Chapter 5: The Most Awkward Wedding Night

On our wedding night, it was the first time for both of us.

Since we were inexperienced, we watched a video together beforehand to learn what to do.

The bright, explicit scenes and breathy moans made me so uncomfortable I almost wanted to crawl under the bed.

But Mason watched with total focus, even pausing to take notes. I swear, the man could have been studying for finals.

Honestly, you'd think he was prepping for a board exam or something.

I couldn’t help but giggle at the way he squinted at the screen, brows furrowed like he was trying to crack a code. When the video finally ended and my phone screen went dark, the room suddenly felt extra quiet.

I was so embarrassed I didn’t know what to do. “Maybe… we could just… try again another time…”

But then he took my hand—broad, warm.

When I looked up, I met Mason’s gentle, steady gaze. “Honey, trust me.”

That one word—"honey"—made my mind go completely blank. I mean, who even says that anymore? But coming from him, it worked.

I nodded, dazed.

After that, everything felt like a dream.

Mason leaned in and politely asked if he could kiss me.

I nodded without thinking.

He cupped the back of my head and kissed me.

He didn’t let go until I was trembling all over, then finally pulled back, a little reluctant.

His hand slid from my neck down to my lower back, gently caressing.

“Excuse me, can I take off your pants?”

My brain was basically oatmeal by then.

I heard his voice and instinctively looked up at Mason.

Straight nose, thin lips, deep-set brows—such a commanding, handsome face.

My heart was pounding.

With a face like that, how could anyone say no to anything he asked? Seriously, unfair.

Not to mention, all he wanted was to take off my pants.

It’s not like he was asking for anything else…

Not that I’d say no to anything else, either.

Almost like I was under a spell, I nodded.

Had it really only been a month? Wild.

When he heard my answer, Mason smiled. Like I'd just handed him the moon.

He leaned in again and gave my nose a gentle kiss. “Thank you.”

…

Mason was always attentive to how I felt.

He was worried I’d get hurt, so he’d pause now and then to check his notes from earlier.

It was sweet, sure, but also kind of mortifying.

It felt like I’d gotten tangled up with the class’s hardworking straight-A student.

In the end, I couldn’t take it anymore.

I grabbed that notebook and tossed it as far away as I could.

Afraid he’d read too much into it, I pretended I’d just realized what I’d done. “Oops—sorry, my hand slipped.”

Mason paused. “It’s okay.”

“I’ll just go pick it up.”

He got up to retrieve the notebook, but I caught his hand, pulling him gently back toward me. For a moment, we just looked at each other, both of us a little breathless, like we were standing on the edge of something new. The silence between us was warm, comfortable in its own awkward way, and I realized—maybe this was our version of closeness. Strange, shy, quietly sweet. And honestly? I wouldn’t trade it for anything.