Anxiety filled me as I waited. A long moment passed and I wondered if I had gotten the date wrong. I checked the calendar on my phone. Friday evening, as we had agreed. He said he wouldn’t be working tonight for once. Maybe he had to go to the club anyway.
Mason opened the door with a smile even larger than mine and put a stop to all the craziness going on in my head. He wore a tight T-shirt and jeans. Nothing more. Not even socks. His hair was wet and my heart fluttered, remembering how many showers we had had together.
“Hi.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me to him before I could respond.
His mouth closed over mine, and his hands snaked around my waist, pressing me tight against him. I heard the door being closed, somehow, but I was too busy to care, devouring his sweet taste.
His hand slid down to my hips and he pulled me up, depositing me on a high stool. I knotted my legs around him. I had missed his lips, his body, and his skin on mine. I needed it. Right now.
He leaned into me and my back rested against a counter or something. I didn’t really care what it was, as long as it didn’t break us apart. With a growl, he bit my lower lip. I gasped as the urge to throw him on the floor and crawl over him became unbearable. However, before I could act, he trailed kisses down my neck, pulling the straps of my tee away.
I gasped again. “I thought we were going to have dinner,” I whispered, kicking my sandals off.
His teeth grazed against my shoulder. “Me too.”
A shiver rolled down my spine and I tugged at his shirt, wanting it off. I could lick him, every inch of him, and I would still be hungry for more.
Hungry. Food. We should eat.
I held his shoulders and forced him back.
“What?” he asked, pushing against me.
“We need to do this right,” I said. “We said we would have dinner, talk, and get to know each other.”
“Right.” His body relaxed a little and I let him put his arms around me. “This isn’t only physical. I know. You’re right.” He brushed his lips against mine. “But it’s hard. I want you so badly.”
I arched my back at his touch. “I want you too.” He kissed me, but I only smiled and pushed him away. “No. Stop. And cook me dinner.”
Grinning, Mason did an Army salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
I laughed and slapped his arm. This was what I missed. His playfulness and good mood, our great chemistry and rhythm. Even though we hadn’t shared any important information during spring break, we had bonded. We had spent six perfect days together, and I wanted that again, but for way longer this time.
For how long, I didn’t know. I wasn’t stupid to think our relationship would last long. First, my mother would keep forcing me onto Donnie or other young politicians. Second, I didn’t think Mason would want to stay in the closet forever. He deserved better. The right thing was not to get involved. However, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him that and walk away. Not right now. Not yet.
Rescuing me from my thoughts, Mason grabbed my hand and pulled me into the kitchen with him.
“So, what do you want to eat?” he asked, opening the fridge.
I arched a brow. “What can you cook?”
A lopsided grin spread through Mason’s lips. “Anything.”
“Hmm, endless options.” I strolled to him and spied the fridge with him, my chest on his back, my chin on his shoulder. “I can think of something.”
In a second, Mason whirled to me and had his arms around my waist. “Hey, you’re the one who stopped me. I would have finished what we started.” He leaned to kiss me.
“I know.” I wiggled away from his arms. “Surprise me.”
Mason sighed, sounding disappointed. “All right.” He grabbed some stuff from the fridge and set them on the counter. “Can you cook?”
I snorted. “Only frozen pizza out of the freezer and into the oven.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. Had cooks my entire life. They didn’t even let me get my own water out of the fridge.”
“That’s unreal.”
I leaned against the counter, right beside where Mason stirred some white goo inside a pot. “That’s completely unnecessary.”
“I didn’t know governors made that much money.”
“They don’t.” I was about to stop there, but decided to be honest with him. After all, I wanted him to know me better. “My father’s family always had a lot of money, and my mother’s family isn’t too shabby either.”
“Oh.” Mason grabbed a frozen chicken package from the freezer, put it in the microwave, and then went back to his white goo. “Sorry.”
“For?”
“I know you don’t like talking about money.”
