“Okay. I’m heading out now. Have a good night.” I cleared my throat, moving around him to my car.
“You’re going to be drinking?” His timbre stopped my heels, curving me back to him.
“Yes. I’m old enough to drink.” The lash came out harsher than I meant, but he needed to be put in his place, and I needed to be reminded how young he really was.
“And driving?” He folded his arms, leaning against the dryer, his forearms budging at the simple action.
“I’m having one.” My lids narrowed, and I returned to where he was standing, getting a foot away. “Don’t judge me, junior. I am an adult.”
Mason’s mouth twitched, as if he were finding me humorous.
“Goodnight, Mason.” I twisted away, annoyed I engaged in this.
An arm reached over me, plucking the keys from my hand.
“What the fuck?” I swung to him. “Give me back my keys.”
“I’ll drive you.”
“No.” I tried to grab my keys. He stuffed them deep into his front pocket. “Mason…” Irritation huffed through my nose.
“Uber or I drive you.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” I exclaimed. “This is my house. My car.”
He stayed silent; his arms still folded over his chest.
“Mason.” Anger flared. “Give me my fucking keys.”
No response.
I watched him for a moment, my head shaking as I tucked hair behind my ear.
“Playing this cute little game?” Challenge coated my words. “You forgot.” I stepped in slightly closer, his chest flexing at my nearness.
“What?”
“I’m not a little high school girl who swoons when you walk by, too shy to go after what she wants.” I knew I was crossing a line, but I couldn’t stop myself. My hand slid into his front pocket, his entire body going rigid as I grabbed for my keys, my fingers brushing his cock. There was no way to avoid it.
His dick was hard and seriously huge. Humiliation and desire swept through me. I tried to swallow my gasp as I yanked my car keys out, turning quickly away, acting like I neither felt nor was affected by it.
“My father was killed by a drunk driver.”
Mason’s declaration stopped me in my tracks, facing him again. “What?”
He gazed off to the side, his body going on defense, as if he hadn’t meant to let that out.
“I was nine.”
My head bowed, realizing this whole thing wasn’t about him trying to be difficult or even cocky. This was about a little boy who lost his dad.
Something I understood.
“I’m sorry.”
He huffed derisively, and I knew exactly how trite the phrase was, no matter how good the intentions were from the giver. They became hollow and empty.
“I understand losing someone.” Actually, many people.
“I know you do.” His gaze shot back, tipping to the ring I still wore, then back to my face.
I assumed Addison told him some of my story. Enough to know I was a widow.
Silence hung between us, but it didn’t feel uncomfortable. Sometimes not saying anything was the best support. Just standing by them, telling them in actions you are there for them.
Eventually my curiosity opened my mouth. “You live with your grandparents. What about your mother?”
“Who knows? She ran off after I was born.” He pushed off the machine with a shrug, sauntering up to me, forcing my head to tip back. “Let me drive you.”
Emotion and need shook through my limbs, my heart hurting for him. It took all I had not to go up on my toes and kiss him. It was immoral, I understood that, but the urge almost stole my breath. Forcing myself to move back, I nodded my head.
Taking the keys from me, he traveled to my car while I followed behind, slipping into the passenger seat. He commanded the space inside my CR-V, making me overly aware of every molecule he took up. He drove with a swagger. Compared to his GTO, this car was probably child’s play. Anyone passing by us would think we were a couple, not imagining over ten years separated us.
Biting my lip, I kept my attention out the side window, fixated on the changing leaves falling to the ground. The only time I spoke was to tell him where to drop me. The car ride was quiet and weirdly tense, but strangely comfortable too.
“Thank you.” My voice came out wobbly when he stopped in front of the pub. “I’ll get an Uber home.”
He nodded, his cheek twitching, his gaze going to a few guys heading into the pub.
Unbuckling, I climbed out, taking in a breath. I had the urge to get right back in again and tell him to take us home, where we could watch movies and eat popcorn.
The door swung open, and I could see Marcie and a few others already in there.
You can do this.
“Again, thank you.” I gripped the door, talking to Mason. “And please get a pizza or whatever you guys want for dinner.”
His jaw ticked again, his gaze swinging to me, looking anything but happy. “Have a good night.”
“You too.” I slammed the door, my heels clicking to the front of the pub, hearing my car peel off.
I watched the taillights disappear, my heart sinking in my chest.
“Enough, Emery.” I reprimanded myself as I stepped into the busy, loud pub, hearing Marcie yell out for me, feeling like I was doing what I should, not what I wanted.
Chapter 13
Mason
My hand pumped down my shaft, my dick aching as I squeezed harder, the shower pelting down on my back. A groan slipped between my teeth as I pictured Emery’s body, her back arching, her cries loud as I thrust into her, cracking the washing machine against the wall, leaving a gaping hole.
“Fuck.” I stroked harder, my spine burning as I jerked, cum spurting out, my hips still moving as my orgasm continued, though it didn’t ease the tension in my body. My dick understood this wasn’t real. It wasn’t deep inside her. With a sigh, I fell against the tile, unsatisfied.
A brush of her fingers when she grabbed for her keys, barely grazing my dick, but I still could feel her touch, as though she burned her mark into my flesh.
Then to sit there watching her walk into the pub, in those tight jeans, sexy, low-cut top, and fuck-me heels, knowing every male there would be staring at her, moving in on her, buying her drinks, flirting, trying to get in her pants.
A laugh burst out, and I rubbed my face. Are you any different, asshole? The only thing different was I was too young to be the one buying her drinks.
I scoured my face harder.
The thought of any guy touching her, kissing her, causing her to cry out made me want to tear everything apart. Emery Campbell was the kind of beautiful that had men lose their minds, but it was more than that for me. The chemistry between us was instant and so damn palpable it was painful. A connection I couldn’t explain, but it drew me to her. I didn’t just want to be around her; I needed to be, especially when she was challenging me, pushing all my buttons. It took everything I had to not kiss her tonight. To have her naked up on her dryer, fucking her until she could no longer move.
Shutting off the water, I grabbed a towel, my aggravation not ebbing at all even after jerking off twice. Torturing myself when nothing could ever come of it felt like some twisted S&M shit. Yet, it seemed exactly what I was into.