fingertips across her face, Mason encountered a wetness that could only
have

been tears. His chest tightened at the thought, and he shifted his body so he they
could face each other. “Come on, Har. Don’t cry. I’m here now, and everything’s fine.
I’m
fine.” She nodded, leveling their foreheads.

She loosened her hand from his grip, brushing her fingers over his forehead and down
his

cheek. She nodded, “I know.” Her words were soft, and the move was slow and gentle.
He kissed her nose in a silent version of thanks. A thank you for her comfort, for
being there for him, for loving him.

They lay there like that just staring, studying each other, until slowly, her lips
upturned into a devious smile. She blinked. “I told my parents I was staying here
and going to school, Mase. I’m not leaving you. Ever again,” she whispered. He could
feel the warmth of her breath seep against his lips. It was so intoxicating that he
almost didn’t realize what she’d said.

“Um, what? Are you serious? Holy shit, Har. I, uh … God, I can’t even believe this!

You’re serious?”

She nodded and laughed, “As a heart attack.”

Holy shit, it was happening. His little beast was actually going to make the move
to Cali.

Mason groaned pulling her on top of him. Screw the hospital, the nurses, the doctors,
and

his mom and Maisy too. He had a girlfriend to kiss. Her breath hitched, and she giggled
harder. It left her vulnerable for that seal-the-deal, connection of their mouths.

The softness of her lips and tongue made him want to cry out in sweet bliss. If this
was

what completion felt like then he would deal with all the bad shit over and over again
just to get to that point.

Finally he pulled away, lifting her face up into his hands. Her eyes were closed,
and she

smiled. His heart monitor went crazy. Harley giggled even louder, covering her mouth
in that
oops
sort of way, but no laughter left Mason’s mouth as he prepared the words that he
had been dying to tell her for months.

“Harley Ann Anderson, from the first night I met you, I knew you were going to change

me. I felt it the moment I first saw you under those bleachers looking for that key
chain.” He tapped her nose before trailing his finger from the top of her lip to the
bottom of her chin. Her eyes shut as her lashes brushed against her cheeks. “Have
I told you how thankful I am that you lost those keys that night by the way?” She
shook her head no but didn’t verbally respond. More tears welled in her eyes when
she reopened them.

“It was by chance that we met, little beast, but definitely by choice that I completely
and whole heartedly fell in love with you.”

A tiny gasp fell from her mouth, and she brought her face down level with his forehead

again. Her tears dripped down onto his face. He didn’t bother wiping them away. Her
hands were on both sides of his head, and her dark curls blanketed them from the light.

“I fell so hard in fact that I knew there would never be anyone else for me. So please,

please … move to Santa Cruz and be with me? I love you, Harley.”

She didn’t move. Her eyes were glued to his. She was so mighty, so fierce. She was
in

that moment, a true beautiful beast.

“I love you too, Mason.” He smiled with his chest lightening and filling at the same
time.

It was an oxymoron, but it was the truth. God, did those words sound good falling
from her

mouth. “Of course I’ll move here with you. I told you that, silly. You’re my life,
and after all the wrong turns I’ve made, I still managed to find the one road that
led me down the right path, the right path to you.”

Holy shit! He’d said it, and she said it back! It was a damn miracle.

Mason Daniel was officially and forever more a taken man.

Six weeks later

“Mase, I’m tired. Can’t we just call it a day?” Harley whined dragging her feet with
each

lingering step they took. “I seriously don‘t feel like crushing anymore roaches and
spiders with my flip-flops.” She shivered in disgust. This last apartment had to have
mutant roaches. So big, so disgustingly big. “Besides, I am
completely
fine with staying on campus if need be.”

Six different apartments in three long hours. Ugh. Talk about being burnt out. Mason
had

to have been too. She could see it in his limp, but he never once complained.

After the accident, he was told that he’d need at least six weeks of rehab before
he could

get back on a board. Apparently the sea coral had dug deeper into his leg than the
doctors first thought. Harley had been prepared for his depression over not being
able to surf, but he took it like a champ, even telling her that surfing wasn’t his
world anymore. All he needed was her from there on out. Talk about melting a girl’s
heart. She’d never get over all the swoon-worthy

moments he graciously provided her with, but she knew surfing would always be a close
second, and she was just fine with that.

Mason’s roommate had started getting irritated with Harley’s constant presence, stating

that he couldn’t
get any game
with a girl practically living in their apartment, so once Harley became registered
for school and got used to being in Santa Cruz as an everyday citizen instead of a
tourist, she wound up taking the extra room over at Mason’s Uncle Max’s place.

He was a nice guy, mid-forties, quiet, and worked the late shift at a nearby factory.

Harley hardly ever saw him, so it was basically like she lived on her own anyways.
Then Max met a lady, and when Harley got home late one afternoon to find them going
at it on the couch, she knew her welcomed stay was about to be worn out.

“One more, little beast. That’s all I’m asking for here.” Harley rolled her eyes.
One more

her ass. That’s what he’d said about the last three places.

Being the good girlfriend she was though, she just went with the flow. She didn’t
see the

point of apartment life right now, especially since living on campus would save her
so much money, but Mason being Mason wouldn’t let it lie until she’d agreed to go
looking.

Between the summer classes that she’d been taking and her new job down at the

bookstore on Pacific, Harley had been running herself ragged. She was under the impression
that today was supposed to be a day of relaxation for the two of them. Apartment hunting
did not equal relaxation.

“I’m done, Mase, seriously. I’m worn to crispy steak status, so stick a fork in me
and…

Oh Jesus, Mase! Don’t look at me like that!” His mesmerizing eyes were pleading, and
then he added the lower lip.

She could
never
deny the lower lip…

“Please, little beast, just one more? I know you’ll like it, and look. It’s right
by the pier.

Didn’t you tell me that you wanted a beach front apartment?” Mason Daniel was a conniving,

fight dirty kind of guy.

Ugh. She’d definitely have to agree now.