Back inside, we returned to our seats and I let Mason do the talking this time. Much to my relief, Noah was out from the kitchen and effectively distracting everyone with talks of some party he was throwing tomorrow night. I smiled with the rest of them, acted interested and complimented the food. But I was numb inside and while no one else noticed, Mason seemed to sense it because as the rest of the table chatted, he put his arm around me, leaning in close to my ear.
“I’ll figure something out, alright?” he murmured. I caught Sofia’s doting eyes on us across the table as Mason gently squeezed my arm. She grinned at me, clearly assuming that he was whispering sweet nothings in my ear when it was quite the opposite. “Just because I’m not marrying you doesn’t mean we can’t make you look like my girlfriend instead of some cheap fling.”
“Sure,” I said. He sounded genuine but I took his words with a grain of salt, shrugging his arm off my shoulder as I realized that in terms of image, the perks of our arrangement were a little one-sided. Angling his body toward me, Mason tilted his head to meet my eye.
“What, is this our first fight as a couple?”
I cut my eyes to him but gave no answer. I wanted to tell him that I was out – that our deal was done and I’d transfer back the absurd amount of money he put in my account. But I felt my mood shifting as my eyes trailed from the bow of his lips up the blade of his nose, landing finally on those pools of blue boring into me. Damn it. I cursed myself as I surrendered with an answer.
“Yes.”
“Well, I guess that’s a rite of passage for us.”
“Maybe.”
“I’d crack a joke about make-up sex but I have a hunch it’d be poorly received.”
I suppressed my amusement. “At least you’re starting to learn.”
“Everyone has to start somewhere. And hey, in honor of our first fight, I promise to find some way to make it up to you.”
“Good luck,” I said brusquely. Studying me, Mason smirked.
“You should know I have a history of being turned on by angry women so it’s really in your best interest to forgive me.”
I snorted. “That explains a lot about your personality.”
“To be clear, it’s not like I start arguments for the pleasure of it. I’m just saying that angry sex is generally good sex, so for that reason, I might get turned on by an incredibly attractive woman who’s pissed off at me. Call it a Pavlovian response.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Fancy term.”
“Shit, right. Should I avoid words more than three syllables now that I know you didn’t go to college?”
“God.” I turned away from him, laughing despite myself.
“Hey, none of that. I earned that smile, so let me see it.” I ignored Mason to lean forward on the table, trying to get Sofia’s attention but he pulled me easily back, leaning into me and catching my jaw. My pulse picked up as he gave that sexy laugh and turned me to face him. “Don’t be stubborn,” he murmured as I stared skyward with my grin bitten back. “Let me see those lips.”
Fuck. Something about his words prickled hot over my skin and just like that, the deep throbbing returned between my thighs. It swelled deeper as Mason drew his thumb over my bottom lip to coax it out, a crooked smile twisting the corner of his mouth as he eyed my bitten, red lips.
“There she is,” Mason laughed as I reminded myself to breathe because fuck, that face was even more dangerously handsome up close and personal. Damn it, Mase. Thrill and sheepishness buzzed in my cheeks as I sensed the rest of the table watching now. There were little coos and giggles from the girls but it was Noah who finally spoke up for the guys.
“Jesus Christ, I can’t watch this sappy shit anymore.”
Breaking away from Mason, I covered my face with my hands, the rest of the table laughing now and teasing us both. My heart raced and my entire body was hot as Mason put his arm around me, good natured as he joked back with his friends and told Noah that envy wasn’t a good look. God, what just happened? I asked myself, feeling hot, bothered and worst of all, charmed by Mason, especially as he pulled me closer to him and kissed the top of my head. Peeking out from my fingers, I peered at Sofia giggling across the table, pointing at me and touching her cheeks to indicate the red in mine. I rolled my eyes at her but I couldn’t help but agree when she later came down to my end, scooting next to me and whispering, “See? I told you about the Leos. They’ll drive you fucking insane but you can’t stop loving them.”
Ugh. Love was definitely not the word.
Still, she was onto something.
Chapter Eight
Like a daily insult, Aaron’s mail continued to be sent to my address. I was in the midst of sorting through it the next day when a knock came at my door. I jumped to my feet, my instinct to change out of my baggy T-shirt and frayed sweats. But then I realized it couldn’t be Mason at the door because he’d never knock or wait so politely for me to answer.
“Hi?” I said, confused when I saw the young man outside in my hall. He was dressed far better than I was and he had a polite smile for me as he held out his hand. Blinking down, I realized he was holding an elegantly embossed black shopping bag. “For you, Miss Simms.”
“Oh.” My eyebrows shot up when I took the small bag and felt its weight drag my hand down. “Thank you,” I murmured before he gave a single nod and left. The second I closed the door, I rushed to my kitchen table, shoving Aaron’s mail haphazardly aside to make room for the bag holding something that had me more desperately curious than I could ever remember feeling.
Reaching in, I first pulled out a card. I nearly cast it right aside since I was used to cards never having actual handwritten messages on them. But this one did and sitting back down in my chair, I read it.