I glance at my watch. “I’ve been gone six minutes.”
He looks around in panic like a cornered wolf. “It’s gotta be more than that.”
I snort. “Oh, are we not enjoying Bettina’s sparkling personality?”
“She hasn’t even stopped to take a breath. Not once. I didn’t know that was physically possible.”
“I could’ve told you she’s Satan, but you were too dazzled by her cleavage to notice the forked tongue and the horns.”
His brows drawn down over his eyes. “You have to come back to the table and save me.”
“Save you?” I laugh. “No way, Romeo. You got yourself into this one, you get yourself out.”
“C’mon. I’ll owe you one.”
I consider him, interested. He looks really desperate. It’s oddly appealing.
A woman walks in the door, sees the two of us standing there, then turns around and walks back out.
I say, “This is unexpected,” then stop, unsure if I should go on.
Mason folds his arms over his chest and looks at me down his nose. “I can see the wheels spinning, Pink. Spit it out.”
“It’s just that on paper, she’s perfect for you.”
When I don’t continue, he prompts, “On paper.”
“The questionnaire you filled out. Your preferences in women? Remember those?”
He’s starting to look aggravated, so I hurry on before he can tear off one of the faucets and clobber me with it.
“Blonde, twenty-one to twenty-six, five-foot-seven or taller, athletic but curvy build—whatever the heck that is—and at least a 36 double D bust. Bubbly and outgoing. Enjoys sports. Non-smoking, non-religious, a social drinker who doesn’t do drugs, doesn’t care for politics, and doesn’t want children, but enjoys travel and action movies and is sophisticated enough to hold her own around people of high net worth.”
I stop for a moment. “Actually, it’s a miracle I matched you with anyone at all. That list is ridiculous.”
I don’t mention that Bettina’s out of his age range, but I’m sure her boobs make up for it.
He drawls, “I believe you have a point. Feel free to make it before we both die of old age.”
He’s quoting me again. I’m not sure what to make of it.
Then a sudden moment of clarity leaves me laughing at my own stupidity.
“What?” Mason demands, unfolding his arms and taking a step toward me.
“I just realized the problem.”
He takes another step toward me. Now we’re only an arm’s length apart.
“Which is?”
“You forgot to include mute.”
A muscle working in his jaw, his gaze drops to my lips. His voice comes out an octave lower. “You’re right. Mouthy women are a pain in the ass.”
I smile sweetly at him. “At least I don’t make you want to chew off your arm in a restaurant booth to escape.”
He says gruffly, “No, you make me want to—”
The woman who came in before interrupts us again, bursting through the restroom door. “Sorry, I can’t hold it any longer.” She rushes into a stall and slams the door.
Mason takes my arm and guides me out of the restroom.
He stops in the small vestibule leading to the hallway, but doesn’t let go of my arm. We stand there looking at each other for a moment, until I say, “Just make up some excuse to leave. Maybe you’re not feeling well.”
What was he going to say? I make him want to… what?
Jump off a tall building, most likely.
“No, you’re the one not feeling well.”
“Why not you?” When his lips twist in derision, I say, “Right. Because you’re way too manly to ever feel sick.”
“Exactly.”
I sigh. “Does it get tiring, dragging that huge ego around with you all the time?”
“No,” he says with a straight face. “My biceps can handle it.”
His hand is still on my arm. It’s big and warm and gently squeezing, and we’re both pretending to ignore it.
This is very confusing.
“Even if I did say I was sick, Satan would just tell you to have Dick drive me home.”
“What kind of a guy would I be if I let my sick matchmaker be taken home by my agent just so I could finish brunch with Bettina?”
I crinkle my brow. “A normal one?”
He shakes his head. “You were right. She’s a nightmare. Not even her thirty-eight double E’s can make up for it.”
“How do you know what her bra size is?”
He smirks, and I look heavenward. “God, in my next life, I want to come back as a pretty jock.”
“Pretty?” Mason says, curling his lip in disgust. “I’m not pretty. I’m—”
“Please don’t subject me to a list of adjectives describing your masculine beauty. I could go my entire life without hearing that.”
His expression changes to one of keen interest. “Masculine beauty? You think I’m beautiful?”
“No, you said—oh, forget it.”
“No, this is an interesting topic. I think we should discuss this in more detail.”
His gray eyes are burning the way they do before he starts cursing, but he doesn’t scare me. I scoff. “I know for a fact you have plenty of other sources for ego strokes, my friend. You don’t need me for that.”
His smile comes on slow and heated. He teases, “But librarians have such good vocabularies.”
I say flatly, “I will kill you where you stand.”
Why he likes it when I threaten him, I have no earthly idea, but his smile deepens and his eyes crinkle at the corners.
“For such a tiny thing, you’ve got a lot of anger inside.”
“Believe me, it’s a recent development.”
He presses his lips together, trying not to laugh. Then his gaze drops to my mouth, and his amusement fades. He stares at my lips in intense concentration.
“Mason.”
His gaze flashes up to mine.
“I know you hate pink, but when you look at my lipstick like you’re trying hard not to puke, it hurts my feelings.”
There’s a long, crackling pause. Then he says, “Is that robot we saw at church the only man you’ve ever slept with?”
Shocked, I pull my arm from his grip and say icily, “That’s none of your business.”
“He is, isn’t he?”
“See my previous answer.”
“Because I’m thinking the only explanation for your total lack of awareness is that you don’t have much experience with men.”
Heat crawls up my neck, flooding my cheeks and making them burn. “I’m perfectly aware of how I look.”
He steps closer, leans down into my face, and growls, “I didn’t say anything about your looks.”
I swallow. He’s so close I can feel the warmth of him. I can smell his skin. I can see the little flecks of green in the depths of his burning gray eyes.
For one long, breathless moment, we stare deep into each other’s eyes.
Then he pulls away abruptly, and I’m left reeling.
He snaps, “Now go find me that mute girl so I don’t have to deal with this crap anymore.”