“True, I don’t.” I crossed my arms. “It’s just … people tend to judge you differently if they know you have money. They tend to treat people differently. I don’t like that. I’m just me. With or without money.”
Mason leaned over me and kissed the tip of my nose. “I like that you’re just you.”
I felt my cheeks heat. As his focus went back to whatever he was cooking, I stared at him. He looked incredible. Dark jeans and fitted gray T-shirt. His biceps flexed with every movement he made. For a moment, I reconsidered my whole having-dinner-first rule.
Mason peeked at me. “If you want, I can teach you some easy dishes.”
I smiled. “I would like that.”
Mason explained to me step by step his allegedly famous Norm Chicken, which consisted of a secret white sauce recipe and small chunks of chicken. He also made rice and mashed potatoes.
“I can honestly say, I’m pleasantly surprise,” I said as I sat down on the chair Mason had pulled out for me.
“Good.” Mason sat down across the table from me, and served our plates. “I hope you like it.”
“I’m sure I will.” The smell was wonderful and I was starving. He handed me my plate and I dove in without ceremonies. I moaned when my taste buds exploded in my mouth. It was delicious!
“Oh, so you do make those sounds when not in bed too?” Mason asked, with a naughty grin.
I almost choked on my food, and then laughed. “Funny. I remember you enjoying them.”
“Oh, baby, I love them.”
Our eyes met. The air crackled around us. The shine in Mason’s eyes caught my breath. It was as if he was undressing me with his gaze, touching me, having me. I was about to jump over the table and attack him. Literally.
The sound of the neighbor slamming a door shattered the charm, and I was able to go back to the original plan.
I broke the stare. “So, tell me about you.”
Mason cleared his throat. “As you know, I was born and raised in California. Lived with my parents and brother. We kinda struggle with money, you know. Matt and I started working when we were fourteen. I always thought about moving out, but that would cost me a lot of money, and well, it was easy, you know, living with my parents. They never bothered me and I was …” he paused, frowning.
“What? I want to know all about you, even a quick review of your previous relationships.”
“Okay.” Mason took a sip from his water before proceeding. “I was in a serious relationship. I didn’t need a bachelor pad to bring in all the girls. My parents liked Tamara, so she slept there all the time.”
“How long were you and Tamara together?”
“A little over three years.”
I picked at my food. “What happened?”
A frown appeared between Mason’s brows. “I found her in bed with another guy.”
“Ouch,” I whispered. “I’m sorry.”
Mason shrugged. “After that, I found out she had always cheated on me, so though it hurt when it happened, I’m glad I found out sooner rather than later.”
“So, I was your rebound girl.”
“Well, you were supposed to be,” Mason said, reaching over the table and entwining his fingers with mine. “But I couldn’t stop thinking about you.” He kissed my knuckle
s and I smiled. “I was serious when I said I’m glad I found you again. I really am.”
“Me too.” I squeezed his hand, then let go because one touch would become a caress, a caress would ignite the fire in me, and we would end up in bed. I really wanted to sleep with him again, but he wanted to be my boyfriend, not my boy toy. Truth be told, I liked this. “So, tell me more.”
“What else? You know Brody and Matt. Brody has been my best friend since we were kids, when our parents were neighbors. Then they moved to the other side of town when we started high school, but that’s the beauty of living in a small city. Only one high school. As for Matt, I’m lucky. We’re lucky, I think. We hear so much about brothers who don’t get along. We do.” He sighed. “I miss those two.”
I thought about being away from Liana, MaryAnn, and Becca, and it was impossible. I knew I would be sick if I ever spent weeks without seeing them.
Granted, guys weren’t that emotional. But being so far away from his friends was probably still hard on Mason.
I changed subjects for his sake. “What about school?”
“I have a civil engineering bachelor’s degree, and in the end of August, I’ll start the second year of my master’s degree.”
“I didn’t know you needed a master degree to work in civil engineering.”
