But God, I was excited.
The rumble of his motorcycle echoed through my apartment, and I ran out to the parking lot with my small black backpack strapped across my back.
“It’s not really fair.” I pulled up to a stop next to him and ran my fingers underneath my backpack straps.
“What isn’t?” He had a pair of aviators covering his eyes, and even though he looked insanely hot in them, I didn’t like that I couldn’t see his eyes.
“How hot you look on a motorcycle.”
“Oh yeah?” His smirk was so deep that I swore I could see a dimple popping out under the beard he hadn’t shaved in several days.
“Yeah. Is it your ploy to pick up ladies?” I cocked my hip as I slid my sunglasses over my eyes.
“Is it working?” He wagged his eyebrows, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Totally.” I swung my leg over his bike and settled in behind him. He curled his hand around the back of my knee and jerked my body forward, pulling me closer to him. The heat of his body radiated through my clothing, and I took a deep breath to steady my thundering heart.
His motorcycle rumbled to a start, the rumble drowning out every other sound, and I smiled as he hit the throttle and pulled out onto the road.
My long braid whipped around me, the stray hairs sticking to my face and neck, and I leaned my head back and let the wind envelop me.
I had been on the back of a bike over a hundred times with my father, and I missed this feeling. The wind. The freedom.
But this was different.
Being on the back of Mason’s was different in so many ways.
I felt safe with him, completely safe, but I also felt wild. Like anything could happen at any moment. But I typically felt that way with Mason regardless if I was on the back of his bike. There was just something about him that was unpredictable even though he was so sure.
I’d be lying if I said riding on the back of his bike didn’t feed into every motorcycle club romance novel fantasy I had ever had. Because it did.
Every scene I had ever read was running through my head. The club, the motorcycle rides, the sex.
God, the sex.
But I was not supposed to be thinking about sex when it came to Mason.
Friends, friends, friends.
I chanted it in my head, but then the vibrations of the motorcycle and hardness of his body that fit perfectly between my legs cut through and all I could think about was sex, sex, sex.
I pressed my forehead against his back. He just needed to do something that would throw me off my game. Something that would seal him into the friend-zone. It really shouldn’t be that hard. Parker and Brandon hit the friend-zone before I even thought about it. No effort.
Mason’s hand settled on my thigh and his fingers pressed into me through my jeans, and all thoughts of friendship blew past me carried off by the rough wind.
We rode for over an hour, my body pressed against his for a full damn hour, and when we finally pulled to a stop outside an old bar-b-que restaurant, I could barely feel my legs.
Mason swung off the bike before gripping my hips in his hands and helping do the same.
“You been riding a lot before?” He unhooked my helmet and pulled it from my head. I was sure my hair was a wild ass mess, but at the moment, I didn’t care. “You’re a natural back there.”
“Yeah.” I took the helmet from his hands and strapped it to the back of his bike. “My dad had one practically my whole life.”
He nodded his head and I could see a trace of relief in his eyes as if he knew I was going to say I used to ride with an ex.
I had been on the back of other bikes, but not with anyone who mattered.
“I hope you’re hungry. This place has the best bar-b-que around.”
“I’m starving.” I followed him toward the restaurant, and he put his arm around my shoulders as we walked side-by-side.
We were sat as soon as we walked into the tiny restaurant, and I looked around at the red and white checkered tablecloths. The servers wore cowgirl boots and red plaid shirts, and I rolled my eyes when the server who came to our table accompanied her outfit with a pair of daisy dukes that were far too short to be serving food.
“Hi. I’m Brandi. I’m going to be your server today. Can I get you started with something to drink?” She had her eyes directly on Mason, not even acknowledging that I was there, and I could feel my claws coming out.
“I’ll take sweet tea.” Mason finally looked up at the server, but he only shot her a small glance before he turned to me.
“Sweet tea for me as well.”
“I’ll have them right out to you.” Brandi stuck her pad of paper back into her apron that hung lower than her shorts and walked away after sparing another longing glance in Mason’s direction.
I couldn’t blame her.
He looked incredibly hot in a black t-shirt and jeans. His skin was tan, his aviators were resting on the top of his head, and his slight beard was begging me to grip it in my hands as I devoured his lips.
But I still didn’t like her.
And I sure as hell didn’t like her eye fucking my… my friend.
I unwrapped my silverware and put my napkin in my lap.
“What’s wrong?” Mason smirked.
“Nothing’s wrong.” I pushed my hair out of my face and suddenly I felt self-conscious. I never felt self-conscious. Not over my looks. Not for a man.
It was something that I had promised myself a long time ago. I wouldn’t change myself for a man, and I wouldn’t let myself worry about it if he didn’t love something about me.
But here I sat comparing myself to our server, and I fucking hated it.
“I’m going to run to the bathroom really quick.” I stood from the table and headed toward the bathroom.
As I passed Mason, he touched his fingers to mine, bringing me to a stop, and he looked up at me with a big smile on his face.
“Have I told you today how beautiful you look?”
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly.
“Thanks, Mason.” I let my fingers slip from his and pulled my braid over my shoulder, and just like that, the insecurities that were flooding me melted away.
I studied my reflection when I looked in the mirror then splashed water on my face.
I hadn’t slept with anyone since that first night with Mason. I hadn’t even thought about another man. I hadn’t even realized it until that moment, realized the impact he was having on me, and I had absolutely no clue what I was doing.
But I knew for sure that I was getting in over my head.
I walked back to our table, and Mason smiled up at me as I sat down.
“Did you know that for every non-porn webpage, there are five porn pages?”
“Is that so?” I raised my eyebrows before taking a sip of my tea.
“Yup. It’s a fact. I read it somewhere.”
“Are you sure that you haven’t been doing your own research?” I quirked an eyebrow.
“Do I look like the kind of guy who needs porn?” His grin was devilish and so damn handsome, and I knew that he wasn’t. But I didn’t want to think about that.
“So humble, Mr. Connor. Are there any other super-attractive characteristics I should learn about you?” I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled.
“Well, I wasn’t going to tell you until it came out, but I also ordered your food for you.”