Price of a Kiss (Forbidden Men 1)

I shook my head, not wanting to think about that right now. Mason had ordered a present to be made especially for me.

“I had one made for Sarah too. Yours was actually the prototype. So I think it might contain a few more mistakes.”

“What mistakes?” I shook my head as I used the tiny hook that had been made to attach it to my bracelet. “It’s flawless.” I held my wrist up so I could see all the charms dangle. The HP was by far my favorite. I looked up with a big goofy grin, my heart full of affection. “Thank you.”

He opened his mouth to answer when someone sat on the bench seat beside me. I wasn’t expecting Eva today, but when I turned, I thought it would be her.

Ethan’s face totally caught me off guard. He grinned. “Hey.”

I fumbled. “Umm. Hi…Ethan.” A blush hit me so hard I could feel it spread from the roots of my hair all the way down my neck. “I…I’m not used to seeing you on a Friday.”

He chuckled. “I know. But I saw you over here and thought I’d say hi.” Then he glanced across the table. “Hey, Mason.” Giving a friendly wave, he seemed nothing but congenial and courteous.

And yet Mason reacted as if he’d been flipped the bird. “Riker,” he bit out in a tense voice, pulling back slightly in his seat to send a suspicious, narrow-eyed stare back and forth between us.

“Oh! You two know already each other?” I blurted out, wanting to keep things as kosher as Mason obviously didn’t want them to be. “Great. That saves me from making introductions because obviously…I forgot to make introductions.” I snorted at my own lame joke, revealing just how nervous I was.

Ethan grinned like a gentleman, but Mason looked at me as if I’d lost my mind. My grin died a quick, painful death.

“So, I’m really excited about tomorrow night,” Ethan went on. “And I forgot to ask: Was there anywhere special you wanted to go?”

“Umm…” I bit my lip, desperately trying to ignore the way Mason swung his head to gape at me. Color leeched from my face, and I grasped for reasonable thought. But why did I suddenly feel…awful?

“No,” I croaked. “I can’t think of anything. Just…wherever is fine. I’m not too familiar with Waterford yet.”

“Great.” Ethan’s smile was slow and pleased. “I have a couple places in mind.” He glanced at his wristwatch and let out an impatient breath. “I have to get to class. See you tomorrow.”

He stood up just as quickly as he’d sat down. Then he bent toward me and stamped a quick kiss to my cheek before I even realized what he had planned.

“Whoa!” I blurted out and leaned away, even though he’d already pulled back.

He paused to squint his eyes at me questioningly. I flushed and opened my mouth to apologize. But the waves of anger coming across the table from Mason made me stop. With a tense smile, I said, “See you tomorrow.”

He nodded, darted a glance to Mason, and took off.

I stared after him, biting my lip, too afraid to breathe. Maybe if I didn’t mention anything, Mason wouldn’t question it. But when I risked a glance his way, I knew immediately, he would question it. Big time.

“You’re going out with him? Tomorrow?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Oh, God. Oh, God. What should I tell him?

My mind went blank, so I had to stick with the truth. “Umm…yes?” The answer came out as a question and I wanted to slug myself. Why was I being so meek all of the sudden?

Probably because Mason’s body looked strangely still. I mean, not that he usually fidgeted, but nothing on him even twitched, not even his hard gray eyes that bored right into me as if I’d betrayed him.

Strangely, I felt as if I had betrayed him.

His jaw went rigid as he looked down, staring blindly at his opened calculus book. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I…” I floundered. “Well, for one, I haven’t seen you since Sunday. Then I…I completely forgot about it until he showed up just now, and…” I shrugged. “By then, you already knew.”

“When?” Mason demanded.

I frowned. “When what?”

“When did he ask you out?”