“You don’t. But I want to build bridges and a master in structural engineering is highly recommended for that.”
“Building bridges? That sounds exciting.”
“It is.” His eyes sparkled. “I love the calculations, the imagining, the doing of what looks impossible.”
I smiled at the passion in his voice. “It sounds quite amazing.”
“I’m looking for an entry-level job in the area right now. Not sure if there are many construction companies like that around Washington though. At any rate, working in any civil engineering company will add to my resume and will help me lie low with the bartending thing.”
“I’m sure you’ll find something.” I truly was sure. If the passion he had just demonstrated was any indication of how good he was at it, he would go far. “What about hobbies?”
“Nothing out of the ordinary. I like to go to the movies and eat popcorn, swim at the beach, run in parks, play video games, though I haven’t played much lately, and play sports, especially basketball. I used to play for my high school and in college. I drink too much Coke, eat too much pizza, and even though I spend a lot of time around beer and such, I’m not a true alcohol drinker.”
“All good stuff.”
He nodded. “All in all, a good guy.”
“A very good guy,” I said, smiling. Asking about hobbies reminded me of the questions I had asked Donnie. I bit my lip and decided to try it with Mason. “Okay. A couple more questions with quick answers.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Okay.”
“What’s your favorite movie?”
“The Matrix. I like the trilogy, but the first one is the best, hands down.”
“Interesting. Hmm, how about TV series?”
“Haven’t watched any lately. Used to like Smallville and Supernatural. There’s also Mega Engineering and Junkyard Wars. Oh, and MythBusters.”
I chuckled. Of course he would like those engineering programs. “Good stuff. Now, favorite book?”
“Not much of a reader, unfortunately, but I read the Harry Potter series back when. It was fun.”
“One of my favorite of all time. Songs?”
“So many. Anything from Coldplay or Maroon 5 or Creed, and Linkin Park, Breaking Benjamin. I could go on all day.”
“Okay, last question. What’s the most daring thing you ever did?”
He frowned, thinking. “I bungee jumped off a bridge four years ago. It was crazy.” He ran a hand through his hair and I smiled. “So, did I pass your test?”
“You did.” I was so satisfied with his answers, contentment threatened to explode in my chest. He wasn’t boring at all. He was the exact opposite.
“Now, your turn. Tell me your answer to all of those questions.”
Oh, wow, he was better than I expected and he wanted to know me too. I smiled. “You know my hobbies. Roller skating and drawing. My favorite movie is Wimbledon alongside Avatar. For TV series, I’ll go with Once Upon a Time, Supernatural, and Gilmore Girls. My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. I like too many songs and my favorite changes almost daily, but I’ve been into 5am by Katy B lately. And the most daring thing I ever did? The spring break trip when I met you. I told my mother I was going to Canada with Tracy.”
“You did what?” His eyes widened and he held an amused smile. “You did not.”
“I did.” I reached under the table with my foot, grazing his legs.
Mason tsked. “Don’t provoke me.”
“I’m not.”
His brows shot up and he pointed down the table. “Really?”
“Okay, I’ll stop.”
He grabbed my foot and put it against his leg again. “No need for that.” He smiled and I was sure I never had seen a more handsome man. Not only because of beauty, but also because of all that he was. All that he wanted to be. “Tell me more about you.”
“You know all about me.” I set down my fork and knife. “Father died when I was young. Mother is a control freak. She thinks Tracy Graham is my best friend, though Liana is, closely followed by MaryAnn and Becca. I like skating and drawing, though I’m majoring in political science instead of arts. I hate wearing pencil skirts and blouses, though that takes up most of my closet.” I paused and stared at my plate. “Sorry, I sound bitterer than I intended.”
Mason patted my foot. “That’s okay. I like that you’re honest with me.”
“I want to be honest with you.”
He took a deep breath as if he was preparing for a big speech. “Then tell me, why haven’t you told your mother to fuck off yet?”
