“Evening,” he said in a slow drawl.
“Uh-herm,” I replied.
He lifted an eyebrow.
This is Mason, I chided myself.
“You headed to the bowling alley?” His eyes danced over my shorts. Or maybe it was my legs.
I was suddenly thankful for the year of waitressing. Hustling my buns had done great things for my calves.
In that moment, I realized something. When Mason looked at me like that, I felt good about myself. Not self-conscious like when I’d looked in the mirror, but really attractive. Like I was a model.
How did he manage to do that for me with just a look?
“I—yeah.” I patted my pocket for my keys and then realized I had them in my purse and stopped moving.
“You want a ride?” He jerked his head toward the bike.
“On that?” I squeaked. Did I mention how much I love motorcycles? And this one…this bike was all the bells and whistles with a slightly retro design. It was the kind of bike that said the rider was dangerous—a man’s man. “I couldn’t.”
“Are you scared?”
I set my jaw. “I’m not afraid of riding.”
“Then come on.” He threw his leg over the bike and sat down. Dang! The man could seriously fill a calendar with his hotness. First the kitten and now the motorcycle. I should have been taking pictures, but I was too busy trying to come up with a reason not to get on.
Live a little. Lilly’s advice echoed in my brain like a cheerleading squad.
Mason held out a sleek, black helmet. I took it, surprised by how light it was in my hand. “Thanks.” I put it on and buckled it beneath my chin before climbing on behind him. I looked down. “Where do I hold on?”
He paused, glancing over his shoulder at me. There was this depth to his gaze that sent my already pounding heart into a frenzy. “You’re not going to like it,” he said, his voice low and throaty.
I swallowed as I mustered all the courage I needed to respond. “I think I can handle it.”
He quirked an eyebrow and then, a moment later, grabbed my arms and wrapped them around him. “Right here.”
I jumped away and pulled my hands back. Even though I knew that was where he was going, I wasn’t sure that this was such a good idea. “Seriously, aren’t there handles or something back here?”
“Nope.” He looked pointedly over his shoulder.
I sucked in a breath and wrapped my arms around him, afraid and excited to feel his chest expand as he breathed. It was so intimate, I struggled to stay in the moment.
“Take it easy on me,” I said quietly.
He patted my hands. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to my buddy Parker’s mom.”
Something pricked, and my eyes stung. He got it. Got that I was all Parker had left. Got that I didn’t put myself in danger because Parker needed me. I squeezed him gently. “Thank you.”
He nodded and then started the motor. It roared to life, and my blood surged through my veins. As we pulled out into the neighborhood, I relaxed my hold on him. And then I just relaxed, letting the stress of school, work, and parenthood get lost behind me. My worries couldn’t catch me on this ride.
Mason’s body was warm under my hands. There was a certain freedom to holding him from behind because he couldn't see my face, couldn’t read my expression. I let myself enjoy the moment of having a solid body to hang onto once again. It was wonderful.
Maybe too wonderful.
Camden threw his arms over his head and cheered for himself. It was his sixth strike in a row.
“Yeah!” He high-fived me and then Holly.
She giggled at his antics.
I was a little over them. I could understand cheering the first time, but after five wasn’t it almost expected?
“I had no idea you were so good,” I yelled over the disco music. We were in the middle of a strobe song that made Camden’s teeth glow bright blue and Holly’s tight white tee shirt stand out like a beacon for every guy who walked past. Seriously, a bug zapper didn’t get this much attention in a corn field.
I glanced at Mason. He was busy getting his hold on the ball and not paying any attention to his date.
“I’ve toyed with the idea of going pro.” Camden grinned, almost blinding me. “You know, if nursing doesn’t work out.”
I laughed but quickly cut it off as he didn’t appear to be joking. “Why wouldn’t nursing work out?” It was a great field and there were always jobs available. After talking with Penny McKnight, I understood even more the flexibility that this degree would give me.
He shrugged. “You never know where life is going to take you. Right, Holly?” He turned to include her in the conversation, but his hand dropped to my knee. It was clammy, and I had the urge to shove it away.
Mason threw the ball down the alley, destroying the pin formation. The sound was like artillery raining down, and several people stopped to look our way. Camden lifted his hand off my knee to high-five Mason as he walked by.
Mason smacked him a little harder than necessary and took his seat on the other side of Holly.
Camden’s arm came around me, and his hand cupped my shoulder, gently massaging it. I tensed, trying to fight the urge to glance over at Mason to see if he noticed.
Holly hopped up to take her turn. Her beautiful long hair bounced behind her. She turned before picking up her ball and winked at Mason.
He was staring at the floor. She pouted for a moment before setting her toes on the arrows and glaring down the lane.
“You’re tense.” Camden put both hands on my shoulders and pushed them down. Then he began massaging my neck. I closed my eyes, trying to enjoy the attention, but all I could think about were the germs he was spreading all over my skin after having his fingers in the rented bowling ball. It made me want to gag.
Holly threw her ball and hit the farthest back pin. She turned around, her lower lip pouting. “What am I doing wrong?”
Camden smacked Mason’s leg to get his attention. The man was glaring down at his shoes. I got the feeling he didn’t like Camden paying attention to me. I wasn’t all that comfortable either, but that was probably because this was my first date in, like, nine years. I just needed to give myself some time to get comfortable with the whole situation.
Mason grunted. “You’re the expert.”
Camden bobbed his head like a peacock. He jumped up. “Let’s talk about feet position.” He started showing Holly where she could place her feet to get a better angle when she released the ball. She tucked her hair behind her ear and glanced at Mason.
I slipped over into the seat Camden had just left. “You’re not paying much attention to your date.”
Mason cringed. “I’m not that into her.”
“Well, at least be her friend.” I elbowed him.
“What, like Camden? Should I have my hands all over her too?” The fire in his eyes took me aback. Like I was the type to let a man get handsy. I was just trying to make the evening more enjoyable for him and Holly. Not that Holly needed encouragement, she gazed at Mason like a lovesick schoolgirl. And, while I thought she was a bit young for him, I held my tongue.
“It was a neck massage.”
“It’s taking liberties.”