Ah, the golden question. “It’s not that simple,” I muttered. “She’s very … oppressive and loud and firm. She always says I’m disappointing my father, which I think is true. He was this big conservative figure, who believed women were supposed to stay home and cook dinner for their husbands. I bet, if he was alive, I wouldn’t even be able to sneak out and do what I like. I would live the life they chose for me twenty-four-seven.” I paused, unsure if I should continue. I had never told this part to anyone. “Before his last deployment, my father told me to be good to her, to always behave and do what she tells me to. He said she would always know what was right for me; she would always want the best for me. I was only eight when he said it for the first time. I clearly remember him saying it again when I was twelve, when he was leaving for the military ceremony overseas, a few days before he was killed. I guess his words stuck in the back of my mind and it was as if I couldn’t go against him. Soon, my mother lost him, you know. I couldn’t hurt her more by not being who she wants me to be.”
I averted my eyes, shut my mouth, and waited for his judgment. If I had told any of this to Liana, she would have hit me hard and yelled, “Get out of that daze, girl!”
Mason’s eyes softened. “I understand. If my father had said something like that, I would probably do whatever and be whoever my mother wanted me to be.” He tapped my hand and I lifted my head, meeting his kind gaze. “Not that you don’t look good in those serious clothes, but I like the Charlotte you are right now.”
“I also don’t really hate the other Charlotte, but I do like this Charlotte much more.” I stood, decided not to let my family and their precious career bring me down. “You cooked. Now, it’s my turn to wash the dishes.”
“No way.” Mason stood and followed me into the kitchen. “It’s my apartment, my sink, my mess.”
I turned to him. “Then let’s compromise. I wash and you dry.”
“The opposite. I wash and you dry.”
I placed my hands on his chest and he held my wrists. “Nope, mister. My deal or no deal.”
I stood on tiptoes and he leaned do
wn to me. “Sorry, but I can’t answer. I’m distracted right now.” His lips brushed against mine and I shivered. “I love knowing that I can make you tremble just by doing this.” He grazed his lips on mine again and this time I moaned. “Shit.” He groaned, and then took my mouth into his. There was no hesitation. His tongue swept inside my parted mouth, and I held on to him for dear life.
Mason backed me against the fridge, pressing his body on mine. My hands slid inside his shirt and I ran my nails down his back, making him shiver. I loved knowing I could make him tremble too.
His tongue grazed around my jaw, sending a jolt down my body that flared low in my abdomen and filled me with need, with lust. He nibbled the tip of my ear, provoking me with his erratic breathing, as his hands clasped around my ass, bringing my hips to his. His hard-on brushed against me and I moaned. Oh, the hell with it. I pulled my hands out of his shirt and fisted the hem, intent on pulling it over his head right now.
A loud Toxic by Britney Spears made Mason jump back a couple of feet. “What’s that?”
I laughed, fishing my phone from my pocket. “It’s the ringtone I chose for Tracy.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Appropriate?”
Shaking my head, I answered the phone. “Hey, Tracy. What’s up?”
Groaning, Mason adjusted his pants and walked to the other side of the bar area, clearly needing to cool off. I loved seeing him like that, aroused and losing control because of me.
I tuned him out—otherwise I would hang up the phone—and turned my attention to Tracy.
Chapter Thirteen
Mason
I was having the hardest time keeping my hands off Charlotte. Well, my hands were all over her, but what I wanted was to scoop her up and throw her onto my bed.
I drew little circles on top of her foot with my fingertips, and scanned every inch of her face, while she flipped through the channels, searching for a movie we could watch together.
We had retreated to the couch after washing the dishes and being interrupted by Tracy’s call, inviting Charlotte to a Fourth of July party I couldn’t attend. I had instantly laid her down and crawled over her. So, to keep us apart, she decided to sit on a corner of the couch, and I sat on the other end. Not two seconds later, she propped her legs over the couch and rested her feet in my lap.
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